Bound Volume Number
VIII
Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-5-2015
Capstone Advisor
Prof. Hubert Brown
Honors Reader
Prof. Randy Wenner
Capstone Major
Broadcast and Digital Journalism
Capstone College
Public Communications
Audio/Visual Component
no
Keywords
Interstate 81, 15th ward
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Creative
Subject Categories
Television
Abstract
“The I-81 Project: Then and Now” is a documentary regarding the history of Interstate 81 in Syracuse and the ongoing debate regarding the highway’s future in the city. Interstate 81 was built on top of the 15th ward, a neighborhood that was mostly demolished around the time the highway’s bridges were first built in the 1960s. Today, as these bridges reach the age of 50, the New York State Department of Transportation has decided that it is time to replace them. However, several different options are on the table for the new I-81 in Syracuse, including a boulevard replacing the bridges and turning Interstate 481 into the new I-81, building a tunnel underground near the location of the current bridges, constructing a depressed highway along the current viaduct, and rebuilding the bridges, which would need to be wider due to federal regulations. However, there are many factors to consider with each option, and the community remains divided as city residents, area suburbs, elected officials, businesses, and other groups hold varying opinions. Ultimately, there are so many competing interests, so the final decision most likely will not satisfy everyone. This is also due to the highway’s widespread impact on thousands of residents in Central New York as well as travelers through the region.
The documentary can be viewed here: http://youtu.be/ttcr26UJEh8
A corresponding website, including bonus scenes and more information, can be found here: https://kaeskow.expressions.syr.edu/i81project/
Recommended Citation
Eskow, Kristen, "“The I-81 Project: Then and Now” – A Documentary Tracing Interstate 81’s History and Potential Future in Syracuse" (2015). Honors Capstone Projects - All. 882.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/882
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
