SYRACUSE, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul announces the opening of Interstate 81 southbound as part of the I-81 Viaduct Project, the largest infrastructure project in the history of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). This new connection in Syracuse, New York’s southern interchange keeps traffic moving at highway speeds while drivers transition from existing I-481 southbound to I-81 southbound, creating uninterrupted travel along the vital thoroughfare.
“Each piece of new infrastructure that opens on Interstate 81 represents real, tangible progress towards the promise of finally removing the elevated highway that has divided the city of Syracuse for decades,” Hochul said. “The I-81 Viaduct Project is a once in a generation opportunity to reconnect Syracuse and right the wrongs of the past, strengthening the transportation network, creating safer, better access to key destinations, and fostering new opportunities for growth. The opening of the southbound interchange is an important milestone in the historic transformation of central New York and a win for every person who lives, works, or visits this community.”
“The I-81 Viaduct Project is driving growth in central New York, bringing a newfound optimism to the city of Syracuse while fundamentally transforming the way people move in and around central New York for the better," NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said. "The opening of the southbound interchange is a critical turning point for this project — leading to a number of major milestones in the near future. While the I-81 Viaduct Project will not erase the harm done to the city of Syracuse generations ago, it will help catapult the city into the future by modernizing key infrastructure and easing commutes for motorists who rely on these key routes every day.”
The new highway creates a streamlined route for motorists in central New York that are leaving the cities of Oswego and Fulton or the northern suburbs of Onondaga County via State Route and Interstate 481, destined for the southern Onondaga County towns of Lafayette and Tully or the cities of Cortland, Ithaca, and Binghamton. Bringing a new access point online ensures more efficient traffic flow for busy commuters and travelers in need of a direct connect option.
The opening of this key piece of infrastructure in Syracuse’s Valley neighborhood will also help mitigate bottleneck traffic along I-481 southbound at peak hours by eliminating a detour previously in place for drivers trying to reach I-81 southbound, reducing the number of vehicles entering the north roundabout on East Brighton Avenue and using the East Glen Avenue interchange.
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A new $5.5 million bridge was constructed within the highway’s new alignment and is part of a triple decker design, positioned above two other key junctions. The middle level consists of a second bridge, currently under construction, that will link traffic from I-81 southbound to I-481 northbound. The bottom level is where future Business Loop 81 northbound begins at the southern interchange, ushering local traffic toward downtown Syracuse. The bridge also includes a snow fence, which slows the wind, limiting accumulation on the bridge deck and reducing the possibility of icy patches. Additionally, the snow fence assists in controlling blowing and drifting snow on the bridge and on the roadways below, while also preventing large chunks of snow from falling during plowing operations, enhancing safety for all motorists.
Additionally, a new off-ramp from I-81 northbound to East Glen Avenue is open to traffic, marking the final piece needed for a fully functioning interchange that increases accessibility to and from the interstate highway network for residents of the southside of Syracuse and town of Onondaga and creates new connections for commuters and visitors while reducing travel times. Drivers utilizing the new I-81 northbound off-ramp to East Glen Avenue (Exit 1A) can smoothly travel between the northern and southern portions of East Brighton Avenue via the roadway’s two roundabouts, increasing accessibility to key destinations on the south side and in the Valley, including medical facilities, local businesses, and residential neighborhoods. The interchange functions as a replacement for the former loop ramp connecting I-481 southbound to I-81 northbound, which permanently closed in August 2025.
