Syracuse, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Syracuse
City
Downtown Syracuse JMA Wireless Dome Clinton Square Hanover Square Columbus Circle Historic District South Salina Street Downtown Historic District Panorama of Columbus Circle Historic District
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  The Salt City
Syracuse Location in New York Show map of New York Syracuse Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New York
Region	Central New York
Statistical area	Syracuse Metropolitan
County	Onondaga
Incorporated (village)	1825; 200 years ago (1825)
Incorporated (city)	1847; 178 years ago (1847)
Named for	Syracuse, Sicily
Government
• Type	Strong mayor-council
Area
• City	25.64 sq mi (66.41 km2)
• Land	25.06 sq mi (64.90 km2)
• Water	0.58 sq mi (1.51 km2)  2.15%
Elevation	380–440 ft (116–135 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	148,620
• Density	5,930.80/sq mi (2,289.88/km2)
• Urban	413,660 (US: 102nd)
• Urban density	2,291.3/sq mi (884.7/km2)
• Metro	662,057 (US: 91st)
• CSA	738,305 (US: 72nd)
Demonym(s)	Syracusan
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern Daylight Time)
ZIP Code	132xx
Area codes	315, 680
FIPS code	36-73000
GNIS feature ID	0966966

Syracuse (/ˈsɪrəkjuːz, ˈsɛr-, -kjuːs/ sirr-Ə-kewz-,_-serr--,_--kewss) is a city in New York, United States. It is the main city of Onondaga County, New York. About 148,620 people live here. This makes it the fifth-largest city in New York State.

Syracuse was officially started in 1820. It was named after the ancient Greek city of Syracuse in Italy. The two cities have similar natural features. Syracuse has always been an important meeting point. First, it was where the Erie Canal and other canals met. Later, it became a major railway hub. Today, two big highways, I-81 and I-90, cross paths here. Its airport, Syracuse Hancock International Airport, is the biggest in the Central New York area.

Syracuse is a center for business and education in Central New York. It has many places for big events and is home to important schools. These include Syracuse University, SUNY Upstate Medical University, SUNY ESF, and Le Moyne College.

History of Syracuse

Early European Settlers

French missionaries were the first Europeans to arrive in this area. They came in the mid-1600s to work with the Native Americans. The Onondaga Nation, part of the Iroquois Confederacy, invited a Jesuit priest named Simon Le Moyne. He set up a mission called Ste. Marie de Gannentaha on the shore of Onondaga Lake.

These missionaries found salty springs around "Salt Lake," which is now Onondaga Lake. French fur traders also traded with the Iroquois. Later, Dutch and English colonists traded here too. The English claimed the area from their base in Albany, New York.

The Salt City's Beginnings

After the American Revolutionary War, settlers moved into central New York. The state of New York set aside this area as the Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation. This led to a big salt-making industry from the late 1700s to the early 1900s. Salt came from wells that tapped into salt beds near Tully, New York. This fast-growing industry gave the area its nickname: "The Salt City."

The first settlement in Syracuse was a mix of small towns. It didn't even have a post office because it didn't have a name. In 1820, John Wilkinson suggested the name "Syracuse." He had read about Syracuse, Sicily and saw how similar it was with its lake and salt springs. On February 4, 1820, the village officially became "Syracuse."

Industry and Growth

The first Solvay Process Company plant in the United States was built near Onondaga Lake in 1884. This plant made soda ash from salt and limestone. This new process was a big improvement for making chemicals. The Syracuse Solvay plant helped create a large chemical industry. However, this industry also caused Onondaga Lake to become very polluted.

After the Civil War, the salt industry slowed down. But new factories took its place. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many businesses started here. These included the Franklin Automobile Company, which made the world's first air-cooled engine. The Smith Corona company and Gustav Stickley's Craftsman Workshops also grew here.

Education and Events

Syracuse University was founded on March 24, 1870. It was one of the first universities to allow both men and women to study. This policy attracted many female students.

The first New York State Fair was held in Syracuse in 1841. After moving around for many years, it found a permanent home in Syracuse. It has been an annual event since then, except during World War II and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unique Traffic Light

Syracuse is home to the only "green on top" traffic light. It was put in place in 1928. Local youths used to throw rocks at the "British red" light that was originally on top. These locals were called "stonethrowers." Today, the Tipperary Hill Heritage Memorial remembers this history.

