City of Rochester
News Release
(Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023) — The City of Rochester is beginning work on
preliminary design and engineering of the Inner Loop North Transformation
Project, an important step forward to replace the remaining 1.5-mile segment of
the Inner Loop Expressway with an urban street network that better meets the
needs of the community. The project will create approximately 22 acres for
equitable redevelopment and green space.
The City completed the Inner Loop North Transformation Planning Study in the fall
of 2022 and identified a high-level concept to redesign the roadway. This concept,
called City Grid Restoration, needs to be developed into an
implementable, construction-ready design. Through a competitive RFP (Requests
for Proposals) process, the City has selected a team led by Stantec to begin
the detailed engineering necessary to turn this vision into a reality. Last
year, Governor Kathy Hochul committed $100 million toward the project, and the
New York State Department of Transportation is funding the project’s
design.
Parallel to the design phase,
the City will continue to develop concepts for future land use, including green
space and redevelopment, along the Inner Loop North corridor. There will be
extensive opportunities for public input on transportation design and land
use.
“To reclaim prime real estate
in the heart of Rochester and apply the best practices of city planning with a
focus on equity, sustainability, and the reconnection of our neighborhoods and
residents is inspiring,” said Mayor Malik D. Evans. “Thanks to Governor Kathy
Hochul, we have the funds to right some of the wrongs of our past and build a
new future filled with opportunities and hope for everyone.”
“Under Governor Hochul’s
leadership, New York State is delivering nation-leading efforts to reconnect
communities and repair the harm caused by past policy decisions,” said New York
State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez. “With
this critically important phase underway, we are one step closer toward
ensuring we restore the communities severed more than a half-century ago and
revitalize downtown Rochester for a century more. I want to thank my partners
at the City of Rochester for their work so far and for their steadfast
commitment to all who call Rochester home.”
The Inner Loop was built to
address concerns about traffic congestion in the 1950s and 1960s but is
overbuilt and underutilized for the City’s transportation needs today. Redesign
and removal of the aging expressway have been considered since 1990. The Inner
Loop East Project, completed in 2017, replaced the easternmost segment of the
highway with an urban street with dedicated pedestrian and bicycle facilities,
reclaimed nearly six acres of land, and leveraged $21 million in public funds
into more than $400 million in private investment for successful developments
along or adjacent to the former Inner Loop corridor. This includes creating
more than 500 housing units, 60 percent for residents earning less than the
region’s median income.
The remaining Inner Loop
roadway between the I-490 interchange and Union Street is about 2.5 times
longer than the segment removed during the Inner Loop East project. The design
process will involve additional analysis, required environmental reviews, and
public engagement to complete the Inner Loop North project design. A range of
topics will be addressed during the design phase, including pedestrian and
bicycle infrastructure, new street alignments, traffic flow, green spaces, and
development opportunities.
For more information and
updates on the project, visit www.innerloopnorth.com.
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The Administration of Mayor
Malik D. Evans strives to create a safe, equitable and
prosperous Rochester by inspiring hope and delivering opportunity for everyone.
Guided by the Administration’s Mission, Vision and Values and the principles of the “Rochester
2034” comprehensive plan, City employees are committed to providing
exceptional customer service, transparent stewardship, and collaborative
leadership to foster a vibrant community that empowers personal, professional,
and generational growth for all who live, work, or play in the city of
Rochester.