City of Rochester
News Release
(Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren officially opened Charlotte Street between Union and Pitkin Streets today and established the first new connection to Downtown Rochester as a result of the Inner Loop East Transformation Project.
“The separation of Charlotte Street is a perfect illustration for what the Inner Loop has done to our city,” said Mayor Warren. “Just as this street was separated from itself, our residential neighborhoods have been separated from Downtown for more than 50 years. Today we are re-uniting Charlotte Street, and re-integrating Downtown to its surrounding neighborhoods. This project is already generating new investments that will help us create more jobs, safer more vibrant neighborhoods and provide all of our children with a quality education.”
The reunification of Charlotte Street is a significant milestone of the Inner Loop East Transformation Project, which has been underway since November. Charlotte Street had been divided by the Inner Loop since 1964. To celebrate the opening, Mayor Warren drove across the new section of road in a 1964 Chevy Corvair provided by George Conboy of Brighton Securities.
“The last time this street was connected, this was one of the newest cars on the road,” Mayor Warren said. “I want to thank George for providing this visual reminder of the historic significance of this project.”
The project is replacing a 0.66-mile segment of the Inner Loop expressway between Monroe Avenue and Charlotte Street with a “complete street,” which is designed to accommodate a wide range of users in an urban environment, including bicyclists and pedestrians.
The new streetscape will increase traffic safety, reconnect neighborhoods with the Center City and increase the potential for economic activity in one of the city’s most sought after commercial areas. Reclaiming this land will increase local tax revenues, create jobs, generate private investment and reduce highway maintenance costs by about $1 million a year.
The project cost $22.5 million, with $17.7 million coming from the Federal Government, $4.8 million coming from the State Government. A $2.4 million federal grant awarded in 2006 and matched with $400,000 of City funding allowed for comprehensive design that positioned the project to ultimately receive a federal transportation grant (TIGER) to fund the construction.
Construction began in November of 2014 and is expected to be substantially completed in fall of 2016 – about one year ahead of schedule.
The project is generating almost 250 construction jobs, of which 20 percent have been filled by minority workers and almost 7 percent have been filled by women workers as a result of a Project Labor Agreement with the building trades.
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News Media: For more information, contact Jessica Alaimo at 428-7135.