Modern Challenges and Changes

World War II brought many new industries to Syracuse. After the war, big car companies like General Motors and Chrysler had operations here. Carrier Corporation and Crouse-Hinds also had their headquarters or major plants in the city.

However, in the 1970s, many factories started to close or move away. This led to higher unemployment. General Electric moved its TV factory, and Carrier Corporation moved its headquarters. Even though the city's population has gone down since 1950, the wider Syracuse area has stayed about the same size.

Today, the Syracuse Community Grid project is changing downtown Syracuse. It is removing a highway to improve the city.

• 

  Historic Clinton Square

• 

  Erie Canal in Syracuse

• 

  Salina Street

• 

  Fayette Street

Geography and Environment

Syracuse is located at 43°2′49″N 76°8′40″W / 43.04694°N 76.14444°W / 43.04694; -76.14444. It is about 87 miles (140 km) east of Rochester and 145 miles (230 km) west of Albany. It is also about halfway between New York City and Toronto.

The city covers about 66 square kilometres (25.6 square miles) of land and water. It is at the northeast edge of the Finger Lakes region. While the center of Syracuse is flat, many neighborhoods are on small hills. The land north of the city is flat, but to the south, it is hilly.

Trees and Water

About 27% of Syracuse is covered by trees. This is more than in other nearby cities like Albany or Rochester. The Labor Day Storm in 1998 destroyed about 30,000 trees. The most common tree is the sugar maple.

Syracuse gets its water from Skaneateles Lake. This is one of the cleanest lakes in the country. It is about 15 mi (24 km) southwest of the city. Water from Onondaga Lake cannot be used for drinking because it was heavily polluted by industries for many years.

Onondaga Creek flows through downtown Syracuse. The Onondaga Creekwalk runs along it, connecting different neighborhoods.

• 

  Onondaga Creekwalk

• 

  Winter in Syracuse

City Neighborhoods

Syracuse has 26 official neighborhoods. Some of these were once separate villages that joined the city. Syracuse also owns and runs Syracuse Hancock International Airport, which is north of the city.

Syracuse's neighborhoods show its diverse population. For example, Irish, Polish, and Ukrainian Americans settled on the west side. German and Italian Americans lived on the north side. African Americans settled on the south side. Recently, many refugees from the Middle East have moved to the north side.

Climate and Snowfall

Syracuse has a climate with warm summers. It is famous for its heavy snowfall, getting about 115.6 inches (2.94 meters) of snow each year. This is the most snow of any major city in the United States. Syracuse often wins the Golden Snowball Award for the most snow among upstate New York cities.

The most snow in one season was 192.1 in (4.88 m) in 1992–93. The snowiest month was January 2004, with 78.1 in (1.98 m). This heavy snow comes from both the "lake effect" of nearby Lake Ontario and storms from the Atlantic Ocean. Snow often falls in small amounts almost every day during winter.

Big snowstorms happen sometimes. The Blizzard of 1993 brought 42.9 in (109 cm) of snow in just two days. Syracuse got more snow than any other city during this storm.

Syracuse gets about 38.47 inches (977 millimeters) of rain and snow each year. July through September are the wettest months. The average temperature ranges from 23.6 °F (−4.7 °C) in January to 71.3 °F (21.8 °C) in July. The hottest day ever was 102 °F (39 °C) in July 1936. The coldest was −26 °F (−32 °C).

People and Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	22,271		—
1860	28,119		26.3%
1870	43,051		53.1%
1880	51,792		20.3%
1890	88,143		70.2%
1900	108,374		23.0%
1910	137,249		26.6%
1920	171,717		25.1%
1930	209,326		21.9%
1940	205,967		−1.6%
1950	220,583		7.1%
1960	216,038		−2.1%
1970	197,208		−8.7%
1980	170,105		−13.7%
1990	163,855		−3.7%
2000	146,070		−10.9%
2010	145,170		−0.6%
2020	148,620		2.4%
Historical Population Figures 2020

Syracuse city, New York – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	91,928	76,653	68,206	62.41%	52.80%	45.89%
Black or African American alone (NH)	36,246	40,672	43,568	24.61%	28.02%	29.32%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	1,538	1,390	1,170	1.04%	0.96%	0.79%
Asian alone (NH)	4,929	7,971	10,346	3.35%	5.49%	6.96%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	54	37	57	0.04%	0.03%	0.04%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	350	303	897	0.24%	0.21%	0.60%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)	4,493	6,108	8,751	3.05%	4.21%	5.89%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	7,768	12,036	15,625	5.27%	8.29%	10.51%
Total	147,306	145,170	148,620	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

In 2010, there were 145,170 people living in Syracuse. The city had 57,355 households. About 29% of these households had children under 18. The average household had 2.31 people.

