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8.0 Infrastructure

8.4 Transportation and Infrastructure Inventory

The transportation network determines how easily people and goods can move into, out of and within a community. The following chapter reviews the existing transportation network in the Village of Pittsford. The plan looks at the Village in its larger Regional context, specifically, how it connects with adjacent municipalities and the greater metropolitan Rochester region. This section includes an investigation of the existing transportation system including roads, public transit, air access, rail access, water access, bicycle and pedestrian access and streetscape elements. This section also addresses the impacts of the transportation network on Village activities. An analysis of existing infrastructure, including water, sewer and utilities is also included. This analysis determines what public services residents are receiving and any problems related to the delivery of these services.

8.4.1 Transportation

8.4.1.1 State Highways and Traffic Counts

The Village of Pittsford benefits from its location on three State Highways and accessibility from the New York State Thruway. The Village is an easy drive from downtown Rochester, as well as anywhere within the Finger Lakes Region. A number of primary connector highways are located within the Village or within close proximity to the Village boundaries.

Figure 8-2 Arterial Roadways
Village of Pittsford

Source: Genesee Regional Transportation Council, Regional Transportation Atlas

NYS Route 31, or Monroe Avenue, is the Village of Pittsford's major artery creating a direct route between the Village and the City of Rochester to the northwest. NYS Route 31 continues in a southeasterly direction into neighboring Wayne County. The latest available traffic counts along NYS Route 31, within the Village, are from various times during the late 1990's, depending on what area of the road is being considered. Data from the New York State Department of Transportation shows that an average of 20,322 vehicles traveled Route 31(French Road to the intersection at Route 96) daily during 2000. From the intersection of Route 96 to the Marsh Road intersection, a 1.37-mile span, approximately 16,034 vehicles traveled daily during 1997.

The traffic counts for NYS Route 31 through the Village and additional major roadways in the Village are summarized in the table below:

Table 8-11 Traffic Counts on Major Village Roadways, 1997-2000
Village of Pittsford

Road Span Limits	Length(miles)	Year	Average Number of Vehicles Per Day
NYS Route 31 (Monroe Avenue) from French Road to the Route 96 Intersection (Main Street)	1.22	2000	20,322
NYS Route 31 from State Street to Marsh Road	1.37	1997	16,034
Clover Street (Route 65) from NYS Route 31 (Monroe Avenue) to West Jefferson Road	.74	1999	17,103
East Jefferson Road from South Street to Route 64	.47	1998	14,454
North Main Street from Washington Road to Monroe Avenue	.32	1998	17,189
South Main Street from Monroe Avenue to Jefferson Road	.33	1997	12,936
South Main Street from East Jefferson Road to the Village line	.15	1998	9,149
Lincoln Avenue to Washington Avenue	-	1998	11,904

Source: New York State Department of Transportation

There are currently no road improvements scheduled for NYS Route 31, or any other roads in the Village, by the New York State Department of Transportation. Based on information compiled by the Genesee Transportation Council (GTC) in 1998, the pavement condition of Route 31, as it passes in a southeasterly direction through the Village, ranges in assessment from "fair" to "good" to "poor". As future improvements are considered in the Village the NYSDOT should be made aware that expanding traffic lanes in the Village would adversely affect the character, historic scale, commercial viability, pedestrian safety and parking in the Village.

State Route 64, or Main Street, runs through the Village in a north-south direction and is a primary artery through the Village of Pittsford, providing access to additional County and State Roads to the north and south. Main Street also serves as a primary gateway both into the Village, and to the canal district. The GTC estimates that in 1996, approximately 12,000 -19,999 vehicles traveled along Main Street in the Village each day. The pavement condition along State Route 64 in the Town is generally considered to be in either "good" or "excellent" condition.

8.4.1.2 Traffic Congestion and Issues

Traffic Congestion

Traffic and congestion within the Village has emerged as a primary concern for residents. The current primary road network in the surrounding Town funnels the majority of traffic directly through the Village, causing serious points of congestion at the Village's two main intersections - Main Street/State Street and Main Street/Jefferson Road. In addition to increasing congestion in the Village, motorists often travel above the speed limit on Village streets, creating an unsafe, unwelcoming environment for pedestrians, bicyclists and other motorists, reducing the overall quality of life of residents. Travelers appear to be unaware of alternative routes that are available for passage around the Village to prevent traveling directly through it.

