The New York state Department of Transportation is looking to reimagine Monroe Avenue to improve safety and walkability.
The agency is looking to incorporate public input into its plans, and hosted an open house to gather public feedback on the Brighton improvement project in early 2026.
Plans for the improvement project are still in the design phase and have not yet been approved. Residents seeking to give public input can email the DOT at R04-Design@dot.ny.gov.
Construction would begin following the replacement of the Interstate 590 bridge over Allens Creek in Pittsford, which is slated to start in late 2026 – meaning construction likely wouldn’t start on Monroe Avenue until late 2027. It is expected to be completed in winter 2029 or 2030, according to the DOT’s website.
NYSDOT plans to repave Monroe Avenue along Route 31, from Highland Avenue to I-590. However, the $13 million project will be dedicated to more than that.
Here are some other improvements you can expect to see:
Brighton responds to plans for a $13M improvement project
Brighton Town Supervisor Bill Moehle looks forward to what the improvement project will do for the town. “One of the most important, I think, positive elements of their plan is the lane reconfiguration,” said Moehle.
As it stands, Monroe Avenue in Brighton consists of four lanes, each 10 feet wide, with a speed limit of 35 mph. The DOT is proposing two 10-foot-wide travel lanes, one in each direction; a 12-foot-wide center left turn lane and 4-foot-wide shoulders on both sides.
Moehle believes the plan is a step in the right direction, but wants plans that are more consistent with the town’s vision for Monroe Avenue. Since the town has its own small business and residential corridor, Moehle sees potential for Monroe Avenue to become a main street for residents and visitors.
“We don’t want Monroe Avenue to just be a thoroughfare that you use to head out to Pittsford or Victor or wherever else you’re going,” said Moehle, “We just think we could even do better with the speed limit production, with the bike lane, with the crosswalks, all of those things.”
Moehle is proposing more crosswalks with rapid rectangular flashing beacons, a reduced speed limit to 30 mph, and improvements to the DOT’s lane configuration plans.
“ What we would like to see is all three of those lanes being 10-foot-wide lane with 5-foot bike lane shoulders, signage and lane markings that describe it as a bike lane,” said Moehle, adding that such a configuration would be “consistent with the state’s Complete Streets policy.”
What is NY’s Complete Streets program?
The Complete Streets Act, signed into law in 2011, requires state, county and local agencies to consider pedestrian mobility when developing transportation projects that receive state and federal funding.
The law includes, but is not limited to, 13 design features that align with the DOT’s design standards, including:
Where will the project begin on Monroe Avenue?
When construction for the improvement project begins, the construction work will be broken into phases along Monroe Avenue, with the first phase running from the Rochester city line to I-590.
Work won’t begin until after the I-590 bridge work is finished in mid-2027.
Residents can expect an information meeting regarding the bridge replacement from 4 to 6 p.m. March 5, 2026, at the Brighton Town Hall’s temporary location at 680 Westfall Road.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Changes coming to Monroe Avenue in late 2026. Inside $13M road project
Reporting by Genae Shields, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
