New York Construction Report staff writer
New York transportation officials announced Monday the completion of major reconfigured interchanges connecting Interstate 81 and Interstate 481 in Onondaga County, a key milestone in the multibillion-dollar effort to remove Syracuse’s elevated highway viaduct and replace it with a street-level network.
New York State’s Department of Transportation said the work includes the reopening of all major infrastructure within the footprint of future Interstate 81 and Business Loop 81 connections in the Town of Cicero and the City of Syracuse. The projects are part of the first two construction contracts in the I-81 Viaduct Project.
The initiative is the largest in department history and aims to dismantle the 1.4-mile elevated viaduct that has divided Syracuse neighborhoods for more than 60 years. The project is designed to reconnect communities and improve the region’s transportation system.
“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,” Hochul said in a statement. “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 southern interchange in Syracuse, which carries traffic from Interstate 81 southbound to Interstate 481 northbound, reopened at Exit 1A in a new alignment designed to provide high-speed access to eastern suburbs including DeWitt, Fayetteville, Manlius and Cazenovia.
Officials said the redesigned system also establishes future alignments for Interstate 81 mainline traffic and Business Loop 81, which will direct local traffic into downtown Syracuse as part of the planned “community grid” replacing the viaduct.
The project also includes a rebuilt interchange at East Glen Avenue, improving access to Southside and Valley neighborhoods as well as nearby hospitals, universities and commercial areas. Officials said the redesign enhances regional connectivity for drivers traveling between Syracuse and surrounding communities via state routes and U.S. highways.
As part of the southern interchange work, crews reconstructed East Brighton Avenue bridges and added two roundabouts to replace signalized intersections. Transportation officials said the roundabouts are intended to improve traffic flow and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists through dedicated crossings and shared-use paths.
North of Syracuse, in the Town of Cicero, officials said the northern interchange is also complete. A new flyover bridge now carries traffic from future Business Loop 81 northbound onto Interstate 81 northbound, creating a direct high-speed connection for commuters traveling between downtown Syracuse, surrounding suburbs and Syracuse Hancock International Airport.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said the project represents a long-planned effort to correct the impact of the original highway construction.
“What was once a vision is now a reality,” Dominguez said. “The I-81 project is sparking a rebirth for the City of Syracuse and the greater Central New York community.”
The interchange work is part of Contracts 1 and 2 of the broader I-81 Viaduct Project, which began construction in 2023 after more than a decade of planning and public engagement. The southern interchange contract is valued at about $140 million, while the northern interchange work totals roughly $226.5 million.
Officials said the completed interchanges are a foundational step toward removing the viaduct and constructing the planned Community Grid, a street-level network intended to reconnect neighborhoods and redistribute traffic across Syracuse.
Further phases of viaduct demolition and surface street reconstruction are expected to continue over the coming years.
