Interstate 81 (I-81) is a part of the
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...
that runs from
I-40
Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
at
Dandridge, Tennessee
Dandridge is a town in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Tennessee, United States. It had a population of 3,344 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Jefferson, ...
, to the
Thousand Islands Bridge
The Thousand Islands International Bridge (french: Pont des Mille-îles) is an American-maintained international bridge system over the Saint Lawrence River connecting northern New York in the United States with southeastern Ontario in Canada. Co ...
at
Wellesley Island
Wellesley Island in Jefferson County, New York, United States is partially in the Town of Orleans and partially in the Town of Alexandria.
History
The island was named Wells Island but during his 1815 survey of the US-Canada border renamed by ...
in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, beyond which the short
Ontario Highway 137
King's Highway 137, commonly referred to as Highway 137, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario that connects the northern end of Interstate 81 in the U.S. state of New York with Highway 401 via the Canadian ...
(Highway 137) links it to
Highway 401
King's Highway 401, commonly referred to as Highway 401 and also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway or colloquially referred to as the four-oh-one,
is a controlled-access 400-series highway in the Canadian provin ...
. In the
US state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, I-81 extends from the
Pennsylvania state line southeast of
Binghamton
Binghamton () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the conflue ...
to the
Canadian border
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
at Wellesley Island northwest of
Alexandria Bay. The freeway runs north–south through
Central New York
Central New York is the central region of New York State, including the following counties and cities:
With a population of about 773,606 (2009) and an area of , the region includes the Syracuse metropolitan area.
Definitions
The New York ...
, serving the cities of Binghamton,
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
*Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Miss ...
, and
Watertown Watertown may refer to:
Places in China
In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways.
Places in the United States
*Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town
**Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...
. It passes through the
Thousand Islands
The Thousand Islands (french: Mille-Îles) constitute a North American archipelago of 1,864 islands that straddles the Canada–US border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for abo ...
in its final miles and crosses two bridges, both part of the series of bridges known as the
Thousand Islands Bridge
The Thousand Islands International Bridge (french: Pont des Mille-îles) is an American-maintained international bridge system over the Saint Lawrence River connecting northern New York in the United States with southeastern Ontario in Canada. Co ...
.
South of Watertown, I-81 closely parallels
US Route 11 (US 11), the main north–south highway in Central New York prior to the construction of I-81. At Watertown, US 11 turns northeastward to head across New York's
North Country region while I-81 continues on a generally northward track to the Canadian border. From there, the road continues into the province of
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
as Highway 137, a short route leading north to the nearby Highway 401.
The portion of I-81 in New York was originally developed as the Penn-Can Highway, one of four expressways proposed by the state in 1953. It was added to the Interstate Highway System and designated I-81 in 1957 and constructed in sections over the course of the next decade. The first segment was completed in the mid-1950s, running from
Tully to the southern edge of Syracuse. The last piece opened in the late 1960s, linking
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...
to
Whitney Point.
Route description
Southern Tier
I-81 crosses the
New York–Pennsylvania border
The New York–Pennsylvania border is the state line between the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania. It has three sections:
* Along the center line of the Delaware River from the Tri-States Monument tripoint with New Jersey at the confluence ...
about southeast of the city of
Binghamton
Binghamton () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the conflue ...
. The freeway heads northwest from the state line, running through a valley surrounding the
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...
in the town of
Kirkwood. This stretch of I-81 closely parallels
US 11, continuing a trend that originally began at I-81's southern terminus in eastern
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
. Both roads head across relatively undeveloped areas along the eastern riverbank to the outskirts of Binghamton, where I-81 merges with
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 (NY 17) is a major state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in Mina and follows the Southern T ...
(NY 17; Future
I-86
Interstate 86 may refer to any of three unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States:
* Interstate 86 (Pennsylvania–New York)
* Interstate 86 (Idaho)
* Interstate 84 (Pennsylvania–Massachusetts), section east of East Hartford, Connect ...
