The New York State Department of Transportation said it has reached a construction milestone on its Interstate 81 Viaduct Project, and is turning its focus on its next phase of construction.
In a statement from NYS DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez, the focus of the project will now shift to removing the outdated infrastructure that has separated the city of Syracuse and construction of a new transportation network that will reconnect the city. To kick off the second phase of construction, the department said it has awarded the largest and one of the most complex construction contracts in the state’s history to CNY Alliance.
The $2.1 billion contract is the sixth awarded for the project and it will advance an array of work, including the reconstruction and realignment of a key stretch of I-690, the rehabilitation of 25 local streets and the buildout of easy-to-navigate access points to the city center. The department said work on this next phase would begin immediately.
“Across New York State, we are working to undo the mistakes of decades past and weave neighborhoods back together through meaningful community engagement and modernized infrastructure,” Dominguez said. “As Phase Two of the I-81 Viaduct Project commences, Syracuse is propelled another step closer to connectivity, and a safer, more equitable transportation network for all.”
Phase One of the project began in 2023, and focused on improvements needed for the redesignation of I-481 as the new I-81 and to keep traffic moving during the removal of the viaduct. Phase Two will focus on dismantling the viaduct and creating the new infrastructure to support the Community Grid. The phase begins with the reconstruction of I-690 in both directions.