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I-690 Traffic Syracuse: Live Conditions, Crashes, and Inner Loop Coverage
I-690 is the inner east-west loop through Syracuse, running 9.4 miles from the I-695 interchange near Solvay to the I-481 interchange in DeWitt. The corridor carries roughly 92,000 vehicles per day at the I-81 interchange (the “stack”), making it the second-busiest highway in Onondaga County after I-81. Major exits include the Hiawatha Boulevard exit (serves Destiny USA and Inner Harbor), the Erie Boulevard West exit (downtown), the Almond Street exit (University Hill), and the Beech Street and Teall Avenue exits in the east-side neighborhoods.
NYSDOT 511 incidents on I-690: 511ny.org. CNY Signal traffic dashboard: cnysignal.com/syracuse-traffic.
I-690 Geographic Overview
I-690 begins at the western terminus at I-695 / Onondaga Boulevard in Solvay (Exit 1) and
runs east through Syracuse, with the major interchange at I-81 (Exit 12) at the so-called
“stack” north of downtown. The corridor continues east through the Eastwood and east-side
neighborhoods, terminating at I-481 in DeWitt (Exit 19). I-690 is the primary east-west
artery for commuter traffic from western suburbs (Camillus, Solvay, Geddes, Liverpool) and
eastern suburbs (DeWitt, Manlius, Fayetteville) to downtown employment centers. The
corridor also serves the SU campus via the Almond Street exit and Destiny USA via the
Hiawatha Boulevard exit.
Traffic Volume by Segment
Per NYSDOT 2022 Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) counts: I-690 westbound at the I-81
interchange carries 92,400 vehicles per day, the busiest segment. Eastbound at I-81 carries
89,800. The Hiawatha Boulevard exit area carries 78,300 daily. The Erie Boulevard West exit
carries 71,200. The eastern segment from Beech Street to I-481 carries 56,800. Truck volume
on I-690 averages 7 percent of total AADT, lower than I-81 (9 percent) but higher than
arterial roads.
Most-Crash Segments on I-690
Per NYSDOT Region 3 crash data 2018 to 2022: I-690 corridor recorded 2,891 crashes total
with 14 fatal. The highest-crash segments: I-81 / I-690 stack interchange (412 crashes), the
West Genesee Street exit area (243 crashes), the Hiawatha Boulevard exit (198 crashes), the
Almond Street exit (167 crashes), and the East Genesee Street exit (143 crashes). The
I-81 / I-690 stack is the highest-crash mile of highway in the entire county.
Inner Harbor and Hiawatha Construction Impact
The I-81 viaduct replacement project will significantly affect I-690 traffic during the
2026 to 2031 construction window. Specific I-690 impacts: the I-81 / I-690 interchange is
being reconstructed in Phase 5 (2027 to 2029), with I-690 reduced to single-lane each
direction during peak construction. The Hiawatha Boulevard exit is being permanently
removed in Phase 4 (late 2026), with mall traffic rerouted to a new exit further north on
the rebuilt BL-481. The Almond Street exit is being widened. NYSDOT projects I-690 average
weekday peak-period travel times will increase by 15 to 25 percent during the construction
window, returning to baseline (and improving slightly) after 2031.
I-690 Bridge Conditions
Per the NYSDOT 2024 Bridge Inspection Report, I-690 has 47 highway bridges in the 9.4
mile corridor, of which 9 are rated “structurally deficient” requiring eventual replacement,
17 are rated “fair,” and 21 are rated “good.” The I-81 / I-690 stack interchange ramps
include three bridges in the deficient category, all scheduled for replacement as part of
the I-81 viaduct project. The Genesee Street pedestrian bridge over I-690 is rated “fair”
and on the 2026 to 2028 maintenance schedule.
Major I-690 Closures from 2024 to 2025
Per NYSDOT Region 3 weekly closure reports, the most disruptive I-690 closures in the
2024-2025 timeframe: April 12, 2024 full eastbound closure 6 PM to 6 AM at the I-81 stack
for emergency bridge deck repair, with an 8-hour traffic delay during the morning peak that
followed. October 22, 2024 westbound single-lane closure during the 5 PM peak following a
three-vehicle injury crash near the Beech Street exit, traffic backed up 2.4 miles. December
7, 2024 the entire I-690 westbound section between Beech Street and Almond Street was closed
overnight for paving, with no peak-hour delay.
Public Transit Alternatives Along I-690
Centro Bus operates 14 routes that parallel or cross I-690, with the highest-ridership
routes being the Eastwood/Erie Boulevard route, the Westcott corridor route, and the
University Avenue / SU campus route. The Centro 2024 ridership data shows 4.2 million annual
trips, with peak-period commute ridership rebuilding from a 2020 COVID trough. The Centro
hub at the Common Center (downtown) is the central transfer point for east-west commuter
flows that would otherwise use I-690.
I-690 Connection to the Thruway and Beyond
I-690 connects to the Thruway (I-90) via the I-481 / I-90 interchange in DeWitt at the
eastern end. Westbound, I-690 connects to the Thruway via I-695 and Onondaga Boulevard,
which routes south to I-81 and then south to the Thruway interchange. The Thruway connection
is a critical commercial truck route serving the entire metro area: Onondaga County exports
roughly 18 percent of its truck-borne freight via the I-690 / I-90 connection, primarily to
Buffalo, Rochester, and the Albany corridor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does I-690 run in Syracuse?
I-690 is the inner east-west loop. It begins at the I-695 interchange near Solvay (Exit 1), runs east through downtown Syracuse with the major I-81 interchange at the ‘stack’ (Exit 12), and terminates at I-481 in DeWitt (Exit 19). Total length is 9.4 miles.
How busy is I-690?
I-690 carries roughly 92,400 vehicles per day westbound at the I-81 interchange, the second-busiest segment in Onondaga County after I-81 itself. Truck volume averages 7 percent of total AADT.
What is the I-81 / I-690 stack?
The I-81 / I-690 stack is the multi-level interchange where the two highways meet, just north of downtown Syracuse. The stack is the highest-crash mile of highway in Onondaga County, with 412 reported crashes 2018-2022. The stack is being reconstructed as part of the I-81 viaduct replacement project.
Will I-690 traffic get worse during I-81 construction?
Yes. NYSDOT projects I-690 weekday peak-period travel times will increase 15-25 percent during the 2026-2031 I-81 viaduct construction window. The Hiawatha Boulevard exit will be permanently removed in late 2026. After 2031 completion, baseline times return and are projected to improve slightly.
Are there crashes on I-690 right now?
Real-time NYSDOT 511 incident data is at 511ny.org. CNY Signal publishes scanner-derived alerts for serious I-690 crashes (injury, fatality, road closure 30+ minutes). Routine fender-benders are not published.