) in an industrial area east of the city. I-81 and NY 17
overlap
Overlap may refer to:
* In set theory, an overlap of elements shared between sets is called an intersection, as in a Venn diagram.
* In music theory, overlap is a synonym for reinterpretation of a chord at the boundary of two musical phrases
* Ove ...
for , running along the northern edge of the Binghamton suburbs before entering the city itself. About north of downtown, the freeway connects to
Brandywine Highway
The Brandywine Highway is a north–south limited-access highway in the vicinity of the city of Binghamton, New York, in the United States. The highway is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation and extends for through Downt ...
, a
limited-access road
A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, limited access freeway, and partial controlled access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which ...
carrying
NY 7 through mostly residential areas on the north side of the city.
![I81NY17Merge](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/I81NY17Merge.jpg)
Just west of the Brandywine Highway junction, I-81 and NY 17 cross the Chenango River as they split at a
directional T interchange
In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, using ...
comprising part of an S-curve in NY 17 known locally as Kamikaze Curve. While NY 17 heads west into the curve, I-81 proceeds northward along the west bank of the river, connecting to US 11 and passing by
SUNY Broome Community College
SUNY Broome Community College (SUNY Broome) is a public community college in Broome County, New York. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY). The college was founded in 1946 and has gone through several name changes. The school i ...
on its way into the suburban town of
Chenango. Here, I-81 meets the western terminus of
I-88
Interstate 88 may refer to either of two United States Interstate highways:
* Interstate 88 (Illinois), running from East Moline to Hillside
* Interstate 88 (New York)
Interstate 88 (I-88) is an Interstate Highway located entirely with ...
at a junction roughly north of Binghamton. Continuing on, the freeway intersects US 11 a second time before leaving the banks of the Susquehanna River and proceeding generally northwestward into increasingly rural areas of the
Southern Tier
The Southern Tier is a geographic subregion of the broader Upstate New York region of New York State, consisting of counties west of the Catskill Mountains in Delaware County and geographically situated along or very near the northern border ...
. The route makes its way across a series of hills and valleys for to the village of
Whitney Point, connecting to US 11 and two state routes of regional importance—
NY 26
New York State Route 26 (NY 26) is a north–south state highway that runs for through Central New York in the United States. Its southern terminus is located at the Pennsylvania state line south of the town of Vestal in Broo ...
and
NY 79
New York State Route 79 (NY 79) is a east–west state highway in the Southern Tier of New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at the intersection with NY 414 near the southern end of Seneca Lake just ...
—at two exits on the western edge of the community.
Continuing on, I-81 begins to follow the
Tioughnioga River
The Tioughnioga River () is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Chenango River in central New York in the United States. It drains a dissected ...
, a tributary of the Susquehanna, as it bypasses the nearby village of
Lisle to the east. While US 11 runs across the base of a valley flanking the river, the freeway proceeds along the valley's eastern edge, overlooking the valley road on its way to the
Broome–
Cortland county line. Both routes cross the border at points just yards apart, beginning their transition from the Southern Tier region to
Central New York
Central New York is the central region of New York State, including the following counties and cities:
With a population of about 773,606 (2009) and an area of , the region includes the Syracuse metropolitan area.
Definitions
The New York ...
. About from the county line, I-81 encounters the village of
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...
, situated inside the river valley at the junction of US 11 and
NY 221. The freeway connects to the latter at an interchange just east of the village center before heading northwestward for across a series of
moraine
A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice shee ...
s in another prolonged rural stretch. Along the way, I-81 passes between the Tuller Hill and Hoxie Gorge state forests, located near
Messengerville on the western and eastern sides of the highway, respectively.
