I-481 functions as the eastern half of what would be a beltway around Syracuse and as a bypass for through traffic around downtown Syracuse, as well as a freeway/divided highway connecting Syracuse to Fulton and Oswego. The road was proposed as two separate highways: the portion south of the Thruway as I-281, and NY 481 as a relocation of NY 57 (which has since been decomissioned but is signed as CR 57).
| Mile | Northbound | Southbound | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onondaga County | |||
| Speed Limit 65 | |||
| 0.0 |  |
 SouthBinghamton |
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| 0.0 | North Syracuse |
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| 0.1 | Exit 1 Brighton Avenue |
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| 0.9 | Exit 1 Brighton Avenue Rock Cut Road |
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| 3.4 | Exit 2 Jamesville Road Jamesville |
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| 5.0 | Exit 3E East  EastFayetteville |
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| 5.0 | Exit 3W West West DeWitt |
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| 6.6 | Exit 4 WestSyracuse Fairgrounds |
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| 8.2 | Exit 5E Kirkville Road East |
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| 8.2 | Exit 5W Kirkville Road West |
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| 9.6 | Exit 6 Thruway |
Exit 6  Albany Buffalo |
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| 10.1 | Exit 7 Bridgeport |
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| 13.4 | Exit 8 Northern Boulevard |
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| 14.9 | Exit 9N North Watertown |
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| 14.9 | Exit 9S South Syracuse |
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| 15.7 | Exit 10 Circle Drive North Syracuse |
Exit 10 North Syracuse |
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| 17.5 | Exit 11 Caughdenoy Road Maple Road |
No return to NY 481 from this exit | |
| 21.9 | Exit 12 Baldwinsville Cicero |
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| Oswego County | Onondaga County | ||
| 25.7 | Exit 13 Phoenix |
 |
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| 28.0 | Exit 14 Phoenix Mexico |
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| Speed Limit 35 | Speed Limit 65 | ||
| 34.4 |  Freeway Ends |
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| Speed Limit 35 | |||
| Oswego County | |||