The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has made steady progress on a series of construction contracts that will remake much of the I-81 transportation network in Syracuse.
NYSDOT is working with an army of contractors on the $2.25 billion project, the largest in the state's history.
NYSDOT photo
Syracuse is the third-largest city upstate and is home to a significant medical community, universities and is a center for recreation and historical pursuits. The I-81 Viaduct network was built in the late 1960s and has outlived its useful life. Continuing maintenance has become costly; numerous modern safety features are needed, including changing non-standard shoulders and curves; and the number of traffic bottlenecks has increased — all of these make it clear the rehabilitation of the I-81 network in Syracuse is much needed.
Phase One work is broken into five separate contracts: the first two are design-build, and the other three are traditional contracts.
• Contract 1: Salt City Constructors (SCC), Lancaster Development and Tully Construction Co., D.A Collins Construction Co. and Cold Spring Construction Co.
• Contract 2: Central New York Alliance (CNY), consists of Rifenburg Construction, Economy Paving, Crane-Hogan Structural Systems and A. Servidone/B. Anthony Construction
• Contract 3: Salt City Constructors
• Contract 4: Central New York Alliance (CNY)
• Contract 5: Salt City Constructors
Elizabeth Parmley is NYSDOT's project director and supervises the projects, while Christopher Sheridan is the construction coordinator. This ambitious construction plan has been carefully staged, often leaving two lanes open during commuting times and reducing to one lane during the non-commuting hours, leaving more room for construction. The planning team also is cognizant of high-traffic times like move-in days at the universities and the New York State Fair in late August.
NYSDOT photo
Contracts 1 and 2 are planned for completion by 2026, with the other three scheduled to be finished in late 2026 through mid-2028.
"Using design-build best value teams encourages innovation," said Sheridan. "It enables the team to resolve design deficiencies and find ways to overcome unanticipated situations."
Contract One
Construction crews are on track to complete the existing I-81/I-481 northern interchange in Cicero by the end of 2025. Two new flyover ramps have been completed, and the new South Bay Road Bridge construction is under way. Workers expanded the former I-481 from two to three lanes at Kirkville Rd.
Contract Two
For the second contract, workers are connecting the southern interchange of I-481/I-81 in Syracuse to Business Loop 81 and the new I-81. These first two contracts are vital for the high-speed interstate connection with north-south trade routes from Tennessee to Canada. Workers also will be modifying the new I-81 over the CSX railyard.
Work has been completed on two bridges and roundabouts that connect to the new interchange at East Glen Avenue. The majority of the work on this contract is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
Contract Three
This construction team began working in the Inner Harbor and on the northside in 2024, creating safer access to residences and businesses for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. The plans call for ornamental lighting and the planting of more than 700 trees as part of reinvigorating the community. Contractors have been working to consolidate on and off ramps exiting southbound I-81, creating a new interchange that connects with future Business Loop 81. Three bridges will be lengthened to fit over the expanded Business Loop 81. Workers will be building sidewalks and a shared-use path on the Court and Spencer Street Bridges. Both Bear and Spencer Street Bridges have been demolished and are being rebuilt. The Spencer Street Bridge will be ready for traffic at the end of 2025, and the Bear Street Bridge will be ready in 2026.
Contract Four
In 2024, workers began building a new gateway to University Hill, the largest employment hub in Onondaga County. The construction will relieve traffic congestion by adding an on and off-ramp to I-690 at Crouse Avenue. Both Crouse and Irving Avenues will be improved so they can support three lanes carrying two-way traffic. This will create easier access to the highway network and to the downtown business districts, area hospitals and universities. The new Crouse Avenue on-ramp to I-690 eastbound has been completed.
Contract Five
NYSDOT photo
The work is centered in Syracuse's Southside. Work includes transforming the existing Interstate 81 to future Business Loop 81. The highway will gradually become a street for more than a mile, allowing residents to more easily access businesses, churches, schools and residents.
Workers will build a roundabout to calm the traffic and keep it safe for everyday use. The contractors also will demolish seven spans of the viaduct under this contract and remove them as part of the neighborhood transformation.
A new railroad bridge also will be constructed between Martin Luther King East and the roundabout at Van Buren Street, carrying the New York Susquehanna and Western Railway tracks over Business Loop 81.
The construction team also will build a new exit ramp from Business Loop 81 northbound to Colvin Street. Not all the work will be roads, bridges and ramps. The community improvements will include upgrades to the storm water runoff and sewage systems and pedestrian and cyclist amenities will be added, along with new traffic signals and noise barriers.
Construction began in 2025. Already, crews have demolished the Fineview bridge and started deconstructing Renwick Avenue. The work teams are now switching I-81 northbound traffic to southbound lanes to enable further construction activity.
Technology has played an important role in this complex undertaking. An app for the project has enabled the construction team to communicate directly to the public about changing traffic patterns and bottlenecks. Drones have provided accurate information for earthwork, paving and driving sheet piles. Some contractors have been using automated machine control, aiding in accurate placement of material and meeting specifications.
In some sections of the project, air monitors are used to monitor dust control. On the few occasions that sensors indicated poor air quality, the contractors were able to quickly adjust to benefit travelers and residents.
NYSDOT photo
One unusual strategy has been the employment of archeologists on the project.
"Some of our activity has been near the sacred lands of the Haudenosaunee and other native nations' lands," said Parmley. "The archeologists have been proactive in discovering important artifacts before construction, saving time and headaches. For example, on one occasion, the team discovered a wooden water pipe from the 1800s. The archeologists jumped in and did their work, without causing any delays to the contractor. Syracuse also is the site of the former Erie Canal, meaning other historical items could be uncovered.
Parmley and the team are proud of the work on this multi-faceted project and its effect on Syracuse.
"By removing the Viaduct that has divided the community in the past, we will reconnect the community and allow easier vehicle and bicycle access. The five contracts will make a significant impact throughout the city." CEG
