To The Editor:
The “who wants the Inland Port game” seems to be a one sided affair.
If you remember, back over a year ago I asked why Onondaga and not Oswego for the Inland Port.
At that time, there was only one area in Onondaga County looking to be the site of the Inland Port and its almost 2,000 high-paying jobs.
It was Jamesville. The residents spoke out against it and didn’t want it in their backyards.
The people of Fulton and Oswego County want it.
Oswego County showed some interest behind closed doors.
I had suggested the land just south of the city of Fulton next to the Cayuga Community College complex.
Right next to a rail line and highway.
Those doors seemed to have closed and may never be open.
Next up for Onondaga County was a site in Manlius.
The problem there is there is no road for access to the site.
A road would have to be built with grant money being applied for.
Fulton site has a road and a rail system.
Next up for Onondaga County is a site in Camillus at a waste site.
That’s right, let’s put an Inland port on top of a waste site.
Fulton site is farm and woodland no waste here.
So as you can see Onondaga County is looking to gain jobs and Oswego County is content to keep what we have and cry poverty.
The Inland Port and the jobs that it would bring with it would be just the thing that Oswego County and the city of Fulton need to bring business to the area and with it people.
So I ask Gov. Cuomo to stop for 10 minutes on Route 481 just south of Fulton and look at the farm land and envision a Inland Port there along with all the satellite businesses.
Saving a city and enhancing a county.
Until the county leaders and state Leaders take some interest in bringing the Inland Port to the Fulton and Oswego County area, the score of the who wants the Inland Port game will be: Onondaga County- 3 and Oswego County – 0.
I really think Onondaga County isn’t done yet I see them coming up with more sites until they find one that is as good as the one already here in Fulton.
Frank Castiglia Jr. Oswego County Legislator 25th District
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The problem with your idea of having it in Fulton is that it is 40 miles (round trip) and 80 minutes out of the way. The main rail yards and highways are in Syracuse that is why they are looking to put it there. The Central Square area would make more sense than Fulton and even that would be a bad choice.
Mike, The fault in your argument is this: One Rt. 481 is a major highway that goes to Oswego where the main port is, Two there is a Rail yard in Fulton. The purpose of the Inland Port is to move material from the main port to a inland port by truck then by rail to NYC. The shorter the distant on truck the better. C. Square is not on a direct route from Oswego. Fulton is. Sorry Mike but Fulton is the ans.
Everything in Fulton would then have to be distributed again at the rail yards in Syracuse. That is why Fulton is not a good location. It is out of the way for the trucking companies and the rail service. Most of the trucking companies work out of Syracuse because it is close to 81/90 and the rail yards. Easier to take by tuck or rail straight to Syracuse than to Fulton then Syracuse. I only brought up CS because it is on 81 and the main rail line and I said it was still not a good choice.
Mike, I believe the plan is for the material to be loaded and go straight to NYC the train loads are going to be very long(a mile or better) and they are not planing on reloading them. I have to let you in a little secret . There are trucking co. in Oswego County and like I said the rail yard in Fulton is fully functional. We could keep going back and forth all year long. The key is going to will be the cost of land and to build the port. Trucking and rail are a side item.Land in Fulton or Oswego County is much cheaper and accessible.
After Reading your letter, I must say that I admire your loyalty to your area but in respect to the Rail Yard, Fulton is a “Midway” yard that connects the Dewitt yard with Oswego and the Sunoco overflow. Working for Conrail and recently Retired from CSX, the Three Track switch yard at the Port is only two blocks long then switches to ONE TRACK at the gate to the Port. A perfect example of it operates is: The South track is for Incoming, the North Track is Outgoing and the middle is Overflow or Bypass if the Port hasn’t emptied the South track and only permits 15 cars at a time. The Fulton yard while bigger is often clogged with Sunoco Overflow cars along with cars heading to the Port, Novelis and Oswego Industrial. The Dewitt yard is the largest yard in the area and the only one that can accommodate the cars scheduled to ship from the port (15 at a time, twice a week)
I have never said that more work wouldn’t have to be done. I understand that but it’s easier to add on to verses building a new one. They are not interested in using the rail yard at Dewitt as an inland port. the size of the warehouse is going to be the size of two to three football fields and there is no room for that in Dewitt. It not going to be just a switching station in is going to be an ‘INLAND PORT”. Yes the rail yard in Dewitt is massive but the people in Dewitt will go to war before they let an INLAND PORT go in there. Lets keep in mind the size of the warehouse and where it will fit. FULTON FULTON we have farm land and wooded areas just waiting to be used.
Frank, you do know that CCC bought that land for about $500,000.00 a few years ago?
Mike, What you don’t know and I do is that the CCC was willing to donate the land to the Port for the Inland Port…they are going to use it anymore…
So is CCC going to expand or sit idol? Is the auburn campus going to develop and Fulton will stop expanding? Who is in charge of the establishment of the inland port ? What does he/she/they, say why they don’t bring it to Fulton?
CCC doesn’t have any plans for the land south east of the bldg. The head of the establishment of the inland port is a gentlemen named Zelko(sp) he has said no to the site but his reasons are unfounded. I believe he will build where ever the Governor tells him to. He was appointed to his position. We have to convince the Governor that we need it here not Onondaga County….
Why is an inland port even needed. The main port in Oswego doesn’t produce enough work now for those who work there; trust me, I know. It’s all a publicity stunt for certain egos out of that port, of which there’s tons of. There was WAY MORE work at that port back in the 80s & 90s & much nicer people running it too; why no inland port built back then??