The population of Syracuse is very diverse. Many people have Italian, Irish, Polish, German, and English backgrounds. In 2020, Syracuse saw its population grow for the first time in over 70 years.

Religious Communities

Religion	% of Population
Percent religious	56.0%
Catholicism	36.2%
Other Christian	16.3%
Islam	1.4%
Eastern religion (Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism)	1.2%
Judaism	0.9%

Many Christians in Syracuse are Catholic. This is because many Irish, German, Italian, and Eastern European Catholics moved to the city long ago. Syracuse has the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The historic Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus also offers services in English and Polish.

Other Christian groups, like the Episcopal church, also have large communities. The Episcopal St. Paul's Cathedral is another important church.

Syracuse also has communities for Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism. There are also two Unitarian Universalist societies.

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  Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

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  Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

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  Assumption Church

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  St. John the Baptist Greek Catholic Church

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  First Baptist Church

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  Saint Paul's Episcopal Cathedral

Economy and Jobs

Syracuse used to be a big manufacturing city. But over the years, many factory jobs have left. Now, the main jobs are in education, health care, and services. Some high-tech manufacturing still exists.

University Hill is a fast-growing area. This is because Syracuse University and Upstate Medical University are expanding. Many small medical offices are also opening there.

Major Employers

The biggest employers in Syracuse are:

• State University of New York Upstate Medical University: 10,959 employees
• Syracuse University: 5,700 employees
• St. Joseph's Health (Syracuse, New York): 4,755 employees
• Wegmans Food Markets: 3,713 employees
• Crouse Hospital: 3,100 employees
• Amazon: 2,500 employees
• Loretto (elder care services): 2,476 employees
• Lockheed Martin Corp.: 2,300 employees
• National Grid USA: 2,200 employees
• Carrier Corporation: 1,552 employees
• SRC Inc: 1,500 employees
• Syracuse VA Medical Center: 1,400 employees
• Baxter (Welch Allyn): 1,000 employees

Micron Technology Complex

Micron Technology plans to build a huge computer chip factory complex near Syracuse. This could be the largest private investment in New York's history. Micron plans to start building in 2024. This project could create 9,000 direct jobs and 40,000 other jobs over the next 20 years.

This big investment was helped by the CHIPS and Science Act. This law helps grow the computer chip industry in the United States.

Tallest Buildings

The State Tower Building has been the tallest building in Syracuse since 1927.

Name	Height	Floors	Use	Built
State Tower Building	95 m	23	Office	1928
AXA Tower I	82 m	19	Commercial office	1966
AXA Tower II	82 m	19	Commercial office	1971

Shopping and Business Areas

Besides the large Destiny USA shopping mall, Syracuse has many active business areas in its neighborhoods:

• Downtown: Armory Square is the main area for shops and restaurants. It has about 30 places to eat and 20 bars. Hanover Square is another smaller business area.
• Eastwood: This area calls itself "the village within the city." It has shops along James Street.
• Little Italy: This neighborhood has Italian roots. It features bakeries, restaurants, and shops.
• University Hill: Marshall Street has many stores, bars, and restaurants. They mostly serve the students and workers on "The Hill."
• Westcott: This neighborhood is known for its unique and artistic feel. It has restaurants, bars, and shops on Westcott Street. It also hosts the Westcott Street Cultural Fair every September.

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  Armory Square

• 

  Columbus Circle, Syracuse, NY

• 

  Franklin Square, Syracuse

• 

  Franklin Square

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  Buildings in Downtown

• 

  Gere Bank Building

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  Hotel Syracuse Downtown

• 

  South Salina Street Downtown Historic District

• 

  South Salina Street Downtown Historic District

• 

  The Amos Block building in downtown

Arts and Culture

Performing Arts

Syracuse hosts two annual outdoor jazz music festivals: the Syracuse Jazz Festival and the CNY Jazz Arts Foundation's Jazz in the Square Festival. Famous musicians like Smokey Robinson and Aretha Franklin have performed here. The Polish Festival also features Grammy-winning artists.

