I-81 Travel Advisories

The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the on-ramp from Sunset Avenue to Interstate 81 northbound in the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily, beginning Tuesday, January 7, through Friday, January 10. Additionally, the on-ramp from Sunset Avenue to I-81 northbound will be closed Monday, January 13, beginning at 9 a.m., through Friday, January 17, at 3 p.m. The closures are necessary to facilitate the removal of the Bear Street bridge abutment and retaining wall as part of the I-81 Viaduct Project.

Motorists are advised to follow the signed detour that directs traffic north on Sunset Avenue, to east on Bear Street, to north on Lodi Street, to I-81 northbound.

Construction activities are weather-dependent and subject to change based on conditions.

Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.

Follow the I-81 Viaduct Project on Facebook, Instagram, and X or visit our website.

The New York State Department of Transportation is alerting motorists that on Friday, November 1, Bear Street will be closed between Sunset Avenue and Solar Street in the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County and will reopen in the summer of 2025. The closure is necessary to demolish the Bear Street Bridge over I-81 and construct a new longer bridge that will accommodate the expanded future Business Loop 81 (existing I-81) as part of the I-81 Viaduct Project.

Motorists are advised to follow the signed detours:

• Westbound traffic will be directed to south on Lodi Street, to west on Court Street, to north on Solar Street, to west on Bear Street.

• Eastbound traffic will be directed to south on Solar Street to east on Court Street, to north on Lodi Street, to east on Bear Street.

• To access I-81 southbound, motorists traveling westbound on Bear Street should follow the signed detour south on Lodi Street, to west on Court Street, to south on Solar Street, to west on Spencer Street, to north on North Clinton Street, to west on Division Street, to I-81 southbound.

Construction activities are weather-dependent and subject to change based on conditions.

Drivers are asked to use caution when traveling through the work zone area and pay attention to all traffic control devices, including signs and flaggers.

Motorists are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in work zones. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver’s license.

Follow the I-81 Viaduct Project on Facebook, Instagram, and X or visit our website.

The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that the on-ramp from Genant Drive to Interstate 81 southbound in the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, will be closed beginning at 7 a.m. on Monday, September 9, through the summer of 2025. The closure is necessary to facilitate the construction of on-and-off rampsfrom North Clinton Street to future Business Loop 81 southbound. 

Additionally, eastbound Bear Street West will be closed between Solar Street and Genant Drive.   

Motorists are advised to follow the signed detour that directs traffic south on Solar Street, to east on Court Street, to south on North Clinton Street, to east on West Division Street, to I-81 southbound.

Motorists should anticipate travel delays and build extra travel time into their schedules.

Construction activities are weather-dependent and subject to change based on conditions.

Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.

Follow the I-81 Viaduct Project on Facebook, Instagram, and X or visit our website.

The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, August 12, Interstate 690 eastbound will be reduced to two lanes of traffic from the junction with Interstate 81 southbound to Exit 14 (Teall Avenue) in the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County. The lane reduction is expected to continue through the spring of 2025 and is necessary to facilitate the reconstruction of bridges over North Crouse Avenue and Lodi Street and the construction of a new on ramp from North Crouse Avenue to I-690 eastbound as part of the I-81 Viaduct Project.

Motorists should anticipate travel delays and build extra travel time into their schedules.

Construction activities are weather-dependent and subject to change based on conditions.

Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.

Follow the I-81 Viaduct Project on Facebook, Instagram, and X or visit our website.

The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that Spencer Street will be closed at the bridge over Interstate 81 in the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, beginning at 7 a.m. on Monday, July 15, with a newly constructed bridge opening in the summer of 2025. The closure is necessary to construct a longer bridge that will accommodate the expanded future Business Loop 81 (existing I-81) as part of the I-81 Viaduct Project.Motorists are advised to follow the signed detours:

•    Westbound traffic will be directed to North State Street, north on Lodi Street, west on Court Street, south on North Clinton Street, and west on Spencer Street.

•    Eastbound traffic will be directed to North Clinton Street, east on Court Street, south on Lodi Street, south on North State Street, and east on Spencer Street.

•    To access I-81 southbound, motorists traveling westbound on Spencer Street should follow the signed detour to North State Street, north on Lodi Street, west on Court Street, south on North Clinton Street, east on West Division Street, south on Genant Drive, to I-81 southbound.

Motorists should anticipate travel delays and build extra travel time into their schedules.Construction activities are weather-dependent and subject to change based on conditions.Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.

Follow the I-81 Viaduct Project on Facebook, Instagram, and X or visit our website.