Cortland to Syracuse
![I-81 south of Cortland, NY](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/I-81_south_of_Cortland%2C_NY.jpg)
The rural, northwestward trend ends west of the village of
McGraw at a junction with
NY 41, the primary east–west (signed north–south) road through the community. NY 41 continues west from the exit for a short distance to meet US 11, and the two routes become concurrent for the next . I-81, US 11, and NY 41 all head westward from this point, passing a handful of scattered businesses to reach the eastern edge of the nearby city of
Cortland. While US 11 and NY 41 continue directly into the city, I-81 bypasses it to the northeast. As such, it crosses only moderately developed areas on the periphery of Cortland. The road connects to downtown Cortland by way of an exit with
NY 13, a north–south route serving most of Central New York. Near the exit, the Tioughnioga River splits into two branches, with NY 13 following the east branch to the northeast and I-81 proceeding westward along the west branch.
North of downtown Cortland, I-81 makes a 90-degree turn to the north, matching a similar curve in the course of the nearby river. This track brings the freeway to the suburban village of
Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
, which I-81 connects to via exit 12. The
trumpet interchange
In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, using ...
feeds into a long east–west ramp linking the highway to the parallel US 11, NY 41, and
NY 281, another parallel road farther west. NY 41 leaves US 11 in Homer, and I-81, US 11, and NY 281 proceed slightly northeastward across a low-lying, undeveloped area in an otherwise hilly region of Cortland County. Just south of the
Onondaga County
Onondaga County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 476,516. The county seat is Syracuse.
Onondaga County is the core of the Syracuse, NY MSA.
History
The name ''Onondaga'' derives from ...
line, I-81 directly meets NY 281 as it crosses from the western side of the freeway to the eastern edge. They meet one final time across the county line near the village of
Tully, where NY 281 ends as I-81 intersects
NY 80
New York State Route 80 (NY 80) is a west–east New York State Route located within Onondaga, Madison, Chenango, Otsego, Herkimer, and Montgomery counties in New York. Its western terminus is located at a junction with NY&nb ...
and
NY 11A. The west branch of the
Tioughnioga River
The Tioughnioga River () is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Chenango River in central New York in the United States. It drains a dissected ...
also terminates here, flowing into
Tully Lake
Tully Lake, of Royalston, Massachusetts, is a reservoir and flood control project constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in 1949 for 1.6 million dollars. The project prevents flooding of the greater Connecticut River and ...
at the county line.
![Syracuse Interstates](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Syracuse_Interstates.jpg)
The amount of development along the freeway slowly increases as it heads north through the county. In
LaFayette
Lafayette or La Fayette may refer to:
People
* Lafayette (name), a list of people with the surname Lafayette or La Fayette or the given name Lafayette
* House of La Fayette, a French noble family
** Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757 ...
, I-81 meets with
US 20, one of a handful of east–west roads spanning the width of the state. Continuing on, I-81 and US 11 pass east of
Onondaga Reservation
Onondaga Reservation is a Native American reservation in Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the territory of the Onondaga Nation. It lies just south of the city of Syracuse. The population was 2,244 at the 2010 census.
The Onondaga R ...
, connecting once again at exit 16 before entering the city of
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
*Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Miss ...
. At this point, the forests that had lined both roads give way to the dense residential neighborhoods that comprise the city's southern half. Roughly south of
Downtown Syracuse
Downtown Syracuse is the economic center of Syracuse, New York, and Central New York, employing over 30,000 people, and housing over 4,300.
It is also one of the 26 officially recognized neighborhoods of Syracuse.
History
Downtown Syracus ...
, I-81 meets with
I-481, an alternate route of I-81 bypassing the city to the east. I-81 itself proceeds due north toward downtown on an embankment, running alongside the
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway (or New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad and also known as the Susie-Q or the Susquehanna) is a Class II American freight railway operating over 400 miles (645 km) of track in th ...
(NYSW) and passing adjacent to
Oakwood Cemetery. The surrounding area transitions from mostly residential to mostly commercial at the north edge of the cemetery, where I-81 passes west of the campuses of
Syracuse University
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
and
.
