Cars can now go both directions down Clinton St. in Syracuse between W. Jefferson and Taylor Streets.
Mayor Ben Walsh said the change is a crucial part of a much bigger plan: developing the city’s southwest corridor and gateway to downtown.
"Connecting those dots, connecting those pockets of excellence, really threading together the urban fabric that is our city, and that is downtown, that's what this project is all about," said Walsh.
Merike Treier, the executive director for the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, said she thinks the project will help bring tourists to local businesses.
"Having these blocks change to a two-way direction helps improve that connectivity for all the visitors we're seeing down here at our hotel district and bringing them into the energy of Armory Square and Hanover Square and Clinton Square," said Treier.
Commissioner of Public Works Jeremy Robinson said another major focus of the project is increasing safety and mobility throughout the city. The newly improved part of Clinton St. includes additional parking and new bike lanes.
"All these projects make up a small piece to a bigger plan, and that is to make Syracuse a safer place to navigate through, in, and around the city," said Robinson.
Robinson said other safety projects include adding speed humps and improving sidewalks. It’s part of a strategy called “Vision Zero,” which aims to eliminate all traffic fatalities and injuries while increasing equitable mobility on the streets.
