Interstate 490 (New York)
Encyclopedia
Interstate 490 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that serves the city of Rochester, New York
, in the United States. It acts as a northerly alternate route to the New York State Thruway
(I-90), leaving it at exit 47 in the town of Le Roy
and rejoining the highway at exit 45 in the town of Victor
37.4 miles (60.19 km) to the east. I-490 connects with I-390
and New York State Route 390 (NY 390) on the western side of Rochester and I-590
and NY 590
on the east side of the city at an interchange known as the Can of Worms. The highway comprises the southernmost portion of the Inner Loop
, a beltway around the interior of Rochester. Outside of the city, I-490 serves several suburban villages, such as Churchville
and Pittsford
.
The eastern half of the freeway, named the Eastern Expressway, was built in stages from the 1950s to the 1970s as a connector between the Inner Loop and the Thruway. From downtown Rochester to the Can of Worms, it follows the former right-of-way of the Rochester Subway
and, before it, the Erie Canal
. The section west of the Inner Loop was mostly built during the 1960s and completed in the early 1970s. During the 1950s and early 1960s, the portion of the Eastern Expressway from what is now the Can of Worms east to Bushnell's Basin was originally designated as part of NY 96
. That route was moved back onto its parallel surface routing ca. 1961 when I-490 was assigned to the entirety of the then-proposed Le Roy – Victor freeway.
(I-90), I-490 passes through rural portions of eastern Genesee County
and western Monroe County
, skirting the villages of Bergen
and Churchville
. Gradually, the expressway takes a more easterly alignment near exit 3 before returning to the northeast at exit 4. At exit 6, I-490 intersects the Airport Expressway (NY 204
). Past this interchange, I-490 heads due north, connecting to NY 33
and NY 531
before returning east. Prior to crossing the Erie Canal
, I-490 meets NY 390
and I-390. Beyond the junction lies the canal and the city of Rochester
.
Between the Mount Read Boulevard interchange at exit 10 and the Genesee River
, I-490 is referred to as the "Western Gateway". This section, which saw major decorative and structural improvements in the late 2000s, travels due east through heavily residential neighborhoods before turning to the southeast near Frontier Field
and a junction with the Inner Loop
at exit 13. Just west of this point, I-490 passes over West Broad Street (NY 31
) and close to the former Rochester terminal of the Buffalo, Rochester, and Pittsburgh Railway, which now houses Nick Tahou Hots
.
I-490 now becomes part of the Inner Loop as it passes just south of the city center and heads toward the Genesee River
. I-490 crosses both the river and NY 383
by way of the Frederick Douglass – Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge and connects to NY 15
before leaving the Inner Loop and turning south and east to follow the former pathway of the Erie Canal and the Rochester Subway
through the east side of the city. Along this stretch, I-490 connects to NY 31 (now part of Monroe Avenue) and passes north of Cobbs Hill Reservoir
and the surrounding Cobbs Hill Park.
I-490 continues to run in the former bed until exit 21, where I-490 connects to NY 590
and I-590 at an interchange known locally as the Can of Worms. At this point, the former Erie Canal route (now part of I-590) curves southward while I-490 continues eastward into the eastern suburbs of Rochester. Between exits 21 and 24, I-490 parallels the CSX Transportation
-owned Rochester Subdivision
rail line, intersecting NY 441
, a four-lane divided highway
in the process. South of exit 25, I-490 traverses the southeastern suburbs of Rochester, passing close to East Rochester
, Pittsford
and Bushnell's Basin and closely paralleling NY 96
on its way toward the Ontario County
line. The freeway meets NY 96 twice in Perinton
and a third time in the Ontario County town of Victor
, where I-490 passes along the western fringe of Eastview Mall
. I-490 ends a short distance southeast of the third NY 96 interchange at Thruway exit 45.
through the city of Rochester
. After the canal was rerouted to bypass Rochester in 1920, the former canal bed was purchased by the city for roughly $1.5 million (equivalent to $ in ). Plans drawn up by the city in the early 1910s called for a highway to be built in the old canal bed; however, subsequent proposals leaned toward repurposing the bed as a rapid transit system instead. The Rochester Subway
, as it became known, began operation in 1927. As ridership on the line declined in the 1940s and early 1950s, the city elected to shut the subway down in 1956 and use the right-of-way for a new highway connecting the Inner Loop
to the recently-completed New York State Thruway
south of Rochester.
