State to host Thursday open house on I-81 contract focusing on Inner Harbor, North side areas

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) will host an open house on Thursday evening, June 27, discussing the third construction contract of the I-81 viaduct-replacement project that’s targeting Syracuse’s North side and Inner Harbor area.

The informal, open house is scheduled between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at OneGroup at 706 N. Clinton St. in Syracuse.

No formal presentation is planned, but those attending can review project renderings and NYSDOT representatives and the prime contractor will be available to answer questions.

The state awarded the nearly $219 million contract to Salt City Constructors, LLC, per the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul.

OneGroup is accessible to people with disabilities. If a sign-language interpreter, assisted-listening system, or other accommodation will be required to facilitate your participation in the open house, you can contact TeNesha Murphy at (315) 728-4251.

Contract work

NYSDOT says the third contract includes the construction of new on and off ramps to North Clinton Street from southbound I-81 (future Business Loop 81). It also involves a new bridge that will connect Bear Street to future Business Loop 81, “improving access” to the North side and Inner Harbor.

The work will also involve replacing three bridges at Bear, Court, and Spencer Streets, which will be longer to accommodate the expanded future Business Loop 81.

All three new bridges will include sidewalks, while shared-use paths will be included on the Court and Spencer Street bridges to accommodate both bicyclists and pedestrians, connecting them from the North side to the Inner Harbor.

Additional contract elements include more than 700 new trees, decorative street lighting, improved access to the Empire State Trail, new traffic signals and safety improvements at the on-ramp from Bear Street to Interstate 690 westbound, NYSDOT said.