Gov. proposes $100M to fill Inner Loop North, Mayor says ‘Amen!’

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The mayor of Rochester was so excited about the amount of money for the city in the governor’s budget he almost asked the crowd in front of him to shout "amen."

What got Mayor Evans really fired up was $100 million to fill in another section of the Inner Loop.

Inner Loop North runs from University Avenue and E. Main Street, around the north side of downtown to the Genesee River. On a slow day, it gets 10,000 cars and trucks. On a busy day, the traffic count can reach 47,000.

When you step back and look at it, it is a massive amount of space.

At her budget presentation at MCC downtown Monday morning, Gov. Kathy Hochul said the Inner Loop North project gets $100 million in her budget.

"$100 million," Hochul said to a standing ovation lead by Mayor Evans.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the governor announced $100 million for the Inner Loop," Evans said. "And I’m telling you if we were in church we’d say let the church say Amen."

The mayor says $100 million pays for everything; from design to construction.

Since the east end of the loop was filled, it generated $200 million in construction.

Mayor Evans said the Loop and other downtown highways in Syracuse and Buffalo, severed and damaged neighborhoods.

"We know the history of what these moats did in these neighborhoods," Evans said. "Governor Hochul is going to help us tear this down."

Keep this in mind. This is the governor’s budget proposal. She has to negotiate with the state legislature and make a deal. I brought this up when I had a chance to talk to her away from the stage.

"So I feel confident," Hochul said. "But you’re right. It’s not over until it’s all over and we should have this wrapped up by the end of the month."

If the money is included in the final budget, the mayor’s office says construction will start in 2024 and be completed in 2027.