State Street Reconstruction (Basin Street to the Inner Loop)

From Pavement to Pedestrians: Improving Urban Mobility on State Street for All Users

State Street, from Basin Street to the Inner Loop in the City of Rochester, New York, averages daily traffic of 18,000 vehicles. The City requested transportation engineering services for the reconstruction of this principal arterial.

The project focused on evaluating and reconstructing a 0.3-mile section of one of the most heavily traveled roadways within the City’s downtown business core. Originally built in 1894, the roadway required upgrades to restore its pavement structure and provide appropriate and modern accommodations for bicyclists, pedestrians, and parking as part of the City of Rochester’s Complete Street Policy.

The primary design elements included full roadway and sidewalk reconstruction, dedicated bicycle lanes and recessed parking, signalized intersections, landscape design, and streetscape enhancements. This federally funded project followed New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Locally Administered Federal Aid procedures.

In addition to the original scope and work limit of the State Street project, the completion of the Allen Street redesign was incorporated into the project as well, with the initial Allen Street design being progressed by the City of Rochester. Both State Street and Allen Street were included in the design-bid documents and constructed together, allowing the City to cohesively finish two necessary projects simultaneously. The Allen Street design converted a two-way road into a one-way street westbound from State Street to Fitzhugh Street, creating more parking in a core downtown area with minimal disruption to the existing traffic flow.

Learn more about the primary design features of this project.

Full Roadway & Sidewalk Reconstruction

Within the asphalt mix design, microfibers were utilized to mitigate potential reflective cracking due to the number of rigid duct banks and utilities near the subbase layer.

Dedicated Bicycle Lines & Recessed Parking

Prior to construction, the curb lines ran parallel to the building frontage, with a parking lane along the entire corridor. By moving the curb out to the edge of the through travel lane at the intersections, the parallel parking lanes were better defined. By adding more sidewalk space, the project created additional outdoor space for local businesses and more room for plantings and green infrastructure elements.

At the intersection of State and Andrews Streets, bike boxes were installed to create the refuge area at the signal system for bicyclists.

Complete Signalized Intersection Design

By moving the curb out to the edge of the through travel lane at the intersections, the crossing distance was reduced by 8 to 10 feet, making it safer for pedestrians.

Landscape & Streetscape Enhancements

Landscaping beds were installed on the sidewalks along State Street. Flexi-Pave, a rubberized asphalt material, was used around tree pits and planting areas in lieu of soil or metal grates. Flexi-Pave allows stormwater to drain through it, directing water to the tree roots while maintaining a level surface adjacent to the sidewalk. This solution reduces tripping hazards along the sidewalks and improves the overall safety of the area.

In areas where the landscaping beds required traditional soil beds with concrete curbs, large concrete end caps were installed at the end of the beds to prevent damage by snowplows while also creating additional seating in the shade for pedestrians.

Traffic Signal Coordination

Five traffic signals were assessed, traffic patterns were analyzed, and coordination of the signals now allows them to operate in sequence.

An Award-Winning Project

State Street Reconstruction Project Wins Platinum Engineering Excellence Award from ACEC New York

In April 2025, the City of Rochester was awarded a Platinum Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York (ACEC New York) in the Transportation category for the State Street Reconstruction project.

The Engineering Excellence Awards honor design achievements of superior skill and ingenuity. Projects are judged on a rigorous set of criteria, including complexity, innovation, and value to society.