Roundabout

The Chicopee City Council has approved a bond to fund a new location for the Anna E. Barry Elementary School, with all but one councilor voting in favor at a packed Wednesday meeting. The K-5 school, which serves 331 students, will relocate to a site next to the Szetela Early Childhood Center, which will also be renovated. The current building on Connell Street, constructed in 1963, has asbestos, structural issues, and ADA compliance problems.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority approved funding 80% of eligible costs in 2023. The $106 million project is expected to open in three years. Debate centered on the new site's location on Macek Street, near Granby Road, a heavily trafficked artery slated for a state roundabout project; Ward 2 Councilor Shane Brooks cast the lone dissenting vote citing traffic safety concerns. Mayor John Vieau, who chairs the Chicopee School Committee, said the city must begin replacing its aging schools one at a time. The Szetela site was chosen by the volunteer Barry School Commission after other locations proved unfeasible.

Syracuse officials are asking Upstate University Hospital to slow down its request to permanently close a block of East Adams Street to make way for a new emergency room. Mayor Sharon Owens, who along with the Common Council must approve abandoning the city-owned road, says she backs the need for a larger ER — the current one is overcrowded and outdated — but wants more data on traffic, public safety and neighborhood impacts before committing. Upstate argues closing the street and directly connecting its planned $450 million annex would save critical time for trauma patients, while a skybridge alternative would add delays. Crouse Hospital, city firefighters and ambulance providers warn the closure could cut off emergency routes and worsen traffic across University Hill, especially as the Interstate 81 viaduct removal reshapes downtown traffic patterns.

Local lawmakers are weighing potential tradeoffs from the state, such as road improvements, a new fire station or housing development, in exchange for the closure. City officials say more traffic studies and public input are needed before any final decision.