Construction of the Eastern Expressway, a limited-access highway connecting the Inner Loop to the Thruway in Victor
, began in the early 1950s with the first section extending from NY 96
in Bushnell's Basin to NY 31F
near East Rochester
. It was completed by 1956 and originally designated as part of NY 96. An extension northwest to the present site of the Can of Worms was opened to traffic by the following year. The expressway remained part of NY 96 until ca. 1961 when it was designated as part of I-490, a proposed route extending westward through downtown Rochester and southwestward through the western suburbs to Thruway exit 47 in Le Roy
. The portion of the highway between the Inner Loop
and Winton Road was completed in the old subway cut by this time, while the segment between Winton Road and the Can of Worms was opened ca. 1963.
Work on the portion of I-490 west of the Inner Loop began ca. 1962 and initially extended from NY 259
in Chili
to Mount Read Boulevard 2 miles (3.2 km) west of downtown. This section was completed by the following year. The remainder of the freeway west of Rochester was opened to traffic as far west as NY 36
near Churchville
ca. 1965 and finished by 1968. The last two gaps in the freeway—from Mount Read Boulevard east to the Inner Loop in Rochester and from Bushnell's Basin southeast to the Thruway in Pittsford
and Victor—were filled in the early 1970s.
The planned construction of the Inner Loop (now part of I-490) through the Corn Hill district of downtown Rochester just west of the Genesee River
was the driving factor that led the Rochester Institute of Technology
(RIT) to relocate to its present location in Henrietta
in 1968. The plan called for the demolition of a number of RIT buildings, and would have resulted in splitting the campus into two halves separated by the new freeway. The portion of I-490 from exit 9 (I-390
and NY 390
) in Gates to exit 27 (NY 96) in Perinton was ceremoniously designated as the "Erie Canal Expressway" by the New York State Legislature on August 16, 2005.
|rowspan=3|Genesee
|rowspan=3|Le Roy
|0.00
|
|
|
|-
|0.19
|1
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|3.38
|rowspan=2|2
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|
|-
|rowspan=27|Monroe
|rowspan=2|Riga
|-
|6.35
|3
|
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|Chili
|10.78
|4
|
|
|-
|14.09
|5
|
|
|-
|rowspan="4"|Gates
|15.78
|6
|
|
|-
|16.58
|7A-B
|
|To NY 531
(eastbound)
|-
|17.17
|8
|
|Combined with exit 7B eastbound
|-
|19.02
|9A-B
|
|
|-
|rowspan="11"|Rochester
|20.17
|10A-B
|Mount Read Boulevard
|Single exit 10 westbound
|-
|20.95
|11
|Ames Street / Child Street
|
|-
|21.85
|12
|Broad Street / Stadiums
|Serves Frontier Field
and Marina Auto Stadium; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|22.25
|13
|
|Inner Loop joins eastbound and leaves westbound
|-
|22.76
|14
|Broad Street / Plymouth Avenue – Frontier Field
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|22.94
|15
|
|No access to Inner Loop counterclockwise from I-490 west; Inner Loop leaves eastbound and joins westbound
|-
|23.42
|16
|Clinton Avenue (NY 15) – Downtown Rochester
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|23.92
|17
|Goodman Street
|To Inner Loop
CCW (westbound)
|-
|24.37
|18
|
|
|-
|24.91
|19
|Culver Road
|
|-
|25.91
|20
|Winton Road
|Westbound connection made via University Avenue
|-
|rowspan="3"|Brighton
|26.44
|21
|
|Can of Worms
|-
|27.03
|22
|Penfield Road
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; former routing of NY 441
|-
|27.82
|23
|
|
|-
|rowspan="5"|Pittsford
|29.14
|24
|East Rochester
(NY 940U)
|Combined with exit 25 westbound
|-
|29.55
|25
|
|To East Rochester (westbound)
|-
|32.13
|26
|
|
|-
|33.76
|27
|
|
|-
|35.05
|28
|
|Serves Eastview Mall
; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|rowspan="2"|Ontario
|rowspan="2"|Victor
|37.00
|29
|
|Serves Eastview Mall westbound
|-
|37.40
|
|
|
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, in the United States. It acts as a northerly alternate route to the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
(I-90), leaving it at exit 47 in the town of Le Roy
Le Roy (town), New York
Le Roy, or more commonly LeRoy, is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 7,790 at the 2000 census. The town is named after one of the original land owners, Herman Le Roy....
and rejoining the highway at exit 45 in the town of Victor
Victor (town), New York
Victor is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,977 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Claudius Victor Boughton, a hero of the War of 1812.The Town of Victor contains a village, also called Victor...
