New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez announced that the Interstate 81 Viaduct Project has reached a major milestone, with work now shifting to the removal of the aging viaduct that has divided Syracuse for decades and the construction of a new transportation network designed to reconnect neighborhoods and improve access to downtown for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
To launch the second and final phase of the transformative project, the State Department of Transportation has awarded the largest — and one of the most complex — construction contracts in its history to CNY Alliance. Work is expected to begin imminently.
The $2.1 billion contract, the sixth awarded as part of the project, includes the reconstruction and realignment of a key section of Interstate 690, rehabilitation of 25 local streets and construction of new, easier-to-navigate access points to downtown Syracuse.
“Across New York State, we are working to undo the mistakes of decades past and weave neighborhoods back together through meaningful community engagement and modernized infrastructure,” Dominguez said. “As Phase Two of the I-81 Viaduct Project commences, Syracuse moves another step closer to greater connectivity and a safer, more equitable transportation network for all.”
The I-81 Viaduct Project is the largest transportation project ever undertaken by the New York State Department of Transportation and is part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s broader effort to modernize infrastructure while promoting equity, connectivity and multimodal transportation throughout the state.
The project will remove a 1.4-mi. stretch of elevated highway that has separated Syracuse neighborhoods for decades and replace it with a Community Grid intended to reconnect communities, modernize infrastructure, improve access to downtown and enhance mobility for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Phase One, which began in spring 2023, focused primarily on improvements needed to redesignate Interstate 481 as the new I-81 and maintain traffic flow during the viaduct’s removal. The work included reconstructing the northern and southern I-481/I-81 interchanges and beginning construction of what will become Business Loop 81.
Phase Two centers on dismantling the viaduct and building the infrastructure needed to support the Community Grid.
The sixth contract focuses on reconstructing I-690 in both directions between Leavenworth Ave. on Syracuse’s Near Westside and North Crouse Ave. on the Eastside. Fifteen lane mi. of interstate will be rebuilt along a similar alignment to accommodate future connections with Business Loop 81 and a new full interchange at North Crouse and Irving avenues.
Existing ramps connecting I-81 and I-690 will be removed to make way for new ramps, bridges and retaining walls serving the future interchange between Business Loop 81 and I-690.
The North Crouse and Irving avenues interchange, now under construction as part of Contract 4, will be completed as one of the primary gateways to University Hill. The new interchange is expected to distribute traffic more evenly, reduce bottlenecks and provide motorists with another route to major destinations. It replaces the McBride Street eastbound I-690 on-ramp, which closed in November 2025, and the westbound I-690 off-ramp to Townsend Street.
The West Street interchange also will be transformed into a pedestrian-friendly, street-level corridor. West Street will be lowered to meet West Genesee Street, creating an at-grade intersection that reconnects Syracuse’s Near Westside with downtown and improves access to the Onondaga Creekwalk. As part of the redesign, the ramps from West Street to Herald Place and from North Franklin Street to West Street will be removed.
Contract 6 also includes rehabilitation and partial reconstruction of 25 local streets, along with installation of new sewer and water lines to replace aging underground infrastructure.
Additional improvements include decorative lighting, sidewalks, shared-use paths and street trees.
Other Community Grid enhancements include:
• Extending Pearl Street to Erie Boulevard and adding a second lane to the northbound entrance ramp to future Business Loop 81, improving traffic flow for motorists leaving downtown.
• Replacing the existing West Street/Franklin Street and Clinton Street/Salina Street southbound off-ramps with a consolidated two-lane off-ramp. One lane will connect to Oswego Boulevard, while the other will lead to Clinton Street, with access to Franklin Street via Webster’s Landing.
• Extending North Clinton St. to Butternut St. to create a new access point into the city’s urban core.
• Replacing the Butternut St. bridge to accommodate the future Business Loop 81. Like the nearby Court and Spencer street bridges, the new bridge will include a shared-use path connecting the Northside to downtown for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Construction on I-690 will be completed in stages to minimize traffic disruptions.
During reconstruction of the eastbound lanes, eastbound traffic will be detoured onto city streets, while westbound traffic will continue using I-690. Once the eastbound lanes are complete, traffic in both directions will temporarily share that side of the interstate while the westbound lanes are demolished and rebuilt.
When complete, the reconstructed I-690 will meet modern interstate standards with three 12-ft. travel lanes in each direction and full-width shoulders, providing safer conditions for emergency stops. Improved roadway curves and longer merge lanes are also expected to enhance safety and traffic flow.
