Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and local stakeholders gathered Monday to announce that I-81 construction is on the fast track for critical approval of the environmental impact statement by the United States Department of Transportation.

“I'm here to announce that I just spoke with the secretary a few days ago, on Friday, to discuss the I-81 project and Syracuse. So Syracuse, lace up your boots, put on your hard hats because local jobs and funding are going to soon start flowing to help tear down this relic," said Schumer. 

The approval could come in a matter of weeks, according to the senator, who sais that once that approval happens, there will be another 30 day public comment period before the record of decision, which is the last step before the I-81 project can begin after years of talking and waiting.

“Well, this project has been a long time coming and it there have been delays along the way. So I'm certainly appreciative that the senator is continuing to push it forward and as long as he does that, I think we're going to stay on track," said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh.

The senator also talked about additional funding and support to replace the hundreds of public housing units that sit next to I-81, as well as the importance of awarding construction jobs to local residents. Last week, $300,000 was secured for the Syracuse BUILD Initiative to train local citizens to work on the project.

”Called Pathways to Apprenticeships, it's a pre-apprenticeship program, and it's working with about seven local unions and people are graduating from that program and going right into the unions," said Urban Jobs Task Force Treasurer Aggie Lane.

"I-81 is getting all the green lights; all the green lights that are needed. We're all systems go to make this happen," said Schumer.

The environmental statement includes changes to the community grid, proposing alternative routes like a roundabout from Martin Luither King Blvd. to Van Buren.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul earlier this year released $1.1 billion for I-81 in her budget proposal for legislators to approve by April 1. That is in addition to $800,000 in last year’s budget. 

Officials hope to put shovels in the ground by the end of the year. Phase one of the I-81 project would be to buildout I-481.