Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh says discussions about the future of 81 have now reached the federal level.
The mayor says he spoke with two members of U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's staff in a virtual meeting Wednesday. Walsh says the talks not only centered on the project, but also about the people it could help by creating jobs and boosting local businesses.
The 81 project is expected to begin construction in 2022. It could take 5 years and $2 billion to complete.