SYRACUSE, N.Y. \u2014 The New York State Department of Transportation announced on Friday that the Interstate 81 Viaduct Project reached its second phase, where work on the “Community Grid” begins.<\/p>\n
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez called the achievement a milestone. She said work will now focus on removing outdated infrastructure that has divided parts of Syracuse. <\/p>\n
It will also focus on constructing a new transportation network to reconnect the parts that divided the community. Commissioner Dominguez said it will improve access for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the State Department of Transportation announced that it awarded a $2.1 billion contract to the CNY Alliance. Part of the construction contract includes the reconstruction and realignment of a key stretch of Interstate 690, the rehabilitation of 25 local streets and the buildout of new, easy-to-navigate access points to the city center.<\/p>\n
The first phase began in 2023. It focused on improvements needed for the redesignation of Interstate 481 as the new I-81 and to keep traffic moving during the removal of the viaduct. This included the reconstruction of the northern and southern interchanges of Interstate 481 and I-81, and the preliminary work to create what will become Business Loop 81.<\/p>\n