 Interstate 81 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn-Can Highway | ||||
 Map of New York with I-81 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byNYSDOT and theThousand Islands Bridge Authority | ||||
| Length | 183.60 mi[1] (295.48 km) | |||
| Existed | August 14, 1957[2]–present | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  I-81 at thePennsylvania state line | |||
| Major intersections | ||||
| North end |  Highway 137 at theCanadian border | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | New York | |||
| Counties | Broome,Cortland,Onondaga,Oswego,Jefferson | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Interstate 81 (I-81) is a part of theInterstate Highway System that runs fromI-40 atDandridge, Tennessee, to theThousand Islands Bridge atWellesley Island inNew York, beyond which the short 2.7-mile (4.3 km)Ontario Highway 137 (Highway 137) links it toHighway 401. In theUS state ofNew York, I-81 extends 183.60 miles (295.48 km) from thePennsylvania state line southeast ofBinghamton to theCanadian border at Wellesley Island northwest ofAlexandria Bay. The freeway runs north–south throughCentral New York, serving the cities of Binghamton,Syracuse, andWatertown. It passes through theThousand Islands in its final miles and crosses two bridges, both part of the series of bridges known as theThousand Islands Bridge.
South of Watertown, I-81 closely parallelsUS Route 11 (US 11), the main north–south highway in Central New York prior to the construction of I-81. At Watertown, US 11 turns northeastward to head across New York'sNorth Country region while I-81 continues on a generally northward track to the Canadian border. From there, the road continues into the province ofOntario as Highway 137, a short route leading north to the nearby Highway 401.
The portion of I-81 in New York was originally developed as thePenn-Can Highway, one of four expressways proposed by the state in 1953. It was added to the Interstate Highway System and designated I-81 in 1957 and constructed in sections over the course of the next decade. The first segment was completed in the mid-1950s, running fromTully to the southern edge of Syracuse. The last piece opened in the late 1960s, linkingMarathon toWhitney Point.
I-81 crosses theNew York–Pennsylvania border about 11 miles (18 km) southeast of the city ofBinghamton. The freeway heads northwest from the state line, running through a valley surrounding theSusquehanna River in the town ofKirkwood. This stretch of I-81 closely parallelsUS 11, continuing a trend that originally began at I-81's southern terminus in easternTennessee. Both roads head across relatively undeveloped areas along the eastern riverbank to the outskirts of Binghamton, where I-81 merges withNew York State Route 17 (NY 17; FutureI-86) in an industrial area east of the city. I-81 and NY 17overlap for five miles (8.0 km), running along the northern edge of the Binghamton suburbs before entering the city itself. About 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of downtown, the freeway connects toBrandywine Highway, alimited-access road carryingNY 7 through mostly residential areas on the north side of the city.[3]
Just west of the Brandywine Highway junction, I-81 and NY 17 cross the Chenango River as they split at adirectional T interchange[3] comprising part of an S-curve in NY 17 known locally as Kamikaze Curve.[5] While NY 17 heads west into the curve, I-81 proceeds northward along the west bank of the river, connecting to US 11 and passing bySUNY Broome Community College on its way into the suburban town ofChenango. Here, I-81 meets the western terminus ofI-88 at a junction roughly three miles (4.8 km) north of Binghamton. Continuing on, the freeway intersects US 11 a second time before leaving the banks of the Susquehanna River and proceeding generally northwestward into increasingly rural areas of theSouthern Tier. The route makes its way across a series of hills and valleys for 13 miles (21 km) to the village ofWhitney Point, connecting to US 11 and two state routes of regional importance—NY 26 andNY 79—at two exits on the western edge of the community.[3]