Syracuse and Oswego County
West of Syracuse University, the NYSW turns west to pass under I-81. At this point, the embankment gives way to an
elevated highway An elevated highway is a controlled-access highway that is raised above grade for its entire length. Elevation is usually constructed as viaducts, typically a long pier bridge. Technically, the entire highway is a single bridge.
Reason to const ...
carrying I-81 through downtown right next to the
State University of New York Upstate Medical University
The State University of New York Upstate Medical University (SUNY Upstate) is a public medical school in Syracuse, New York. Founded in 1834, Upstate is the 15th oldest medical school in the United States and is the only medical school in Central ...
(SUNY Upstate).
The road separates the 15th Ward on its west side from Syracuse University and the area's hospitals on its east side; it also visually hangs over the predominantly residential 15th Ward.
Farther north, the density of the commercial districts adjacent to the highway continue to increase as the road enters Downtown Syracuse. For roughly a half-mile (), I-81 heads east–west, running alongside
I-690 and connecting to the highway by way of a series of closely spaced ramps. Like I-81, the incomplete interchange is entirely elevated, passing over parts of several downtown blocks. Past I-690, I-81 transitions from an elevated road to a subsurface highway as it cuts across the north half of downtown and proceeds northwest past an old industrial area that was once Syracuse's
Inner Harbor
The Inner Harbor is a historic seaport, tourist attraction, and landmark of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. It was described by the Urban Land Institute in 2009 as "the model for post-industrial waterfront redevelopment around the world". The ...
.
The elevated portion in Syracuse is expected to reach the end of its useful life in 2017.
The
cut
Cut may refer to:
Common uses
* The act of cutting, the separation of an object into two through acutely-directed force
** A type of wound
** Cut (archaeology), a hole dug in the past
** Cut (clothing), the style or shape of a garment
** Cut (ea ...
eventually brings the freeway to the southeastern tip of
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York, immediately northwest of and adjacent to Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern ...
, where I-81 ascends in elevation once again at a network of interchanges with
NY 370
New York State Route 370 (NY 370) is an east–west state highway in Central New York in the United States. It extends for about from an intersection with NY 104 and NY 104A south of the Wayne County village of Red Creek t ...
and a handful of nearby streets. The series of junctions serve
Destiny USA
Destiny USA (stylized as destiny usa and also known by its former name Carousel Center) is a six-story, automobile-oriented super-regional shopping, dining, and entertainment complex on the shore of Onondaga Lake in the city of Syracuse, New York ...
, the area's largest mall;
NBT Bank Stadium
NBT Bank Stadium is a publicly owned, 10,815-seat, minor league baseball stadium in Syracuse, New York. It is the home stadium for the Syracuse Mets Triple-A baseball team of the International League. The stadium, owned and at times operated b ...
, the home of the
Syracuse Mets
The Syracuse Mets are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are located in Syracuse, New York, and play their home games at NBT Bank Stadium, which open ...
; and the
William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center
The William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center (RTC) is an Amtrak intermodal transit station serving the Syracuse area. It is owned and operated by Intermodal Transportation Center, Inc, a subsidiary of Centro, and is also served by Greyho ...
(RTC), Syracuse's bus and train station. I-81 subsequently passes over
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
's
Mohawk Subdivision
The Mohawk Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of New York. The line runs from Amsterdam, NY west to Oneida, NY along the former New York Central Railroad main line. At its east end, east of downtown Amst ...
rail line, which serves the RTC. North of the rail overpass, the road finally returns to ground level as it heads northeastward through Syracuse's residential northern suburbs. In
Salina, I-81 meets the
New York State Thruway
{{Infobox road
, state = NY
, type = NYST
, alternate_name = Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway
, maint = NYSTA
, map = {{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, type=line, stroke-width=2, type2=line, from2=New Yor ...
(
I-90
Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, and ...
