The 2.5 miles stretch of Mendon Center Road from Calkins Road to Canfield Road will soon undergo rehabilitation by the Monroe County Department of Transportation.
It is a favorite route for long distance cyclists and runners who train in and around Mendon Ponds Park. And the Town of Pittsford has made it routine to check in on any proposed road project for opportunities to improve conditions for those outside of vehicles who also use the road. (See the Town of Pittsford’s efforts to encourage bike lanes as part of the East Ave/Rt. 96 road reconfiguration plans.)
What does the road look like currently?
- Fluctuates between 24′ & 25′ width
- 11′ travel lanes (one in each direction)
- 1′ – 2′ shoulders
- No sidewalks or paths along the road
Proposed changes:
- Width: 34′
- 11′ travel lanes (one in each direction)
- 6′ shoulder on each side
[For more details, see MCDOT’s Mendon Center Road Rehabilitation Project brochure.]
MCDOT and the Town held a public information meeting about the project on March 5th at the Library. The primary concern expressed by residents who live along or near there was that a wider road would encourage speeding.
We know the biggest factor influencing how fast a person drives is the design of the road. And wider roads definitely make people feel more comfortable driving fast.
The speed limit on that road is 40 mph. Most drivers (85%) drive 49-50 mph on it right now. MCDOT predicts the new design might encourage a 2-3 mph speed increase, since the road will be nice and smooth and new.
It is a rural road. There are about 2700 vehicles per day that use that stretch of road. For comparison, roughly 8200 per day use Clover Road between Calkins and Willard Rd (it drops down to 5400 between Willard and Canfield). Unlike Clover or Jefferson Road, there aren’t many homes lining the road. Developments & neighborhoods are off side streets. It’s rolling hills and open landscapes.
The Town’s biggest question was whether it made sense to consider bike lanes to start moving the needle toward a more bike-friendly town. It met with cycling advocates (those of us who use bikes as transportation and those super-fast cyclists who train on this stretch of road). The problem with bike lanes and the reason you don’t see them on many of these county-owned roads that also don’t have sidewalks or paths as an alternative: if you mark it as an official bike lane, by law, no one else can use it. That means a runner or someone out for a walk has nowhere to go.
In my ideal world, there would be a multi-use path alongside these rural roads near Barker Road Middle School, so kids could have some independence to get to school, the soccer field and their friends’ houses without their parents having to drive them. It would also give those more recreational, slow, timid bike riders an option to get out for a ride. That, of course, would take funding that we don’t have right now. As I learned from my super-fast long distance cyclists friends, they will not use a multi-use path. They will train in the road where it is fast and smooth and would use a bike lane (it helps remind drivers to share the road). So, the bigger shoulder will be much better than the 1′ crumbling shoulder that is there now. And runners and walkers can still use the shoulder.
To address speeding, the Town will employ speed radar signs (those electronic signs that tell you how fast you are driving) in strategic spots to remind drivers to slow their roll. It is also considering enforcement along the route.
If you have questions or concerns about this Mendon Center Road Rehabilitation Project, contact Karen Cox, the MCDOT project manager at kcox@monroecounty.gov
Also, feel free to contact us at Walk Bike Pittsford. We were not at the March 5th public meeting, but were at meetings with MCDOT and Town officials this week.
Thanks for the detailed update. What a super bummer that we are settling for wide shoulders! I agree with the beginning of your “ideal world” paragraph about a multi-use trail. A connection from Pittsford neighborhoods to Mendon Ponds Park would be great, and I would absolutely bike with my kids on multi-use trail, while I would not do so on a wide shoulder. I am super disappointed that our fellow cyclists, the “super-fast long distance” ones you mention, aren’t on the same page. I suppose that a 2.X mile bike path won’t help them on their next training ride, but if it’s a step toward a real network of multi-use/cycling path, then why scuttle it now? If we continue to settle for crap infrastructure – on East Ave, on Mendon Center – real cycling infrastructure will never become a priority.
Also, I didn’t know that there was a town meeting on this topic, but I would have liked to have attended. Do you know where such things are announced, or do you know of a “big picture” list of upcoming projects that could be targeted for proper infrastructure?
Hi, Mike.
I wanted to clear up what is on the table — the project is only for resurfacing the road (Monroe County DOT project). There is no funding or proposal currently for a multi-use path as part of the project. That is not within Monroe County’s scope. So the Town and MC were looking at what they could do to make the road itself better for cyclists, so bike lanes were on the table. By law, if they make it a bike lane, then walkers and runners are not allowed to use the bike lane. And that is the only space for them to use right now since there aren’t sidewalks or a path.
I am with you on a multi-use trail that connects everything out there, so that we give everyday people and kids a viable option for getting out on their bikes and feet. 🙂 Connecting those trails has been identified in the Town Active Transportation Plan (based on public input sessions and surveys). http://townofpittsford.org/files/images/active_transp_plan/ATP-town-trail-and-path-rec-011217.pdf
There was a public informational meeting about this road resurfacing project, which is when the Town collected all the feedback from the public (particularly those who use the road to run, walk and bike) and decided to explore options that were within the resurfacing scope.
I stay on top of projects that are coming up by following Supervisor Smith’s Facebook page, signing up for news alerts from the Town of Pittsford and perusing the “news” section of the Town website periodically in case I missed something: http://townofpittsford.org/news-current. I also try to remember to peruse the planning board and town board agendas.
You can also attend one of the “Supervisor Saturday” events to get a chance to talk to Supervisor Smith and other Town leadership in person. The next event is this Saturday, April 14 from 9-10am at the library.
We try to share information with you all as we learn about it. Brooke and I do this in our spare time, so we do the best we can!
To give feedback specifically about this project, you can email Karen Cox at Monroe County: kcox@monroecounty.gov
To give the Town feedback in general about bike and pedestrian infrastructure and the big picture of a connected Town, contact Supervisor Smith and Paul Schenkel (Commissioner of Public Works): pschenkel@townofpittsford.org
Thanks!
–Renee–