Syracuse Ramps to Close as I-81 Teardown Begins
Drivers will lose key connections between elevated Interstate 81 and Interstate 690 starting Nov. 16 as the state advances its $3.6 billion project.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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The New York State Department of Transportation will close the connection from elevated Interstate 81 north to Interstate 690 east in downtown Syracuse on Nov. 16, 2026, the first step in tearing down the elevated highway. The state will close the southbound connection from I-690 west to I-81 south a few months later.
Why it matters
The changes will reroute daily traffic for downtown Syracuse, including drivers heading to the OnCenter, hospitals and Syracuse University, who must find other routes to I-690 east. Trucks not stopping in the city will be directed to I-481, which was improved at both interchanges with I-81.
The teardown is a $3.6 billion state project affecting an I-690 stretch that carries about 33,000 cars each day. The I-690 segment from West Street to North Crouse Avenue is projected to remain closed for about two years.
The players
New York State Department of Transportation
The state agency overseeing the planning, funding and execution of the teardown of elevated Interstate 81 in Syracuse.
The details
On Nov. 16, drivers will no longer be able to connect from elevated I-81 north to I-690 east, and the ramps connecting these highways will be torn down. A new entrance ramp to I-690 east at North Crouse Avenue has been built, and the I-81 off-ramp to Franklin and West streets at exit 20 will be permanently closed.
Timeline
Nov. 16, 2026: Connection from elevated I-81 north to I-690 east ends.
A few months after Nov. 16, 2026: Southbound connection from I-690 west to I-81 south closes.
Later in November 2026: Temporary and permanent closures begin around West Street and Franklin Square.
Tonight (Nov. 5, 2026), 6 to 8 p.m.: State reveals I-690 interchange design at an open house at Palladian Hall, 101 S. Salina St.
Market Landscape
The Syracuse teardown is the state's concrete step in replacing the elevated I-81 corridor through downtown with a redesigned street-level network. The rerouting of trucks onto the improved I-481 bypass reflects a broader state strategy of shifting through-traffic away from the city core.
Syracuse commuters who use the Almond Street onramp or the I-81 to I-690 east connection will need to plan alternate routes starting Nov. 16. Drivers heading to the OnCenter, hospitals or Syracuse University should allow extra time while the I-690 stretch is reconfigured.
The takeaway
Drivers in downtown Syracuse should map alternate routes before Nov. 16, since the I-81 to I-690 connections will change in stages over the coming months.
What happens next
Nov. 16, 2026 marks the first ramp closure, with the southbound I-690 west to I-81 south connection closing a few months later.
Further reading
For other business changes in the area, see Openings & Closings in Syracuse.
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