Continuing on, I-81 begins to follow theTioughnioga River, a tributary of the Susquehanna, as it bypasses the nearby village ofLisle to the east. While US 11 runs across the base of a valley flanking the river, the freeway proceeds along the valley's eastern edge, overlooking the valley road on its way to theBroome–Cortland county line. Both routes cross the border at points just yards apart, beginning their transition from the Southern Tier region toCentral New York. About two miles (3.2 km) from the county line, I-81 encounters the village ofMarathon, situated inside the river valley at the junction of US 11 andNY 221. The freeway connects to the latter at an interchange just east of the village center before heading northwestward for 11 miles (18 km) across a series ofmoraines in another prolonged rural stretch. Along the way, I-81 passes between the Tuller Hill and Hoxie Gorge state forests, located nearMessengerville on the western and eastern sides of the highway, respectively.[3]
The rural, northwestward trend ends west of the village ofMcGraw at a junction withNY 41, the primary east–west (signed north–south) road through the community. NY 41 continues west from the exit for a short distance to meet US 11, and the two routes become concurrent for the next five miles (8.0 km). I-81, US 11, and NY 41 all head westward from this point, passing a handful of scattered businesses to reach the eastern edge of the nearby city ofCortland. While US 11 and NY 41 continue directly into the city, I-81 bypasses it to the northeast. As such, it crosses only moderately developed areas on the periphery of Cortland. The road connects to downtown Cortland by way of an exit withNY 13, a north–south route serving most of Central New York. Near the exit, the Tioughnioga River splits into two branches, with NY 13 following the east branch to the northeast and I-81 proceeding westward along the west branch.[3]
North of downtown Cortland, I-81 makes a 90-degree turn to the north, matching a similar curve in the course of the nearby river. This track brings the freeway to the suburban village ofHomer, which I-81 connects to via exit 54. Thetrumpet interchange feeds into a long east–west ramp linking the highway to the parallel US 11, NY 41, andNY 281, another parallel road farther west. NY 41 leaves US 11 in Homer, and I-81, US 11, and NY 281 proceed slightly northeastward across a low-lying, undeveloped area in an otherwise hilly region of Cortland County. Just south of theOnondaga County line, I-81 directly meets NY 281 as it crosses from the western side of the freeway to the eastern edge. They meet one final time across the county line near the village ofTully, where NY 281 ends as I-81 intersectsNY 80 andNY 11A. The west branch of theTioughnioga River also terminates here, flowing intoTully Lake at the county line.[3]
The amount of development along the freeway slowly increases as it heads north through the county. InLaFayette, I-81 meets withUS 20, one of a handful of east–west roads spanning the width of the state. Continuing on, I-81 and US 11 pass east ofOnondaga Reservation, connecting once again at exit 78 before entering the city ofSyracuse. At this point, the forests that had lined both roads give way to the dense residential neighborhoods that comprise the city's southern half. Roughly three miles (4.8 km) south ofDowntown Syracuse, I-81 meets withI-481, an alternate route of I-81 bypassing the city to the east. I-81 itself proceeds due north toward downtown on an embankment, running alongside theNew York, Susquehanna and Western Railway (NYSW) and passing adjacent toOakwood Cemetery. The surrounding area transitions from mostly residential to mostly commercial at the north edge of the cemetery, where I-81 passes west of the campuses ofSyracuse University andState University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.[3]
