The New York State Department of Transportation recently completed a $366 million reconfiguring the northern and southern interchanges for I-481/I-81 in the Town of Cicero and City of Syracuse in Onondaga County as part of its I-81 Viaduct Project.
[Above photo by NYSDOT]
Governor Kathy Hochul (D) noted in a statement that three years after breaking ground on this interchange project, all major infrastructure within the footprint of where future I-81 and future Business Loop 81 meet is now open to traffic.
The modernization of these interchanges is a “foundational first step” toward taking down the 1.4-mile stretch of elevated I-81 highway viaduct running through downtown Syracuse and replacing it with a street-level network known as the Community Grid, she said.
Infrastructure upgrades to the north and south of Syracuse ensure these crucial corridors can support the efficient movement of high-speed through traffic that is not destined for downtown or the northern suburbs of Onondaga County, and facilitate streamlined connections for motorists transitioning between highways.
“The I-81 Viaduct Project is at the forefront of a statewide effort to weave neighborhoods back together after being torn apart by interstates that cut through the heart of these once thriving communities,” the governor said. “The modernization of the northern and southern interchanges builds a more connected, less congested transportation network and sets the stage for the viaduct to finally come down.”
“The I-81 project is sparking a rebirth for the City of Syracuse and the greater Central New York community,” added Marie Therese Dominguez, NYSDOT commissioner. “The completion of the northern and southern interchanges moves us closer to bringing down the viaduct and opening up the city – providing renewal, hope and opportunity for a community that has lived in the shadow of this viaduct for far too long.”
The completion of this highway interchange project is the latest in a series of transportation initiatives launched under the auspices of NYSDOT.
The agency recently began work on $146 million worth of bridge and paving projects across Long Island, including major pavement renewal work on the Long Island Expressway, Sunrise Highway, and Heckscher State Parkway, along with three bridge rehabilitation projects that connect Long Islanders with South Shore beaches and shorefront communities in Nassau County.
NYSDOT also recently wrapped up an $18.5 million pavement renewal project on the Northern State Parkway ahead of schedule, just in time for the summer season.
The agency is also overseeing the distribution of $6 million in Innovative Mobility Initiative funding to support transit authorities across the state to expand service offerings and support riders who face barriers to accessing traditional transit by funding the creation of new transit alternatives or technological products.
Finally, the governor signed legislation on June 13 officially adding the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway into the state scenic byway system.
Consequently, NYSDOT – which has been working with the Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State for a number of years to develop a Corridor Management Plan – will soon begin installing signage marking the route connecting Underground Railroad landmarks from Central through Western New York.
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