Demolition project to ‘reunite’ a city

Aerial view of Syracuse, New York, USA. (PHOTO: Adobe Stock)

According to CBS Evening News, Interstate 81 (I-81) was built in the 1960s right through the centre of one of the country’s oldest public housing communities - Syracuse’s Pioneer Homes, which were built three decades earlier, in the late 1920s / early 1930s.

While some local residents believe the interestate route was intentionally positioned through the neighourhood to drive certain groups of people out of the area, the offending motorway section - which was described by Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh as “a scar that goes through the heart of our city” - is now set for demolition.

A US$2 billion project - known as the I-81 Viaduct Project, is now underway to re-route the I-81 around Syracuse, which will see the 1.5-mile stretch that divides the city removed.

The recovered space will then be transformed into a grid of pedestrian-friendly streets with shops, and a new transport route, called Business Loop 81, for local industry.

The works to revitalise the area are being partially supported by a multi-billion-dollar federal fund.

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Earlier this year, Syracuse was among 130 cities to be awarded a share of the US$3 billion Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant, which aims to undo poor highway planning decisions made in the 1900s, where communities were left separated by transit routes.

Syracuse secured $180 million of the funds. This will be used to create “new and enhanced destinations for Syracuse residents and visitors to enjoy, while incorporating complete streets elements along the state and local road network on or adjacent to the community grid”. 

“Thanks to support from the Biden-Harris Administration, we are turning the vision of a reunified Syracuse into a reality,” said New York Governor Lathy Hochul.

“The I-81 Viaduct Project will reconnect communities that a highway has divided for generations, proving that we can rebuild our infrastructure to support healthy and thriving neighborhoods.

“New York is setting the national model for major infrastructure projects that prioritize equity and community engagement.”

While the I-81 Viaduct Project officially broke ground last year and works to reroute it are currently being carried out across the state, the demolition of the I-18 section dividing Syracuse is not expected to being for some time.