NORWICH – A meeting of the New York State Route 12 Corridor Task Force, formed in 2000, attracted a large crowd to the Eaton Center Tuesday morning.
About 25 members of the state and county transportation departments along the 84-mile stretch from U.S. Route 11 in Broome County to NYS Thruway I-90 in Utica came to hear a consultant’s study about upgrading the roadway. Enhancements could include limited access portions with passing lanes, a truck bypass of Norwich, an interconnecter to Interstate 81, incorporating Routes 320, 23 and 8, as well as a stand alone four-lane highway.
New York State Department of Transportation officials say the latter would cost in excess of $750 million and take more than 30 years to build. It is estimated that a Route 12 Interstate would save travelers 30 minutes to get from Binghamton to Utica. It currently takes about 1 hour and 49 minutes.