Interstate 481 - History

History

What is now I-481 was originally proposed as parts of two separate highways bypassing the city of Syracuse. From the New York State Thruway (I-90) in DeWitt southwest to I-81 in the south end of Syracuse, the highway was originally designated as I-281. North of the Thruway, modern I-481 was initially part of "Relocated Route 57", a proposed limited-access highway extending from NY 57 in Fulton to the Thruway in DeWitt via North Syracuse. All of I-281 and the segment of Relocated Route 57 east of I-81 in North Syracuse were redesignated as I-481 on January 1, 1970.

The first section of the highway to be built was the piece between Jamesville Road and NY 5. Work on this portion of the freeway began c. 1963 and was completed and opened to traffic by 1965. Construction of I-281, and later I-481, initially progressed northward from NY 5. The segment between Lyndon and I-690 was opened to traffic in the early 1970s, while the piece between I-690 and the Thruway was completed by 1977. To the southwest, the section of I-481 from I-81 to Jamesville Road was finished in the early 1980s, finally connecting I-481 to its parent. The last portion of the route from the Thruway to I-81 in North Syracuse was completed south of NY 298 by 1985 and finished by 1990.