Interstate 490 (New York)

Interstate 490 (New York) is a major auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within Monroe County in the U.S. state of New York. It serves as a critical east–west connector through the city of Rochester, linking the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) with the city's downtown core and the Lake Ontario shoreline. The highway is a vital component of the regional transportation network, facilitating commerce and daily commuter traffic.

Route description

Interstate 490 begins at a major interchange with the New York State Thruway (I-90) in the suburban town of Gates. From this western terminus, it travels eastward through the Rochester neighborhoods of Greece and Charlotte, passing near the Port of Rochester. The highway crosses the Genesee River on the Frederick Douglass–Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge, entering downtown Rochester. Through the city center, it runs concurrently with the Inner Loop before continuing southeast. It passes the University of Rochester and Strong Memorial Hospital before terminating at an interchange with Interstate 590 and New York State Route 96 in the suburb of Brighton. The route is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation and is part of the National Highway System.

History

The corridor for Interstate 490 was part of the original Interstate Highway System plans authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. Construction began in the late 1950s, with the first segment opening to traffic in 1965. A significant engineering challenge was the crossing of the Genesee River gorge, which was accomplished with the construction of a high cantilever bridge later renamed for Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony. The final section of the highway was completed and opened in 1971, providing a continuous limited-access route from the New York State Thruway to the southeastern suburbs. Over the decades, the highway has undergone several rehabilitation projects, including major work on the Frederick Douglass–Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge conducted by the New York State Department of Transportation.

Exit list

The entire route is in Monroe County. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Location ! mi ! km ! Exit ! Destinations ! Notes |- | Gates | 0.00 | 0.00 | – | New York State Thruway (I-90) / NY 531 west – Buffalo, Albany | Western terminus; Thruway exit 46; western end of NY 531 overlap |- | Rochester (Charlotte) | 2.74 | 4.41 | 2 | Lake Avenue / NY 386 | Serves Port of Rochester |- | rowspan="2" | Rochester | 4.20 | 6.76 | 3 | Brooks Avenue / Riverside Cemetery | – |- | 5.10 | 8.21 | 4 | Saint Paul Street | – |- | Rochester (Downtown) | 5.80 | 9.33 | 5 | Inner Loop (NY 940T) / Broad Street | Eastern end of Inner Loop concurrency |- | Rochester | 7.20 | 11.59 | 6 | Culver Road | Serves University of Rochester |- | Brighton | 8.50 | 13.68 | 7 | Winton Road | – |- | Brighton | 9.50 | 15.29 | 8 | Monroe Avenue / Elmwood Avenue | – |- | Brighton | 10.50 | 16.90 | – | Interstate 590 / NY 96 (Monroe Avenue) | Eastern terminus |}

Major intersections

The entire route is in Monroe County. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Location ! mi ! km ! Destinations ! Notes |- | Gates | 0.00 | 0.00 | New York State Thruway (I-90) / NY 531 west | Western terminus; Thruway exit 46 |- | Rochester (Downtown) | 5.80 | 9.33 | Inner Loop (NY 940T) | Concurrency through downtown |- | Brighton | 10.50 | 16.90 | Interstate 590 / NY 96 (Monroe Avenue) | Eastern terminus |} Category:Interstate 490 Category:Transportation in Rochester, New York Category:Interstate Highways in New York (state)