Interstate 390 New York

Overview

Traveling 76 miles overall, Interstate 390 follows the Genesee Expressway north from the Southern Tier Region of Upstate New York to Rochester's Outer Loop in the town of Brighton. The scenic freeway winds northwest from Avoca to Dansville, Geneseo and Avon through agricultural land and hilly terrain. North from the Finger Lakes area, I-390 continues to suburban areas of Monroe County, carrying commuters north from West Henrietta to the city of Rochester.

The Genesee Expressway ends at the Outer Loop, having been canceled north from there to Downtown Rochester. Interstate 390 follows the southwestern arc of the Outer Loop to Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) and I-490 (Western Expressway) in the town of Gates. Interstate 590 lines the southeast quadrant of the Outer Loop, encircling Brighton northeast to I-490 in east Rochester.

The Outer Loop extends north of I-490 on both sides of the city as NY 390 and NY 590 respectively. New York Route 390 travels 7.90 miles from I-390 and I-490 to Lake Ontario State Parkway as a limited access highway.

Mileage by State

New York

76.36 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2025 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

History

The Rochester Outer Loop was originally designated New York Route 47. The freeway opened to traffic from the west and east, with the last section south of I-490 joining the two sections where the Genesee Expressway ties in from the south. The oldest segment of I-390 south of Rochester was the Dansville-Wayland Expressway. Built in the late 1960s,¹ the short freeway linking NY 21 and NY 36 was numbered as NY 401, then NY 245.²

As construction progressed along both the Genesee Expressway and Outer Loop, the separate segments of state route freeway were incorporated into the Interstate system. Interstate 590 replaced NY 47 in Monroe County and NY 245 became part of I-390 in Livingston County. The remainder of I-390 was completed slowly over the course of 20 years, with the last section opened between NY 15 at Avoca and I-590 in 1981. Some New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) reference markers around Dansville still referenced NY 245 as of January 2017.

Within Rochester, initial plans for Interstate 390 took the freeway north from the Rochester Outer Loop (I-590) directly to the Rochester Inner Loop (I-490). The proposed alignment of I-390 followed the Genesee River northward from a portion of the University of Rochester campus to neighborhood areas south of central business district. While ramps to the Genesee Expressway were added from the Inner Loop at Downtown, growing community opposition halted additional construction.³

Ultimately the Genesee Expressway project was dropped, with I-390 rerouted over the southwest leg of the Outer Loop in place of I-590. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved the renumbering of Interstate 590 west from the Genesee Expressway to I-490 as I-390 on June 25, 1979. The Outer Loop between NY 383 and Winton Road was finished in December 1980, followed by completion of the route from NY 104 to Lake Ontario State Parkway in 1984.  The action included designating the previously unnumbered Outer Loop north to Lake Ontario State Parkway as part of Interstate 390. Despite that, the freeway north of I-490 was instead signed as New York Route 390.

Started in 2016, the I-390/I-490 Interchange Improvement Project made a number of improvements at the exchange joining I-490 with I-390/NY 390 at the town of Gates. Completed in Summer 2018, work on Phase One replaced the NY 31 (Lyell Avenue) bridge over NY 390 with a wider span. Phase Two work through late 2019 rehabilitated bridges along NY 390 over Erie Canal, realigned the entrance ramp from NY 31 onto NY 390 northbound, and added lane capacity. Phase Three constructed a new roadway for NY 390/I-390 southbound through the exchange with I-490. Opened to traffic on September 17, 2021, the flyover eliminated left exit ramps by repurposing the former roadway for NY 390/I-390 south into a collector distributor roadway. Completed by the end of 2021, Phase Four construction widened NY 31 (Lyell Avenue) between NY 390 and Howard Road.⁴ The $172.8 million project garnered recognition by the American Public Works Association for Transportation Projects Greater on March 25, 2022.⁵

North End  ‐ Gates, NY

North at

Heading northwest from ROC Airport, Interstate 390 proceeds one mile to Exit 20 A for I-490 east to Downtown Rochester and Exit 20 B for I-490 west toward Ogden and Spencerport. 03/26/23

East at

Advancing east from the three-wye interchange with NY 531 (Spencerport Expressway), Interstate 490 east expands to three lanes ahead of Exits 9 A/B with the Rochester Outer Loop. 03/26/23

West at

I-490 advances one mile west from the six-ramp parclo interchange (Exit 10) with Mt. Read Boulevard to the systems exchange (Exit 9) with I-390 south and NY 390 north. 03/26/23

South at

The Rochester Outer Loop continues the sequential exit number system for I-390 along NY 390. Exit 21 joins the freeway with NY 31 (Lyell Avenue) to the immediate north of Exit 20 for I-490. 03/25/23

North End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

North at

Removed button copy signs at the CSX Railroad overpass a half mile south of I-490. 05/10/05

South at

NY 390 south at NY 31 (Lyell Avenue) prior to construction upgrading the adjacent exchange with Interstate 490. 05/10/05

East at

This button copy guide sign on I-490 east for I-390/NY 390 was replaced by 2011. 05/10/15

West at

Construction during the Western Gateway Project slowed traffic along westbound I-490 leading to Interstate 390. Remaining button copy guide signs along the Western Expressway were replaced during the multi year project. 05/10/05

South End  ‐ Kanona, NY

South at

I-390 concludes at Interstate 86 (Southern Tier Expressway) just southeast of the village of Avoca in rural Steuben County. Dropping both NY 15 and NY 17, all guide signs for this rural exchange were replaced by 2012. 01/18/17

West at

Spanning NY 53 at Kanona, I-86/NY 17 advances 0.75 miles west to split with Interstate 390. 03/25/23

East at

A 6.7 mile exit less stretch takes motorists along I-86 (Southern Tier Expressway) east from Howard to the south end of Interstate 390 in the town of Avoca. 08/23/21

References

1. Dansville Public Library. Dansville History. Retrieved from https://dansvillelibrary.org/community/dansville-history/
2. Sinsabaugh, M. (2023, June 5). Interstate 390. New York Routes. Retrieved from http://www.newyorkroutes.net/jct/390i.htm
3. Campbell, B. The Genesee Expressway. Retrieved from http://home.rochester.rr.com/kreativ/brian/genesee.htm
4. New York Governor. (2021, September 16). Major Milestone in the I-390/I-490/Route 31 Interchange Improvement Project Will Ease Travel and Enhance Safety. [Press release]. Retrieved from https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-interstate-390-flyover-ramp-open-i-390i-490-interchange-monroe
5. New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). (2022, March 25). NYSDOT's Interstate 390/Interstate 490/Lyell Avenue Interchange Reconfiguration Project Recognized by the American Public Works Association. [Press release]. Retrieved from https://www.dot.ny.gov/news/press-releases/2022/390_490 APWA award