City Data Alliance The City of Syracuse was announced as 1 of 20 cities selected to participate in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ City Data Alliance. Through the Alliance, the City is engaged in executive education and coaching on how to leverage data to strengthen government operations, innovate public services, and produce better outcomes for residents. The City’s focus areas include improving access to health care, reimagining waste management systems, expanding affordable housing, and combat homelessness.
What Works Cities Certification Results for America awarded the City of Syracuse with Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification at the Gold-Level for exceptional use of data to inform policy decisions, allocate funding, improve services, evaluate program effectiveness, and engage residents. What Works Cities Certification sets the standard of excellence for data-informed, well-managed local government. This is the third What Works Cities Certification Syracuse has received.
Smart City Award Syracuse was named a winner in the International Data Corporation (IDC) Government Insights’ Smart Cities North America Award (SCNAA) competition. The IDC recognizes progress by municipalities in smart cities projects. A national online vote picked Syracuse as the winner in the Next-Generation Emergency Services category for its forward-thinking, tech-enabled snow response and resources for winter weather operations. Winners of the SCNAA illustrate best practice examples of how forward-thinking municipalities are effectively leveraging technology and innovation to offer sustainable, new services and economic opportunities to meet the needs and expectations of diverse communities. Seamless integration with mapping technology makes it possible for the DPW to share a publicly accessible map of plow coverage with residents, increasing transparency and leading to a 30% decrease in citizen calls about snowplow service.
Modernized Trash Services Full implementation of the City’s new trash cart program was completed in 2023. The new lidded, 96-gallon trash carts have reduced trash by 319 tons since December 2022. Semi-automated cart pickup has allowed workers to roll carts from the curb to the truck where a cart tipper lifts and dumps the contents of the cart into the truck. This increased safety by removing the burden of manual lifting and dumping that causes injuries; worker injuries were reduced from 21 total injuries in 2022 to 6 in 2023.
Road Reconstruction In 2023, the Department of Public Works (DPW) completed roadwork on 14 miles of city streets. DPW also completed the massive, multi-year West Genesee Street Dig Once project – completely reconstructing a major artery running from downtown all the way to the western city line. The work encompassed installing sidewalks, safer driveways, and pedestrian crossings the entire length of the project.
Municipal Sidewalk Program In the second full year of the Municipal Sidewalk Program, the City fixed more than 12 miles of sidewalks, creating safer, more walkable sidewalks leading to schools, parks, shopping districts and other areas with high pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
Speed Cushion Installations The City implemented 11 more asphalt “speed cushions” on five city streets in 2023. The speed cushions are designed to slow traffic without impacting emergency vehicles, making it safer for walkers, cyclists and residents. Data from 2023 shows that speeds are lower on streets where past speed cushions have been installed.
VEO e-Scooters and Bikes Veo continued to serve city residents with point-to-point micromobility share program. With an expanded Syracuse fleet of nearly 1,000 Veo e-scooters or bikes, the highest number of rides in a single day in 2023 was over 3,500, and the distance traveled was over 700,000 miles.
I-81 Groundbreaking In 2023, federal, state and local officials celebrated the official groundbreaking of Interstate 81 Project, formally launching one of the largest and most ambitious construction projects ever undertaken by New York State. Overseen by the State Department of Transportation, the $2.25 billion project will create a Community Grid to reconnect neighborhoods severed by the I-81 viaduct's construction and correct an enduring injustice that has disproportionately impacted residents of color in the City of Syracuse for decades.
Syracuse City School District Investments In 2023, projects at eight Syracuse City Schools were closed out as part of Joint Schools Construction Board Phase II, representing $300M in investments. Those schools included:
Huntington Elementary
Henninger High School
Corcoran High School
Nottingham High School
Danforth Middle School
Expeditionary Learning Middle School (ELMS)
Clary Middle School
PSLA @ Fowler High School