Jefferson Road and Monroe Avenue serve as heavily traveled arteries for the Greater Rochester metro area, bringing traffic congestion and excessive truck traffic into the Village. The use of Village streets for Regional traffic needs has led to decreased levels of safety for both automobile traffic and pedestrian traffic. Additionally, residents are also concerned about the use of Village residential streets as "shortcuts" to other areas of the Village. Specific locations identified by the community survey as areas with high volumes of traffic include Locust Street, Rand Place, Golf Avenue, Sutherland Street, Boughton Avenue, Jefferson Road, Schoen Place, North Main Street, Monroe Avenue and South Main Street.

Four Corners is a critical intersection in the Village and faces traffic and pedestrian safety and volume concerns. The design charrette stated that increased safety measures at the Four Corners is an important issue to consider. Additional intersections were also identified as in need of various traffic improvements. The intersection of Golf Avenue and Washington Road does not meet at a ninety-degree angle and causes people to make turns at elevated levels of speed. The Comprehensive Planning Committee also identified additional problem intersections, including Sutherland and Monroe Avenue, Jefferson and Sutherland, Jefferson and Main Street, Jefferson and South Street and West Jefferson near the Sutherland High School.

Traffic Speeds

Excessive rates of speed through the Village may be a result of a lack of traffic calming techniques in the Central Business District, a lack of gateways, poor enforcement of speed limits and/or inadequate posting of speed limits. Department of Transportation traffic channelization has also adversely affected speed through the Village. The community survey gave residents the opportunity to suggest areas of the Village where speed limits were a problem. These areas included South Street, Schoen Place, Four Corners, Sutherland Street, Monroe Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Boughton Avenue, Jefferson Road and Golf Avenue. The following are possible actions that would force motorists to be more cautious:

• Extending reduced speed limits (30 MPH) from the Village gateways to Nazareth College (SR 96) and the Heather Heights Nursing Home

• A visual change in the roadway at the Village gateways

• Reducing the limit on Washington Road to 35 MPH

• Narrowing lanes all along Jefferson Road and State St.

• Clearly marking the bike lane on Route 31

• Clearly striping parking spaces on Main Street and W. Jefferson along the athletic fields

• Adding "Children at Play" signage

A number of major intersections in the Village currently lack stoplights such as both ends of Schoen Place and Monroe at Sutherland.. Placing stoplights at strategic points within the Village may reduce the speed of traffic in these areas.

Traffic Improvements

The Genesee Transportation Council produces a document known as the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which programs the timing and funding of all transportation improvements involving federal funds for five year periods. The TIP is updated every two years and must be consistent with the objectives and strategies identified in the region's Long Range Plan. Although no specific projects have been slated in the 1999 - 2004 TIP for the Village of Pittsford, small portions of the Town are included in two of the programs. An intersection improvement is planned in the Town at Tobey Road and Route 934C & CR64 (Calkins Road). The second project within the Town includes Route I-490, from Route 153 to Bushnell's Basin, which consists of widening the highway to six lanes and increasing the speed limit to 65 mph. Expectations are that this will provide a faster bypass for some of the traffic presently passing through the Village.

8.4.1.3 Public Transit

Public bus transportation is provided to Village of Pittsford residents through the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA). The busses run 365 days a year, with a limited schedule on weekends and holidays. Updates are made to the schedules every January, April, June and September. A number of different bus routes run through Pittsford to its neighboring municipalities.

In addition to regular bus routes, the RTS provides a number of additional services. They operate over 30 Park and Ride locations throughout the entire service area. Although there is no park and ride in the Village, there is one located on State Highway 64, just south of the Village line, in the Town. Special Event shuttles depart from various locations around the Pittsford area, although none are directly within the Village or Town. Special Event shuttles operate to Buffalo Bills games, Buffalo Bills training camp, Syracuse University football and basketball games and to concerts at the Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center.

Persons with disabilities, as determined through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may also qualify for the Lift Line Program. Lift Line provides curb-to-curb service for all types of trips, including medical, social, recreational or shopping. The service area for Lift Line requests is ¾ of a mile on either side of a RTS fixed route. Reservations for pick-ups can be made from 24 hours to 14 days in advance and the one-way fare is $1.75.

The Village currently has no public transportation system that links facilities within the Village boundaries. The transportation system offered through the RGRTA is primarily commuter based.

During the charrette, a public transit system within the Village was identified as a potential improvement. The Comprehensive Planning Committee has listed a system to link the major institutions and business area as one of their priority items. This could include a water taxi on the Canal or a shuttle from satellite parking areas to link the CBD with Schoen Place.