West of Syracuse University, the NYSW turns west to pass under I-81. At this point, the embankment gives way to anelevated highway carrying I-81 through downtown right next to theState University of New York Upstate Medical University (SUNY Upstate).[3] The road separates the 15th Ward on its west side from Syracuse University and the area's hospitals on its east side; it also visually hangs over the predominantly residential 15th Ward.[6] Farther north, the density of the commercial districts adjacent to the highway continue to increase as the road enters Downtown Syracuse. For roughly a half-mile (0.80 km), I-81 heads east–west, running alongsideI-690 and connecting to the highway by way of a series of closely spaced ramps. Like I-81, the incomplete interchange is entirely elevated, passing over parts of several downtown blocks. Past I-690, I-81 transitions from an elevated road to a subsurface highway as it cuts across the north half of downtown and proceeds northwest past an old industrial area that was once Syracuse'sInner Harbor.[3] The elevated portion in Syracuse was expected to reach the end of its useful life in 2017 but remains in service.[7]
Thecut eventually brings the freeway to the southeastern tip ofOnondaga Lake, where I-81 ascends in elevation once again at a network of interchanges withNY 370 and a handful of nearby streets. The series of junctions serveDestiny USA, the area's largest mall;NBT Bank Stadium, the home of theSyracuse Mets; and theWilliam F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center (RTC), Syracuse's bus and train station. I-81 subsequently passes overCSX Transportation'sMohawk Subdivision rail line, which serves the RTC. North of the rail overpass, the road finally returns to ground level as it heads northeastward through Syracuse's residential northern suburbs. InSalina, I-81 meets theNew York State Thruway (I-90) at exit 7 and connects toSyracuse Hancock International Airport at exit 9. About six miles (9.7 km) north of downtown, the highway enters the village ofNorth Syracuse, where I-481 rejoins I-81 at exit 11 (exit 96 southbound).[3]
While I-481 continues northwest from North Syracuse asNY 481, I-81 travels north through residential areas of gradually decreasing density. Just north of the junction with I-481 and NY 481, the freeway passes east of the formerPenn-Can Mall, the largest commercial parcel in the area. I-81's first junction north of Syracuse is in the town ofCicero, where it connects toNY 31, another regionally important highway. North of here, US 11 begins to closely parallel I-81 once again, rejoining the highway's vicinity after following an erratic alignment through Syracuse. The two roads run across relatively flat and increasingly undeveloped land toBrewerton, ahamlet adjacent to whereOneida Lake empties into theOneida River. While US 11 runs through the community, I-81 bypasses it to the east, offering unobstructed views of the lake as it crosses the lake outlet and entersOswego County.[3]
On the opposite riverbank, I-81 initially runs past a line of lakefront houses and cottages; however, it soon enters a large marshy area named Big Bay Swamp. The wetlands reach as far north asCentral Square, a village just west of I-81's interchange withNY 49. For most of the next 13 miles (21 km), I-81 runs north across a mixture of swamps and fields, both undeveloped and fairly level in elevation. Along this stretch, the freeway links to two more major routes:NY 69 andNY 104. The highway eventually reaches the village ofPulaski, where it reconnects to NY 13 at a partial interchange east of the village center. From here toWatertown, I-81 loosely parallelsLake Ontario, located about seven miles (11 km) to the west and more closely followed byNY 3. Another substantial stretch of open, rolling fields brings the route toSandy Creek, where it connects toCounty Route 15 (CR 15),[3] a highway designatedNY 288 during the 1930s.[8][9]
Past Sandy Creek, I-81 proceeds intoJefferson County, where it continues to travel across rural, undeveloped areas with only gentle elevation changes. US 11 crosses I-81 for the last time just north of the county line, connecting to the freeway and switching from the highway's west side to its east side. As a result, I-81 now passes west of several villages and large hamlets, all located directly on US 11. Connections to the communities are made by the primary east–west highways serving them, namelyCR 90 forMannsville,NY 193 forPierrepont Manor,NY 178 forAdams, andNY 177 forAdams Center. At Adams Center, both I-81 and US 11 take on a more northeasterly routing, bringing them farther inland toward the city ofWatertown. The final exit before the city itself leads toNY 232, a short connector between I-81 and Watertown Center, the southern extent of Watertown's suburbs.[3]
