Monroe County is going to add two 6-foot-wide bike lanes from South Goodman Street to Twelve Corners, adding 2 miles to the regional bike network.
Monroe County and Brighton officials joined transportation advocates Monday to announce the county-funded project that supporters said will transform Elmwood Avenue.
"We celebrate this configuration of Elmwood Avenue that will for the first time construct bike lanes in both directions on a county road here in Monroe County,” said Brighton Supervisor Bill Moehle.
Local transportation advocates requested the bike lanes last year after polling cyclists in 'Mind the Gap,' an annual survey to find out where bike infrastructure is most missing. Area bike riders said the section of Elmwood now getting a bike lane was the biggest missing link in the regional bike network.
Last year we polled cyclists for the most obvious gap in the bike network that, if filled, would have huge connectivity implications for cyclists of all ages & abilities. Elmwood Avenue was the clear winner. Today, @CountyExecBello announced that bike lanes are coming to Elmwood! pic.twitter.com/BotOmk2uCZ
— Reconnect Rochester Cycling (@ROCcycling) April 17, 2023
The Elmwood bike lanes are part of an overall $3.5 million highway maintenance project in the towns of Brighton and Greece.
County Executive Adam Bello said the dedicated bike lanes will be added to two miles of Elmwood Avenue and make the road safer for everyone to use.
"When people are safer walking and biking, they walk and bike more,” Bello said. “That helps people get more exercise, that helps reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions and improves our air quality.”
Mary Staropoli from Reconnect Rochester said this project will encourage more recreational biking, which will improve community health and lessen our dependency on cars.
"This project is going to transform this stretch of road from one that is built primarily for getting cars through as quickly as possible to one that is designed for people,” Staropoli said.
The bike lane project, now included in the Department of Transportation plan, is expected to start this summer and be completed by the fall.
Reconnect Rochester also announced the second 'Mind the Gap' survey and 10 contenders for most needing improvement. The list includes E. Main Street between Union and Goodman, Empire Boulevard and Ridgeway Avenue. Voting is open now.