) at exit 25A and connects to
Syracuse Hancock International Airport
Syracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil–military airport five miles (8 km) northeast of downtown Syracuse, New York, and south of Watertown. Operated by the Syracuse Department of Aviation, it is located off Interstate 81, ne ...
at exit 27. About north of downtown, the highway enters the village of
North Syracuse, where I-481 rejoins I-81 at exit 29.
While I-481 continues northwest from North Syracuse as
NY 481, I-81 travels north through residential areas of gradually decreasing density. Just north of the junction with I-481 and NY 481, the freeway passes east of the former
Penn-Can Mall
Penn-Can Mall was a mall in the town of Cicero, New York, north of Syracuse, New York, Syracuse. It opened on March 28, 1976. It was the first enclosed mall on the north end of Syracuse, and the fourth mall to be built in the entire metropolitan a ...
, the largest commercial parcel in the area. I-81's first junction north of Syracuse is in the town of
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...
, where it connects to
NY 31
New York State Route 31 (NY 31) is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its ea ...
, another regionally important highway. North of here, US 11 begins to closely parallel I-81 once again, rejoining the highway's vicinity after following an erratic alignment through Syracuse. The two roads run across relatively flat and increasingly undeveloped land to
Brewerton, a
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
adjacent to where
Oneida Lake
Oneida Lake is the largest lake entirely within New York state, with a surface area of .
The lake is located northeast of Syracuse and near the Great Lakes. It feeds the Oneida River, a tributary of the Oswego River, which flows into Lake Ontario ...
empties into the
Oneida River
The Oneida River is a river that forms a portion of the boundary between Oswego and Onondaga counties in central New York. The river flows from Oneida Lake's outlet to its confluence with the Seneca River, where the two rivers combine to form t ...
. While US 11 runs through the community, I-81 bypasses it to the east, offering unobstructed views of the lake as it crosses the lake outlet and enters
Oswego County
Oswego County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 117,525. The county seat is Oswego. The county name is from a Mohawk-language word meaning "the pouring out place", referring to the point at ...
.
On the opposite riverbank, I-81 initially runs past a line of lakefront houses and cottages; however, it soon enters a large marshy area named Big Bay Swamp. The wetlands reach as far north as
Central Square, a village just west of I-81's interchange with
NY 49. For most of the next , I-81 runs north across a mixture of swamps and fields, both undeveloped and fairly level in elevation. Along this stretch, the freeway links to two more major routes:
NY 69 and
NY 104. The highway eventually reaches the village of
Pulaski, where it reconnects to NY 13 at a partial interchange east of the village center. From here to
Watertown Watertown may refer to:
Places in China
In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways.
Places in the United States
*Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town
**Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...
, I-81 loosely parallels
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...
, located about to the west and more closely followed by
NY 3. Another substantial stretch of open, rolling fields brings the route to
Sandy Creek, where it connects to
County Route 15 (CR 15),
a highway designated
NY 288 during the 1930s.
North Country
Past Sandy Creek, I-81 proceeds into
Jefferson County, where it continues to travel across rural, undeveloped areas with only gentle elevation changes. US 11 crosses I-81 for the last time just north of the county line, connecting to the freeway and switching from the highway's west side to its east side. As a result, I-81 now passes west of several villages and large hamlets, all located directly on US 11. Connections to the communities are made by the primary east–west highways serving them, namely
CR 90 for
Mannsville,
NY 193 for
Pierrepont Manor,
NY 178 for
Adams, and
NY 177 for
Adams Center. At Adams Center, both I-81 and US 11 take on a more northeasterly routing, bringing them farther inland toward the city of Watertown. The final exit before the city itself leads to
NY 232, a short connector between I-81 and Watertown Center, the southern extent of Watertown's suburbs.
