Interstate 81 in New York

This article is about the section of Interstate 81 in New York. For the entire length of the highway, see Interstate 81.

Interstate 81
Map of New York with I-81 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NYSDOT and the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority
Length:	183.52 mi (295.35 km)
Existed:	August 14, 1957 – present
Major junctions
South end:	I-81 at the Pennsylvania state line near Binghamton
	I-86 / NY 17 in Binghamton NY 13 in Cortland I-90 / Thruway near Syracuse NY 104 near Mexico NY 3 near Watertown
North end:	Highway 137 at the Canadian border near Wellesley Island
Highway system
Main route of the Interstate Highway System Main • Auxiliary • Business Numbered highways in New York Interstate • U.S. • N.Y. (former) • Reference • County ← NY 80 NY 81 →

Interstate 81 (I-81) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dandridge, Tennessee, to the Canada–United States border at Wellesley Island in New York. In the U.S. state of New York, I-81 extends 183.52 miles (295.35 km) from the Pennsylvania state line southeast of Binghamton to the Canadian border at Wellesley Island northwest of Alexandria Bay. I-81 runs north–south through Central New York, serving the cities of Binghamton, Syracuse, and Watertown. It passes through the Thousand Islands in its final miles and crosses two bridges, both part of the series of bridges known as the Thousand Islands Bridge.

Route description

Pennsylvania to Syracuse

I-81 enters New York at the Pennsylvania state line about 11 miles (18 km) south east of Binghamton. I-81 merges with New York State Route 17 (NY 17) for 5 miles (8 km). The current segment of NY 17 is set to become I-86. About 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Binghamton at exit 5, I-81 meets the western terminus of I-88. U.S. Route 11 (US 11) has been paralleling I-81 from Virginia and US 11 will parallel I-81 in most of New York. At mile marker 73 and exit 15, I-81 meets with the longest road in the United States: US 20 in La Fayette. At the southern tip of Syracuse, at mile marker 81, and exit 16A, I-81 meets with one of its spurs: I-481. In downtown Syracuse, I-81 meets I-690 at an incomplete interchange.

Syracuse to Canada

Just north of Syracuse, I-81 meets the New York State Thruway (I-90) at exit 25A. In North Syracuse at mile marker 93, I-81 meets with I-481 and NY 481 at exit 29. From exit 36 to exit 48, I-81 parallels Lake Ontario. Further north, I-81 crosses Thousand Islands Bridge (toll northbound only) at the Canadian border 6 miles (10 km) north of Fishers Landing.

I-81 leaves NY 17 (future I-86) north toward Syracuse.

Approaching and, further, beyond I-81's northern terminus at the Canadian border, two toll bridge spans over the St. Lawrence River connect it to Highway 401 (via Highway 137) in Ontario. The main bridge span on the United States side is one of the few remaining 2-lane Interstate stretches left on the system. The border itself is marked by a 90-foot (27 m) bridge across the International Rift between Wellesley Island, New York and Hill Island, Ontario.

History

In February 1953, New York Governor Thomas Dewey proposed constructing four expressways across the state of New York to supplement the then-under construction New York State Thruway. One of the four proposed highways began in Binghamton and proceeded generally northward through Central New York to the Canadian border north of Watertown. The first section of the highway—from Tully north to Nedrow—was completed in the mid-1950s. On August 14, 1957, the entirety of the proposed highway was included in the Interstate Highway System and designated as part of I-81. Two more sections of the route—between North Syracuse and Brewerton and from Adams to Pamelia—were opened to traffic in the late 1950s.

I-81 in Moraine south of Cortland

C. 1961, the North Syracuse–Brewerton segment of the freeway was extended south into downtown Syracuse and north to Parish. Farther north, the section between exits 38 and 40 in southern Jefferson County was completed around this time. I-81 was opened to traffic from the Pennsylvania state line north to NY 17 in Kirkwood in mid-1961 while the gap between the Syracuse–Parish and southern Jefferson County segments was filled in late 1961. The freeway was completed between Pierrepont Manor and Adams by the following year, creating a continuous limited-access highway between Syracuse and Watertown. In the mid-1960s, four more sections of I-81 were opened to traffic, completing all of I-81 within the state except for the portion between NY 221 in Marathon and NY 26 in Whitney Point. The Marathon–Whitney Point segment was completed ca. 1968.

Controversy around Syracuse

I-81 in Syracuse

As I-81 runs through Syracuse it separates the 15th Ward and Syracuse University, as well as the area's hospitals. The elevated freeway separates the two areas but also hangs over the 15th Ward. The roadway is slowly deteriorating and is due for a reconstruction in the Syracuse area. Originally the reason for the Interstate's elevation was to make travel from downtown area to the university faster. One major reason for the urgency of this effort is the condition of the viaduct and other bridges located on I-81 between the I-481 interchanges, as well as on I-690 in the vicinity of the I-81/I-690 interchange. Syracuse Common Councillor Van Robinson in 2001 called for the removal of some elevated portions of the section 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 and Upstate Medical University.

The region is set to reach a final decision on the future of I-81. This decision on I-81 will involve many local groups, or stakeholders, in the issue. In early May 2011, this official process was started by two entities: the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC), the region’s metropolitan planning organization. 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.

NYSDOT has frequently said that they need to change I-81 due to its deteriorating condition. 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.

