Parking and Transportation News

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has concluded some of their work on the west side of campus, which will allow some of the streets in the area to re-open.

The NYSDOT has informed our staff that Van Buren Street and Almond Street will reopen before Monday, October 18. Drivers will be able to travel through Almond Street to the new Van Buren Street roundabout by Monday morning.

Please note: This entire area is still a very active NYSDOT construction site. Please use caution in the area at all times. Access and detours are subject to change. The I-81 Connect Mobile App is the best source to receive real-time project updates from the NYSDOT.

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is continuing their extensive work on the I-81 viaduct project throughout the Syracuse area. The project includes the construction of a roundabout on the west side of campus. 

The NYSDOT has informed our staff that Van Buren Street will be closed beginning today (Wednesday, October 1) and will continue through the middle of next week (contingent on any weather delays).

Irving Avenue will also be reduced to one lane near its intersection with Van Buren during the closure. We suggest building in extra time during your commute while the road closure and lane reductions are in place.

Please note: This entire area is a very active NYSDOT construction site. Please use caution in the area at all times. Access and detours are subject to change. The I-81 Connect Mobile App is the best source to receive real-time project updates from the NYSDOT.

At the start of a new semester, Parking and Transportation Services would like to remind our students about the safety escort shuttle, which is a free resource available to help students get around campus and nearby neighborhoods after dark. Here’s what riders need to know:

How to Request a Ride

Escorts are requested through the Orange Safe app, available for both Apple and Android devices. After opening the app, users tap “Getting Around SU,” then “Safety Escort Shuttle,” and select “Request Safety Shuttle.”

To keep wait times down, every request must use a Syracuse University campus address as either the pickup or drop-off point.

If your requested destination is along a pre-established trolley or shuttle route, your request will be denied and you will be re-directed to the existing shuttle routes. The primary resources for safe student transportation on campus are the Centro bus system and the ‘Cuse Trolley system. You should familiarize yourself with the bus and trolley schedules and plan your activities around the schedule.

The safety escort service is not a commuter ride service. These escorts are solely for your safety and not for convenience.

Hours of Operation

The safety escort shuttle runs:

• 8 p.m. – 6 a.m. during the academic year
• 8 p.m. – 2:30 a.m. during summer months

Wait Times

As of Fall 2026, average wait times run 20–25 minutes, though traffic, weather, and demand can extend that. The Orange Safe app provides an estimated wait time at the moment a ride is requested.

A few factors reliably drive wait times up:

• Weather: Rain or cold weather increases the volume of requests.
• No-shows: When a rider cancels their plans but doesn’t cancel the request, a driver still shows up and waits, delaying service to everyone else in the queue.
• The 8 p.m. rush: As much as half of a night’s total requests can come in during the first hour of service, creating an early bottleneck.

Riders are encouraged to cancel promptly if they no longer need a ride, so drivers can move on to the next person waiting.

In a true emergency, riders should skip the app and call the Department of Public Safety at 315-443-2224, which is staffed around the clock.

The Syracuse University football team kicks off its 2026 season on Saturday, September 5 at 12 p.m. vs. New Hampshire. Guests to campus are reminded to be aware of the ongoing I-81 construction project in the areas adjacent to campus and plan for additional time to park and arrive at the JMA Dome.

Parking lot directions and information are available on cuse.com. Remember that all parking is cashless. Customers may pay via credit card (including tap and pay), or through Google Pay or Apple Pay.

More parking information is available here. Locations and prices include:

• The cost for the University Avenue Garage is $40
• The Skytop lot is available for $35, with shuttle service to Main Campus
• Drumlins Country Club offers free parking with a $10 shuttle to Main Campus
• RV parking is available at the Skytop lot for $45
• Charter buses can be parked at Skytop for $65

Syracuse University’s Parking and Transportation Services is upgrading the tracking system on its University shuttles. A new vendor is currently being installed and is undergoing testing to replace the the old system.

While tests on the new system are underway, subus.syr.edu is not available for Syracuse University buses/trolleys. During the testing period, only Centro transportation options will appear on the subus.syr.edu tracking website.

Parking and Transportation is aiming to have its new tracking and timing system operable later in the Fall 2026 semester, which will introduce many new features to community members utilizing public transportation on and around campus.