New York to open I-390 flyover ramp on interchange project in Monroe County

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has hit a major milestone in the $172.8 million I-390/I-490/Route 31 Interchange Improvement Project in Monroe County.

The new I-390 flyover, a central feature of the project, will open during the early morning hours of Friday, September 17. The flyover will greatly reduce congestion by allowing southbound through traffic to travel above the busy interchange and avoid vehicles merging and exiting the highway. Existing exit and entrance ramps have also been reconfigured to reduce vehicle weaving, according to a press release.

The corridor connects nearly 200,000 daily motorists to centers of economic activity, including the Greater Rochester International Airport, the Rochester Technology Park, the Eastman Business Park, and downtown Rochester.

“The I-390/I-490 interchange is one of the most important traffic corridors in Upstate New York, and this transformative project will help New York State meet the challenges of the 21st Century, improving the commute for thousands of folks who travel through it every day,” NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said in a statement. “The new flyover shows what can be achieved when creative and resilient solutions are applied to modern infrastructure designed to build a better New York.”

The multi-phase project is part of a series of infrastructure investments strategically aimed at easing access and improving traffic flow along State Route 31, State Route 390, and the I-390/I-490 Interchange in Monroe County. Construction of the new I-390 Flyover called for the building of three new bridges to cross over I-490 eastbound, I-490 westbound, and a newly reconfigured ramp connecting I-490 westbound to I-390 southbound. Additionally, the aging Buffalo Road (State Route 33) Bridge over I-390 was replaced with a modern, multi-girder bridge to accommodate the new traffic pattern. Nearly 15,000 ft of new concrete sound walls were also added to mitigate noise impacts for nearby residents.

Work on the I-390/I-490/Route 31 Interchange Improvement Project began in 2016. Phase One, which included the replacement and widening of the Lyell Avenue bridge over I-390, was completed in the summer of 2018. Phase Two, which included the rehabilitation of structures carrying Route 390 over the Erie Canal, the creation of a new on-ramp to Route 390 north from Lyell Avenue, and the widening and paving of travel lanes along the interchange was completed in late 2019. Phase Three encompasses the new flyover and traffic enhancements, while Phase Four widened and resurfaced the roadway along Lyell Avenue between Route 390 and Howard Road. All remaining work—which includes paving, striping, signage, lighting, and landscaping—is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021.