A temporary exhibitat ArtRage gallery shows the past and present realities of the land where the Interstate 81 viaduct now exists side by side. Organizers of 'A Shadow Cast: Interstate 81' Shane Lavalette and the New York Civil Liberties Union hope the photos help to explain why restorative justice should be a necessary part of the I-81 Project.
A timeline of I-81's construction and the demolition of the 15th Ward also was part of the exhibit. The documents took months to scan and illustrate howredlining and urban renewal made way for a viaduct to be built through a community.
Now that the NYSDOT has issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, orangizations like the NYCLU are working to make sure that the project is done in a way that helps to restore some of what the 15th Ward lost. The state has yet to release a final decision on the Interstate 81 project, but NYCLU's Lanessa Chaplin says relocation, school accomdations and economic redevelopment plans need to be a part of it.
