I-481 southbound lane reductions planned for Syracuse paving work

Morning and midday commuters headed from I-481 southbound into downtown Syracuse faced a one-lane squeeze at Exit 81 as paving work began at the southern interchange, cutting capacity between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. through Thursday, May 28. The restriction hit one of the city’s key downtown access routes, from Brighton Avenue to Interstate 81 southbound.

New York State Department of Transportation said the lane reduction was needed to make room for paving as part of the I-81 Viaduct Project, and warned that weather could stretch the work beyond the scheduled window if conditions required it. Motorists were also reminded to slow down in the work zone, where speeding fines are doubled.

The slowdown was tied to Contract 2, the southern interchange phase of the $2.25 billion I-81 Viaduct Project. NYSDOT said that contract begins the conversion of the existing I-481/I-81 interchange in Syracuse into a new high-speed interstate connection, part of the broader push to replace older highway infrastructure with a community grid.

The southern interchange design has already been reshaped once during the project. In 2023, CNY Alliance presented NYSDOT with a revised plan that cut the number of required bridges from eight to six and replaced signalized intersections on Brighton Avenue with two roundabouts. State officials said the redesign was meant to reduce steel, concrete, excavation and long-term maintenance while keeping traffic moving more smoothly through the corridor.

For Syracuse drivers, the latest lane cut was another reminder that the I-81 transition is still unfolding in phases and that more traffic disruptions can follow as construction advances around the southern interchange. NYSDOT directed motorists to 511 for up-to-date travel information as work continued across the city’s interstate network.