The Major Maintenance and Traffic Engineering Division is responsible for the planning, design, management, and construction of major maintenance work on approximately 1,480 lane miles (approximately 664 centerline miles) of County-owned highways; including 192 bridges (60 are co-maintained with other agencies such as New York State Department of Transportation and New York State Thruway Authority), 344 major culverts, and approximately 140 retaining walls. This Division also conducts traffic engineering reviews, studies, and analyses and oversees City of Rochester programs.

This Division includes five (5) Sections:

• Major Maintenance Section
• Snow and Ice Control Program
• Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS)
• Traffic Studies Section
• City of Rochester Programs

Major Maintenance Section

The Major Maintenance Section improves the condition of County roads by constructing and maintaining a safe and efficient road network in order to move people and goods throughout the county. This Section is responsible for the planning, design, management, and construction supervision of highway maintenance work performed by Towns and contractor forces through the CHIPS Program. County roads selected to be improved under the annual major maintenance program are carefully reviewed and selected utilizing pavement preservation strategies, pavement rating data, and input from County and Town staff. This Section also completes projects and improvements as part of Monroe County DOT's annual Milling and Resurfacing and Spot Improvements capital programs.

• Pavement Preservation Principles
• Monroe County DOT Highway Map (PDF) Updated: 2/2024

Snow and Ice Control Program

The Snow and Ice Control Program funds the cost of snow and ice removal, salting, and snow fence installation on the County Highway System to ensure safe travel during the winter season. The County enters into intermunicipal agreements with each Town for the provision of annual snow and ice control services on County roads. Contract amounts reflect prevailing wage agreements in each Town, equipment rental rates determined by New York State DOT, current State OGS bid prices for rock salt, and the quantity of highway lane miles plowed and salted in each Town. Please contact your local Town DPW with questions or concerns regarding snow and ice removal on County roads.

Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS)

The Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) utilizes State aid for capital expenditures under provisions of the New York State CHIPS Program. Individual apportionments to municipalities for CHIPS are calculated annually according to a formula specified in Section 10-c of New York State Highway Law. While several other factors are considered (municipality funding levels and historical percentages), the two most important data inputs for the allocation process are local highway inventory (LHI) mileage and motor vehicle registrations that are reported annually to the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). New York State allocates a specific sum of aid for capital projects with greater durability (highway resurfacing, recycling, reconstruction, bridge rehabilitation, and replacement) and longevity (minimum useful life of ten years) than might be expected from routine maintenance efforts based on the requirements of the specific funding program.

Monroe County DOT currently receives annual funding from the following New York State Programs:

• Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS)
• Extreme Winter Recovery (EWR)
• Pave New York (PAVE-NY)
• Pave Our Potholes (POP)

Traffic Studies Section

The Traffic Studies Section reviews, collects, and updates traffic information to ensure that appropriate traffic control devices are in place on County roads and City streets. Work includes conducting traffic engineering reviews, studies, and analyses; collecting and maintaining traffic counts; and proactively monitoring accident rates on City streets and County roads as part of the High Accident Location Program (HALP). 

If you have traffic safety concerns on a County road, please email MCDOT at [email protected]. For traffic safety concerns on City streets, please contact the City of Rochester Department of Environmental Services at 585-428-6855 or [email protected]. Another option is to submit traffic safety concerns to the Community Traffic Safety Team (CTST).

City of Rochester Programs

The Monroe County Department of Transportation acts on behalf of the City of Rochester as the City's Traffic Engineer. MCDOT reviews and advises the City on complaints, requests, traffic studies, and on City street projects. Monroe County provides funding for the construction of select City street reconstruction projects in accordance with New York State Highway Law, Section 131-K as programmed in Monroe County's Capital Improvement Program (CIP).