The rural surroundings finally end, albeit briefly, in the vicinity of Watertown, where I-81 intersectsNY 3 in a commercialized area west of downtown Watertown. All four corners of the junction contain at least one shopping plaza, and the northwestern corner features the sprawlingSalmon Run Mall. The commercial development follows I-81 north to its next exit, adiamond interchange withNY 12F nearJefferson Community College. At this point, I-81 turns northeastward, running south of an industrial park and north of the college before crossing theBlack River to meetNY 12 in a less developed but still commercialized area north of the city. US 11 and I-81 finally part ways at this point, with I-81 continuing north towardCanada and US 11 heading northeast to serve some of theNorth Country's northernmost communities.[3]
As the highway leaves the Watertown area, it passes into another area of rolling, open terrain with only pockets of development in the immediate vicinity of the road's interchanges.NY 37 largely replaces US 11 as the paralleling surface route, and the state route follows I-81 for 13 miles (21 km) to the vicinity ofTheresa. West of the village, I-81 intersectsNY 411, a connector betweenLa Fargeville and NY 37. While NY 37 continues north from Theresa, I-81 turns to the northwest, crossing increasingly isolated areas of the state to reach NY 12 on the south shore of theSt. Lawrence River midway betweenClayton andAlexandria Bay. From here, the freeway becomes a two-lane undivided road, and heads into theThousand Islands on the first of several bridges over the St. Lawrence known collectively as theThousand Islands Bridge.[3] The long, continuous bridge span between the U.S. mainland andWellesley Island (one of the archipelago's largest) is one of the fewremaining two-lane stretches on theInterstate Highway System.[3]
In the Thousand Islands, I-81 becomes a four-lane freeway again and runs across the sparsely-developed Wellesley Island, initially heading northwest and connecting to a pair of county-maintained roads before turning northeast at the eastern edge ofWellesley Island State Park. The freeway turns one final time near the northern edge of the island, curving back to the northwest at exit 186, the last exit along I-81. For most of its run on Wellesley Island, I-81 runs along or close to the island's edge, permitting views of the St. Lawrence River and some of the area's other islands. Not far from exit 186, an interchange linking the freeway to a paralleling local road, I-81 crosses the International Rift on a 90-foot (27 m) bridge connecting Wellesley Island toHill Island inOntario, Canada, terminating at the Canadian border at the bridge's midpoint. From here, the physical road continues north asHighway 137 onto Hill Island, Constance Island, Georgina Island, and the Canadian mainland via the Canadian spans of the Thousand Islands Bridge before finally ending at atrumpet interchange withHighway 401.
TheBinghamton–Syracuse–Watertown corridor was originally served byNY 2, a route assigned as part of the creation of the modern New York state route system in 1924.[10] It was replaced byUS 11 when US Routes were first posted in New York in 1927.[11] In February 1953, New York GovernorThomas E. Dewey proposed constructing four expressways across the state ofNew York to supplement the then-under constructionNew York State Thruway. One of the four proposed highways closely followed US 11, beginning inBinghamton and proceeding generally northward throughCentral New York to theCanadian border north ofWatertown.[12] A connection to thePennsylvania state line was eventually added to the route, which became known as the Penn-Can Highway.[13] On August 14, 1957, the Penn-Can Highway was included in theInterstate Highway System and designated as part of I-81.[2]