The rural surroundings finally end, albeit briefly, in the vicinity of Watertown, where I-81 intersects
NY 3 in a commercialized area west of downtown Watertown. All four corners of the junction contain at least one shopping plaza, and the northwestern corner features the sprawling
Salmon Run Mall
The Salmon Run Mall is a shopping center located in Watertown, New York. The mall features JCPenney, Dick's Sporting Goods, Best Buy, Burlington, Hobby Lobby, and Best Buy, in addition to a Regal Cinemas.
History
One of the original anchor sto ...
. The commercial development follows I-81 north to its next exit, a
diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road.
Design
The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with
NY 12F near
Jefferson Community College. At this point, I-81 turns northeastward, running south of an industrial park and north of the college before crossing the
Black River to meet
NY 12
New York State Route 12 (NY 12) is a state highway extending for through central and northern New York (state), New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 11 in New York, U.S. Route 11 (US ...
in a less developed but still commercialized area north of the city. US 11 and I-81 finally part ways at this point, with I-81 continuing north toward
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
and US 11 heading northeast to serve some of the
North Country's northernmost communities.
As the highway leaves the Watertown area, it passes into another area of rolling, open terrain with only pockets of development in the immediate vicinity of the road's interchanges.
NY 37 largely replaces US 11 as the paralleling surface route, and the state route follows I-81 for to the vicinity of
Theresa
Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; french: Thérèse) is a feminine given name.
It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or re ...
. West of the village, I-81 intersects
NY 411
New York State Route 411 (NY 411) is an east–west state highway in Jefferson County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with New York State Route 180, NY 180 in the community of ...
, a connector between
La Fargeville and NY 37. While NY 37 continues north from Theresa, I-81 turns to the northwest, crossing increasingly isolated areas of the state to reach NY 12 on the south shore of the
St. Lawrence River
The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connecting ...
midway between
Clayton and
Alexandria Bay. From here, the freeway heads into the
Thousand Islands
The Thousand Islands (french: Mille-Îles) constitute a North American archipelago of 1,864 islands that straddles the Canada–US border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for abo ...
on the first of several bridges known collectively as the
Thousand Islands Bridge
The Thousand Islands International Bridge (french: Pont des Mille-îles) is an American-maintained international bridge system over the Saint Lawrence River connecting northern New York in the United States with southeastern Ontario in Canada. Co ...
.
The long, continuous bridge span between
Wellesley Island
Wellesley Island in Jefferson County, New York, United States is partially in the Town of Orleans and partially in the Town of Alexandria.
History
The island was named Wells Island but during his 1815 survey of the US-Canada border renamed by ...
, one of the archipelago's largest, and the US mainland is one of the few
remaining two-lane stretches left on the
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...
.
![Interstate 81 NY exit 52](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Interstate_81_NY_exit_52.jpg)
In the Thousand Islands, I-81 runs across the sparsely-developed Wellesley Island, initially heading northwest and connecting to a pair of county-maintained roads before turning northeast at the eastern edge of
Wellesley Island State Park
Wellesley Island State Park is a state park located on Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence River in the Town of Orleans in Jefferson County, New York. The park is divided into sections that are on different parts of the island. It has the lar ...
. The freeway turns one final time near the northern edge of the island, curving back to the northwest at exit 52, the last exit along I-81. For most of its run on Wellesley Island, I-81 runs along or close to the island's edge, permitting views of the river and some of the area's other islands. Not far from exit 52, an interchange linking the freeway to a paralleling local road, I-81 crosses the International Rift on a bridge connecting Wellesley Island to
Hill Island
Hill Island is a Baffin Island offshore island located in the Arctic Archipelago in the territory of Nunavut. The uninhabited island lies in Frobisher Bay, approximately southwest of Iqaluit. Bishop Island and Faris Island
Faris Island (alternat ...
in
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada, and terminates at the Canadian border. From here, the physical road continues north as
Highway 137 before finally ending at a
trumpet interchange
In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, using ...
with
Highway 401
King's Highway 401, commonly referred to as Highway 401 and also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway or colloquially referred to as the four-oh-one,
is a controlled-access 400-series highway in the Canadian provin ...
