Transportation Master Plan puts city on path to formulate improvement plans

The plan seeks to improve all current modes of travel including pedestrian concerns and safety. (City of Rochester photos)

ROCHESTER - Rochester's just-completed Transportation Master Plan stresses the need for multimodal connectivity and a vibrant walkable downtown, but also identifies safety concerns with some city intersections that the public would like addressed.

The far-reaching document also gathered information about public transit, including that only about 6 percent of Rochester residents regularly use COAST.

The plan also aims to evaluate and improve local traffic safety and reduce congestion now and in the future.

The plan listed some of the most dangerous intersections of the city as noted by residents as Strafford Square, Route 202 and Estes Road, and Route 202A and Esters/Meaderboro Road.

The most dangerous by average annual crash count are Strafford Square with 65, Highland Street and Salmon Falls road with 23 and Columbus Avenue and South Main with 19.

The plan also seeks to meld all forms of intermodal transport into a seamless system that promotes safety and quality of life.

"How well we incorporate all modes of transportation in Rochester affects our quality of life, the success of our local businesses and the safety and security of our friends and families," said City Manager Blaine Cox. "This plan takes all that we've learned about traffic in Rochester in the past and aims to forecast and improve how we get around Rochester while building upon existing infrastructure to support bicycle and pedestrian friendliness."

The Master Plan provides a road map that will help both enhance the City's transportation network by improving safety and connectivity for all modes of transportation, as well as establish guidelines for measuring short- and long-term success.

The plan outlines a select group of core focus areas that set a framework for implementation, which will assist the City in meeting the transportation plan's goals and objectives. The focus areas and priorities include:

Multimodal connectivity

Creating and maintaining a vibrant and walkable downtown and Village Centers

Roadway/intersection safety and congestion improvements

Technology and Smart City components.

A copy of the plan can be found online here.

The plan was developed collaboratively with input from City Staff, a volunteer Steering Committee, and the residents of Rochester. The priorities were set based on feedback from a public input survey, as well as meetings with the community and Steering Committee.