The section of I-81 that runs through Syracuse is slowly deteriorating and is due to be reconstructed. The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has frequently said that I-81 will need to be changed due to its deteriorating condition. One major reason for the urgency of this effort is the condition of the elevated highway and other bridges located on I-81 between the I-481 interchanges on opposite sides of the city, as well as on I-690 in the vicinity of I-81's interchange with the highway. In 2001, Syracuse Common Councillor Van Robinson called for the removal of some elevated portions of I-81 that were blocking Upstate Medical University. He stated that the bridge not only presented a problem sectionalizing the Syracuse area, but also it presented a problem for Syracuse University and Upstate Medical University.