Partnerships and collaboration were major themes running through Monroe County Executive Adam Bello's 2026 State of the County address on Thursday.
He announced that the county will be implementing a Vision Zero effort that would bring together the county's road safety initiatives, from its efforts to deter drivers from passing stopped school buses to its Stop DWI program to its active transportation plan.
"It's a collaborative, data-driven approach to eliminate traffic fatalities, and it will improve pedestrian safety across the county," Bello told the audience at Seneca Park Zoo.
The Vision Zero effort was one of only a few announcements that came out of the speech. He also revealed that the state has agreed to fund the remaining cost of rebuilding the historical Children's Pavilion at Highland Park, a project that has been in the works for decades.
Bello also announced the start of construction later this month on the RochesterWorks Career Center at Monroe Community College's Downtown Campus and a new family support program. Both of which, he noted, involve partnerships and collaboration.
The county executive also used the speech to highlight accomplishments from the past year, such as the opening of the Sheriff's Office's Regional Investigation Operations Center in December. He also touted the $10 million in benefits for former servicemembers recovered by the county's Veterans Service Agency.
The Sydor Optics Advanced Technology Center at MCC's Brighton campus is nearly completed, he said. The center will house the college's optics programs, as well as its other high-tech workforce training programs and skilled trades programs.
"This bold $69 million investment is about preparing Monroe County for what comes next by creating pathways for career stability and upward mobility by bringing these programs together under one roof," Bello said.
And he closed out with some news about the new Tropics Exhibit at the zoo. The project is nearing its final design, he said, and construction is expected to begin later this year. The exhibit is slated to open in 2029.
"This project is about more than a building," he said. "It's about ensuring that the children who visit today and the children who will visit for decades from now continue to be inspired to explore, to appreciate, and protect the natural world."