Exit list

County	Location	Mile	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Broome	Kirkwood	0.00		I-81	Pennsylvania state line
		3.98	1	US 11 / NY 7 – Conklin, Kirkwood
		8.65	2	US 11 east – Industrial Park	Signed as exit 2W on I-81 northbound
		8.65		I-86 east / NY 17 east – New York	Signed as exit 2E on I-81 northbound; NY 17 joins northbound and leaves southbound
		8.90	3	Industrial Park (Colesville Road)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
	City of Binghamton	12.19	3	Broad Avenue	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		12.58	4	NY 7 – Downtown Binghamton, Hillcrest	Signed as 4N (north) and 4S (south)
		13.06		NY 17 west – Owego, Elmira	NY 17 leaves northbound and joins southbound
	Dickinson	13.54	5	US 11 (Front Street) – Broome Community College	To I-88 east (southbound)
	Chenango	14.77		I-88 east – Albany	No southbound exit
		15.66	6	US 11 to NY 12 – Chenango Bridge	To I-88 east (southbound)
		21.62	7	US 11 – Castle Creek
	Barker	28.99	8	NY 26 to US 11 to NY 79 to NY 206 – Whitney Point	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
	Triangle	30.33	8	NY 79 to US 11 to NY 26 to NY 206 – Whitney Point	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
Cortland	Village of Marathon	38.26	9	NY 221 – Marathon
	Cortlandville	50.01	10	US 11 / NY 41 – Cortland, McGraw
	Cortland	52.34	11	NY 13 – Cortland, Ithaca	Access to SUNY Cortland
	Town of Homer	54.07	12	US 11 / NY 41 / NY 281 – Cortland, Homer
	Preble	62.86	13	NY 281 – Preble
Onondaga	Town of Tully	66.58	14	NY 80 – Tully
	LaFayette	73.19	15	US 11 / US 20 – LaFayette
	Onondaga	78.10	16	US 11 – Onondaga Nation Territory
	Syracuse	81.46	16A	I-481 north – DeWitt
		82.20	17	South Salina Street / South State Street / Brighton Avenue	Access to Carrier Dome
		83.77	18	Adams Street / Harrison Street	Access to Syracuse University
		84.78		I-690 – East Syracuse, Baldwinsville, Fairgrounds	No access to I-690 west from I-81 south
			19	Clinton Street / Salina Street	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
			20	Franklin Street / West Street	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
			21	Catawba Street / Spencer Street	Southbound exit and entrance
		86.23	22	NY 298 (Court Street)	Northbound exit and entrance; access to Rosamond Gifford Zoo
			22	NY 298 (Bear Street) to I-690 west	Southbound exit and entrance; combined with exits 23A–B
		86.68	23	NY 370 east (Park Street) / Hiawatha Boulevard	Northbound exit only; access to Carousel Center and Alliance Bank Stadium; combined with exits 24A–B
			23A–B	Hiawatha Boulevard / Carousel Center Drive	Southbound exit and entrance; access to Carousel Center and Alliance Bank Stadium; combined with exit 22
		86.68	24A–B	NY 370 west – Liverpool	Northbound exit only; combined with exit 23
	Salina		25	7th North Street – Liverpool
		88.66	25A	I-90 / Thruway – Albany, Buffalo
		89.87	26	US 11 – Mattydale	Combined with exit 27 southbound
		90.67	27	Syracuse Airport	Combined with exit 28 northbound and exit 26 southbound
	Cicero	91.51	28	Taft Road – North Syracuse	Combined with exit 27 northbound
	North Syracuse	92.63	29	I-481 / NY 481 – Oswego, North Syracuse, DeWitt	Signed as 29N (north) and 29S (south)
	Cicero	95.07	30	NY 31 – Cicero, Bridgeport
		99.03	31	To US 11 via Bartell Road – Brewerton
Oswego	Hastings	102.83	32	NY 49 – Central Square
	Parish town–village line	111.11	33	NY 69 – Parish
	Town of Parish	114.87	34	NY 104 – Mexico
	Richland	118.25	35	To US 11 via Tinker Tavern Road
	Pulaski	121.65	36	NY 13 – Pulaski	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		122.44	36	Pulaski (CR 2)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Village of Sandy Creek	128.07	37	Sandy Creek, Lacona (CR 15)	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		128.25	37	Sandy Creek, Lacona (CR 22A)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
Jefferson	Town of Ellisburg	130.82	38	US 11
		132.83	39	Mannsville (CR 94)
		134.68	40	NY 193 – Pierrepont Manor, Ellisburg
	Village of Adams	140.25	41	NY 178 – Adams, Henderson
	Town of Adams	144.36	42	NY 177 – Smithville, Adams Center
		145.91	43	To US 11 – Kellogg Hill
	Town of Watertown	148.29	44	NY 232 – Watertown Center
		152.60	45	NY 3 (Arsenal Street) – Sackets Harbor
		153.55	46	NY 12F (Coffeen Street) – Airport	Access to Jefferson Community College
	Pamelia	155.05	47	NY 12 (Bradley Street), Clayton
		157.67	48	NY 342 to US 11 to NY 37 – Fort Drum, Black River
	Orleans–Theresa town line	169.20	49	NY 411 – La Fargeville, Theresa
	Alexandria–Orleans town line	178.14	50	NY 12 – Alexandria Bay, Clayton	Signed as 50N (north) and 50S (south)
	St. Lawrence River		Thousand Islands Bridge ($2.50 toll northbound)
	Thousand Islands	179.80	51	Island Road – Island State Parks
		183.03	52	Island Road – De Wolf Point
		183.52		Highway 137	Canada–United States border; continuation into Ontario
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

• New York Roads portal

External links

• Alps' Roads – Interstate 81
• New York Routes – Interstate 81
• The I-81 Challenge website

Interstate 81
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