The Syracuse Symphoria, started in 2013, is a professional orchestra. The Clinton String Quartet has been playing for over 15 years. The Society for New Music supports new classical music.

The Syracuse Opera Company performs three operas each season. They also offer free outdoor concerts. The Syracuse Shakespeare Festival performs plays by William Shakespeare for free in Thornden Park.

Syracuse Stage puts on experimental and creative plays. Some of their shows have even moved to Broadway. The Red House Arts Center offers performances and art exhibits. Syracuse also has a lively music scene, especially for heavy metal, hardcore, and punk rock.

Museums and Art Galleries

• Everson Museum of Art opened in 1968. It has one of the largest pottery collections in the U.S. It also shows American art from the 1700s to today.
• Erie Canal Museum teaches about the history of the Erie Canal and how it helped Syracuse grow.
• International Mask and Puppet Museum in Little Italy focuses on masks and puppets. They also use puppets for educational shows for kids.
• Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) has exhibits about science and technology.
• Onondaga Historical Association Museum & Research Center shows exhibits about Syracuse's past. It also has historical records and a display about the Underground Railroad.
• Syracuse and Onondaga County Fire Museum will be in an old fire station on Wolf Street.

Public Libraries

The Onondaga County Public Library (OCPL) runs Syracuse's public libraries. This includes the Central Library and ten city libraries. You can use a library card from any OCPL library at any other OCPL library.

City Libraries

Suburban Libraries

Education in Syracuse

Schools for Kids

The Syracuse City School District has 34 schools and 4 special education programs. In the 2014–2015 school year, about 20,084 students were enrolled. The district works with Say Yes to Education. Their goal is for every student to graduate high school ready for college or other training.

Colleges and Universities

Syracuse is home to several important universities.

• Syracuse University is a major research university on University Hill. In 2017–2018, it had 22,484 students.
• SUNY Upstate Medical University is right next to Syracuse University. It is one of the country's academic medical centers. It provides over 10,000 jobs and has a medical school.
• SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) is also next to Syracuse University.
• Le Moyne College is on the eastern edge of the city.
• Onondaga Community College has its main campus nearby and two smaller campuses in the city.
• Other colleges include a branch of SUNY's Empire State College and Bryant & Stratton College. There are also nursing colleges at Crouse Hospital and St. Joseph's Hospital.

• 

  Syracuse University

• 

  Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

• 

  Syracuse University

• 

  Joe Biden speaking at Syracuse University

• 

  Upstate Medical University

Parks and Recreation

Syracuse has over 170 parks and recreation areas, covering more than 1,000 acres (4.0 km²).

• Burnet Park has the first public golf course in the United States (from 1901) and the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.
• Other big parks include Thornden Park, Schiller Park, Sunnycrest Park, Onondaga Park, and Kirk Park.
• The city has 12 public swimming pools and two public ice rinks.
• Onondaga Park in the Strathmore neighborhood has Hiawatha Lake and a beautiful gazebo.

Just outside the city, along Onondaga Lake, is Onondaga Lake Park. On Sundays in the summer, the parkway is closed to cars. This lets people walk, run, bike, and rollerblade safely. During the holidays, the park hosts Lights on the Lake, a two-mile (3.2 km) drive-through light show.

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  Upper Onondaga Park in Strathmore

• 

  Inner harbor at Onondaga Lake

• 

  Onondaga Lake Park

Sports in Syracuse

Local Sports Teams

Club	Sport	League	Founded	Venue	League titles	Championship years
Syracuse Mets	Baseball	IL	1934	NBT Bank Stadium	8	1935, 1942, 1943, 1947, 1954, 1969, 1970, 1976
Syracuse Stallions	Basketball	TBL	2018	Manlius Pebble Hill School	0	N/A
Syracuse Crunch	Ice hockey	AHL	1994	Upstate Medical University Arena	0	N/A
Syracuse FC	Soccer	NPSL	2017	Onondaga Community College	0	N/A

College Sports

School	Nickname	Colors	Association	Conference
Syracuse University	Orange	Orange and blue	NCAA Division I-A	ACC
Le Moyne College	Dolphins	Green and gold	NCAA Division I	NEC
Onondaga Community College	Lazers	Carolina blue and white	NJCAA Division III	Mid-State Athletic Conference
SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry	Mighty Oaks	Green, white and gold	USCAA	HVIAC

Sports at Syracuse University are very popular. Basketball games often have over 30,000 fans. Football games have over 40,000 fans. Many famous professional players, like Ernie Davis and Jim Brown, came from Syracuse University. Both teams play in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse was also home to some top professional teams in the past. The Syracuse Nationals basketball team won a championship in 1955 before moving to Philadelphia.

