For decades, the elevated I-81 viaduct divided Syracuse neighborhoods, limited pedestrian connectivity, and reinforced inequities while aging infrastructure posed growing safety and maintenance concerns. Replacing the viaduct with a more integrated transportation system presented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reconnect communities, modernize mobility, and support long-term urban revitalization. To help Syracuse realize this opportunity, Fisher Associates applied a holistic, people-centered approach that combined in-house transportation engineering, landscape architecture, and planning expertise. By designing roadway geometry, utilities, drainage, streetscapes, and public spaces as a unified system—and grounding technical solutions in sustained, locally informed engagement—our team helped shape a complete streets framework that prioritizes safety, accessibility, and neighborhood reconnection. The result supported equitable development, strengthened community life, and delivered resilient infrastructure that serves both regional mobility and the city’s future.
