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Be prepared for traffic if you ride through the 19th Ward from Brooks to Elmwood Avenue.
Since the spring of 2024, the Genesee Street improvement project has disrupted the normal flow of the area, leaving residents and businesses wondering when they’ll get a break.
“I had no idea that it would last as long as it has, and it’s definitely past the point of being frustrating,” Rachel Coleman said.
Coleman said her street is part of the detour route area, and there is at least triple the regular traffic on the surrounding streets.
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“My house is two houses down from the intersection of Genesee Street and Brooks Avenue,” Daniel Ruano said. “Traffic just tends to stall out in the morning which will take me a while to even get out of my own driveway.”
Though the construction is a nuisance for residents, its origins are rooted in an attempt to help vulnerable residents such as bikers, wheelchair users, and pedestrians as recommended by the city’s Active Transportation Plan.
When the project started in 2022, Rochester wanted to address narrow travel, underutilized parking, and a need for bicycle accommodations.
According to data presented by the city, from Aug. 2018 through Sep. 2021, the Genesee Street crash rate was 19.1 accidents per million vehicle miles. Over a 38 month stretch, 118 accidents were recorded including 19 at Scottsville/Elmwood, 12 at Genesee Park, 30 at Congress, 17 at Brooks/S Plymouth and 40 at other side streets or between side streets.
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Genesee Street improvement project: Impact on local business
With the sounds of construction in the air, the sidewalks are barren, and cars are piled up on a converted single-lane street. Although “we’re open” signs face the 19th ward businesses, “sidewalk closed” signs cover the path from pedestrians.
T & Daves Barbershop has been a staple on Genesee Street for 30 years. However, with ongoing construction outside their door, the shop hopes to stay afloat until October. That’s when the city of Rochester says the first construction season in the Genesee Street improvement project will end.
David Ryles, co-owner of the barbershop, explains that construction has made it impossible for his customers to park in front of the shop. As a result, his clients now have to park two to three blocks away and walk, as the hotel across the street does not permit them to park there. This situation has particularly affected his elderly clientele, who are unable to manage the walk, leading to a 55% loss in business.
Next door at D & L Groceries, which relies heavily on foot traffic, the market is empty, and their usually popular beef patties are now available in abundance.
At Brooks Super Store, the clerk noticed a 40% reduction in sales compared to his shifts before the construction began.
The impact of the construction on the local shops has residents worried.
“I appreciate progress; however, I can imagine that it significantly impacts the Black-owned businesses,” Alexander Leonty said.
The city says it always works with small business owners to ensure their success. However, federal transportation funds cannot be used to assist businesses impacted by street construction other than producing street signage listing businesses and informing travelers that businesses are still open.
“We have already walked through the corridor meeting with affected businesses and are trying to do what we can to assist,” a city spokesperson said. “These streets get reconstructed once every 50-75 years, or longer.”
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When will the Genesee Street improvement project end?
Although there are concerns about the construction’s impacts on the community, the city says it has a “dig once” policy to minimize disruptions by installing or laying the groundwork for all the infrastructure needed in one construction season.
The Genesee Street Project includes full pavement reconstruction, replacing water mains and drainage structures, new granite curbs and concrete sidewalks, new and upgraded traffic signals, street lighting, signage, pavement markings, and new street trees.
Affected businesses can contact the city’s Business Development office for assistance.
The construction is slated for completion in late November, 2025.
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Justice Marbury is the 19th Ward Reporter. She loves her energetic puppy, Hiro. Contact her on Instagram @justice_marbury and by email at jmarbury@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Genesee Street improvement project: When will the traffic end?
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