Syracuse’s historic 15th ward hopes for healing with I-81 demolition

An I-81 highway detour sign in Syracuse symbolizes the controversial infrastructure project that divided the city.  © 2025 Vinaya Johnson

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Interstate 81 has been part of daily life in Syracuse. But behind all that traffic noise is a story of destruction, displacement, and lasting scars on the community.

Built between 1959 and 1969, the highway cut through the heart of the 15th Ward, once a thriving Black neighborhood. It left a lasting impact, dividing the community and causing health problems for residents from pollution. 

Now, I-81 is falling apart and being torn down, something many see as a much-needed step to fix the wrongs of the past.

Marquita Hetherington, a resident of the 15th ward and program coordinator for Blueprint 15, a nonprofit working to restore the neighborhood, described the impact. 

“The highway hasn’t done anything but cause division,” Hetherington said. 

“It doesn’t create any growth. It’s like a hard line, a boundary. The highway pretty much relocated and dismantled 1,500 homes. That had a huge impact. Economically, some of those families haven’t been able to recover from being displaced.”

Before the construction of I-81, Syracuse’s 15th Ward was a vibrant community, full of life, culture and history. © 1941 Provided by the Onondaga Historical Association collections and Blue Print 15.

The loss of homes and businesses in the 15th Ward was devastating for the community. The highway’s construction uprooted families, many of whom were working-class homeowners.

Tara Harris, a resident of the 15th ward, whose mother was displaced, reflected on the personal toll this took. 

“She lived in the 15th ward. I feel horrible that it happened to those people, you know, my mom included,” Harris said. 

“It forced people who were homeowners, working-class families, who owned businesses… to uproot and move without warning. Everything they invested in was basically gone,” she added.

The community still feels the effects of the highway, especially when it comes to health. Harris explained how the pollution from the highway has led to respiratory issues, especially for her and her neighbors who live right next to I-81. 

“I’ve had breathing problems for years. It’s not just me. It’s my neighbors, too. People are getting sick from the pollution, but nobody wants to talk about it,” she said. “I know 10 people who live where I live, and they’ve contracted the same thing. Something somewhere is doing something.” 

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), living near a highway and being exposed to traffic pollution is linked to increased rates of asthma and impaired lung function, especially for people living within 500 meters of a highway.

A map of where the 15th ward is located. © 2025 Rosie Rapisarda

Hetherington pointed out other long-term damage caused by the highway. 

“We were really thriving. We were really doing it, and to see it now, it’s just like, you can’t even put it in as a word. It’s like, these were all houses, like, these were people’s homes and livelihoods, and the habit erased,” she said. 

Passionate about restoring the 15th Ward, Hetherington is involved in Blueprint 15, working with residents to address their needs. 

“What we’re doing is priceless… I’ve talked to so many different residents. I’ve developed programs just based on what I’m hearing from the residents of what they say they need,” she explained.

Programs Hetherington has worked on through Blue Print 15 all have the same goal, making sure the community’s voices are being heard. She is most proud of her monthly meetings, where she invites residents to get together and talk about issues they’re facing.

“We might talk about maintenance issues one day. We might talk about people that are receiving, like, 90-day notices for moving because they’re being relocated,” she said. 

Through these meetings, the organization partners with Syracuse Housing Authority and other local politicians to address and solve the residents’ concerns. 

Another specific program she’s worked on is helping residents to understand and effectively manage their finances, like how to budget, save and invest.

“I have a home ownership program. It’s called Faith, even if you’re not trying to buy a home, I’m teaching you financial literacy. I’m doing eight weeks of financial literacy because I know how important that part is,” she said. 

However, Hetherington also voiced frustration over outside groups coming into the area with little understanding of the community’s struggles. 

“I’m more passionate about it because it’s hard for me when people who don’t live in the area try to have meetings and try to gain resident voices. You really don’t have any vested interest in what’s really going down with these people,” she said.

A view from beneath the I-81 highway, symbolizing the division it created through communities and the lives disrupted. © 2025 Vinaya Johnson

Both Hetherington and Harris stressed the importance of involving the community in the redevelopment process. 

“We live here. Nobody should be able to tell us what we need in our community,” Harris said. 

“We know what we need, we know what we lack. We have to be the biggest voices, not just letting somebody come in and say, ‘We’re giving you this,’” she added.

Looking to the future after the highway’s removal, Harris is hopeful for what’s to come. 

“[I want to see] businesses, entrepreneurs, green space… I just want to see the community reconnected again. People working at the high school, in SU, coming into our neighborhoods, reconnecting. We need that,” she said.

Hetherington also shared her vision for the future, where the community plays a central role in its rebuilding. 

“It’s about listening, learning and building something better,” she said.