Lane reductions planned on I-690, I-481 for bridge work

Drivers headed through Geddes and Cicero had two daytime slowdowns to plan around on Friday, May 29. I-690 eastbound was reduced to one lane between Exit 10 and Exit 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., while I-481 southbound was narrowed between Exit 1B and Exit 1A from Friday through Monday, June 1, during the same hours.

Both projects were tied to bridge work, not emergency repairs. In Geddes, the I-690 restriction affected a busy eastbound stretch connecting the Lakeland and Auburn area with the Fairgrounds and Solvay side of the corridor. In Cicero, the I-481 lane reduction pressed into the southbound route near the I-81 interchange, where Exit 1B feeds I-81 southbound and Exit 1A links to I-81 northbound.

The state transportation department said the construction was weather-dependent, so the timing could shift if conditions changed. That made the work especially relevant for Friday commuters, school runs and weekend travel, and it also placed another set of daytime delays on roads that already carry heavy local traffic.

The latest closures fit a broader pattern in Onondaga County this spring. NYSDOT had already posted a May 13 advisory for I-481 southbound in Cicero that reduced traffic to one lane on Thursday, May 14, and Friday, May 15, for bridge work. The agency also listed multiple May advisories on I-690 eastbound and westbound in Geddes, pointing to recurring maintenance on the same corridor rather than a one-time disruption.

That pattern has stretched back farther on I-690 as well. A WSYR-TV traffic advisory in October 2025 reported the same eastbound stretch in Geddes under bridge work between Exit 10 and Exit 11, again with daytime lane reductions and weather-dependent scheduling. For drivers moving between Syracuse, Geddes and Cicero, the repeated advisories signal that these commuter routes are likely to keep seeing periodic work-zone delays as bridge projects continue.

NYSDOT also warned that enforcement is strict in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding, and two or more speeding violations in a work zone can lead to a driver’s license suspension. Motorists were directed to 511NY, along with the state’s website and mobile app, for updated travel information as crews moved through the day.