I-81 Viaduct Project Director Mark Frechette is retiring, according to a release from the New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez Wednesday. 

Frechette has served the DOT in Central New York and the North Country for more than 35, and has been the project director for the pending viaduct project for the past decade.

“With 37 years of outstanding service to New York State DOT, Mark Frechette has been retirement eligible for some time now, and the fact that he decided to stay on through the approval of the Record of Decision and the first contract award for the I-81 Viaduct Project speaks volumes about his commitment to public service, Central New York and his good character," said Dominguez.

"I congratulate Mark on a stellar career and a legacy that will long endure. Regardless of the challenges put in front of him on this – the largest project in DOT history - Mark was unflappable, always cheerful, positive, and believing with all his heart that we would work with the community to develop the best possible transportation solution for the City of Syracuse and Central New York. The entire DOT team is grateful for his service and wishes Mark the very best in his well-deserved retirement.”

Frechette will be succeeded by Elizabeth "Betsy" Parmley, who joined the I-81 project team in 2021. 

“Betsy is an experienced and seasoned professional engineer with nearly two decades of proven leadership at DOT. As Mark’s protégé on the I-81 Viaduct Project, Betsy has proven to be a dynamic leader who understands the enormous complexities of this project. I have every confidence that she is fully capable of successfully seeing it through from the first shovel in the ground through to completion," said Dominguez.

The I-81 Viaduct Project is set to cost $2.25 billion, with plans to remove the elevated structure that divides the city of Syracuse with a new business loop and community grid. A portion of I-481 would also be updated and redesignated as I-81. 

The future of the project is currently unclear, as a lawsuit risen by local community members against the NYSDOT last year resulted in a state Supreme Court judge issuing a temporary injunction on the project.