Interstate 481 New York

I-481 New York

Overview

Interstate 481 constitutes a suburban bypass loop around the city of Syracuse, from southern reaches of the city to the villages of East Syracuse and North Syracuse. Beyond the northern exchange with I-81, the freeway continues to Fulton as part of New York Route 481 extending 31.8 miles northwest to NY 104 at Oswego, the Port City of Central New York.

The I-481 beltway provides a bypass route for through traffic headed between Binghamton and Watertown on I-81. The loop also serves commuter traffic around the east suburbs and the retail corridor along NY 5 in DeWitt.

An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared for the I-81 Viaduct Project outlined three alternatives for addressing the aging bridge system of Interstate 81 through the city of Syracuse. The Viaduct Alternative included replacing the roadway built in the 1950s with a new viaduct designed with considerable improvements. It was estimated to cost $2.2 billion.1,2

The Community Grid Alternative involves demolishing the existing viaduct and decommissioning the route as I-81. Estimated to cost $1.9 billion, this alternative relocates Interstate 81 to bypass Syracuse over I-481 as improvements are made to the belt route. I-481 will be eliminated and the remaining limited access sections along the former I-81 will be redesignated as Business Loop I-81. The freeway from the south would be replaced by a urban boulevard northward to a reconstructed Almond Street.1 The grid option requires the acquisition of 136 parcels, 18.72 acres in Syracuse, nine in Cicero and two in DeWitt.2

The Orange Tunnel Concept would demolish the elevated roadway between the NYS&W Railway bridge and Interstate 690 and build a four lane tunnel between Martin Luther King, Jr. East to James Street. Including a 0.3 mile section of below grade roadway, the alignment would measure 1.7 miles in length. I-690 would also be reconstructed from Leavenworth Avenue to Lodi Street. Anticipated to take 11 years to complete, this option was estimated at $4.9 billion.1 The DEIS rejected this proposal in April 2019, based upon it not meeting the project goal to2

maintain or enhance the vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle connections in the local street network within the project limits in and near Downtown Syracuse to allow for connectivity

Coming into agreement with several Syracuse city officials, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) named the Community Grid as its preferred alternative in April 2019. A series of public meetings preceded the completion of the final environmental statement and the record of decision for the 1.4 mile section of Interstate 81.2 The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) accepted comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) through September 14, 2021. The Final Environmental Impact Statement was published in April 15, 2022.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) conditionally approved the relocation of Interstate 81 east over I-481 at the Spring 2021 Meeting. The action replaces 15.14 miles of I-481 and eliminates the existing I-81 between south Syracuse and Cicero. 9.9 miles in length, the former alignment of I-81 was approved as Business Loop I-81.

History

Interstate 281 was formally renumbered as I-481 on January 1, 1970. It appears that the numbering change was undertaken in an effort to reduce confusion with New York State Route 281, located 15 miles to the south in Cortland County. The planned 9.6 mile route ended at Collmar. The five mile extension to I-81 at North Syracuse tied into what was a trumpet interchange with Bear Road. The 20 mile continuation of the freeway northwest to NY 3 at Fulton, previously referenced as Relocated Route 57, was designated as New York Route 481.4,5 AASHO previously approved the redesignation of I-281 to I-481 on October 26, 1969.

There were also proposals to create a full beltway around Syracuse, but that concept never materialized. I-481 opened initially between Jamesville Road (Exit 2) in the town of Dewitt and Interstate 690 (Exit 4) at East Syracuse by the early 1970s.6 Bids for the estimated $20 million project to build three miles of I-481 north from the Butternut Interchange to the New York Thruway were opened on November 19, 1970. Eight miles of associated road work involved constructing interchanges with I-90 and Kirkville Road and building ten bridges, including a 2,127 foot long span over the DeWitt railroad yards. The project was scheduled for completion in November 1973.7,8

The route was then extended north to Interstate 90 (New York Thruway), before being completed southwest to I-81 in Syracuse. Extension of the beltway northward from the Thruway (Exit 6) to I-81 at North Syracuse (Exit 9) was finished by late 1985.6

Route Information

  • North End – North Syracuse, NY

  • South End – Syracuse, NY

  • Mileage – 15.04

  • Cities – DeWitt, Syracuse

  • Junctions – I-81 I-690 I-90 NY Thruway

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

I-481 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Source: 2019 AADT NYSDOT Traffic Data Viewer

Syracuse, NY - 1970

The initial stretch of I-281/481 served local traffic in the town of DeWitt. This 1970 Dimapco fold map showed I-281 on the Syracuse inset while displaying I-481 on the state side.

Central New York - 1976

Interstate 481 was extended north to the New York Thruway by 1976, while the freeway along NY 481 was open to traffic northwest from I-81 to Fulton.

