I-81, I-481 Road Names Changing in Syracuse

If You Drive Around Syracuse, Get Ready for Some New Highway Names

If you regularly drive through Syracuse, New York, there's a change coming that could make you do a double take at the highway signs.

I-481 is officially becoming I-81.

The Federal Highway Administration has approved the redesignation, which is another major step in the massive I-81 Viaduct Project. The idea is to shift interstate traffic away from downtown Syracuse and eventually remove the 1.4-mile elevated I-81 viaduct.

So What Happens to the Current I-81?

This is where it can get a little confusing.

The stretch of highway we currently know as I-81 through Syracuse will eventually become Business Loop 81. So the road that has been I-81 for years will have a new name, while the road we've known as I-481 will take over the I-81 designation.

Basically, the I-81 name is moving.

It's Not Happening Overnight

There aren't immediate changes for drivers.

The New York State Department of Transportation is working on a plan for the transition, so the new names and signs will be rolled out as the project moves forward.

Eventually, the existing elevated section of I-81 will come down and be replaced by what's called the Community Grid, a street-level network through the city.

Get our free mobile app

Here's the Cheat Sheet

I-481 → I-81

Current I-81 through Syracuse → Business Loop 81

Elevated I-81 viaduct → Eventually coming down

So if the highway signs around Syracuse start looking a little different, don't worry. You didn't accidentally take a wrong turn. You're just watching one of the biggest transportation projects in Central New York change the way the roads—and their names—work.