The federal government has approved a plan to rename Interstate 481 as the new Interstate 81 around Syracuse, a step toward removing the elevated highway through downtown. New York has also awarded a $143.5 million contract for a major stormwater pipeline and street work tied to the I-81 Viaduct Project, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced.
The Federal Highway Administration also approved converting the existing I-81 between its northern and southern I-481 interchanges into Business Loop 81. The designations are meant to shift through traffic around the city while the state replaces the 1.4-mile viaduct with a street-level Community Grid.
Drivers should not expect an immediate change to routes or signs. The state Department of Transportation said it is developing a plan for the transition; the announcement did not provide a date for the redesignation to take effect.
The separate construction award, called Contract 6a, will build an underground trunkline about a mile long to collect runoff from reconstructed roads and bridges. State officials said it is intended to reduce flooding and help prevent overflow into Onondaga Creek and Onondaga Lake.
What the drainage contract includes
The planned pipe measures eight feet by 10 feet. It will run beneath Almond Street, East Water Street, State Street, Erie Boulevard, Salina Street and Herald Place. State officials said the route was chosen in part to limit disruption to downtown businesses and their customers.
Excavations could reach 25 feet. The work areas include Almond Street from Erie Boulevard East to East Water Street; East Water Street from Almond to State; South State Street from East Water to Erie Boulevard East; Erie Boulevard East from South State to North Salina; North Salina Street from Erie Boulevard East to Herald Place; and Herald Place from North Salina to Wallace Street.
Five local streets totaling 2.5 lane miles will be rebuilt or rehabilitated along the route. The contract includes new sidewalks and shared-use paths, eight replacement traffic signals, signs, pavement markings, lighting and trees.
The trunkline is part of a broader plan to separate stormwater from sewage in Syracuse and Onondaga County. That separation is designed to reduce overflows and allow more efficient wastewater treatment. State officials said the new line will connect with drainage upgrades already undertaken through other I-81 contracts.
Those earlier projects include a half-mile drainage trunkline on Erie Boulevard East under Contract 4, a sewer segment from Martin Luther King Jr. East to Burt Street under Contract 5, and stormwater improvements in Franklin Square between Websters Landing and the Onondaga Creekwalk under Contract 6.
State Sen. Rachel May said dedicated stormwater capacity should make sewage overflows into waterways less likely, though she acknowledged construction would bring short-term disruption. DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said the underground work is intended to make roads and surrounding neighborhoods more resilient during heavy rain.
How it fits into the viaduct replacement
Contract 6a is the second award in the project's second phase, which covers removal of the viaduct and construction of the Community Grid. The pipeline was originally part of Contract 6 but became a separate contract, according to the governor's office. It is one of nine contracts planned for the overall project.
The first phase began in spring 2023 with work on the northern and southern I-481/I-81 interchanges and preliminary changes for the future Business Loop 81. The state's long-term plan is to remove the elevated road, reconnect neighborhoods it divided and provide new ways to travel into downtown Syracuse.
The state did not announce a construction start or completion date for Contract 6a. DOT said it will hold an open house for residents and commuters to learn about the work, but the release did not give a time or location.
Sen. Charles Schumer said more than $114 million from the federal infrastructure law is supporting water improvements associated with the effort. State and local officials also pointed to pedestrian access, cycling connections and drainage capacity as goals beyond the highway route change.
For now, motorists should continue following existing signs and traffic guidance. Travelers can check 511NY for current road conditions as the state develops its changeover plan.
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