Council to vote on funding for East Main Street narrowing, bike lanes 

[
      {
        "name": "500x250 Ad",
        "insertPoint": "5",
        "component": "15667920",
        "parentWrapperClass": "",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
      }
    ]

Rochester City Council is set to vote on legislation that would authorize $13 million in bonds to pay for the reconstruction of a roughly mile-long stretch of East Main Street, a project that includes new dedicated bicycle lanes.

The project has been in development for more than two years. Plans approved by City Council in July call for narrowing the roadway to 33 feet from 50 feet between North Goodman Street and Culver Road, adding new sidewalks, installing new lighting, planting new trees, and making other streetscape beautifications.

It also includes new one-way cycle tracks, which would run along both sides of the road. Cycle tracks are essentially protected bike lanes that are separated from the street. Members of Reconnect Rochester as well as several other advocacy groups and some Beechwood neighborhood leaders offered early, enthusiastic support for the cycle tracks.

The design also includes on-street parking on the south side of East Main between Federal and Quincy streets. The rest of the corridor will have a center turn lane.

City Council will vote on the funding legislation during its Dec. 15 meeting.

Jeremy Moule is CITY's news editor. He can be reached at [email protected].