NYSDOT says I‑81 reconstruction is on track as Syracuse residents press for dust, truck‑route and signage fixes

New York State Department of Transportation regional director Betsy Parmley told the Syracuse Common Council on July 16 that major pieces of the I‑81 viaduct project are operational and that crews are making “really significant progress” as the agency prepares for a large downtown construction phase.

Parmley and project leads said the Northern Interchange and Contract 2 in the Southern Interchange (Brighton Avenue/East Glen Avenue) are largely complete and operational, with new roundabouts and ramps that reduce trips through several traffic signals. Project deputy director Mike Ryan described open work in the North Side, noting Bear Street and Spencer Street are open, Court Street is being rebuilt, and shared‑use paths, sidewalks, street trees and decorative lighting are being installed; most of that work is targeted for substantial completion by the end of the year with final “buttoning up” into spring 2027.

Scott Butler, the DOT special assistant for the I‑81 project, walked council members through Contracts 4 and 5, which add new on‑ and off‑ramps at Krause Avenue, extend Irving Avenue to Erie Boulevard, reconstruct bridges over Lodi Street and lower portions of I‑81 so that Colvin Street becomes the new city entrance. Butler said crews are separating the combined sewer system and replacing aging water and sewer lines; “some of these water lines are over 100 years old,” he said.

Despite the progress, multiple councilors and residents raised public‑health and access complaints during a question period focused on dust, truck routing and temporary loss of parking. Councilor Rashida Caldwell pressed the DOT on dust and the effect on seniors and residents who lack garages; Parmley responded that NYSDOT runs air‑quality and noise monitors on project boundaries and will address spikes with contractors. She said water trucks (three on the South Side contract) and vacuum/sweeper trucks are being used, and DOT staff have distributed tacky mats for building entrances to reduce tracked dust.

Residents said contractor trucks frequently use non‑designated city streets and that some vehicles were towed from Toomey Abbott parking. A resident said a truck had struck a parked car; DOT staff asked residents to send video evidence and company names so the team can investigate. Butler said the agency has an engineer in charge assigned to each contract and a weekly enforcement meeting with contractors to reiterate approved truck routes.

Business owners described repeated closures and constrained customer access. Mike Hansen of Hansen Printing said the project removes a long‑used loading dock that sits inside the interstate highway boundary and warned that the loss of unloading access could force his business to move. Parmley acknowledged the hardship and said DOT has no general compensation program for business impacts, but that the agency has notified the mayor’s office and will work with city officials to find remedies: “We are trying to find a solution,” she said.

DOT reiterated its public‑contact options for residents and businesses: a project app, an email address and a toll‑free hotline that staff answered during daytime hours; Butler read the number at the meeting and asked people to call with specific complaints so issues can be routed to the right staff. Tanisha Murphy was identified as the project’s outreach liaison who triages calls and forwards construction issues to the team.

Councilors also pressed DOT about signage, temporary intersection striping and landscape design. Residents reported variable visibility of VMS and detour signs and missing pavement markings at new roundabouts; DOT said it would correct sign placement and coordinate with other nearby projects. On plantings, council members requested a sit‑down with the city arborist and community groups to finalize gateway landscaping and maintenance responsibilities.

The DOT said Contract 6 — the largest contract in NYSDOT history — has been awarded and will replace I‑690 between Leavenworth Avenue and Irving, remove sections of I‑81 downtown and reconstruct multiple ramps and bridges. Project leadership warned this phase will produce intensified detours and closures and will require targeted outreach. DOT staff said the design‑build contract’s completion date is currently set for 2031.

Councilor Naveh closed the public comment portion and the meeting adjourned after a motion from a councilor.

The DOT said it will continue community open houses, targeted outreach, and enforcement of truck routes; residents and businesses were urged to use the hotline and the app to report specific license plates, company names or video evidence so DOT can investigate and remediate problems.