New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has opened the new Griffiss Veterans Memorial Parkway to traffic in the city of Rome, Oneida County.

The parkway is part of the $8.9m third and final phase of the roadway rebuilding on a new alignment along Route 825 in the city of Rome.

The scope of the project involved the redevelopment of an existing two-lane roadway into a new four-lane divided highway that would help reduce traffic congestion and increase access to businesses, educational facilities and health services at the Griffiss Business and Technology Park.

Cuomo said: “Investing in our transportation network is critical to meeting the demands of our modern economy and ensuring safe travel for New Yorkers across the state.

“Investing in our transportation network is critical to meeting the demands of our modern economy and ensuring safe travel for New Yorkers across the state.”

“Thousands of Mohawk Valley residents depend on this parkway for their commutes and these improvements will ease traffic flow, enhance safety and support the continued growth well into the future.”

The newly opened section of the project includes two roundabouts at the intersections of Route 825 and Floyd Avenue, and Route 825 and Hangar Road.

The roundabouts have been built to ease traffic flow while allowing it to keep moving through the intersections, as well as to improve traveller safety and mobility.

As part of the project, a new sidewalk will also be constructed on the north side of the new highway and on the south side, a 10ft-wide paved multi-use trail will be built that will be connected to the Griffiss Sculpture Park Trail and the Mohawk River Trail.

Additionally, the parking lot at the Mohawk River trailhead will be reconstructed and paved, while landscaping and the installation of decorative concrete will continue until the start of winter.