The New York State DOT awarded a $384.5 million contract for a portion of the I-81 viaduct project to CNY Alliance, a group of New York-based contractors.

The partnership includes Rifenburg Construction Corp., Crane-Hogan Structural Systems and a joint venture between A. Servidone and B. Anthony Construction Corp. The contract’s scope of work includes the conversion of the southern interchange of I-481/I-81.

The $2.25 billion I-81 viaduct project aims to reconnect downtown neighborhoods in the Syracuse area that were originally severed by the I-81 viaduct’s construction in the 1950s, said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in a release. The route is critical to maintain a high speed interstate connection with national and international north-south trade routes from Tennessee to the Canadian border, Hochul said.

The I-81 viaduct project forms part of Gov. Hochul’s plan to modernize New York’s infrastructure. Those efforts recently hit a roadblock in June, as the state abandoned plans to redevelop offices in the Penn Station area.

Contract 2 will upgrade a portion of Interstate 481, which would be redesignated as I-81, and construct the new Business Loop 81 along Almond Street to improve connections to downtown Syracuse and other business districts, according to the release.

Work also includes improvements to the sewer and stormwater management system to reduce runoff and help prevent overflows during heavy rains that threaten the water quality of Onondaga Creek and Onondaga Lake.

NYSDOT awarded the first contract of the project, worth $296.4 million, earlier this year to a team of three New York-based general contractors. That partnership included Lancaster Development and Tully Construction Co., together as L&T Construction, D.A. Collins Construction Co. and Cold Spring Construction Co.

Scope of work on that contract consists of the reconstruction of the existing Interstate 481/I-81 northern interchange to the re-designated I-81 and Business Loop 81, conversion of I-481 to the new I-81 and several road and bridge improvements along the corridor.

Additionally, other features of the project include:

• Nearly 13 miles of new or reconstructed sidewalks, two miles of new or reconstructed shared-use paths for bicycles and pedestrians, a one-mile cycle track and nearly two miles of new or reconstructed shared vehicle and bicycle lanes.
• A new full interchange on I-690 at Crouse and Irving Avenues to provide direct connections to hospitals, employment centers and educational facilities.
• A reconfigured I-690 West Street interchange.
• A new northbound off-ramp from Business Loop 81 to Colvin Street.
• Bear Street improvements.
• A new third lane on I-481 northbound between I-690 and the NYS Thruway, and an improved exit 3.