Interstate 281 was formally renumbered as I-481 on January 1, 1970. It appears that the numbering change was undertaken in an effort to reduce confusion with New York State Route 281, located 15 miles to the south in Cortland County. The planned 9.6 mile route ended at Collmar. The five mile extension to I-81 at North Syracuse tied into what was a trumpet interchange with Bear Road. The 20 mile continuation of the freeway northwest to NY 3 at Fulton, previously referenced as Relocated Route 57, was designated as New York Route 481.4,5 AASHO previously approved the redesignation of I-281 to I-481 on October 26, 1969.

There were also proposals to create a full beltway around Syracuse, but that concept never materialized. I-481 opened initially between Jamesville Road (Exit 2) in the town of Dewitt and Interstate 690 (Exit 4) at East Syracuse by the early 1970s.6 Bids for the estimated $20 million project to build three miles of I-481 north from the Butternut Interchange to the New York Thruway were opened on November 19, 1970. Eight miles of associated road work involved constructing interchanges with I-90 and Kirkville Road and building ten bridges, including a 2,127 foot long span over the DeWitt railroad yards. The project was scheduled for completion in November 1973.7,8

The route was then extended north to Interstate 90 (New York Thruway), before being completed southwest to I-81 in Syracuse. Extension of the beltway northward from the Thruway (Exit 6) to I-81 at North Syracuse (Exit 9) was finished by late 1985.6

Syracuse, NY - 1985 Map

The final link of Interstate 481 was built between NY 298 and I-81 at North Syracuse – Syracuse inset from the 1985 Rand McNally North American Road Atlas.

Photo Guides

North End I-81 New York 481 – North Syracuse, New York

I-481 North at I-81 NY 481

I-481 north at Northern Blvd, one mile from I-81 in Cicero, NY.

Interstate 481 advances northwest one mile from the exchange with Northern Boulevard near Cicero Swamp to meet I-81 and NY 481. 03/26/23

I-481 north 0.75 miles ahead of I-81/NY 481.

I-481 crosses Totman and Thompson Roads ahead of the cloverleaf interchange (Exit 9) with Interstate 81 in Cicero. 03/26/23

I-481 north at I-81 north to Watertown, NY.

Interstate 81 extends 91 miles north from I-481 to the Canadian border from Wellesley Island. 03/26/23

I-481 north ahead of I-81 south into Syracuse, NY.

Interstate 481 transitions into NY 481 north as Exit 9 S loops onto I-81 south back to Syracuse. 03/26/27

I-481 north becomes NY 481 beyond I-81 in Cicero, NY.

An end I-481 / begin NY 481 shield assembly was posted beyond Exit 9 S previously. NY 481 travels 21 miles to Fulton and 32 miles to Oswego. 03/26/27

NY 481 South at I-81 I-481

NY 481 south at I-81/481 - Cicero

NY 481 meets U.S. 11 (Brewerton Road) just prior to Exit 9 for I-81/481. U.S. 11 parallels Interstate 81 to the west through the village of North Syracuse. 05/09/05

NY 481 south at I-81/481 - North Syracuse

The entrance ramp from U.S. 11 forms an auxiliary lane to Exit 9 S for Interstate 81 south through Syracuse. 05/09/05

NY 481 south at I-81/481 - North Syracuse

I-481 southbound begins as Exit 9 S departs from NY 481 for I-81 south. I-81 runs southwest to Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR), Mattydale and Galeville before entering the Syracuse city limits by Onondaga Lake.
The pull through panel for I-481 was removed by 2009. 05/09/05

NY 481 south at I-81/481 in Cicero.

Interstate 81 heads north from Exit 9 N and North Syracuse to Watertown and the Thousand Islands Bridge to Canada. I-481 proceeds southeast five miles to the New York State Thruway and eight miles to the east end of Interstate 690. 03/25/23

NY 481 south at I-81 north to Watertown.

Exit 9 N loops away from NY 481 south for I-81 north to the suburbs of Cicero and Brewerton. Interstate 81 crosses the Oswego County line beyond Oneida Lake. 03/25/23

NY 481 south at I-81/481 - Cicero

The end NY 481 and begin I-481 shield assembly southbound was removed after 2005. Historically a trumpet interchange joined NY 481 with I-81 here. 05/09/05

I-81 South at I-481 NY 481

I-81 south one mile ahead of I-481/NY 481 in Cicero.

Interstate 81 curves southwest from the Bay Road overpass to the cloverleaf interchange (Exits 29 N/S) with NY 481 and I-481. 03/25/23

I-81 south at NY 481 north to Oswego.

Exit 29 N leaves I-81 south for NY 481 to North Syracuse and the northwest suburbs. Oswego lies 32 miles to the northwest on Lake Ontario. 03/25/23

I-81 south at I-481 south to DeWitt, NY.

Interstate 481 follows a rural course southeast to Cicero Swamp before turning south to the New York Thruway, East Syracuse and the town of Dewitt. 03/26/23

I-81 North at I-481 NY 481

I-81 north ahead of I-481/NY 481 in the village of North Syracuse.