Media and News

Syracuse.com is the most popular local news website in Central New York. Advance Media NY owns syracuse.com and also produces The Post-Standard newspaper. These two media groups reach many people in the Syracuse area.

Radio Stations

Syracuse has many AM and FM radio stations.

Frequency	Call sign	Format	Notes
AM 570	WSYR	News/Talk	Also heard on 106.9 WSYR-FM (Solvay)
AM 620	WHEN	Urban adult contemporary	Also heard on 101.7 W269DT in Syracuse
AM 1070	WZUN	Classic hits	Licensed to Sandy Creek-Pulaski, New York and heard on 106.1 W291BU in Fulton (See also: WZUN-FM)
AM 1200	WTLA	Sports	Also heard on 97.7 W249BC (Mattydale) and 1440 WSGO (Oswego)
AM 1260	WSKO	Sports
AM 1300	WOSW	Sports	Licensed to Fulton and is heard on 98.5 W253BZ in Fulton
AM 1340	WMBO	Classic hits	Licensed to Auburn and is heard on 106.1 W291CV in Auburn. (See also: WSEN-FM Mexico)
AM 1390	WFBL	Classic hits	Also heard on 107.5 W298DC in Liverpool. (See slso: WSEN-FM)
AM 1440	WSGO	Sports	Licensed to Oswego and is heard on 100.1 W261AC in Oswego
AM 1490	WOLF	Sports	Also heard on 92.5 W223CP in Syracuse
AM 1540	WSIV	Christian radio	Licensed to East Syracuse and is heard on 106.3 W292EY in Syracuse
AM 1670	WERW	Free-form	Syracuse University
FM 87.7	WVOA-LD	Sports	Licensed to Westvale (See also: WOLF)
FM 88.3	WAER	Jazz/News/Sports
FM 88.7	WTMI	Religious (Catholic)	Licensed to Fleming
FM 88.9	WNYO	College radio	Licensed to Oswego
FM 89.1	WJPZ-FM	Rhythmic contemporary
FM 89.9	WRVO	Public radio	Licensed to Oswego
FM 90.1	WRCU-FM	Free-form	Licensed to Fairport
FM 90.3	WRVD	Public radio	Satellite of WRVO, Oswego
FM 90.5	WBXL	Variety	Licensed to Baldwinsville
FM 90.5	WMVQ	Public radio	Licensed to Fenner
FM 91.3	WCNY-FM	Classical music
FM 92.1	WOLF-FM	Country music
FM 93.1	WNTQ	CHR/Top 40
FM 94.5	WYYY	Adult contemporary
FM 95.7	WAQX	Alternative rock
FM 96.7	WCIO	Contemporary Christian	Licensed to Oswego (See: WCIS-FM)
FM 99.5	WTKW	Classic rock
FM 100.3	WMVN	Rhythmic top 40	Licensed to Sylvan Beach. Also heard on 96.5 W243AB in Westvale
FM 100.9	WKRL	Active rock
FM 101.7	WGKV	Contemporary Christian	Licensed to Pulaski (K-Love)
FM 102.1	WZUN-FM	Classic hits	Licensed to Phoenix
FM 102.9	WMHN	Christian radio
FM 103.3	WSPJ-LP	Community radio/Variety	Also heard on 93.7 W229CU Syracuse
FM 103.9	WSEN-FM	Classic hits	Licensed to Mexico, NY
FM 104.7	WBBS	Country music	Licensed to Fulton
FM 105.1	WCIS-FM	Contemporary Christian	Licensed to DeRuyter
FM 105.5	WTKW	Classic rock	Licensed to Minetto
FM 105.9	WLKZ	Contemporary Christian
FM 106.5	WKRH	Classic rock	Licensed to Fair Haven
FM 106.9	WSYR-FM	News/Talk	Licensed to Solvay
FM 107.9	WWHT	CHR/Top 40

To see a complete list of radio stations in Syracuse including the surrounding area, please see: (Syracuse radio)

Television Channels

Syracuse is the fifth-largest TV market in New York State. Six main TV stations serve the city:

• WSTM-TV 3 (NBC)
• WTVH 5 (CBS)
• WSYR-TV 9 (ABC)
• WCNY-TV 24/cable 11 (PBS)
• WSPX-TV 56/cable 4 (Ion)
• WSYT 68/cable 8 (Fox)

Syracuse University has its own student-run TV station called CitrusTV. Charter Spectrum is the main cable TV provider. They offer a 24-hour local news channel.

