Community discusses I-81 viaduct

BY KAthrYNE rAKOWsKI

Members of the community gathered at North Syracuse Junior High School on Thursday, Aug. 10 to hear information and ask questions related to the I-81 viaduct project.

The open house was hosted by the New York State Department of Transportation, and focused on Contract One, the first of eight contracts which will be completed in two phases. With display boards, a video, and engineers available to answer questions, community members were able to learn more about the project and the positive changes it will have on the traffic, particularly commutes to and from downtown Syracuse, as well as access to the Watertown area.

Contract One includes the widening of four bridg-

Admission costs $6 per person or $9 per couple; food and drinks available. For info, call the Lodge at 315672-3106.

In Baldwinville, audiences are now enjoying “Jazz at Timber Banks” on Tuesdays from 6 to 9 p.m., at Persimmons Restaurant, at 3536 Timber Banks Parkway.

The lineup features the finest area performers of jazz, blues, funk, R&B, Americana, country swing, Latin crossover and contemporary pop on a schedule that runs through Sept. 12. The series is presented by CNY Jazz Central.

The schedule features vocalist Scott Dennis and friends Aug. 15, trumpeter Nick Fields’ Trio Aug. 22, singer Marianne Solivan Aug. 29, Vanessa Vacanti and The Jazz Mafia on Sept. 5 and vocalist Cherie Giraud Sept. 12; cnyjazz. org/jazz-at-timber-banks / ; 315-635-8800. es, which will make travel more efficient, particularly aiding in diverting high speed traffic from downtown Syracuse to 481.

Tenesha Murphy, I-81 community liaison & public information officer, explained the need to reconstruct the interchange between 481 and 81.

“It’s important to widen the interchange to keep a high-speed connection” she i-81 l Page 2