Interstate 81 north makes an S-curve from Taft Road north to the cloverleaf interchange (Exits 29 S/N) for I-481 south and NY 481 north. The freeway weaves between several subdivisions along this stretch. 03/26/23

I-81 north crosses Church Street just ahead of Exit 29 S to I-481 south.

Exit 29 S departs in a quarter mile for Interstate 481 south to East Syracuse and DeWitt from I-81 north. 03/26/23

I-81 north at I-481 south and NY 481 north in North Syracuse.

Interstate 81 retain six overall lanes from the north end of I-481 at Exit 29 S to NY 49 at Central Square. Watertown lies 62 miles to the north. 03/26/23

South End I-81 – Syracuse, New York

I-481 South at I-81

I-481 south one mile from I-81 at the Onondaga town line.

Interstate 481 bee lines west through a valley between the South Campus of Syracuse University and parallel Rock Cut Road to succeeding ramps for Brighton Avenue (Exit 1) and I-81. 03/25/23

I-481 south ahead of Brighton Avenue and the Syracuse city line.

Forthcoming Brighton Avenue parallels Interstate 81 north to U.S. 11 (Salina Street) and south to NY 173 (Seneca Turnpike). 03/25/23

I-481 south at Exit 1 for E Brighton Avenue in Syracuse.

Exit 1 leaves I-481 south as the mainline curves west into the directional T interchange with Interstate 81. Ramps for I-81 are unnumbered. 03/25/23

I-481 south at the three-wye interchange with I-81 in Syracuse.

I-81 southbound departs Syracuse for the Onondaga Indian Reservation and the town of LaFayette. Northbound heads to Syracuse University and Downtown. 03/25/23

I-481 south partitions for I-81 north through Syracuse and south to Binghamton.

A loop ramp combines with the northbound entrance ramp to Interstate 81 from Brighton Avenue as traffic separates for I-81 south to Binghamton. 03/25/23

I-481 end shield on the ramp to I-81 south.

An end shield for Interstate 481 appears along the ramp for I-81 north. An auxiliary lane opens ahead to Exit 17 for S Salina Street (U.S. 11). 03/25/23

I-481 end shield on the ramp to I-81 north.

An end shield for Interstate 481 also appears along the ramp to I-81 north through Syracuse. 03/26/23

I-81 North at I-481

I-81 north at I-481 - Syracuse, NY

Interstate 81 straddles a hillside 200 feet above the adjacent community of Nedrow along U.S. 11. The freeway remains rural in design to Exit 16A with Interstate 481 north. Photo by Doug Kerr (07/28/12).

I-81 north at I-481 - Syracuse, NY

Brighton Towers rises southeast of the directional T interchange (Exit 16A) joining Interstate 81 with I-481 north. The Loretto Health & Rehabilitation complex is just west of the exchange. Photo by Doug Kerr (02/08/10).

I-81 north at I-481 - Syracuse, NY

Interstate 81 continues with two lanes through the exchange with I-481, and six lanes northward three miles to Downtown Syracuse. I-481 arcs northeast five miles to Dewitt and 6.5 miles to the east end of Interstate 690. 01/17/17

I-81 South at I-481

I-81 south one mile ahead of I-481 north in Syracuse, NY.

One mile north of Left Exit 16 A for I-481 north on I-81 south by the Brighton Avenue underpass. 03/26/23

I-81 south at State Street and ahead of I-481 in Syracuse, NY.

Interstate 481 north is the last southbound exit along I-81 within the Syracuse area. Beyond the city, I-81 advances along a mostly rural route 70 miles to Binghamton. 03/26/23

Left Exit 16 A connects I-81 south with I-481 northeast to DeWitt, NY.

Continuing beyond the Salina Street entrance ramp, I-81 proceeds to Left Exit 16 A for Interstate 481 leading northeast to DeWitt and East Syracuse. 03/26/23

I-81 south at the northbound beginning of I-481 in Syracuse, NY.

Glen Avenue passes over Interstate 81 at Left Exit 16 A for I-481 north. The previous set of signs for Exit 16 A used Cortland as a control point for Interstate 81 south. 03/26/23

Sources:

  1. I-81 Viaduct. NYSDOT project web page, accessed November 28, 2016.
  2. “Exclusive: New York selects ‘community grid’ alternative for I-81 in Syracuse.” Syracuse.com, April 22, 2019.
  3. “Interstate Project Viewed As Downtown Salvation. The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY), March 5, 1962.
  4. “‘281’ Enters New Year as Route 481.” The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY), January 3, 1970.
  5. “Description of Touring Routes in New York State for the Interstate (I), Federal (US) and State (NY) Route Number Systems.”
  6. “Bids Due On Rte. 481 Project.” The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY), October 19, 1970.
  7. “Lane Bids Low for Route 481.” The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY), November 21, 1970.
  8. Interstate 481 exit listing. http://www.upstatenyroads.com/i481.shtml The Upstate New York Roads Site.

Page updated April 5, 2023.