The New York State Department of Transportation recently launched the “I-81 Connect” mobile application to deliver real-time updates and travel alerts about the Interstate 81 Viaduct Project outside Syracuse, NY; the largest infrastructure project to date overseen by the agency.
[Above image by NYSDOT]
The I-81 Viaduct Project will remove a 1.4-mile stretch of elevated highway that has divided the City of Syracuse and replace it with a “Community Grid” that will reconnect neighborhoods, modernize infrastructure, give motorists multiple options to safely access downtown Syracuse and improve mobility for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Work on the I-81 Viaduct Project has been in progress for two years, NYSDOT noted, with four of the project’s eight contracts in construction and a fifth contract anticipated to start later this spring. Additionally, final design on phase two of the project has begun.
The I-81 Connect mobile app – powered by GoGov and available on iPhone and Android devices for free – is a “one-stop shop resource” that provides users 24/7 access to all aspects of the I-81 Viaduct Project and streamlines communication between the user and NYSDOT, the agency said.
When users navigate to the section titled “Connect with Us” on the app’s home screen, they will be redirected to clickable links that call the I-81 Viaduct Project toll-free hotline or draft an email to the project team, NYSDOT noted. The notification feature on the app provides NYSDOT the ability to send messages about important project information directly to the user’s mobile device.
The app builds on the “unprecedented” community outreach efforts implemented during the project’s planning and environmental phases — which are currently still effective — and will remain active during actual construction, added Governor Kathy Hochul (D) in a statement.
“Community engagement does not stop once construction begins,” the governor noted. “NYSDOT is building on the robust public outreach that has accompanied every stage of this project, as we step into the future of community engagement with the new I-81 Connect mobile app. Our commitment to ensuring the residents of this community are involved in every aspect of this undertaking will remain strong until the viaduct comes down and the neighborhoods surrounding it are reconnected for good.”
The NYSDOT noted that this is the first-ever mobile app to be paired with one of its infrastructure projects. I-81 Connect links to the project’s website and provides full access to project renderings, contract updates, information and data associated with the first of its kind Local Hire Initiative, an inquiry form for jobseekers, materials and resources for prospective Disadvantage Business Enterprises and contractors, archived documents, technical details and more.
This “modernized approach” to community engagement cuts out the middleman and allows the public to receive information directly from the source, added NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez.
“The I-81 Connect mobile app is a game changer and reinforces Governor Hochul’s commitment to providing a safe and reliable transportation network, accessible to all,” she said. “I-81 Connect brings the community and NYSDOT together through the app, on the phone, or online, decreasing anxiety and sharing information.”
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