Long-anticipated work on Oneonta’s Southside is underway.
State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez announced Wednesday, June 24 the start of the $7 million Southside Oneonta Safety and Mobility Improvement Project which, officials say, will reduce traffic congestion and enhance pedestrian access along the James F. Lettis Highway and the state Route 28 corridor.
“The project includes modern features that will create safer connections for residents, students, visitors and businesses throughout this busy commercial corridor near SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College,” an NYSDOT news release stated.
“A safer street does more than move traffic — it connects people to opportunity,” Dominguez said. “We continue to make strategic investments along this corridor to enhance safety for all users of our transportation systems — bike, pedestrian, road and transit. We started with the installation of the Lettis Highway and Main Street roundabout and, together with our partners in Oneonta, we are now advancing safety upgrades along State Routes 23 and 28, which will expand pedestrian access and help improve the flow of people and traffic along this critical Oneonta gateway.”
The project is designed “to significantly enhance safety, traffic flow and pedestrian access on State Route 23 (James F. Lettis Highway) and State Route 28, a busy commercial and residential corridor,” the release stated. It was awarded Statewide Highway Safety Improvement Program funding after an analysis found that the corridor experienced vehicle crashes at rates higher than the statewide average.
The project includes extended turning lanes, a new sidewalk along the northern edge of the corridor and an additional pedestrian crosswalk at the north side of the intersection of the James F. Lettis Highway and state Route 28. ADA-compliant curb ramps will also be placed throughout the area.
Two new bus stops for Oneonta Public Transit users “will expand access to jobs, shopping and essential services,” the release stated. The project will also include a full pavement resurfacing, upgraded pavement markings and modernized traffic signals, including new signals at the McDonald’s and Aldi intersections and upgraded signals at the Southside Mall and Hannaford entrances.
Construction is expected to continue through the fall of 2027. Motorists should expect temporary pattern changes, congestion and delays during construction and as work progresses, according to the release. To help improve travel conditions, NYSDOT has adjusted traffic signal timing at key intersections to better manage the flow of traffic and reduce backups.
“I am thankful to see the improvements underway across State Routes 23 and 28 in the Town of Oneonta,” Oneonta Mayor Daniel Buttermann said in the release. “Southside Oneonta is an important part of our region’s economic vitality, and it is the busiest traffic area in the county. The improvements will enhance safety and mobility, which will in turn increase the ease of accessing Oneonta, enjoying the wonderful host-community that we are, and all that we have to offer.”
Town Supervisor Will Rivera said, “This project means a parent walking to the Southside, or a student heading to a shift, finally has a safe way to get there. It makes one of our busiest commercial corridors safer for everyone who walks, bikes, or drives it, and easier to reach for residents and visitors.”
The Southside project also was designed in coordination with the city of Oneonta’s Transportation Alternatives Program project on Lettis Highway, which includes a new sidewalk along Lettis Highway that will connect with Southside, according to the release.