
Building A Better Future
The Structural Racism Built into I-81, and How to Tear it Down
In 1960, approximately 11,000 Black people lived in the City of Syracuse, with as many as 90 percent living in the 15th Ward. That neighborhood became the focus of an urban renewal project that included the construction of the I-81 highway, which ripped through the heart of the 15th Ward. The result was displacement and the destruction of what had been an under-resourced, working-class, but still vibrant neighborhood. In all, 1,300 residents were displaced by the original construction of the 1.4 mile stretch of the I-81 viaduct.
Now the viaduct has reached the end of its useful life and must be replaced. The I-81 project could be the catalyst for knitting back together what the highway destroyed. By taking a hard look at the harms done to people in the past, there is a real chance to improve housing conditions, health outcomes, and economic and educational opportunity for all people in Syracuse.
Documents
Related content

Secure the Right to Counsel When New Yorkers Face Eviction
February 3, 2023
EP-9: How Solitary Confinement Makes Jails and Prisons More Dangerous
January 25, 2023Equal Rights Amendment Advances to New York Voters in November 2024
January 24, 2023
Even “Child Welfare” Workers Say their Agency is Racist
January 23, 2023Integrate NYC et al v. State of New York et al
January 19, 2023Legislative Memo on the Equal Rights Amendment
January 18, 2023
EP-8: How Can We Fix NY’s Housing Crisis?
January 12, 2023