The New York State Department of Transportation is alerting motorists that Interstate 81 will be reduced to two lanes of traffic in each direction with northbound traffic being crossed over to southbound lanes between just south of the I-81/I-481 interchange and the South Bay Road bridge, in the Town of Cicero, Onondaga County, beginning on or about Monday, April 15, at 9 a.m.  

Additionally, beginning on or about Monday, April 15, at 9 a.m., the following ramps at the northern interchange of I-81/I-481 in the Town of Cicero, Onondaga County, will be closed to traffic.

• Exit 9S (I-81 southbound) entrance ramp from I-481 northbound to I-81 southbound.
• Motorists are advised to follow the signed detour to Exit 10 (Route 11 Circle Drive North Syracuse), to eastbound on East Circle Drive, to southbound on Frontage Road, to southbound on South Bay Road, to westbound on Bear Road, to State Route 481 southbound, to I-81 southbound.  
• Exit 9N (I-81 northbound) entrance ramp from I-481 southbound to I-81 northbound.
• Motorists are advised to follow the signed detour to Exit 8 (Northern Boulevard), to eastbound on Northern Boulevard, to I-481 northbound, to Exit 9N (I-81 northbound).  

The lane reduction, crossover, and ramp closures are necessary to facilitate a culvert replacement as part of the ongoing I-81 Viaduct Project and are expected to last until late October, weather permitting.

Drivers are asked to use caution when traveling through the work zone area and pay attention to all traffic control devices, including signs and flaggers. 

Motorists are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in work zones. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver’s license.

Follow the I-81 Viaduct Project on Facebook, Instagram, and X or visit our website.

The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that Interstate 481 southbound traffic will be crossed over to northbound lanes between south of the bridge over the CSX railyard and Exit 4 (I-690 West) in the Town of DeWitt, Onondaga County, beginning Monday, March 25, at 9 a.m. The crossover is necessary to facilitate the expansion of the bridge over Manlius Center Road as part of the I-81 Viaduct project and is expected to be in place through the end of November.

Construction activities are weather-dependent and subject to change based on conditions.

Drivers are asked to use caution when traveling through the work zone area and pay attention to all traffic control devices, including signs and flaggers.

Motorists are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in work zones. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver’s license.

Follow the I-81 Viaduct Project on X, formerly known as Twitter: @NYSDOTI81. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/NYSDOTI81. 

The New York State Department of Transportation is alerting motorists that on or about Wednesday, December 13, at 9 a.m., Interstate 81 northbound will be reduced to a single lane between Exit 16A (Interstate 481 North DeWitt) and just north of the East Glen Avenue Bridge in the City of Syracuse, weather permitting. The lane reduction is necessary to facilitate the construction of a new bridge south of existing East Glen Avenue and will remain in place until the highway is redesignated as the new Business Loop 81 at the end of 2024. Signs will be in place alerting motorists of the lane closure.

Additionally, a newly reconstructed Exit 16A will also open to traffic on or about Wednesday, December 13, at 9 a.m., providing a two-lane connection from I-81 northbound to I-481 northbound.

Drivers are asked to use caution when traveling through the work zone area and pay attention to all traffic control devices, including signs and flaggers. 

Motorists are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in work zones. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver’s license.

The Interstate 81 southbound ramp at exit 16A, which provides access to Interstate 481 north, will close to traffic beginning around 9 a.m. on Monday, September 11, with the newly-aligned ramp expected to open in the spring of 2025. 
 
The closure is necessary to begin preparations for a newly constructed interchange that will connect future Business Loop 81 southbound to the re-designated I-81 northbound.
 
Message boards posted on I-81 southbound will direct detoured traffic to exit 17 (South State and Salina Streets and Brighton Avenue) prior to the closed exit ramp. Detour signs will direct traffic from South State Street to Brighton Avenue and then to Rock Cut Road and I-481 northbound.
 

Drivers are asked to use caution when traveling through the work zone area and pay attention to all traffic control devices, including signs and flaggers. 
 
Motorists are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in work zones. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver’s license.

Effective Monday, September 25, around 9 a.m. the ramp from Interstate 481 southbound to Interstate 81 southbound in the City of Syracuse will close and reopen in the spring of 2025 as the re-designated I-81 southbound.
 
The closure is necessary to begin preparations for a newly constructed interchange that will convert I-481 into I-81 and create future Business Loop 81.   
 
Message boards posted on I-481 southbound will direct detoured traffic to I-81 northbound at exit 17 (South Salina Street and Brighton Avenue). Detour signs will direct motorist to make a left onto East Calthrop Avenue and another left onto the entrance ramp of I-81 southbound.
 
Drivers are asked to use caution when traveling through the work zone area and pay attention to all traffic control devices, including signs and flaggers. 
 
Motorists are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in work zones. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver’s license.