Fairport trustees dig into transportation chapter of sustainability plan—sidewalks, parking, bike infrastructure and DOT limits

The Village of Fairport board devoted an extended portion of its July 27 work session to the transportation chapter of the sustainability plan, discussing a range of measures from wayfinding signage and bike parking to crosswalk placement and coordination with New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT).

Trustees examined a proposed guideline that “cars are permitted to park on all village streets unless specifically prohibited,” with members warning that narrow streets could impede emergency vehicles and snowplows. One trustee said the proposal “means we'd have to systematically go through and review the sides of the streets,” and recommended limiting year-round on-street parking to one side where feasible. The board supported more bike parking and producing paper and electronic maps of safe routes and parking locations. Several members emphasized that actions on state roads—such as flashing crosswalk lights or combined bike-and-crosswalk signs—require negotiation with NYSDOT, with staff noting prior state refusals on certain treatments.

Board members also suggested holding a seminar on complete streets principles, exploring county Vision Zero resources, reviewing zoning language for required lockable bike storage in multi-unit buildings, and coordinating with regional transit (RTS) and merchants on service and idling reduction strategies. Staff agreed to check legal constraints (for example, idling signage) and to refine recommended language for future meetings.