NYSDOT Unveils Draft 2050 Master Plan with Focus on Equity, Resilience, and Urban Reinvestment
- Staff Report
- Jul 8
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 19
The New York State Department of Transportation has released its draft Transportation Master Plan 2050, outlining a sweeping 25-year strategy to modernize infrastructure, enhance public transit, reduce emissions, and make transportation more accessible—particularly in urban and historically underserved communities.
The 2050 plan emphasizes a “community-centered” vision, aiming to reshape how people move across the state while addressing long-standing inequities in access, safety, and environmental justice.
“Transportation is more than infrastructure—it’s the thread that connects people to opportunity,” the plan states. “This plan seeks to build a future that works for everyone, regardless of income, race, age, or geography.”
Focus on Urban and Low-Income Communities
A major emphasis of the plan is reinvesting in urban communities that have historically borne the brunt of highway construction and underinvestment in public transit. Among the plan’s key strategies:
Reconnect neighborhoods divided by highways or rail lines, such as in Syracuse, where the I-81 Viaduct Project is underway to replace an aging elevated highway with a community grid. The plan positions this project as a model for other cities.
Invest in public transit, sidewalks, bike lanes, and “Main Street” infrastructure in densely populated areas to improve safety and accessibility.
Improve transit stations, bus shelters, and pedestrian infrastructure in underserved neighborhoods.
Target air quality improvements in low-income and minority communities by expanding zero-emission public transportation and electric vehicle infrastructure.
Provide better access to healthcare, jobs, education, and groceries by increasing transportation choices for residents without vehicles.
Ensure all new investments incorporate community input, especially from traditionally marginalized populations.
The plan also promotes context-sensitive design—ensuring that transportation investments reflect the unique cultural, economic, and environmental characteristics of each neighborhood.
Impacts on Rochester and the Finger Lakes Region
While the plan does not identify specific projects, it highlights Rochester’s Inner Loop East as a successful example of transportation-led urban renewal. The removal of the sunken expressway in 2017 and its replacement with an at-grade boulevard is cited for revitalizing neighborhoods, spurring economic development, and improving active transportation options.
The Finger Lakes region, which includes Rochester, has a population of approximately 1.2 million, with nearly 10% of households lacking access to a personal vehicle, according to the plan. In response, NYSDOT pledges to:
Support efforts by the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) to expand service and enhance connectivity.
Improve bicycle and pedestrian routes, including investment in the Empire State Trail and State Bike Route 14.
Engage local leaders in reimagining urban corridors to better serve community needs and address safety concerns.
The plan also acknowledges disparities in traffic-related injuries and fatalities, which are disproportionately high in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Rochester and other cities will be prioritized in Vision Zero strategies, aimed at eliminating traffic deaths through better street design, lower speed limits, and enhanced pedestrian protections.
Planning for Equity and Resilience
The draft plan identifies six overarching goals: safety, reliability, accessibility, environmental stewardship, economic competitiveness, and community resilience. Each goal is supported by detailed strategies aimed at adapting to population shifts, emerging technologies, climate impacts, and funding constraints.
To implement the plan, NYSDOT calls for strengthened partnerships with local governments, tribal nations, transit authorities, and advocacy groups. Public feedback has also shaped the vision, with more than 2,500 residents participating in surveys and outreach events.
Public comments on the draft Transportation Master Plan 2050 are being accepted before the plan is finalized later this year.
For more information or to submit feedback, visit: https://www.dot.ny.gov/transportationplan2050
Download a copy of the plan below:
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