37.4 miles (60.19 km) to the east. I-490 connects with I-390
Interstate 390
Interstate 390 is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the Southern Tier Expressway in the town of Avoca. Its northern terminus is at I-490 in Rochester...
and New York State Route 390 (NY 390) on the western side of Rochester and I-590
Interstate 590
Interstate 590 is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway that serves the immediate southeastern suburbs of the city of Rochester, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an interchange with I-390 in Brighton to the Can of Worms, a complex interchange connecting I-590 to I-490...
and NY 590
New York State Route 590
New York State Route 590 is a north–south state highway located in the eastern suburbs of Rochester, New York, in the United States...
on the east side of the city at an interchange known as the Can of Worms. The highway comprises the southernmost portion of the Inner Loop
Inner Loop (Rochester)
The Inner Loop is an expressway that encloses downtown Rochester, New York, in the United States. Although the expressway is a continuous loop, only the portion of the loop north of Interstate 490 is signed as the "Inner Loop"...
, a beltway around the interior of Rochester. Outside of the city, I-490 serves several suburban villages, such as Churchville
Churchville, New York
Churchville is a village in Monroe County, New York, United States. According to the 2000 census, the population is 1,887. The village is named after Samuel Church, an early settler....
and Pittsford
Pittsford (village), New York
Pittsford is a village in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 1,418 at the 2000 census. It is named after Pittsford, Vermont, the native town of a founding father....
.
The eastern half of the freeway, named the Eastern Expressway, was built in stages from the 1950s to the 1970s as a connector between the Inner Loop and the Thruway. From downtown Rochester to the Can of Worms, it follows the former right-of-way of the Rochester Subway
Rochester Subway
The Rochester Subway or Rochester Industrial and Rapid Transit Railway was an underground rapid transit line in the city of Rochester, New York from 1927 to 1956. Contemporary photos show it used single streetcars, like Boston's Green Line, as a light rail line, with a large portion underground...
and, before it, the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
. The section west of the Inner Loop was mostly built during the 1960s and completed in the early 1970s. During the 1950s and early 1960s, the portion of the Eastern Expressway from what is now the Can of Worms east to Bushnell's Basin was originally designated as part of NY 96
New York State Route 96
New York State Route 96 is a northwest–southeast state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier village of Owego, Tioga County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with...
. That route was moved back onto its parallel surface routing ca. 1961 when I-490 was assigned to the entirety of the then-proposed Le Roy – Victor freeway.
Route description
Heading northeast from exit 47 of the New York State ThruwayNew York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
(I-90), I-490 passes through rural portions of eastern Genesee County
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
and western Monroe County
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
, skirting the villages of Bergen
Bergen (village), New York
Bergen is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 1,240 at the 2000 census.The village lies on the eastern edge of the Town of Bergen. The village is north of the junction of Routes 19 and 33.-History:...
and Churchville
Churchville, New York
Churchville is a village in Monroe County, New York, United States. According to the 2000 census, the population is 1,887. The village is named after Samuel Church, an early settler....
. Gradually, the expressway takes a more easterly alignment near exit 3 before returning to the northeast at exit 4. At exit 6, I-490 intersects the Airport Expressway (NY 204
New York State Route 204
New York State Route 204 is an east–west state highway located just southeast of Rochester in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at exit 6 on Interstate 490 in Gates. Its eastern terminus is at the Rochester city line just east of...
