Hi Pocket Residents!

This information is especially relevant for those who live on Akron Street within the Healthy Blocks area. As you probably have heard by now the City of Rochester plans to do street improvements on Akron Street and Cedarwood Terrace in the spring. The project has been delayed on the one-way part of Akron Street because the Water Bureau needs to replace the water mains, which is a considerable undertaking. There is also the matter of where to put the utility poles. Currently some are in the middle of the sidewalk on the east side of Akron Street (even numbered house side). The street improvements involve reconstructing the road, doing curb replacements and replacing driveway aprons and broken sidewalks.

Lisa Reyes, engineer with the City of Rochester was kind enough to send digital files of the different options the City has come up with on how to re-do the street. This information is relevant only for Akron Street between E. Main Street and Atlantic Avenue.

Here is the existing street plan: Existing Akron St.

The street is currently 20 feet wide with 4 feet wide sidewalks on both sides. 

The City considers the width of the sidewalk to be substandard because it is too narrow for sidewalk plows to do their job well and the sidewalk location of some utility poles is problematic. At the last Pocket neighborhood meeting, it was asked whether Akron Street residents could have the electric boxes put underground or if the utility poles could be placed in residents' backyards. The RG&E representative that both options would be cost-prohibitive to the residents as the costs to redirect the electricity would be incurred by the homeowner.

Here is Option 1.

In this option, the street would be narrowed to a width of 18 feet with a 6 foot wide sidewalk on the west side and a 7 foot wide sidewalk on the east side of the street to be the utility corridor.

Here is Option 2.

In this option, the street would maintain its width of 20 feet, but it would be shifted east. There would be a 7 foot wide sidewalk only on the west side of the street. The utility poles would remain on the east side of the street, but there would be no sidewalk. The utility poles would be in the middle of a 5 foot wide strip of grass; about 2.5 feet away from the curb to allow for car doors to be opened.

Here is Option 3.

In this option, the street would be narrowed to a width of 16 feet with a 7 foot wide sidewalk on both sides of the street to allow for utility poles.

Here is Option 4.

In this option, the street would maintain its width of 20 feet and would have 6 foot wide sidewalks on both sides of the street. The City still has concerns about the width of the utility corridor on the east side of the street.

The City would appreciate your input as soon as possible. To share your option preference or for more information about this project, please contact Lisa Reyes by phone at (585) 428-6354 or by email at reyesL@cityofrochester.gov.