The viaduct will not start coming down this winter, and I-690 East will not close. What changes between now and spring is closer to the ground. Two closures that have shaped Southside and Northside detours since spring are scheduled to end. Meanwhile a $143.5 million dig is getting ready to open up downtown streets block by block. For most of 2026 the project's work sat near the I-81 interchanges and the Inner Harbor. This winter it moves into the street grid that downtown drivers, bus riders and walkers use every day.
The Edges Are Winding Down First
The work that started earliest is ending first. On June 11, the state announced the completion of the $366 million northern and southern interchanges built under Contracts 1 and 2. That included reopening the I-81 southbound to I-481 northbound ramp at Exit 1A. On the Northside, the department told NewsChannel 9 WSYR on September 23 that it hopes to finish most of Contract 3 near the Inner Harbor before the end of 2026. Some cleanup could carry into spring.
The biggest Northside piece for everyday trips is the Court Street bridge. Court Street between Sunset Avenue and Genant Drive has been closed since March 16 so the bridge could be torn down and rebuilt. Since then, traffic has been sent around on Lodi, North Salina, Catawba, Spencer and North Clinton streets. NYSDOT's travel advisories page still says the closure is expected to last "until November." That is a scheduled date, not an announced reopening. When the bridge does open, Spectrum News reported that it will have a sidewalk on one side and a shared-use path on the other. The path links Northside pedestrians and cyclists to the Inner Harbor, which the old bridge never did.
On the Southside, the change to watch is the roundabout being built down the hill from the JMA Wireless Dome, where Van Buren meets Almond. NYSDOT's April 13 release closed Van Buren between Almond and Henry, and Almond between Taylor and Van Buren, "through November." That closure created the detours many people near University Hill now drive without thinking. Southbound Exit 18 traffic and Almond Street traffic go around on East Adams Street and Irving Avenue. Part of Irving, from just south of the Crouse Hospital garage to Waverly Place, runs one way.
NYSDOT regional director Elizabeth Parmley told WSYR that drivers should be able to go through from Almond to Van Buren in both directions by the end of fall. The full roundabout will not be finished by then. So the trip through that corner should get easier, but the area will still look like a construction zone.
Then the Work Goes Underground Downtown
As those edge projects close out, a new contract opens in the middle of the city. On September 22, the Governor's office announced a $143.5 million award for Contract 6a. It covers an 8-by-10-foot stormwater trunkline and rebuilding streets including Almond, East Water, State, Erie Boulevard, Salina and Herald Place.
CNY Central reported that the pipe will run about a mile under downtown and that crews will dig as deep as 25 feet in some places. According to NYSDOT, the route was chosen to keep disruption to downtown businesses and their customers as low as possible. Syracuse.com reported that construction was expected to start this fall and move block by block. As of October 6, the state had not announced when.
This is the part that changes how downtown feels. The Southside and Northside work happened along highway corridors and their ramps. Contract 6a runs under the streets people use for errands, lunch, parking and appointments, and a block-by-block approach means the closed stretch will keep moving. The state's announcement says the finished streets will have new sidewalks and shared-use paths. No pedestrian detour plan or block-by-block schedule has been published yet.
Crouse and Irving stay busy too. Contract 4 is rebuilding Crouse and Irving avenues and the I-690 bridges and ramps there, and NYSDOT's target for finishing is mid-2027.
Why the Big Moments Are Still on the 2027 Calendar
The two changes most likely to make headlines are both scheduled for later than this winter, and that timing is why this season is about street-level work.
| Milestone | What has been announced | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Southern elevated section closes to most traffic, with Exit 18 access kept | NYSDOT's Contract 5 page | End of 2026 |
| First viaduct spans removed | Parmley to WSYR, Sept. 23 | 2027 at the earliest |
| I-690 eastbound closes for about two years | Syracuse.com, Oct. 6 | Late 2027 |
| I-481 becomes I-81 on signs and maps | FHWA approval, no changeover date set | Not yet scheduled |
| Contract 5 Southside work complete | NYSDOT's Contract 5 page | Mid-2027 |
The first row needs some explaining. NYSDOT's Contract 5 page still says the elevated highway is expected to close to traffic at the end of 2026. It also says about seven spans will be removed under that contract. Closing the deck to traffic and tearing it down are different steps. In January, Syracuse.com put the first seven spans at the end of 2026 or the start of 2027. Parmley's September comments push demolition to 2027 at the earliest.
Part of the viaduct stays in use during that first stage. According to NYSDOT, southbound drivers heading for Exit 18 at Harrison and Adams, and northbound drivers who get on at the Harrison Street ramp, will still use the viaduct. Temporary changes to Almond Street will keep Business Loop 81 traffic connected to downtown. Contract 5 also includes a new exit from northbound Business Loop 81 to Colvin Street. In January, Syracuse.com reported a target of the end of this year for that ramp, which would give direct access to South Campus and the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. That target depends on weather.
The I-690 closure is the one most likely to change commutes. Syracuse.com reported that eastbound I-690 is expected to close in late 2027 for about two years. The detour will run from West Street via West Genesee, James, Oswego Boulevard and Erie Boulevard East to the North Crouse on-ramp. This fall, Contract 6 is expected to do utility work only.
The highway's name will also stay the same for now. The Federal Highway Administration approved renaming I-481 as I-81 and turning the current I-81 corridor through the city into Business Loop 81. NYSDOT says drivers should expect no immediate change while it works out a changeover plan. Syracuse.com noted that no date has been set for changes to signs or navigation maps.
The Longer Clock Behind This Winter
A winter of mostly street-level work fits a project whose end date keeps moving. In January, WRVO described the project as expected to finish in 2029. CNY Central's September 23 report says construction is expected to continue through 2031. The cost has grown too. Syracuse.com reported in August that the total rose from the 2023 estimate of $2.25 billion to at least $4.4 billion. The $2.1 billion bid for Contract 6 alone came in at more than twice its estimate.
With completion now projected for 2031, closures like the ones on Van Buren and Court Street are short stages in a much longer schedule. Each finished piece removes one detour, and each new contract adds another.
A Short Checklist for the Months Ahead
- If you use the Almond and Van Buren corner, look for two-way traffic to return before winter starts, with the roundabout still unfinished around it.
- Northside drivers who have been taking Lodi, Catawba or Spencer to avoid Court Street should watch for a reopening announcement in November.
- Downtown, expect lane or block closures on Almond, East Water, State, Erie Boulevard, Salina or Herald Place once the Contract 6a start date is announced.
- Check the NYSDOT travel advisories page before trusting any date here. Posted schedules there have passed before the page was updated.
If you're trying to time a sale or purchase around these construction years, especially near University Hill, the Southside or downtown, Timothy Perkins can help you see how the posted schedule affects the specific streets you care about. Let's Connect.