.
History
The
Binghamton
Binghamton () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the conflue ...
–
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
*Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Miss ...
–
Watertown Watertown may refer to:
Places in China
In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways.
Places in the United States
*Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town
**Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...
corridor was originally served by
NY 2, a route assigned as part of the creation of the modern New York state route system in 1924. It was replaced by
US 11 when US Routes were first posted in New York in 1927. In February 1953, New York Governor
Thomas E. Dewey proposed constructing four expressways across the state of
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
to supplement the then-under construction
New York State Thruway
{{Infobox road
, state = NY
, type = NYST
, alternate_name = Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway
, maint = NYSTA
, map = {{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, type=line, stroke-width=2, type2=line, from2=New Yor ...
. One of the four proposed highways closely followed US 11, beginning in
Binghamton
Binghamton () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the conflue ...
and proceeding generally northward through
Central New York
Central New York is the central region of New York State, including the following counties and cities:
With a population of about 773,606 (2009) and an area of , the region includes the Syracuse metropolitan area.
Definitions
The New York ...
to the
Canadian border
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
north of
Watertown Watertown may refer to:
Places in China
In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways.
Places in the United States
*Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town
**Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...
. A connection to the
Pennsylvania state line was eventually added to the route, which became known as the Penn-Can Highway. On August 14, 1957, the Penn-Can Highway was included in the
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...
and designated as part of I-81.
In the mid-1950s, the first section of the highway was completed, connecting
Tully (now exit 14) to
Nedrow (now exit 16), just south of Syracuse.
Another section, extending from
North Syracuse (now exit 26) to
Brewerton (now exit 31), was opened to traffic in the late 1950s.
In the
North Country, the first completed section ran from
Adams (now exit 41) to
Pamelia (now exit 48); it was put into service on October 21, 1959.
Extensions of the North Syracuse–Brewerton segment south into
Downtown Syracuse
Downtown Syracuse is the economic center of Syracuse, New York, and Central New York, employing over 30,000 people, and housing over 4,300.
It is also one of the 26 officially recognized neighborhoods of Syracuse.
History
Downtown Syracus ...
(now exit 19) and north to
Parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...
(now exit 33) were completed .
The section between modern exits 38 and 41 in southern
Jefferson County was finished in November 1961, and the gap between the Syracuse–Parish and Jefferson County segments was filled on December 1, 1961, creating a continuous
limited-access highway
A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, limited access freeway, and partial controlled access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which ...
between
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
*Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Miss ...
and Watertown.
I-81 was opened to traffic from the
Pennsylvania state line north to
NY 17 in
Kirkwood in mid-1961,
and the piece linking Pamelia to the Canadian border was completed on September 29, 1965.
Three more sections of I-81 were finished to traffic in the mid-1960s, completing all of I-81 within the state except for the portion between
NY 221 in
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...
and
NY 26
New York State Route 26 (NY 26) is a north–south state highway that runs for through Central New York in the United States. Its southern terminus is located at the Pennsylvania state line south of the town of Vestal in Broo ...
in
Whitney Point.
The Marathon–Whitney Point segment was completed .
In Syracuse, part of I-81 was built on an elevated highway, intended to make travel from Downtown Syracuse to
Syracuse University
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
faster.
The construction of the I-81 came with much controversy. After the freeway was completed, many neighborhoods were disrupted by the presence of the freeway. One neighborhood in particular, the 15th Ward in Syracuse, was largely replaced by the freeway. This decimated a close-knit
Black-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of enslav ...
community. When the displaced community attempted to disperse out into the city,
white residents fled, reducing the population of the city by 30 percent over 60 years, while the population of the county grew 55 percent.
Future
The section of I-81 that runs through Syracuse is slowly deteriorating and is due to be reconstructed.
The
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is the department of the New York state government responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in ...
(NYSDOT) has frequently said that I-81 will need to be changed due to its deteriorating condition.
