Interstate 590 New York

History
North End
South End

Overview

Interstate 590 forms part of the Rochester freeway belt system in Monroe County, New York. The commuter route loops east through the town of Brighton between I-390 and the Can of Worms Interchange with I-490 along the Rochester city line. New York State Route 590 extends north from the I-490/590 exchange as a freeway to NY 104 and Sea Breeze Drive in the town of Irondequoit.

History

The west leg of the Rochester Outer Loop at Gates and the east leg through Brighton were originally designated as New York 47. Interstate 390 was proposed northward from Henrietta and Brighton along the Genesee Expressway to I-490 and the Inner Loop at Downtown. Interstate 590 was approved by AASHTO on November 10, 1973 from I-490 by Gates Center to I-490 in southeast Rochester.

The Genesee Expressway was canceled north of the Outer Loop due to both high costs and community opposition. This resulted in realigning I-390 over the western half of the Outer Loop in place of I-590. The switch was approved at the AASHTO meeting on June 25, 1979, but subject to FHWA concurrence. The redesignation also included extensions of both Interstate 390 north to Lake Ontario State Parkway and Interstate 590 north to New York 104. However both expressways north of I-490 were never signed as Interstates and instead posted as New York State Route 390 and 590 respectively.

Route Information

  • North End – Rochester, NY

  • South End – Brighton, NY

  • Mileage – 5.31

  • Cities – Rochester
  • Junctions – I-390 I-490

Source: December 31, 2018 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

I-590 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Source: 2015 NYSDOT Traffic Data Viewer

Rochester, NY - 1989
Interstate 590 encircling southeastern Rochester in 1989.

The old Can of Worms interchange consisted of adjacent directional T interchanges along Interstate 490 with left exits joining I-590 and NY 590. The junction was redesigned to eliminate the overlap between I-590/NY 590 with I-490 by 1991.

Highway Guides

North End I-490 New York 590 – Rochester, New York

Perspective from Interstate 590 north
The first overhead posted for Interstate 490 (Exit 5) appears at the Elmwood Avenue overpass. Interstate 590 advances to a half diamond interchange (Exit 4) with Highland Avenue before transitioning to New York 590 (Sea Breeze Expressway) northbound. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Three northbound lanes of Interstate 590 as they approach the northern terminus with Interstate 490, the Eastern Expressway. The original Can of Worms interchange configuration saw a pair of adjacent directional T interchanges at Interstate 490. This setup resulted in a short overlap on Interstate 490 for Interstate 590 to New York 590 (or vice versa) traffic movements. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Interstate 590 transitions to New York 590 as Exit 5 traffic for Interstate 490 departs from the right. The Can of Worms interchange construction project, occurring in the early 1990s, allows a seamless freeway between Interstate and New York 590. The Sea Breeze Expressway continues New York 590 north to New York 104 (Ridge Road), the Seabreeze Amusement Park, and the community of Irondequoit. Photo taken 05/09/05.
High flyovers shuttle drivers from Interstate 590 northbound to Interstate 490 (Eastern Expressway). Interstate 490 travels west from Exit 5 into downtown Rochester. Eastbound enters the suburbs of East Rochester, Pittsford, and ultimately Victor. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Perspective from New York 590 south
New York 590 (Sea Breeze Expressway) southbound at the diamond interchange (Exit 6) with Blossom Road. The Sea Breeze Expressway meets Interstate 490 one half mile south at the Can of Worms interchange. Blossom Road travels east-west between University Avenue and New York 286 (Browncroft Boulevard). Photo taken 05/10/05.
Another benefit of the Can of Worms interchange construction project is that all exiting traffic exits their respective freeway at once. Therefore, merging traffic concerns are minimized. This photograph shows the lane allocation for Interstate 490 bound motorists from New York 590 southbound. Photo taken 05/10/05.
Interstate 590 begins its southward progression as Exit 5 departs for Interstate 490 to the left. The eastbound control point of Victor is a town located some thirteen miles near the eastern terminus with Interstate 90. Photo taken 05/10/05.
Continuing on the Exit 5 ramp from New York 590 southbound. The partition for Interstate 490 occurs high above grade level. The interchange itself is complicated and includes these high flyovers because of the crossing of New York 96/East Avenue over Interstate 490 below. Photo taken 05/10/05.
Perspective from Interstate 490 east
Interstate 490 depresses below grade through east Rochester on the drive to Exit 20 (Winton Road) and Exit 21 (Interstate 590 & New York 590). The six-lane freeway continues through the residential areas of Rochester to the Can of Worms interchange one mile east of the Culver Road overpass. Photo taken 05/10/05.
Interstate 490 eastbound reduces from four to three lanes at Exit 21. This guide sign includes no control points as it shows the lane allocation for Interstate and New York 590. Upon the completion of the Can of Worms interchange project, these signs became a necessity. A half-diamond interchange links Winton Road with Interstate 490 0.25 miles west of Interstate 590. Photo taken 05/10/05.
Interstate 490 eastbound at Exit 21, the joint termini of Interstate 590 (Sea Breeze Expressway) north and New York 590 (Outer Loop Freeway) south. Interstate 490 continues to East Rochester and Pittsford as Interstate 590 serves Brighton to the south. Photo taken 05/10/05.
The partitioning of the Exit 21 ramps for New York 590 north and Interstate 590 south. New York 590 interchanges with Blossom Road (Exit 6) just north of Interstate 490. Interstate 590 meanwhile meets Elwood Avenue (Exit 4) one mile to the south. Photo taken 05/10/05.
Perspective from Interstate 490 west
As New York 441 travels overhead, the one-half mile guide sign for Exit 21 on Interstate 490 westbound. Interstate 490 is a depressed freeway throughout east Rochester. Photo taken by Jeff Morrison (07/01/07).
Directional guide signage on Interstate 490 westbound at the Penfield Road overpass. All traffic movements of the Can of Worms interchange depart from the right, with the exception of the southbound New York 590 ramps to Interstate 490. Photo taken by Jeff Morrison (07/01/07).
Interstate 590 and New York 590 traffic depart to the right as Interstate 490 enters the city of Rochester from the town of Brighton. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (09/28/02).
Morning sunshine highlights the guide signs at the ramp partition for Interstate 590 south and New York 590 northbound via Interstate 490 west. Adding to the complexity of the Can of Worms interchange is a railroad line straddling the north side of Interstate 490 (visible in this photograph). Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (12/12/01).

