NYSDOT Lists Apparent Low Bidder for Nedrow I-81 Bridge Replacement

NEDROW, NY — The New York State Department of Transportation’s verified results for its July 16, 2026, highway letting list Winn Construction Services Inc. as the apparent low bidder for the planned replacement of the Interstate 81 bridges over U.S. Route 11 near Nedrow.

Winn’s bid for NYSDOT contract D265796, PIN 3501.86, was $18,373,738.18. Economy Paving Co. Inc. submitted the second-lowest bid at $18,545,642.43, a difference of $171,904.25, or about $171,904.

A bid result, not a final award

NYSDOT published the verified tabulation on July 17, 2026. The document identifies Winn as the lowest bidder, but the records reviewed do not establish that the state has completed its review, issued a final award or executed a contract.

That distinction matters for residents, businesses and commuters in the Nedrow area. The bid result moves the project from an advertised procurement to a recorded set of bids, but it does not show that construction has begun, that a notice to proceed has been issued or that traffic changes are imminent.

Replacement planned for aging crossing

NYSDOT’s project description places the work on Route I-81 over Route 11 in the Town of Onondaga, Onondaga County, serving the Nedrow area. Nedrow is a census-designated place rather than an incorporated village government; the bridge project is a state transportation project in the surrounding town.

A February 2025 report by WSYR said the existing bridge structures were built in 1962 and had reached the end of their service life. The public description of the proposed work called for replacing the four-span bridges with single-span steel structures while maintaining the current alignment. It also described two 12-foot travel lanes and expanded shoulders, with a temporary two-lane structure proposed to limit disruption during construction.

Route has emergency significance

NYSDOT program documentation describes the I-81 and Route 11 crossing as part of the main emergency evacuation route out of the Onondaga Nation. The project is also intended to support travel between Onondaga and Cortland counties, giving the work importance beyond the immediate bridge footprint.

The $18.37 million figure is Winn’s apparent low bid, not necessarily the full program cost. NYSDOT’s Region 3 program documentation lists $26,654,000 in programmed construction and inspection funding for the project. That broader programmed amount should not be treated as the same figure as the apparent low bid or as a confirmed final project cost.

What to watch next

The next useful public records will be a final NYSDOT award or executed contract, followed by a notice to proceed, construction schedule and traffic-control announcements. Until those records are issued, residents and commuters should not assume a specific start date, completion date or immediate closure pattern.

Sources

• NYSDOT verified tabulation of highway letting results, July 17, 2026
• WSYR: Meeting Scheduled for I-81 Bridge Replacement in Nedrow