Several key roadways around the Ithaca area will see upgrades under a major rehabilitation program announced Nov. 3 by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The $27.4 million project will improve resiliency and provide smoother rides along the gateway city to the Finger Lakes, Hochul said.
The project will install new road surfaces and make other improvements to portions of Meadow Street and Fulton Street (state routes 13 and 34), as well as West Buffalo Street (state Route 96) and other important roads in the city.
Traffic signal improvements, lane configurations, and sidewalk upgrades will also ease congestion and enhance safety for both motorists and pedestrians, the governor said.
“Upstate New York roadways can take a beating during the winter months, which is why we must take great care to ensure they are kept in good condition and able to withstand whatever challenges Mother Nature has in store for us,” Hochul said in a news release.
“This investment in Ithaca’s vital roadways will help keep people and goods on the move in the region and will continue to pay dividends for many years to come in terms of safety, resiliency, and economic growth.”
The state noted that approximately 30,000 vehicles travel Meadow and Fulton each day in the Ithaca Commons area, impacting countless retailers, restaurants and local businesses.
Assemblymember Anna Kelles said the improvements to Route 13, Fulton, Meadow and West Buffalo Streets will calm traffic, reduce accidents, expand pedestrian access and modernize outdated infrastructure in some of the city’s most heavily traveled corridors.
“We have all sat in backed-up traffic past the high school and felt the frustration of how challenging it can be getting in and out of the city,” Kelles said. “This project directly addresses that by reducing congestion, strengthening the connection between downtown and our waterfront and ensuring every resident, visitor and worker can move through the city safely and reliably.”
Some work already underway. Here’s what’s planned.
Preliminary work on the project, including some sidewalk and driveway preparations, is already underway. Work to pave over three miles of worn asphalt surfaces and address subsequent cracks, ruts, and potholes will begin in the spring of 2026.
The pavement rehabilitation project, which includes an application of crack seal that is applied every three years, will extend the life of the following core connections by an estimated 13 to 15 years:
Traffic signals at six intersections will be fully replaced and 14 more will be upgraded to include video detection, which assists in optimizing signal timing and reducing wait times for motorists. Traffic signals will also be installed at two intersections that currently operate without them.
Pavement markings will also be modified to improve traffic flow. Additionally, 15,000 feet of sidewalk will be replaced, 500 feet of new sidewalk will be added, and curb ramps will be upgraded to improve accommodations for pedestrians.
Drainage pipes in structures will also be cleaned and repaired to improve resiliency. To minimize traffic disruptions, work will mostly take place at night and is anticipated to be complete by summer 2027.
“The City of Ithaca is grateful for the governor’s investment in improving these major state highways,” Ithaca Mayor Robert G. Cantelmo said. “As one of the largest in-commuter cities in the region, this essential maintenance will continue to provide access and reliability for thousands of residents and workers that call our community home.”
This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: $27 million earmarked to calm traffic, rehab key roads in Ithaca. Here’s where.
Reporting by Jeff Murray, Ithaca Journal / Ithaca Journal
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