Syracuse, N.Y. — Drivers along Erie Boulevard East near downtown Syracuse are seeing a changed landscape this week as construction crews begin removing trees for the Interstate 81 Viaduct project.
The tree removal is one of the first steps in the project in that area. Crews are only allowed to cut trees between November and April to protect wildlife habitat, said Betsy Parmley, the director of the I-81 project for the state Department of Transportation.
The timing is specifically intended to protect endangered bats. Bats hibernate during the winter and are not in the trees, so the DOT must remove trees during this window, Parmley said…