Interstate 481 serves as a half-beltway around the city of Syracuse, from southern reaches of the city to the villages of East Syracuse and North Syracuse. Beyond the north parent junction, the freeway continues as New York 481 to Fulton as part of a state route extending 31.8 miles northwest to New York 104 at Oswego, the Port City of Central New York.
The I-481 beltway provides a bypass route for through traffic headed between Binghamton and Watertown on I-81. The loop also serves commuter traffic around the east suburbs and the retail corridor along NY 5 in DeWitt.
I-481 was initially numbered as Interstate 281 when it was open between I-81 in Dewitt and Interstate 690 by East Syracuse. It appears that the numbering change was undertaken in an effort to reduce confusion with New York 281, located 15 miles to the south in Cortland County. Interstate 281 was renumbered to Interstate 481 on January 1, 1970.2 AASHTO previously approved the renumbering on October 26, 1969.
The final link of Interstate 481 was built between NY 298 and I-81 at North Syracuse – Syracuse inset from the 1985 Rand McNally North American Road Atlas.
The initial stretch of Interstate 281 / 481 served local traffic in the town of DeWitt. This 1970 Dimapco fold map showed I-281 on the Syracuse inset while displaying I-481 on the state side.
Interstate 481 was extended north to the New York Thruway by 1976, while the New York 481 freeway was open to traffic northwest from I-81 to Fulton.
Interstate 481 transitions into New York 481 north as Exit 9S loops onto I-81 south back to Syracuse. Photo taken by David Greenberger (12/19/99).
An end I-481 / begin NY 481 shield assembly was posted beyond the Exit 9S previously. New York 481 travels 21 miles to Fulton and 32 miles to Oswego. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (08/00).
New York 481 crosses paths with U.S. 11 (Brewerton Road) prior just west of Interstates 81 and 481 (Exits 9S/N). U.S. 11 parallels Interstate 81 to the west through the village of North Syracuse. Photo taken 05/09/05.
The on-ramp from U.S. 11 forms an auxiliary lane to Exit 9S for Interstate 81 south through Syracuse. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Interstate 481 southbound begins and New York 481 ends as Exit 9S departs from NY 481 for I-81 south. Interstate 81 ventures southwest to Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR), Mattydale and Galeville before entering the Syracuse city limits by Onondaga Lake.
The pull through panel for I-481 was removed by 2009. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Interstate 81 ventures north from Exit 9N and North Syracuse to Watertown and the Thousand Islands Bridge to Canada. Interstate 481 proceeds southeast five miles to the New York Thruway and eight miles to the east end of Interstate 690. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Exit 9N loops away from New York 481 south for I-81 north to the suburbs of Cicero and Brewerton. Interstate 81 crosses the Oswego County line beyond Oneida Lake. Photo taken 05/09/05.
The end NY 481 and begin I-481 shield assembly southbound was removed after 2005. Historically a trumpet interchange joined the state route freeway with I-81 here. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Interstate 81 curves southwest from the Bay Road overpass to the full cloverleaf interchange (Exits 29N/S) with NY 481 and I-481. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Motorists bound for New York 481 to North Syracuse and the northwest suburbs depart from I-81 south at Exit 29N. Oswego lies 32 miles to the northwest on Lake Ontario. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (05/19/02).
Interstate 481 follows a rural course southeast to Cicero Swamp before turning south to the New York Thruway, East Syracuse and the town of Dewitt. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (05/21/02).
Interstate 81 north makes an S-curve from Taft Road north to the cloverleaf interchange (Exits 29S/N) for I-481 south and NY 481 north. The freeway squeezes between several subdivisions along this stretch. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (07/26/02).
One quarter mile ahead of the off-ramp (Exit 29S) for Interstate 481 southeast to East Syracuse and DeWitt on I-81 north. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Interstate 81 retain six overall lanes from the north end of I-481 (Exit 29S) to NY 49 at Central Square. Watertown lies 62 miles to the north. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Interstate 481 bee lines west through a valley between the South Campus of Syracuse University and parallel Rock Cut Road to back to back ramps for Brighton Avenue (Exit 1) and Interstate 81. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Forthcoming Brighton Avenue parallels Interstate 81 north to U.S. 11 (Salina Street) and south to New York 173 (Seneca Turnpike). Photo taken 05/09/05.
Exit 1 leaves I-481 south as the mainline curves west into the directional T interchange with Interstate 81. Ramps for I-81 are unnumbered. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Nearing the Brighton Avenue overpass, overheads direct motorists for Interstate 81. I-81 southbound departs Syracuse for the Onondaga Indian Reservation and the town of LaFayette. Northbound heads to Syracuse University and Downtown. Photo taken 05/09/05.
A loop ramp combines with the northbound on-ramp to Interstate 81 from Brighton Avenue as traffic separates for I-81 south to Binghamton. Photo taken 05/09/05.
An end shield for Interstate 481 appears along the ramp for Interstate 81 north. An auxiliary lane opens ahead to Exit 17 for South Salina Street (U.S. 11). Photo taken 05/09/05.
Interstate 81 straddles a hillside 200 feet above the adjacent community of Nedrow along U.S. 11. The freeway retains a rural appearance to Exit 16A with Interstate 481 north. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (05/15/02).
Brighton Towers rises above the adjacent tree tops just southeast of the directional T interchange (Exit 16A) joining Interstate 81 with I-481 north. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (05/15/02).
Interstate 81 continues with two lanes through the exchange with I-481, and six lanes northward three miles to Downtown Syracuse. I-481 arcs northeast five miles to Dewitt and 6.5 miles to the east end of Interstate 690. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (12/01/02).
One mile north of Interstate 481 north (Exit 16A) on I-81 south at the Brighton Avenue underpass. This assembly was replaced by 2013 with a new sign bridge during a project to add a concrete barrier median in place of metal guard rails. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Interstate 481 north represents the last southbound exit along I-81 within the Syracuse area. The freeway proceeds south along a mostly rural route 70 miles to Binghamton.
This 2000-installed overhead was replaced with a new sign bridge by 2013. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Continuing beyond the Salina Street on-ramp, motorists on Interstate 81 approach the two-lane off-ramp (Exit 16A) for Interstate 481 leading northeast to DeWitt and East Syracuse. This sign bridge was also replaced by 2013 with new signs for I-481 using Left Exit tabs. Photo taken 05/09/05.
The previous set of signs for Exit 16A used Cortland as a control point for Interstate 81 south. taken by Chris Curley (04/00).
Glen Avenue passes over Interstate 81 at the left-hand ramp for Interstate 481 (Exit 16A) north. This sign bridge was removed by 2013 with new overheads attached to the adjacent overpass. Photo taken 05/09/05.
I-81 Viaduct. NYSDOT project web page, accessed November 28, 2016.
Interstate 481 exit listing. http://www.upstatenyroads.com/i481.shtml The Upstate New York Roads Site.