In the mid-1950s, the first section of the highway was completed, connectingTully (now exit 66) toNedrow (now exit 78), just south of Syracuse.[14][15] Another section, extending fromNorth Syracuse (now exit 8) toBrewerton (now exit 102), was opened to traffic in the late 1950s.[15][16] In theNorth Country, the first completed section ran fromAdams (now exit 143) toPamelia (now exit 160); it was put into service on October 21, 1959.[17] Extensions of the North Syracuse–Brewerton segment south intoDowntown Syracuse (now exit 3B) and north toParish (now exit 114) were completedc. 1961.[16][18] The section between modern exits 134 and 143 in southernJefferson County was finished in November 1961, and the gap between the Syracuse–Parish and Jefferson County segments was filled on December 1, 1961, creating a continuouslimited-access highway betweenSyracuse and Watertown.[17]
I-81 was opened to traffic from thePennsylvania state line north toNY 17 inKirkwood in mid-1961,[18][19] and the piece linking Pamelia to the Canadian border was completed on September 29, 1965.[17] Three more sections of I-81 were finished to traffic in the mid-1960s, completing all of I-81 within the state except for the portion betweenNY 221 inMarathon andNY 26 inWhitney Point.[20][21] The Marathon–Whitney Point segment was completedc. 1968.[21][22] In Syracuse, part of I-81 was built on an elevated highway, intended to make travel from Downtown Syracuse toSyracuse University faster.[23]
The construction of the I-81 came with much controversy. After the freeway was completed, many neighborhoods were disrupted by the presence of the freeway. One neighborhood in particular, the 15th Ward in Syracuse, was largely replaced by the freeway. This decimated a close-knitBlack-American community.[24] When the displaced community attempted to disperse out into the city,white residents fled, reducing the population of the city by 30 percent over 60 years, while the population of the county grew 55 percent.[25]
The portion for road in Binghamton, nicknamed the Kamikaze Curve due to its hazardous design, was demolished and replaced as part of a project undertaken from 2014 to December 2020. This also saw nearby exits rebuilt in an effort to reduce congestion.[26]
The removal of sections of I-81 running through Syracuse has been discussed since at least the turn of the century. In 2001, Syracuse Common Councillor Van Robinson called for the removal of some elevated portions of I-81 that were blocking Upstate Medical University. He stated that the bridge not only presented a problem sectionalizing the Syracuse area but also it presented a problem forSyracuse University andSUNY Upstate.[27] One major reason for the urgency of this effort is the condition of the elevated highway and other bridges located on I-81 between the I-481 interchanges on opposite sides of the city, as well as on I-690 in the vicinity of I-81's interchange with the highway.[23] In 2011, the official process in deciding the future of I-81 was started by two entities: NYSDOT and the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC), the region'smetropolitan planning organization. NYSDOT is responsible for overseeing the process and, eventually, its construction. SMTC consists of member agencies that have a stake in transportation decisions inCentral New York.[28][29][30] In 2019, NYSDOT selected the "community grid" alternative for reconstructing I-81 through Syracuse. Under this plan,[31] I-81 will be rerouted to bypass Syracuse along theI-481 alignment while the section of I-81 through Syracuse will be designated as abusiness loop of I-81. This alternative, which is expected to cost between $1.9 billion and $2.2 billion, would tear down the elevated viaduct and reconstruct Almond Street as an at-gradeboulevard. Also as a part of this project, both of the interchanges between I-81 and I-481 would be reconstructed to allow I-481 to be converted to I-81. Construction was expected to start in mid-2020 and take five years to complete.[32][33][34] However, in May 2021, GovernorAndrew Cuomo announced the project would not commence until the following year. At this time, the New York state government allocated $800 million to the "community grid" plan.[35] In preparation for the reconstruction/relocation of I-81 around Syracuse, theAmerican Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), at its annual Spring Meeting in May 2021, conditionally approved NYSDOT's application to reroute I-81 over I-481 around the east side of Syracuse and redesignate I-81 through Syracuse as I-81 Business (I-81 Bus), pending concurrence from theFederal Highway Administration (FHWA).