Highway and Bridge Operations

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Thomas D. Polech, P.E.
Deputy Director of Transportation

​​​​​​Monroe County Fleet Center
145 Paul Road
Rochester, NY 14624

The Highway and Bridge Operations Division is responsible for the planning, design, management, and construction of highway maintenance work on approximately 1,495 lane miles (approximately 665 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 includes four (4) Sections:

  • Major Maintenance Section
  • Road and Bridge Maintenance Section
  • Snow and Ice Control Program
  • Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS)

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.

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Road and Bridge Maintenance Section

The Highway and Bridge Maintenance Section improves the condition of county highways and bridges by constructing and maintaining a safe and efficient road and bridge network in order to move people and goods throughout the county. This Section maintains a safe and serviceable highway system and is responsible for day-to-day maintenance of the approximately 1,500 lane miles on the Monroe County Highway System, including approximately 200 bridges, 350 major culverts, and 140 retaining walls. Major activities include drainage improvements, crack filling, pothole patching, spray patching, hot grader patching, shoulder improvements, headwall repairs, vegetation and debris cleaning at bridges and culverts, scupper cleaning, and other structural repair/maintenance activities.  This Section is also responsible for swinging the Irondequoit Bay Outlet Bridge (IBOB) two times annually; on April 1 and November 1 of each year (or the closest business day).

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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.

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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)

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