8.4.1.4 Air Transportation

Air service for Village of Pittsford residents is accessible from the Greater Rochester International Airport located at 1200 Brooks Avenue, four miles southwest of downtown Rochester and approximately six miles west of the Village. The airport has a modern two-story terminal, a covered parking garage and a two-level roadway separating access for arrivals and departures. The airport is considered to be a medium-sized hub that handles 220 flights per day between 19 cities. Annually the airport serves over 2.5 million patrons through 16 different air transportation providers. Only one of the sixteen airlines does not serve any non-stop destinations.

The airport is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and has 22 passenger gates. There are 3 runways and 7 taxiways and connector taxiways. In addition to air service, there are air cargo services offered from the airport, as well as on-site car rentals. Public transportation is also offered from the airport through the Rochester Transit Service and taxicabs are also available on the premises. Limousine services and hotel shuttle vans are also available for airport patrons. An airport shuttle service called the "Rochester Rocket", shuttles airport users to and from the Main Terminal to the shuttle parking lots.

Village of Pittsford residents may also choose to utilize the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport located approximately 66 miles away in Cheektowaga, New York. This airport has 133 flights daily and flies directly to 24 different cities, servicing 4.25 million passengers each year. The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport recently completed a major expansion project that resulted in a new terminal that now has a fifteen gate capacity. A second phase of expansion, including the construction of new parking lots, is currently underway. Village residents may also occasionally choose to fly out of the Toronto airport, located approximately 173 miles away, for international and long-distance trips.

8.4.1.5 Rail Access

There is presently no direct commuter rail service for Pittsford residents, although rail transportation is available in Rochester and in the metro Buffalo and Syracuse areas. The closest rail station to Pittsford residents is the Rochester Amtrak station, which is located approximately 7 miles from the Village on Central Avenue in the City. The passenger service currently offers 9 trips a day, four westbound and five eastbound. If residents opted to travel to the Buffalo area, the closest Amtrak station is the Buffalo-Depew station, located approximately 63 miles away. For those interested in traveling east to a rail station, there is an Amtrak station located approximately 68 miles away in Syracuse, NY.

A commercial railroad line remains active in the Village and is located in the northern portion of the Village, near the Erie Canal. The railroad is owned by CSX (West Shore), a Class I Railroad, signifying its annual revenues are greater than $250 million.

8.4.1.6 Water Access

Boat access is provided in and around the Village through means of the Erie Canal from May through November. The Canal is operated by the New York State Canal Corporation (NYSCC), a subsidiary of the New York State Thruway Authority, and is part of one of the most extensive trail networks in the country.

The Canal, which begins in Buffalo, allows the opportunity for people to travel through New York State, via waterway, in an east-west direction. The Canal extends to the eastern boundary of the State, just north of Albany, where it converges with the Champlain Canal. The entire New York State Canal System spans 524 miles in Upstate New York. Visitors and residents have the opportunity to rent canoes and kayaks, or use their own pleasure boats, to navigate the waters of the historic Canal. According to the NYSCC, the lock dimensions along the Canal are 328 feet long and 45 feet wide, leaving room for vessels up to 300 feet long and 43 feet wide. The many bridges over various portions of the Canal restrict boat heights to 15 ½ feet in some areas and 20 feet in other areas. Sightseeing cruises and tour boats are also available from the Spring to the Fall.

Specific issues related to the Erie Canal in the Village have been addressed in the Town and Village of Pittsford "Local Waterfront Revitalization Program", completed in 1999. Copies of the LWRP are available for review at the Village and Town Hall. Specific goals and objectives from the plan for the Canal and Village include preserving the scale and character of the Village, creating a pedestrian friendly waterfront, mitigating the impact of traffic, supporting an adaptive reuse program for Schoen Place, creating multi-use housing and developing needed visitor services. Creating a gateway at North Main Street, as well as creating circulation links within the Town and Village, were also issues recognized in the plan.

8.4.1.7 Bicycle Access

The Erie Canal Towpath Trail, which runs along the north bank of the Canal, traverses the Village from east to west. In addition to bicyclists, the trail is open for a variety of other uses, including walking, jogging and rollerblading. The Towpath Trail is a component of the Canalway Trail System. The Canalway System is comprised of a network of 230 miles of existing multi-use recreational trails broken up into four major segments. The segment that includes Pittsford, is the 70-mile Erie Canal Heritage Trail that runs from Lockport, NY to Fairport, NY, which lies just east of Pittsford. This segment of the trail is designated as a National Recreation Trail and has numerous access points, most of which are where local roads intersect.

