ABOUT
Following the successful completion of the Inner Loop East Transformation Project, the City of Rochester is now moving forward with a plan to address the remaining northern section of the Inner Loop. The transformation of the Inner Loop North will reconnect Downtown Rochester with several Rochester neighborhoods and High Falls; restore a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly street grid; create new active and passive green spaces; and foster opportunities for equitable economic and community development.
Envision. Invest. Transform.
History
1965 - Construction of the Inner Loop ends.
In 1965, construction of the Inner Loop was completed. During the 13-year construction period, hundreds of buildings were destroyed; homes, offices, churches, hotels, public buildings, parks and factories all met the wrecking ball in order to better accommodate the automobile, which, as was thought at the time, would better position the City to compete with its growing car-oriented suburbs. The Inner Loop was the first of what was to become a network of limited access highways designed to move traffic quickly through the City. The City's population slowly started to decline as suburbanization began to take hold.
Post-Construction of the Inner Loop (CityLab.com)
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Downtown Actions Areas (CDC Rochester)
1990 - Vision 2000 Plan: A Plan for Downtown.
In 1991, the City of Rochester completed the Vision 2000 Plan: A Plan for Downtown. This comprehensive plan identified action items aimed at improving the City's quality of life and accelerating downtown growth. In an effort to re-connect the City Center to the surrounding communities, the Plan specifically called for the removal of the southeastern portion of the Inner Loop.
Pre-Construction of the Inner Loop (CityLab.com)
1952 - Construction of the Inner Loop begins.
Construction of the Inner Loop began in 1952 and was built in 5 sections over 13 years. Around this time, the City's population was 330,000 with no signs of growth slowing.
2001 - Inner Loop Improvement Study.
In 2001, the City secured federal funding to assess the existing conditions of the Inner Loop and evaluate various alternatives to improve the links between the Central Business District and surrounding City neighborhoods. The Inner Loop Improvement Study aimed to identify feasible modifications that would transform the existing transportation infrastructure into a facility with appropriate scale, size and configuration to better meet the community's needs for access, neighborhood cohesion and land use. The Study ultimately determined the removal of the southeastern segment of the Inner Loop was feasible.
Conceptual Alignment (Inner Loop Improvement Study)
Inner Loop East Project Study Area (Inner Loop East Project)
2014 - Inner Loop East Project.
The continued loss of population and jobs due to suburban growth, combined with a changed approach to urban development, have together eliminated the perceived need for the Inner Loop. Overbuilt and underused, the Inner Loop had become an inefficient corridor that was in need of re-imagining. Previous plans and studies culminated in the City securing a federal grant of $17 million to fill in the southeastern portion of the Inner Loop. The Inner Loop East Transformation project was completed in 2017, and as of early 2020, has acted as a catalyst for more than $200 million in investment.
2020-2022 – Inner Loop North Transformation Study
After seeing initial success with the Inner Loop East Transformation Project, the City was awarded State funding to conduct a planning study for the remainder of the Inner Loop corridor. This study looked at the entirety of the remaining corridor, from I-490 to the Union Street / Main Street termini. The study also examined the neighborhoods surrounding the Inner Loop, seeking strategies to connect and revitalize these areas. Informed by extensive public input, the study identified a preferred design concept to replace the remaining 1.5 miles of the Inner Loop North with a walkable and bikeable grid of city streets. This concept also would create opportunities for equitable redevelopment consistent with surrounding neighborhoods as well as green space.
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Inner Loop North Transformation Study Area
Public Workshop, December 2021
2023 and beyond – Scoping and Engineering Design
Since late 2023, the City has been working on the engineering necessary to develop the planning concept for Inner Loop North into an implementable, construction-ready design. There are more technical analyses under way on everything from traffic to environmental impacts, as well as decisions on the configuration of individual streets, intersections, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Public engagement will continue to be critical as the City develops more detailed plans, including continued coordination with the project’s Community and Technical Advisory Committees, public design workshops, and other methods to ensure community members have a central voice in this project.