New York State Department of Transportation Earns Top Honors in Transportation Research Board’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Video Competition

See Video of the Initiative on the NYSDOT YouTube Page Here

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that a video produced by the New York State Department of Transportation touting the Interstate 81 Viaduct Project’s Local Hire Initiative has been honored by the Transportation Research Board’s Special Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The video, featuring testimonials from locally hired workers living near this transformative project in Central New York, was named Outstanding Video in the State DOT category for TRB’s DEI Video Competition. In winning the award, NYSDOT was commended by the special committee for its efforts to build a robust workforce and create new job opportunities for those living in the Syracuse community. The video is to be showcased to transportation leaders from across the world at TRB’s annual meeting in January.

“The I-81 Viaduct Project’s Local Hire Initiative is a ground-breaking effort to ensure that the people who live in the City of Syracuse and the Onondaga Nation benefit from the enormous opportunities being generated by this project that will reimagine the City of Syracuse and Central New York,” Governor Hochul said. “I congratulate the State Department of Transportation for its work advancing this project, and producing this wonderful video, which will help spread the word about this innovative job creation tool and allow even more local residents to get involved in building the future of the region.”

The I-81 Local Hire Initiative, implemented by the State Department of Transportation, is one of the first such programs launched in the nation under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is already having a significant impact in the local community. The initiative ensures residents living in the zip codes that make up the City of Syracuse and Onondaga Nation Territory are provided an opportunity to work on the project - which is happening in their own backyard - guiding interested individuals through each step of the employment process, from training to placement and retainment. The goal is for each project contract to have at least 15 percent of its work hours represent locally hired workers.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “When the I-81 project was originally constructed in the middle of the last century, it divided a community known as the 15th Ward and created economic disparities which have endured for generations. As we work now to take down the I-81 viaduct and reconnect the community in Syracuse, creating job opportunities for members of the community once left behind is at the forefront of our efforts at NYS Department of Transportation. Our local hire program is giving local residents a real stake in the future economic prosperity by being part of building this generational project that Governor Hochul is driving in Central New York. This incredible video featuring the stories of three local residents positively impacted by our local hire program, highlights our commitment to ensuring that the communities and people who suffered the most from the viaduct’s construction share in the benefits of its removal. I congratulate our team on this well-earned award.”

Produced in-house by NYSDOT’s communications team, the one-minute, 30-second video features three local residents providing first-hand accounts of what obtaining work on the project has meant to them. Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez and Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon also provide comments about the opportunities and training available through the Local Hire initiative and the benefits it will bring to the local community.

The I-81 Viaduct Project is part of Governor Hochul's unprecedented commitment to modernize New York State's infrastructure and invest in projects that reconnect communities by promoting equity, connectivity, and multi-modal transportation opportunities for communities across the state. The $33 billion New York State Department of Transportation Capital Plan adopted in 2022 helps fulfill the Governor's vision for a modern transportation system that serves New Yorkers across the state. The project is funded by a mix of federal and state resources.

As part of the Local Hire Initiative, NYSDOT and the New York State Department of Labor are collaborating with employment groups – including Urban Jobs Task Force, Syracuse Build and Pathways to Apprenticeship, SUNY EOC, CenterState CEO, CNY Works, Central-Northern New York Building & Construction Trades Council, the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, and the Onondaga Nation – to form the WorkSmartNY Syracuse Build Collaborative, which seeks to increase the number of individuals trained and hired on the project and provide the supportive services needed to successfully navigate a new career path. Contractors are also provided an incentive payment for hiring residents living in the City of Syracuse and Onondaga Nation residents.

The I-81 Viaduct Project Jobseeker Intake Form, which was created in partnership with the New York State Department of Labor, will streamline the hiring process and connect Central New Yorkers who are actively seeking employment on the multi-billion dollar project with workforce partners who are ready to train and employ them. Located on the I-81 Viaduct Project website, the form allows candidates to complete a short personal questionnaire, submit their information and wait for a call back. Local workforce partners collect the information, call the candidate, and begin determining next steps. Local residents of the City of Syracuse and the Onondaga Nation, who may have recently experienced economic hardship and/or barriers to employment and are interested in working on the I-81 Viaduct Project, are encouraged to go online and complete the jobseeker intake form.

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “The Local Hire initiative is a shining example of the transformative power of diversity, equity, and inclusion in community enrichment projects. I congratulate Governor Hochul, Commissioner Dominguez, and our partners on the I-81 Viaduct Project for creating career opportunities for New Yorkers.”

As part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) mobilizes expertise, experience, and knowledge to anticipate and solve complex transportation-related challenges. Its annual conference draws thousands of transportation experts from across the globe, focusing on cutting edge research and practices in transportation. The meeting program covers all transportation modes, with sessions and workshops addressing topics of interest to policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions. With more than 170 committees, almost every transportation mode and topic is represented at this globally-recognized conference.

Transportation Research Board Executive Director Victoria Sheehan said, "We are thrilled to congratulate NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez and her entire team for their outstanding achievement in winning the state DOT category in our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Video Competition. Their creative storytelling and commitment to inclusive work environments exemplify exactly what our contest was hoping to promote."

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