. Home
As many people in Onondaga County are learning, portions of I-81 are nearing the end of their lifespan. This is particularly true of the elevated sections of the highway in downtown Syracuse. Over the next decade, these portions of the road will need to be replaced, reconstructed, removed, or otherwise changed. Given this reality, the Syracuse region, including the road owner, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), is faced with a challenge: what should be done with I-81?
I-81 serves two major transportation functions. First, I-81 is one of the Syracuse metropolitan area's major commuter corridors. I-81 provides direct access from suburban and rural communities to downtown Syracuse, the city's hospitals, Syracuse University, and SUNY-ESF. The Greater Syracuse Economic Growth Council reports that five of the region's 10 largest employers are located adjacent to I-81. Second, I-81 is an important national and international trade route. In terms of long-distance hauling, I-81 provides a major alternative to congested I-95. According to the I-81 Corridor Coalition, it has been estimated that 12% of the United States' Gross Domestic Product travels on some portion of the I-81 corridor. I-81 also serves as an important connection to the east-west route of I-90.
As many residents of the community know, the discussion about what to do with I-81 has already started. In fact, government officials, local organizations, and members of the public have already offered numerous ideas about the future of I-81: remove the elevated portion (the viaduct) and replace it with a boulevard, route traffic onto I-481 and decommission I-81 between the I-481 interchanges, bury the elevated portion underground and cover it with a park, or rebuild the viaduct at a higher elevation with a more attractive design. Ultimately, the region is still several years from a final decision on the future of I-81 – a choice this large must involve the whole community in a thoughtful, deliberative dialogue. But these ideas provide a starting point for the official I-81 decision-making process, which is beginning right now.
This official decision-making process, The I-81 Challenge, is being led by two entities, the New York State Department of Transportation and the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC), the region’s metropolitan planning organization (MPO). Together, these two entities are trying to engage a broad cross-section of community members in developing and evaluating options for the future of the highway.
Get involved. Ask questions. Educate yourself about the process and the facts. The future of the community is in all of our hands.