). Past this interchange, I-490 heads due north, connecting to NY 33
New York State Route 33
New York State Route 33 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. The route extends for just under from NY 5 in Buffalo in the west to NY 31 in Rochester in the east. It is, in fact, the only state highway that directly connects both cities, although...
and NY 531
New York State Route 531
New York State Route 531 is a limited-access, east–west state highway located in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The route extends for from the far northwestern suburbs of Rochester to the town of Gates located just west of the city...
before returning east. Prior to crossing the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
, I-490 meets NY 390
New York State Route 390
New York State Route 390 is a north–south state highway located along the western edge of the city of Rochester, New York, in the United States. The route, a limited-access northward continuation of Interstate 390 , extends for from I-490 in Gates to the Lake Ontario State Parkway in...
and I-390. Beyond the junction lies the canal and the city of Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
.
Between the Mount Read Boulevard interchange at exit 10 and the Genesee River
Genesee River
The Genesee River is a North American river flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester....
, I-490 is referred to as the "Western Gateway". This section, which saw major decorative and structural improvements in the late 2000s, travels due east through heavily residential neighborhoods before turning to the southeast near Frontier Field
Frontier Field
Frontier Field is a baseball stadium located at One Morrie Silver Way in downtown Rochester, New York. The park opened in 1996, replacing Silver Stadium in northern Rochester, which had been home to professional baseball in Rochester since 1929...
and a junction with the Inner Loop
Inner Loop (Rochester)
The Inner Loop is an expressway that encloses downtown Rochester, New York, in the United States. Although the expressway is a continuous loop, only the portion of the loop north of Interstate 490 is signed as the "Inner Loop"...
at exit 13. Just west of this point, I-490 passes over West Broad Street (NY 31
New York State Route 31
New York State Route 31 is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its eastern terminus is at a traffic circle with NY 26 in Vernon...
) and close to the former Rochester terminal of the Buffalo, Rochester, and Pittsburgh Railway, which now houses Nick Tahou Hots
Nick Tahou Hots
Nick Tahou Hots, originally known as Hots and Potatoes, is a Rochester, New York, landmark restaurant featuring a dish called the Garbage Plate. The restaurant was founded in 1918 by Alex Tahou, the grandfather of the current owner , and named for Nick Tahou, the founder's son, who operated the...
.
I-490 now becomes part of the Inner Loop as it passes just south of the city center and heads toward the Genesee River
Genesee River
The Genesee River is a North American river flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester....
. I-490 crosses both the river and NY 383
New York State Route 383
New York State Route 383 is an north–south state highway in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 36 in the hamlet of Mumford within the town of Wheatland. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 31 in...
by way of the Frederick Douglass – Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge and connects to NY 15
New York State Route 15
New York State Route 15 is a north–south state highway located in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is officially at Interstate 390 exit 3 south of the village of Wayland, although some signage indicating that NY 15 continues south to...
before leaving the Inner Loop and turning south and east to follow the former pathway of the Erie Canal and the Rochester Subway
Rochester Subway
The Rochester Subway or Rochester Industrial and Rapid Transit Railway was an underground rapid transit line in the city of Rochester, New York from 1927 to 1956. Contemporary photos show it used single streetcars, like Boston's Green Line, as a light rail line, with a large portion underground...
through the east side of the city. Along this stretch, I-490 connects to NY 31 (now part of Monroe Avenue) and passes north of Cobbs Hill Reservoir
Cobbs Hill Reservoir
Cobbs Hill Reservoir is a reservoir located in Cobbs Hill Park in Rochester, New York, United States. The reservoir is used to supply drinking water to the city of Rochester....
and the surrounding Cobbs Hill Park.
I-490 continues to run in the former bed until exit 21, where I-490 connects to NY 590
New York State Route 590
New York State Route 590 is a north–south state highway located in the eastern suburbs of Rochester, New York, in the United States...
and I-590 at an interchange known locally as the Can of Worms. At this point, the former Erie Canal route (now part of I-590) curves southward while I-490 continues eastward into the eastern suburbs of Rochester. Between exits 21 and 24, I-490 parallels the CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
-owned Rochester Subdivision
Rochester Subdivision
The Rochester Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of New York. The line runs from Syracuse west to Buffalo along the former New York Central Railroad main line. At its east end, west of downtown Syracuse, the line becomes the Mohawk Subdivision...
rail line, intersecting NY 441
New York State Route 441
New York State Route 441 is an east–west state highway in the eastern suburbs of Rochester, New York, United States. Its western terminus is at NY 96 in Brighton, and its eastern terminus is at NY 350 in Walworth. The portion of NY 441 in Brighton and western Penfield is a...