Figure 8-3 Multi-Use Trails and On-Street Bicycle Routes
Village of Pittsford

Source: Genesee Transportation Council, Regional Transportation Atlas

There is a planned upgrade to the Canalway Trail, just west of the Village, in the Town of Pittsford. The improvements include rerouting an awkward portion of the Canalway Trail around an existing Canal Corporation maintenance facility. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2003 and is expected to have positive impacts on the Village.

Figure 8-4 Parking, Transportation and Infrastructure
Village of Pittsford

The Auburn Line Trail, which is a part of the Town of Pittsford's trail system, connects with the Towpath Trail at the Village Department of Public Works property. In addition to the Towpath Trail, there are a limited number of designated bike paths within the Village, along Village roadways. There is a designated New York State bike route in the Village along NYS Route 31, known as NYS Bike Route 5. The location of the bike paths next to heavily utilized roadways also raises safety issues that cause many people to avoid utilizing these bike lanes. In addition, the existing bike network does not achieve linkages with specific points of interest within the community.

8.4.1.8 Pedestrian Access

The majority of commercial and residential areas within the Village have pedestrian sidewalks. The placement of additional sidewalks near the high school has been suggested to improve pedestrian accessibility. In addition, portions of Sutherland, Golf Avenue, West Jefferson Road and South Street have moderate to heavy traffic, yet lack sidewalks. Additional locations of potential new curbing and/or sidewalks were identified during the Village Charrette. The locations determined to have a high need for sidewalks were on North Main Street to Nazareth College, in front of the Pickle Factory, on the north side of Schoen Place, on West Jefferson Road and on the south side of South Avenue between Eastview Terrace and Jefferson Road. The NYS Department of Transportation has eliminated the grassed median that separates the sidewalk from the road on Jefferson Road.

Pedestrian crosswalks in the Village are not always adequately marked to stop traffic and there are areas in need of crosswalks that do not currently have them. Proper marking and signage delineating crosswalks is essential for pedestrian safety. Specific areas in need of upgrades and crosswalks were identified during the Village Charrette. New crosswalks were suggested for the following locations:

• Grove Street

• Main Street at the Pittsford Pub and Port of Pittsford Park

• State Street at the municipal lot

• South Main Street at Rand Place

• Monroe Avenue at Sutherland Street

Areas that were suggested in need of upgrades for their existing crosswalks were:

• North Main Street at Line Street

• Washington Road and Main Street

• Four Corners

• Throughout Schoen Place

• State Street at South Street

• Boughton Avenue and Monroe Avenue at Washington Avenue

  Additional walking opportunities are provided along the Erie Canal via the Towpath Trail. However, at the charrette it was determined that access to the trail from Monroe Avenue was difficult due to heavy traffic.

  According to the charrette findings, pedestrian access across the Canal is considered hazardous. There is no footbridge specifically for pedestrians crossing the Erie Canal; therefore pedestrians are forced to walk along the curbside sidewalks on two of the three vehicular bridges. These sidewalks are only five feet wide and could be inadequate for safe pedestrian travel.
  

8.4.2 Quality of Life

The population in the Village is concerned with the increased amount of traffic on main corridors. Motorists sometimes use residential streets as "shortcuts" to avoid heavy traffic at the Four Corners area or at Jefferson and Main. This traffic sometimes travels at high speeds; this impacts the quality of neighborhoods in the Village. During the charrette held in the Village, recommendations for traffic calming were suggested to slow speed and deter motorists from using residential streets. Measures that could be used include:

• Speed Humps - Raised rounded pavement across a roadway

• Speed Tables - Flat topped speed humps that are generally constructed of a textured material such as brick

• Chicanes - Extensions of the curb that alternate from one side of the road to the other forming s-shaped curves

8.4.3 Streetscape Elements

In addition to the transportation network, there are various transportation-related elements that contribute to the attractiveness and overall "feel" of a community. These elements may include street furniture, gateways, building setbacks and signage.

Street Furniture

Street furniture, consisting of decorative curbing, tree plantings, flowers, benches, trash receptacles, lighting and seasonal decorations, such as themed banners can enhance the aesthetic appearance of the Villages civic public spaces. The charrette identified specific locations where public benches should be located such as on Monroe Avenue, South Main Street and State Street. The Comprehensive Planning Committee has identified these improvements as a priority for the Village.

Street Tree Program

The Village has already established a Street Tree Program that over the last five years has filled in the gaps so that most streets are now lined with trees. The trees are generally located between the sidewalk and curb within a grass median. This location is historically appropriate and also provides a buffer between pedestrians and traffic. Street trees also reduce traffic speeds by reducing the visual width of the roadway.

