Rush Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety &
Connectivity Plan Overview

Project Purpose

The purpose of the project is to identify and create consensus around a set of detailed pedestrian and bicycle transportation infrastructure projects and associated strategies that enhance quality of life while improving public health by making walking and bicycling safe, viable modes of travel in the Hamlet of Rush and throughout the Town of Rush. The analysis will build on the recently adopted Comprehensive Plan Update and include a context-sensitive improvements that support the Hamlet of Rush’s distinctiveness. 

Study Location

The study area includes the entirety of The Town of Rush with a focus on the Hamlet area located at the crossroads of NYS Routes 15A and 251. 

Background

The Town of Rush is a destination for bicyclists along roadways, and via Monroe County's Lehigh Valley Trail which passes through Rush Hamlet – the historic center of the Town and a hub for civic services, recreation, and businesses. Hamlet-area facilities include the Rush Town Hall and library, parks, a post office, churches, and the Rush Fireman's Field where community events are held. 

The Hamlet is the most densely populated area of Rush and retains its historic street pattern with many buildings dating back to the 1800s. The older housing stock is more affordable than elsewhere in town, and Census-reported poverty levels for households within the Hamlet and in the northeast portion of Rush are substantially higher than that of the town as a whole.

Although many business, recreational, and civic destinations in the Hamlet are within walking/biking distance of one another and of nearby residential neighborhoods, gaps in the sidewalk network, high vehicle speeds, lack of crosswalks, and lack of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and amenities discourage residents and visitors from walking and bicycling. 

Get more information about the planning study's Public Participation Plan.  This 7-page PDF is available for download. 

Relevance to Town's Comprehensive Plan

Bicycle and pedestrian transportation infrastructure is a significant component of the Town's Comprehensive Plan, adopted in October 2023. The Comprehensive Plan Update Committee (CPUC) held a public workshop on Transportation on October 5, 2022, at which several participants noted dangerous intersections, lack of comfort and safety for bicyclists, and the importance of improving connections to the Lehigh Valley Trail.

The Rush Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety & Connectivity Plan will build on findings from the 2017 Rush Hamlet Charrette – which recommended improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities, traffic calming, and better connections to the Lehigh Valley Trail – and advance recommendations developed for the Town Comprehensive Plan Update. 

The Comprehensive Plan Update recommended general strategies and concepts to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety and connectivity; however it would not include the detailed feasibility analysis, concept design, and cost estimates needed. The Pedestrian/ Bicycle Safety & Connectivity Plan will evaluate the feasibility of, and include concept plans and cost estimates for recommended improvements (i.e., traffic calming measures, intersection improvements, wayfinding signage, sidewalk extensions, crosswalks, bicycle lanes/accommodations, other infrastructure). 

The Plan will determine how best to increase safety and connectivity with a detailed improvement and project prioritization strategy. Capital projects resulting from this plan will encourage more residents and visitors to walk or bike to destinations within the Town and Hamlet.

Lehigh Valley Trail 

The Lehigh Valley Trail is an outstanding facility for walking, hiking, jogging, biking, cross-country skiing, and equestrian use. It is also a vital link in the area’s expanding regional trail network, connecting the Genesee Valley Greenway Trail to the west with Victor’s Auburn Trail  

Learn more about this 15-mile linear trail located in the southern-most portion of Monroe County, beginning at the Genesee River and extending through the Towns of Rush and Mendon to the Ontario County Line, and extending north to the Town of Henrietta.

Lehigh Valley Trail Park Website 

Phase 1 - Conduct an Existing Conditions Analysis and Needs Assessment that will include:

• Research the project background, including historical context, applicable planning documents, and existing land use, ownership, and zoning.

• Inventory existing and planned pedestrian, bicycle, and other active transportation infrastructure within the study area.

• Further assess motor vehicle traffic volume and direction, safety/crash data, destinations and activity centers, origin-destination pairs for active transportation modes, and the presence, condition, and usefulness of any active transportation amenities.

• Determine physical and programmatic needs as well as resource gaps for the study area based on the existing conditions inventory.

• Conduct a mix of public meetings, surveys, stakeholder interviews, and/or focus groups to refine the understanding of the needs of pedestrians and cyclists within the study area.

• Build on the findings and recommendations of recent planning studies including the 2017 Hamlet Charette, Town Comprehensive Plan Update, and Monroe County Active Transportation Plan to the greatest extent possible.

Phase 2 - Develop Recommendations/Implementation Strategy

• Identify priority projects and design alternatives as well as potential program and policy changes.
   
• Recommend improvements to multi-modal circulation and access.
   
• Recommend pedestrian-oriented design standards for site plan review.

Final Report

The Final Report  will include a narrative, graphics, analysis, and other content describing the study process and conclusions. The Final Report will include an implementation plan that presents a phased approach and includes the relative costs (along with funding sources) to implement recommendations and strategies.