, a four-lane divided highway
Divided Highway
Divided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...
in the process. South of exit 25, I-490 traverses the southeastern suburbs of Rochester, passing close to East Rochester
East Rochester, New York
East Rochester is a coterminous town and village located southeast of the City of Rochester in Monroe County, New York. The village, home to about 6,587 people, is bounded by Pittsford to the west and south and Perinton to the north and east. The southern boundary is delimited by New York State...
, Pittsford
Pittsford (village), New York
Pittsford is a village in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 1,418 at the 2000 census. It is named after Pittsford, Vermont, the native town of a founding father....
and Bushnell's Basin and closely paralleling NY 96
New York State Route 96
New York State Route 96 is a northwest–southeast state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier village of Owego, Tioga County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with...
on its way toward the Ontario County
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
line. The freeway meets NY 96 twice in Perinton
Perinton, New York
Perinton is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 46,090 at the 2000 census.The Village of Fairport, New York is within the town on the Erie Canal. Perinton is adjacent to the village of East Rochester , and the towns of Victor , Macedon , Pittsford , and Penfield...
and a third time in the Ontario County town of Victor
Victor (town), New York
Victor is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,977 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Claudius Victor Boughton, a hero of the War of 1812.The Town of Victor contains a village, also called Victor...
, where I-490 passes along the western fringe of Eastview Mall
Eastview Mall
Eastview Mall, located in Victor, New York and managed by Mike Kauffman, is an indoor shopping center owned and operated by Wilmorite Management Group, LLC ....
. I-490 ends a short distance southeast of the third NY 96 interchange at Thruway exit 45.
History
The portion of I-490 from exit 15 southeast to the Can of Worms follows the original path of the Erie CanalErie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
through the city of Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. After the canal was rerouted to bypass Rochester in 1920, the former canal bed was purchased by the city for roughly $1.5 million (equivalent to $ in ). Plans drawn up by the city in the early 1910s called for a highway to be built in the old canal bed; however, subsequent proposals leaned toward repurposing the bed as a rapid transit system instead. The Rochester Subway
Rochester Subway
The Rochester Subway or Rochester Industrial and Rapid Transit Railway was an underground rapid transit line in the city of Rochester, New York from 1927 to 1956. Contemporary photos show it used single streetcars, like Boston's Green Line, as a light rail line, with a large portion underground...
, as it became known, began operation in 1927. As ridership on the line declined in the 1940s and early 1950s, the city elected to shut the subway down in 1956 and use the right-of-way for a new highway connecting the Inner Loop
Inner Loop (Rochester)
The Inner Loop is an expressway that encloses downtown Rochester, New York, in the United States. Although the expressway is a continuous loop, only the portion of the loop north of Interstate 490 is signed as the "Inner Loop"...
to the recently-completed New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
south of Rochester.
Construction of the Eastern Expressway, a limited-access highway connecting the Inner Loop to the Thruway in Victor
Victor (town), New York
Victor is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,977 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Claudius Victor Boughton, a hero of the War of 1812.The Town of Victor contains a village, also called Victor...
, began in the early 1950s with the first section extending from NY 96
New York State Route 96
New York State Route 96 is a northwest–southeast state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier village of Owego, Tioga County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with...
in Bushnell's Basin to NY 31F
New York State Route 31F
New York State Route 31F is an east–west state highway located in the vicinity of Rochester, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 96 north of the Monroe County village of Pittsford. Its eastern terminus is at a junction...
near East Rochester
East Rochester, New York
East Rochester is a coterminous town and village located southeast of the City of Rochester in Monroe County, New York. The village, home to about 6,587 people, is bounded by Pittsford to the west and south and Perinton to the north and east. The southern boundary is delimited by New York State...
. It was completed by 1956 and originally designated as part of NY 96. An extension northwest to the present site of the Can of Worms was opened to traffic by the following year. The expressway remained part of NY 96 until ca. 1961 when it was designated as part of I-490, a proposed route extending westward through downtown Rochester and southwestward through the western suburbs to Thruway exit 47 in Le Roy
Le Roy (town), New York
Le Roy, or more commonly LeRoy, is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 7,790 at the 2000 census. The town is named after one of the original land owners, Herman Le Roy....