Newspapers

Syracuse has one main daily newspaper, The Post-Standard. It covers local news from Central New York. It is available in many stores from the Canadian border to the Pennsylvania border.

The Daily Orange is the student newspaper for Syracuse University and SUNY ESF. It is read by over 20,000 people daily. The Dolphin is the weekly student newspaper for Le Moyne College.

Other free newspapers include the City Eagle and Table Hopping, which focuses on restaurants. CNY Vision is a weekly newspaper for Syracuse's African American community. The CNY Latino newspaper is a monthly publication for the Hispanic community.

Magazines

The Good Life, Central New York Magazine (also called Central New York Magazine) is a local lifestyle magazine. It comes out every two months and covers positive stories about local shops, travel, food, and art in the Syracuse area.

City Infrastructure

Public Transportation

Syracuse has public bus service run by the Central New York Regional Transportation Authority, or Centro. Centro buses serve Syracuse and its nearby towns.

Train and Bus Travel

Syracuse (station stop code SYR) has train service from Amtrak. You can take trains like the Empire Service, Lake Shore Limited, and Maple Leaf. Amtrak's station is at the William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center.

The Empire Service runs twice a day between Niagara Falls and New York City. The Maple Leaf goes all the way to Toronto. The Lake Shore Limited travels between Chicago and Boston or New York City.

Long-distance bus services like Greyhound Lines, Megabus, OurBus, and Trailways also serve Syracuse. They go to cities like New York City, Boston, and Toronto.

Air Travel

Syracuse is served by the Syracuse Hancock International Airport. It is located in nearby Salina. The airport has flights from 8 major airlines to important cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and New York City. You can reach New York City in less than an hour by plane.

Major Roads and Highways

• Interstate 81 goes north and south through Syracuse. It connects to Canada and Pennsylvania. The part of I-81 in downtown Syracuse is very narrow. Soon, it will be rerouted around the city.
• Interstate 90, also called the New York State Thruway, runs east and west just north of the city. It is a toll road that connects to Rochester, Buffalo, and Albany.
• Interstate 690 runs east and west through the city. It connects to I-90 and the suburbs.
• Interstate 481 forms a loop around the eastern side of the city. It continues north to Fulton and Oswego. This highway will soon become part of Interstate 81.

Community Grid Project In May 2023, the Community Grid project was approved. This plan will remove the I-81 highway that goes through downtown. It will be replaced with a boulevard. The main I-81 traffic will be sent around the city on the existing I-481. This project will cost about $2.25 billion and will take several years to complete.

US Highways

• U.S. Highway 11 runs north and south through downtown Syracuse.
• U.S. Highway 20 passes south of Syracuse.

New York State Expressways

• New York State Route 481
• New York State Route 690
• New York State Route 695

New York State Routes

• New York State Route 5
• New York State Route 80
• New York State Route 92
• New York State Route 173
• New York State Route 175
• New York State Route 290
• New York State Route 298
• New York State Route 370
• New York State Route 598

City Services

The Department of Public Works (DPW) provides public services. These include garbage pickup, street plowing, and sewage.

Syracuse gets its drinking water from Skaneateles Lake. This lake is known for having very clean water. The water is carried into the city without being filtered.

The Syracuse Police Department (SPD) keeps the city safe. The SPD uses a network of 521 surveillance cameras called the Criminal Observation and Protection System (COPS). These cameras help police watch for suspicious activity.

The Syracuse Fire Department (SFD) protects the city from fires and other dangers. They also respond to medical calls and hazardous material incidents. The SFD has a top rating for fire safety, which can affect fire insurance costs. The department operates out of 11 fire stations.

Sister Cities

Syracuse has several sister cities around the world:

• Chiayi City, Taiwan
• Fuzhou, Fujian, China
• Taiz, Yemen
• Tampere, Finland
• Irpin, Ukraine
• Boise, Idaho

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See also

In Spanish: Syracuse (Nueva York) para niños