In some localities, the development pressure along state Route 250 would easily turn the road into a multi-lane highway flanked by extensive commercial growth.
But Stephen Aldrich, a project manager for the Henrietta-based engineering firm FRA, says the diligence of communities along the corridor has kept that from happening. And, he says, Route 250 seems to function well as a two-lane road with pockets of commercial development and short four-lane stretches.
The towns and villages along or near the road - Victor, Perinton, Fairport, Penfield, and Webster - have hired FRA to analyze traffic along the corridor and develop a long-range plan for the road. The focus of the plan, most notably, will be to keep the state road from becoming the sprawling highway Aldrich says it has the potential to become.
FRA and the towns are six months into what will probably be a nine- to 10-month process. So far, engineers have documented existing conditions along the roadway. Soon, they'll begin to project future conditions and recommend improvements, Aldrich says.
The 16-mile road stretches from Webster through Perinton, almost to Victor. As the towns along it have built up, so have concerns. They run the gamut from vehicle speed to the type of vehicles using the road - cars, commercial trucks, bicycles.
"There seems to be a lot of concern in the center of the corridor, in the Town of Penfield," says Aldrich. According to the study, Penfield has the greatest amount of undeveloped land along the corridor.
But make no mistake: growth pressure from all the towns are likely to impact the road's future, Aldrich says. The two towns at the route's end, Webster and Victor, have been among the fastest growing in the region. Penfield's no slacker, either. Even growth in Macedon, in Wayne County, will affect Route 250.
The consultants have been analyzing existing traffic volume, intersections, accident history, and safety and efficiency issues.
The average amount of traffic that passes along the road varies from 5,130 per day near Lake Road in Webster to 18,900 vehicles per day just north of Ayrault Road in Perinton, according to the study. Over recent years, the number of cars using the road has steadily grown, according to the study and the state Department of Transportation. In 1998, an average of 16,800 cars a day passed through the intersection of Routes 250 and 441. In 2005, that had grown to 18,190. On Route 250 between Route 96 and Garnsey Road in Perinton, an average of 6,500 cars passed through each day in 1998. In 2005, that had increased to 7,150.
In Perinton, says town Public Works Commissioner Thomas Beck, one hope is that the study can be used to help keep traffic on Route 250. Many motorists are cutting through residential side streets.
The traffic corridor study already points to several intersections that may need safety improvements, says Aldrich. Among them: Route 250's intersection with state Route 441 in Penfield and the intersection with Whitney Road in Perinton.
The study will also include traffic-calming measures and bicycle and pedestrian access.
In addition to the corridor study, Penfield is developing its own land-use plan along Route 250. So far, the plan suggests expanding commercial zoning at the Atlantic Avenue intersection and creating a hamlet centered at Sweets Corners Road. The hamlet would be designed to combine residential use with low-intensity commercial uses. Right now, the area is home to a YMCA, three farm markets, a motorcycle club, homes, and farmland.
The Penfield plan also calls for preserving wetlands and land that serves as wildlife travel corridors. The hope is to keep the paths of animals, such as deer, away from cars, says Doug Fox, Penfield's director of planning. The plan also calls for improving Penfield's trail network, including linking parks in the town.