. The portion of the highway between the Inner Loop
Inner Loop (Rochester)
The Inner Loop is an expressway that encloses downtown Rochester, New York, in the United States. Although the expressway is a continuous loop, only the portion of the loop north of Interstate 490 is signed as the "Inner Loop"...
and Winton Road was completed in the old subway cut by this time, while the segment between Winton Road and the Can of Worms was opened ca. 1963.
Work on the portion of I-490 west of the Inner Loop began ca. 1962 and initially extended from NY 259
New York State Route 259
New York State Route 259 is a north–south state highway located west of Rochester in Monroe County, New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 33A in the hamlet of West Chili within the town of Chili. Its northern terminus is at the Lake Ontario State Parkway in...
in Chili
Chili, New York
Chili is a town in Monroe County, New York, USA. The population was 28,625 at the 2010 census. It is a suburb of the city of Rochester.The Town of Chili was established in 1822 from part of the Town of Riga....
to Mount Read Boulevard 2 miles (3.2 km) west of downtown. This section was completed by the following year. The remainder of the freeway west of Rochester was opened to traffic as far west as NY 36
New York State Route 36
New York State Route 36 is a north–south state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The highway extends for from the Pennsylvania state line at Troupsburg, Steuben County northward to Ogden, Monroe County, where it ends at an intersection with NY 31...
near Churchville
Churchville, New York
Churchville is a village in Monroe County, New York, United States. According to the 2000 census, the population is 1,887. The village is named after Samuel Church, an early settler....
ca. 1965 and finished by 1968. The last two gaps in the freeway—from Mount Read Boulevard east to the Inner Loop in Rochester and from Bushnell's Basin southeast to the Thruway in Pittsford
Pittsford (town), New York
Pittsford is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States and is an affluent suburb of Rochester. The population was 29,405 at the 2010 census....
and Victor—were filled in the early 1970s.
The planned construction of the Inner Loop (now part of I-490) through the Corn Hill district of downtown Rochester just west of the Genesee River
Genesee River
The Genesee River is a North American river flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester....
was the driving factor that led the Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
(RIT) to relocate to its present location in Henrietta
Henrietta, New York
Henrietta is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of Rochester. The population was 42,581 at the 2010 census. Established in 1818, the town is named after Henrietta Laura Pulteney, Countess of Bath, daughter of Sir William Pulteney, 5th Baronet, a major British...
in 1968. The plan called for the demolition of a number of RIT buildings, and would have resulted in splitting the campus into two halves separated by the new freeway. The portion of I-490 from exit 9 (I-390
Interstate 390
Interstate 390 is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the Southern Tier Expressway in the town of Avoca. Its northern terminus is at I-490 in Rochester...
and NY 390
New York State Route 390
New York State Route 390 is a north–south state highway located along the western edge of the city of Rochester, New York, in the United States. The route, a limited-access northward continuation of Interstate 390 , extends for from I-490 in Gates to the Lake Ontario State Parkway in...
) in Gates to exit 27 (NY 96) in Perinton was ceremoniously designated as the "Erie Canal Expressway" by the New York State Legislature on August 16, 2005.
Exit list
|-|rowspan=3|Genesee
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
|rowspan=3|Le Roy
Le Roy (town), New York
Le Roy, or more commonly LeRoy, is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 7,790 at the 2000 census. The town is named after one of the original land owners, Herman Le Roy....
|0.00
|
|
|
|-
|0.19
|1
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|3.38
|rowspan=2|2
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|
|-
|rowspan=27|Monroe
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
|rowspan=2|Riga
Riga, New York
Riga is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 5,590 at the 2010 census.The Town of Riga is southwest of the City of Rochester on the western border of the county...
|-
|6.35
|3
|
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|Chili
Chili, New York
Chili is a town in Monroe County, New York, USA. The population was 28,625 at the 2010 census. It is a suburb of the city of Rochester.The Town of Chili was established in 1822 from part of the Town of Riga....
|10.78
|4
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|14.09
|5
|
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|-
|rowspan="4"|Gates
Gates, New York
Gates is a town in Monroe County, New York. The town is named after General Horatio Gates. The population was 28,400 at the 2010 census. Gates-North Gates census-designated place is located within the town's boundaries....
|15.78
|6
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|
|-
|16.58
|7A-B
|
|To NY 531
New York State Route 531
New York State Route 531 is a limited-access, east–west state highway located in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The route extends for from the far northwestern suburbs of Rochester to the town of Gates located just west of the city...