One major reason for the urgency of this effort is the condition of the elevated highway and other bridges located on I-81 between the I-481 interchanges on opposite sides of the city, as well as on I-690 in the vicinity of I-81's interchange with the highway.
In 2001, Syracuse Common Councillor Van Robinson called for the removal of some elevated portions of I-81 that were blocking Upstate Medical University. He stated that the bridge not only presented a problem sectionalizing the Syracuse area but also it presented a problem for
Syracuse University
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
and
SUNY Upstate
The State University of New York Upstate Medical University (SUNY Upstate) is a Public university, public medical school in Syracuse, New York. Founded in 1834, Upstate is the List of medical schools in the United States, 15th oldest medical school ...
.
In early May 2011, the official process in deciding the future of I-81 was started by two entities: NYSDOT and the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC), the region's
metropolitan planning organization A metropolitan planning organization (MPO) is a federally mandated and federally funded transportation policy-making organization in the United States that is made up of representatives from local government and governmental transportation authorit ...
. NYSDOT is responsible for overseeing the process and, eventually, its construction. SMTC consists of member agencies that have a stake in transportation decisions in
Central New York
Central New York is the central region of New York State, including the following counties and cities:
With a population of about 773,606 (2009) and an area of , the region includes the Syracuse metropolitan area.
Definitions
The New York ...
.
Both parties have yet to reach a decision, but they hope to eventually reach one that is in the best interest for everyone in the greater Syracuse area. In late March 2011, SMTC and NYSDOT announced the formation of the I-81 Community Liaison Committee (CLC). The CLC is made up of representatives from 37 organizations and will give ideas and point out concerns about the future of I-81 in Syracuse.
On April 22, 2019, NYSDOT selected the "community grid" alternative for reconstructing I-81 through Syracuse. Under this plan, I-81 will be rerouted to bypass Syracuse along the I-481 alignment while the section of I-81 through Syracuse will be designated as a
business loop
A business route (or business loop, business spur, or city route) in the United States is a short special route connected to a ''parent'' numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or ...
of I-81. This alternative, which is expected to cost between $1.9 billion and $2.2 billion, would tear down the elevated viaduct and reconstruct Almond Street as an at-grade
boulevard
A boulevard is a type of broad avenue planted with rows of trees, or in parts of North America, any urban highway.
Boulevards were originally circumferential roads following the line of former city walls.
In American usage, boulevards may ...
. Also as a part of this project, both of the interchanges between I-81 and I-481 would be reconstructed to allow I-481 to be converted to I-81. Construction was expected to start in mid-2020 and take five years to complete. However, in May 2021, Governor
Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Mark Cuomo ( ; ; born December 6, 1957) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to the same position that his father, Mario Cuo ...
announced the project would not commence until the following year. At this time, the New York state government allocated $800 million to the "community grid" plan.
In preparation for the reconstruction/relocation of I-81 around Syracuse, the
(AASHTO), at its annual Spring Meeting in May 2021, conditionally approved NYSDOT's application to reroute I-81 over I-481 around the east side of Syracuse and redesignate I-81 through Syracuse as I-81 Business (I-81 Bus), pending concurrence from the
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...
(FHWA).
NYSDOT will renumber I-81 exits from
sequential
In mathematics, a sequence is an enumerated collection of objects in which repetitions are allowed and order matters. Like a set, it contains members (also called ''elements'', or ''terms''). The number of elements (possibly infinite) is called t ...
to
mile-based along its entire length following the rerouting of I-81 around Syracuse.
Exit list
All exits in New York use sequential numbering
See also
*
*
References
External links
The I-81 Challenge website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Interstate 081 In New York
81
New York
Transportation in Broome County, New York
Transportation in Cortland County, New York
Transportation in Onondaga County, New York
Transportation in Oswego County, New York
Transportation in Jefferson County, New York
Transportation in Syracuse, New York
Central New York