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Rochester begins preliminary design/engineering for Inner Loop North transformation
(Photo courtesy city of Rochester)
(Photo courtesy city of Rochester)
Rochester begins preliminary design/engineering for Inner Loop North transformation
Listen to this articlePreliminary design and engineering work has begun on the Inner Loop North Transformation Project, a process deemed vital by the city of Rochester in reconnecting neighborhoods to downtown.
Transformation of the Inner Loop East from a sub-grade highway to residential, business and green space was completed in recent years. Now the city is taking aim at the 1.5 mile stretch on the north side of downtown, which is about 2 1/2 times larger than the East side project.
The plan is to create an urban street network that better meets the needs of the community while creating approximately 22 acres for equitable redevelopment and green space.
Through a competitive Request For Proposals (RFP) process, the city selected Stantec to lead the team of engineering experts. An Inner Loop North Transformation Planning Study was completed in the fall of 2022, and now the concept developed out of that study — City Grid Restoration — must be implemented, city officials said.
“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,” Mayor Malik Evans said in a news release.
The state has committed $100 million toward the project, and the New York State Department of Transportation is funding the design.
“Thanks to Gov. 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,” Evans said.
The Inner Loop was built to address traffic congestion concerns in the 1950s and 1960s, but it has become an under-utilized roadway that serves as a moat-like barrier.
The Inner Loop East Project filled in the easternmost segment of the highway, replacing it with an urban street that includes dedicated pedestrian and bicycle space. Nearly six acres of land was reclaimed and the $21 million in public funds used for the projected was the catalyst for $400 million in private development.
That includes the creation of 500-plus housing units, 60 percent of which are for residents earning less than the region’s median income.
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