(eastbound)
|-
|17.17
|8
|
|Combined with exit 7B eastbound
|-
|19.02
|9A-B
|
|
|-
|rowspan="11"|Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
|20.17
|10A-B
|Mount Read Boulevard
|Single exit 10 westbound
|-
|20.95
|11
|Ames Street / Child Street
|
|-
|21.85
|12
|Broad Street / Stadiums
|Serves Frontier Field
Frontier Field
Frontier Field is a baseball stadium located at One Morrie Silver Way in downtown Rochester, New York. The park opened in 1996, replacing Silver Stadium in northern Rochester, which had been home to professional baseball in Rochester since 1929...
and Marina Auto Stadium; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|22.25
|13
|
|Inner Loop joins eastbound and leaves westbound
|-
|22.76
|14
|Broad Street / Plymouth Avenue – Frontier Field
Frontier Field
Frontier Field is a baseball stadium located at One Morrie Silver Way in downtown Rochester, New York. The park opened in 1996, replacing Silver Stadium in northern Rochester, which had been home to professional baseball in Rochester since 1929...
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|22.94
|15
|
|No access to Inner Loop counterclockwise from I-490 west; Inner Loop leaves eastbound and joins westbound
|-
|23.42
|16
|Clinton Avenue (NY 15) – Downtown Rochester
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|23.92
|17
|Goodman Street
|To Inner Loop
Inner Loop (Rochester)
The Inner Loop is an expressway that encloses downtown Rochester, New York, in the United States. Although the expressway is a continuous loop, only the portion of the loop north of Interstate 490 is signed as the "Inner Loop"...
CCW (westbound)
|-
|24.37
|18
|
|
|-
|24.91
|19
|Culver Road
|
|-
|25.91
|20
|Winton Road
|Westbound connection made via University Avenue
|-
|rowspan="3"|Brighton
Brighton, Monroe County, New York
Brighton is a town in Monroe County, New York, USA. The population was 36,609 at the 2010 census.-History:The Town of Brighton, located on the southeast border of the city of Rochester, was originally settled approximately 1790, and formally established in 1814—earning it recognition as one...
|26.44
|21
|
|Can of Worms
|-
|27.03
|22
|Penfield Road
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; former routing of NY 441
New York State Route 441
New York State Route 441 is an east–west state highway in the eastern suburbs of Rochester, New York, United States. Its western terminus is at NY 96 in Brighton, and its eastern terminus is at NY 350 in Walworth. The portion of NY 441 in Brighton and western Penfield is a...
|-
|27.82
|23
|
|
|-
|rowspan="5"|Pittsford
Pittsford (town), New York
Pittsford is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States and is an affluent suburb of Rochester. The population was 29,405 at the 2010 census....
|29.14
|24
|East Rochester
East Rochester, New York
East Rochester is a coterminous town and village located southeast of the City of Rochester in Monroe County, New York. The village, home to about 6,587 people, is bounded by Pittsford to the west and south and Perinton to the north and east. The southern boundary is delimited by New York State...
(NY 940U)
|Combined with exit 25 westbound
|-
|29.55
|25
|
|To East Rochester (westbound)
|-
|32.13
|26
|
|
|-
|33.76
|27
|
|
|-
|35.05
|28
|
|Serves Eastview Mall
Eastview Mall
Eastview Mall, located in Victor, New York and managed by Mike Kauffman, is an indoor shopping center owned and operated by Wilmorite Management Group, LLC ....
; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|rowspan="2"|Ontario
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
|rowspan="2"|Victor
Victor (town), New York
Victor is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,977 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Claudius Victor Boughton, a hero of the War of 1812.The Town of Victor contains a village, also called Victor...
|37.00
|29
|
|Serves Eastview Mall westbound
|-
|37.40
|
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|