[36] NYSDOT will renumber I-81 exits fromsequential tomile-based along its entire length following the rerouting of I-81 around Syracuse. The process of demolishing I-81 in Syracuse began in 2023.[37] Some local residents worried the removal would accelerate gentrification, while business owners in varying locations worried about a loss of revenue from the changes to vehicle traffic patterns.[38] Court challenges to the removal produced only temporary delays.[39][40]
A concurrency withI-86 is set to be eventually addition to the portion between exit 8 and exit 14.
All exits in New York formerly used sequential numbering. The New York State Department of Transportation has begun replacing the numbers with mile numbering.[permanent dead link][citation needed]
| County | Location[41] | mi[41][42] | km | Old exit | New exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broome | Kirkwood | 0.00 | 0.00 |  I-81 south –Scranton | Continuation intoPennsylvania | ||
| 3.98 | 6.41 | 1 | 4 |   US 11 /NY 7 –Kirkwood,Conklin | |||
| 8.08– 8.66 | 13.00– 13.94 | 2E | 8A |     I-86 east /NY 17 east –New York City | Southern end of Future I-86/NY 17 concurrency; current western terminus and exit 75 on I-86; exit number not signed southbound | ||
| 2W | 8B |  ToUS 11 – Industrial Park | Signed as exit 8 southbound; access viaNY 990G | ||||
| 8.90 | 14.32 | 3 | 9 | ToUS 11 – Industrial Park | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; access via Colesville Road | ||
| Binghamton | 12.17 | 19.59 | 11 | Broad Avenue | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 12.55 | 20.20 | 4A | 12 | NY 7 –Binghamton,Port Dickinson | Access toNY 363 andDowntown Binghamton | ||
| 13.05 | 21.00 | 4B | 13A |    Future I-86 west /NY 17 west –Corning | Northern end of Future I-86/NY 17 concurrency; exit 72A on NY 17 | ||
| Dickinson | 13.72 | 22.08 | 5 | 13B |   US 11 (Front Street) toI-88 east (NY 7 east) –Broome Community College | I-88 only appears on southbound signage | |
| Chenango | 14.78 | 23.79 | — | — | I-88 east –Albany | No southbound exit; western terminus of I-88 | |
| 15.83– 16.62 | 25.48– 26.75 | 6 | 16 |  US 11 toI-88 east (NY 7 east) /NY 12 –Nimmonsburg,Chenango Bridge | I-88 only appears on southbound signage | ||
| 21.62 | 34.79 | 7 | 21 | US 11 –Castle Creek | |||
| Barker | 28.99 | 46.65 | 8 | 29 |    NY 26 toUS 11 /NY 79 /NY 206 –Whitney Point,Lisle | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| Triangle | 30.38 | 48.89 | 30 | NY 79 toUS 11 /NY 26 /NY 206 –Whitney Point,Lisle | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| Cortland | Village of Marathon | 38.27 | 61.59 | 9 | 38 (NB)/39 (SB) |  US 11 /NY 221 –Marathon | |
| Cortlandville | 50.02 | 80.50 | 10 | 50 |  US 11 /NY 41 –Cortland,McGraw | ||
| Cortland | 52.36 | 84.27 | 11 | 52 |  NY 13 (Clinton Avenue) –Cortland,Ithaca | Ithaca only appears on southbound signage; access toSUNY Cortland | |
| Cortlandville | 54.09 | 87.05 | 12 | 54 |  US 11 /NY 281 /NY 41 –Homer,Cortland,Ithaca | NY 41, Cortland and Ithaca only appears on southbound signage | |
| Preble | 62.89 | 101.21 | 13 | 63 | NY 281 –Preble | ||
| Onondaga | Tully | 66.62 | 107.21 | 14 | 67 |  NY 80 –Tully | |
| LaFayette | 73.22 | 117.84 | 15 | 73 |  US 11 /US 20 –LaFayette | US 11 only appears on northbound signage | |
| Onondaga | 78.13 | 125.74 | 16 | 78 | US 11 –Onondaga Nation Territory | ||
| Syracuse | 81.51 | 131.18 | 16A | – (NB)/1A (SB) |   I-481 north –DeWitt | Left exit southbound | |
| 82.48 | 132.74 | 17 | 1B (NB)/1C (SB) | South State Street / South Salina Street / Brighton Avenue / East Colvin Street | South State Street not signed northbound; access toJMA Wireless Dome | ||
| 84.07 | 135.30 | 18 | – | Adams Street / Harrison Street | Access toOncenter andSyracuse University | ||
| 84.71 | 136.33 | — | 3A |  I-690 –East Syracuse,Fairgrounds,Baldwinsville | No southbound access to I-690 west | ||