South End I-390 – Brighton, New York

Perspective from Interstate 590 south
Interstate 590 southbound enters its final mile at the diverging diamond interchange (Exit 1) with Winton Road. Photo taken 05/10/05.
Interstate 590 southbound transitions into Interstate 390 northbound as the continuation of the Outer Loop. Interstate 390 continues the loop northwest to Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) and the western suburb of Greece (via New York 390 north). Photo taken 05/10/05.
Interstate 590 comes to an end at a tri-level stack interchange with Interstate 390. Pictured is the last sign bridge of the route, with southbound Interstate 390 traffic ascending over the Outer Loop via the highest flyover ramp. Interstate 390 continues south to Henrietta, the New York Thruway (I-90), Dansville and Interstate 86 west of Corning. Photo taken 05/10/05.
A look at the semi-directional T interchange with I-390 from I-590 southbound. Interstate 390 originally was slated to continue northward into Downtown Rochester as the Genesee Expressway. That proposal never came to fruition and no ramp connections were ever built for the proposed freeway here. Photo taken 05/10/05.
This end shield of Interstate 590 was the only found that still included the state name of New York. The assembly was posted beyond the flyovers as I-590 merges with I-390 northbound. The next two interchanges of the freeway (Exits 16 and 16A) serve southern neighborhoods of the city and the University of Rochester. Photo taken 05/28/00.
A replacement for the end I-590 shield assembly. The diamond interchange (Exit 16) with New York 15A (Henrietta Road) lies just one half mile ahead. Photo taken 05/10/05.
Perspective from Interstate 390 south
Attached to the New York 15A (Henrietta Road) overpass is the first overhead for the Exit 15 split with Interstate 590 north on Interstate 390 south. Interstate 390 crosses the Erie Canal and meets Interstate 590 adjacent to Brighton Town Park at south Rochester. Photo taken 05/10/05.
Interstate 390 departs the Rochester Outer Loop as Interstate 590 begins. Interstate 390 serves the suburbs of Rochester such as Henrietta before heading toward the Southern Tier of New York and the control city of Corning. Photo taken 05/10/05.
The second sign bridge for Exit 15 posted at the Interstate 390 and 590 split. Interstate 590 continues the Outer Loop east around Brighton to the southeast of central Rochester, providing access to the eastern suburbs such as Penfield, and Pittsfield. I-390 crosses the New York Thruway four miles to the south. Photo taken 05/10/05.
Perspective from Interstate 390 north
Interstate 390 northbound at the Brighton Henrietta Town Line Road overpass, 0.75 miles south of the split with Interstate 590 and the Outer Loop. I-590 continues the Outer Loop freeway northeast to Brighton and east Rochester. I0390 follows the Outer Loop northwest to Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC), west Rochester and Greece. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Nearing the partition of Exit 15 and the northbound beginning of Interstate 590. Interstate 390 passes over the Erie Canal ahead of its entrance onto the Outer Loop Freeway. Traffic to downtown Rochester is directed onto Interstate 590 north to Interstate 490 west. Photo taken 05/09/05.
Northbound Interstate 390 at the entrance to the Rochester Outer Loop and southern terminus of Interstate 590 (Exit 15). Although I-390 was to have continued northward to Downtown, both Interstates in conjunction with I-490 provide an uninterrupted route to the central business district. Photo taken 05/09/05.

Page updated May 26, 2015.