Empire State Development’s Finger Lakes office introduced this project to the City of Rochester. The named contact is David Riley, AICP, Principal Transportation Specialist in the Department of Environmental Services (Architecture & Engineering).
That is the right first City door for a concept on Pont de Rennes: DES owns and operates the bridge. Riley’s brief covers transportation planning, Vision Zero, and DES grant strategy, including public work on ROC the Riverway.
What this is
- A process intro so the City can look at the idea
- A chance to ask how site consent, structural review, and High Falls State Park coordination should be sequenced
It is not City sponsorship, not a vote of support, and not permission to attach anything to the bridge. ESD has not awarded funds. No Consolidated Funding Application has been opened.
What we are asking the City
Orientation, not a funding commitment. Whether DES is the right first door, what the City would need before discussing written site consent or City-as-applicant, and how to sequence park coordination. The ride is meant as a free public good: no ticket, no fare. Operations would sit in a separately raised reserve, not on City general-fund O&M and not on RMTI dollars.
What’s next
- Stay on the intro thread with DES and ESD
- Walk Pont de Rennes and keep the feasibility materials ready for a real conversation
- Still no CFA until site control and an eligible applicant are real