| 85.25 | 137.20 | 19 | 3B | Clinton Street / Salina Street | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 85.37 | 137.39 | 20 | – | Franklin Street / West Street | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 85.81 | 138.10 | 21 | – | Spencer Street / Catawba Street | Southbound exit and entrance | ||
| 86.23– 87.45 | 138.77– 140.74 | 22 | 4B |  NY 298 (Bear Street) toI-690 west | I-690 not signed northbound | ||
| 23 | 5B-A | Hiawatha Boulevard / Destiny USA Drive | Southbound exit only; signed as exits 5A (Hiawatha) and 5B (Destiny) | ||||
| 86.90 | 139.85 | 23–24 | 5A-C |  NY 370 (Park Street / Onondoga Lake Parkway) / Hiawatha Boulevard / Old Liverpool Road –Liverpool | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; signed as exits 5A (NY 370 east), 5B (NY 370 west; closed indefinitely due to truck safety issues at theOnondaga Lake Parkway Bridge), and 5C (Old Liverpool) | ||
| Salina | 88.02 | 141.65 | 25 | 6 | 7th North Street –Liverpool | ||
| 88.30 | 142.11 | 25A | 7 |    I-90 Toll /New York Thruway –Albany,Buffalo | Exit 36 on I-90 / Thruway | ||
| 89.85 | 144.60 | 26 | 8 | US 11 –Mattydale | |||
| 90.46 | 145.58 | 27 | 9A |  Syracuse Airport | Combined with exit 9B northbound and exit 8 southbound | ||
| Cicero | 91.28 | 146.90 | 28 | 9B | Taft Road –North Syracuse | ||
| 92.69 | 149.17 | 29 | 11 (NB)/96 (SB) |   I-481 south /NY 481 north –DeWitt,North Syracuse,Oswego | Exits 96N-S on I-481 and exits 1A-B on NY 481 | ||
| 95.11 | 153.06 | 30 | 98 |  NY 31 –Cicero,Bridgeport | |||
| 99.08 | 159.45 | 31 | 102 | Bartel Road toUS 11 –Brewerton | |||
| Oneida River | 99.30 | 159.81 | Onondaga–Oswego county line | ||||
| Oswego | Hastings | 102.93 | 165.65 | 32 | 106 |  NY 49 –Central Square | |
| Parish | 111.19 | 178.94 | 33 | 114 |  NY 69 –Parish | ||
| 114.92 | 184.95 | 34 | 118 |  NY 104 –Mexico | |||
| Richland | 118.35 | 190.47 | 35 | 121 | Tinker Tavern Road toUS 11 | ||
| Pulaski | 121.73 | 195.91 | 36 | 125 | NY 13 –Pulaski | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| 122.54 | 197.21 | 126 |  Richland Road (CR 2) –Pulaski | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| Village of Sandy Creek | 128.15 | 206.24 | 37 | 131 |  Lake Street (CR 15) –Sandy Creek,Lacona | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| 128.31 | 206.49 |  Salisbury Road (CR 22A) –Sandy Creek,Lacona | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||||
| Jefferson | Ellisburg | 130.85 | 210.58 | 38 | 134 | US 11 | |
| 132.89 | 213.87 | 39 | 136 |  CR 90 –Mannsville | |||
| 133.65 | 215.09 | Parking area | |||||
| 134.74 | 216.84 | 40 | 138 |  NY 193 –Ellisburg,Pierrepont Manor | |||
| Village of Adams | 140.29 | 225.77 | 41 | 143 |  NY 178 –Adams,Henderson | ||
| Adams | 144.41 | 232.41 | 42 | 147 |  NY 177 –Smithville,Adams Center | ||
| 145.96 | 234.90 | 43 | 149 | US 11 – Kellogg Hill | |||
| Town of Watertown | 148.34 | 238.73 | 44 | 151 |  NY 232 –Watertown Center | ||
| 152.67 | 245.70 | 45 | 156 |  NY 3 (Arsenal Street) –Sackets Harbor | |||
| 153.61 | 247.21 | 46 | 157 |  NY 12F (Coffeen Street) –Airport | Access toDexter andCape Vincent | ||
| Pamelia | 155.12 | 249.64 | 47 | 158 | NY 12 (Bradley Street) –Clayton | ||
| 156.23 | 251.43 | Parking area | |||||
| 157.72 | 253.83 | 48 | 160 |   NY 342 toNY 37 /NY 3 –Black River,Carthage | |||
| 158.41 | 254.94 | 48A | 161 |  I-781 east toUS 11 –Fort Drum | Exit 1 on I-781 | ||
| Theresa–Orleans town line | 169.25 | 272.38 | 49 | 172 |  NY 411 –Theresa,LaFargeville | ||
| Alexandria | 178.14 | 286.69 | 50 | 181 | NY 12 –Alexandria Bay,Clayton | Signed as exits 181A (north) and 181B (south); last northbound exit before toll | |
| Orleans | 178.49– 179.22 | 287.25– 288.43 | Thousand Islands Bridge overSt. Lawrence River (northbound toll) | ||||
| 179.74 | 289.26 | 51 | 183 | Island Road –Island State Parks | |||
| 183.12 | 294.70 | 52 | 186 | Island Road –De Wolf Point | Last exit in the United States | ||
| 183.62 | 295.51 |  Highway 137 north toHighway 401 –Kingston,Ottawa | Continuation intoOntario | ||||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||||
Just west of the I-81 and I-88 junctions in the Binghamton area lies Prospect Mountain and 'Kamikaze Curve,' a near-90-degree turn coming down a hill.
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 Interstate 81 | ||
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