As community meetings about the future of I-81 continue in Onondaga County, a roundabout near Dr. King Elementary School became the latest flashpoint about the proposed community grid plan.

Residents on Thursday night expressed worry that the community grid plan would add congestion near the school and put safety of kids at risk.

"They should understand that with all these children around here, safety is going to be a big issue," said Ryedell Davis, a resident of south Syracuse.

Davis says leaders need to take precautions with the project landing in the school's backyard.

"We can alleviate the stuff that may happen with that roundabout being around a school," he said.

Taisha Campbell says while she likes the overall community grid proposal, she says a roundabout doesn't need to be so close to the elementary school.

"I am from this community and I still currently live in this community. This place is already congested. And we have to think of the children in this area," Campbell said. "This is a school. You have children here. You have walkers here. You have bussers here."

The New York Department of Transportation's plan would be to place a roundabout roughly a mile away from the school as drivers are coming off I-81 northbound and into the city with the aim to slow down drivers.

“The importance of traffic [would] be around 55 miles per hour at Colvin Street, and then we would step them down to 45 miles per hour, then down to 30,” said Mark Frenchetta, the NYSDOT I-81 project manager.

Like many public meetings and hearings that have been extended through the process, they say they are adapting to concerns.

"Roundabouts really have traffic calming, we think that's a good solution. But we're being asked to take a look at putting that roundabout in other locations, not as close to [the school]," Frenchetta said.

Public, in-person meetings are starting to draw down, and that means crowds are ramping up.

“It's happening through the process, but we need more. We need more people that actually live in the area to come voice their concerns and talk about exactly the reason why they are for or against," Davis said.

I-81 has a history of disrupting south Syracuse and other neighborhoods in Syracuse, and these communities say they feel like they’re being heard this time around, but say actions will speak louder than words.

“The more meetings will allow people to feel that they're more a part of the process, but just because you're having a meeting doesn't necessarily mean that you're making progress," Campbell said.