Photo: Iryna Melnyk / iStock / Getty Images
The Syracuse Common Council has approved up to $14 million in funding for road construction projects that will rebuild approximately 20 miles of city streets this summer.
The ambitious paving plan covers dozens of streets across all four quadrants of Syracuse, according to details released by city officials. The yearly milling and paving schedule is determined through staff input and road quality evaluations from the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council, which rates every street in the city.
In addition to the road reconstruction, the council has approved borrowing up to $3 million to replace three miles of sidewalk along seven streets that are included in the reconstruction list. This sidewalk work is separate from the annual replacement program funded by the city's sidewalk fee.
Last year, Syracuse's public works department completed improvements on approximately 18 miles of roads, falling six miles short of what the council had approved funding for. The shortfall was attributed to various factors including weather conditions, availability of materials, and contractor scheduling issues.
"Projects not completed last year are included in the 2026 list," a city spokesperson noted. The work primarily focuses on streets with existing curbing, and in some cases, curb replacement will also be part of the project.
City officials have expressed optimism about securing state reimbursements for much of the street reconstruction and related sidewalk work, which would help offset local costs.
A separate program for streets without curbing, known as slurry sealing, will be presented to the council later this year and will include a public hearing.
The full list of streets scheduled for improvement during the 2026-27 fiscal year, which begins July 1, is available online through the city's website.