Gateways

Although there are a number of key intersections within the Village, many of the roads into the Village lack any gateways that effectively define and represent the Village of Pittsford. At the charrette, gateway signage, in addition to other design elements, was considered at the following locations: Washington Road/Golf Avenue, North Main Street, Washington Road/North Main Street, Monroe Avenue at the Village line, Jefferson Road (west gateway), South Main Street, Jefferson Road and South Street, State Street (main gateway) and at the Canal entrances.

Building Setbacks

One of the Village's greatest assets is its wealth of historic buildings. Based on feedback from the Village Charrette, gaps in the Village's CBD building fabric detract from the area's visual character. The aesthetics of the Village CBD are undermined due to the inconsistencies. The large gaps between buildings and their varying setbacks from the road have contributed to the lack of a consistent streetscape in the Village.

Signage

Informational signage, directing visitors and residents to services and points of interest within the Village of Pittsford and informing vehicles of safety issues is currently inadequate, as determined at the Village Charrette. Specific locations where signage was suggested to be installed are Monroe Avenue at Washington, Schoen Place, State Street at Boughton, State Street at Woodcreek and Sutherland. The Comprehensive Planning Committee also identified the need for additional signage along West Jefferson Road near the school athletic fields; the design and location of these signs is important to ensure that the visual impact is minimized.

8.4.4 Infrastructure

This section presents a discussion of additional support infrastructure available to Pittsford residents. These services include water, sewer and public utilities. Some support infrastructure within the Village is currently above ground, detracting from the historical ambience of the Village.

8.4.4.1 Water

Maintaining an adequate and safe supply of water for domestic and public purposes is a critical need for all communities. The Village maintained their own municipal water supply system until the 1980's. Since that time, Village residents have received public water through the Monroe County Water Authority, which was created by a New York State statute. The Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA) supplies water to over half a million customers in Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Genesee and Orleans Counties. The source of water to Village residents is Lake Ontario, the 14th largest lake in the world and Hemlock Lake. The water available to Pittsford residents is treated at the Hemlock Water Treatment Plant and is obtained from the City of Rochester.
The MCWA has a total storage capacity of 130 million gallons, with approximately 55 million gallons used on a daily basis. MCWA delivers its water to the Village of Pittsford and surrounding communities through over 1,780 miles of pipelines.

There are currently no issues or problems associated with water service in the Village. No improvements to the water service are currently planned for the Village.

8.4.4.2 Sewer

The majority of Village residents are linked to the public sewer system. The Pure Waters Districts is a division of Monroe County's Department of Environmental Services and is responsible for treating the waste water from the Village collected in sanitary and storm sewers.

Table 8-12 Sewage Disposal, 1990
Village of Pittsford

Sewage Disposal	Village of Pittsford
	Number	Percentage
Public Sewer	625	96%
Septic Tank or Cesspool*	23	4%

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1990

Sewer service in Monroe County is divided into six separate districts and dates from the 1930's with three siphons below the Canal. The Village of Pittsford is in the South Central Pure Water District. The Division of Pure Waters operates and maintains only the large interceptor sewers located within Monroe County. These transport sewage from the local sewer districts to one of the three major wastewater treatment plants operated by the Division of Pure Water. The Village operates an independent sewer district to maintain sewers within the Village. The Village district includes 180 homes located in the Woodcreek neighborhood of the Town of Pittsford, just east of the Village line.

There are currently no significant issues related to sewer service within the Village and no improvements are planned. Survey respondents identified the age of the sewer system in the Village as a potential concern and stated that storm drains do not always function properly.

8.4.4.3 Utilities

The reliability and service related to public utilities directly affects the quality of life of residents within a community. Today, residents have come to expect basic services that make their life easier and more enjoyable, such as reliable electricity, natural gas, telephone service and cable television. In addition, as we enter the new communication age, residents have also come to expect services related to their cellular phone use and computer access. Ideally, these services should be accessible to all residents and provided without major obstructions or costs to the user. There are currently no major issues associated with the provision of public utilities in the Village of Pittsford.

Gas and Electric

Rochester Gas and Electric provides natural gas and electric services to all Village of Pittsford residents.

Television Service

Cable television is provided to residents through Time Warner. Additional services available through Time Warner include digital cable, In Demand movie channels and Road Runner Internet access.

Telephone Service

Telephone service is provided to Pittsford residents by Frontier. Frontier owns 34 telephone companies in 11 States and offers a wide variety of services to its customers. Services available to Pittsford residents include local telephone service, Internet access, including DSL, long distance service, paging services and accessory and equipment sales. Although telecommunication related services are available to Pittsford residents, there are no telecommunication towers located within the Village boundaries.

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