Digital Radar Signs
Digital radar speed signs are designed to slow cars down to help make our streets safer for everyone who uses them. Our digital radar speed signs display driver speed data, making drivers aware that they are traveling above the speed limit. Research shows that they are effective in slowing speed violators, particularly with today’s highly visual, often distracted drivers. Since 2018, the Town has increased funding to purchase more of these signs.
Planting More Trees – A Pittsford Priority
The Town’s policy for years has been to plant one tree for each one that had to be removed due to infrastructure improvements, disease or other factors. Most years we exceed this goal! It’s part of our long-standing commitment to creating a more sustainable Pittsford.
New Bridge Connects Neighborhoods and Get Kids to Thornell Rd. Elementary Safer
The bridge creates walking and hiking access between two neighborhoods by connecting two trails, thereby making it safer, quicker and more pleasant to get from one neighborhood to another. This is one of many projects planned for 2021 that puts our joint Town/Village Active Transportation Plan into action. Supervisor Smith included $100,000 in the 2021 Town Budget expressly for ATP projects. Building trails and creating connections help contribute to a more sustainable and healthy Town for us all!
Solar Panels at Kings Bend Park
The rooftop solar array at Kings Bend Park was installed in December of 2020 and continues daily to generate energy. The panels produce 15.7 kw of electricity, roughly the amount of energy used at the park. That means sustainable energy use at King’s Bend Park! The panels will save energy and cut the Town's electrical costs – a savings passed on to our residents and a benefit for our environment.
Pedestrian Safety Improvements at Sunset Blvd.
One of the Town administration’s principle concerns has been pedestrian safety. When a fatal accident occurred several years ago at Sunset Boulevard and South Main Street – an intersection for which the Town had been urgently seeking safety improvements prior to the accident – Town Supervisor Bill Smith insisted that the State Department of Transportation take action to make the crossing safer. The State DOT has exclusive jurisdiction over South Main Street, a State road, and therefore over the pedestrian crossing.
Following a recent discussion among State DOT, the Town and Village, State DOT has now completed its promised improvements to the crossing. On behalf of the whole community, we thank the State Department of Transportation for making these very significant improvements. These should make the area far safer to cross than it was before. The Town thanks as well Walk Bike Pittsford for its continued advocacy on behalf of pedestrian safety.
Supervisor Smith continues to believe strongly that there should also be flashing, on-demand pedestrian crossing beacons at that crossing. The State consistently has turned down this request, even when he proposed to install them at the Town’s expense. However, Supervisor Smith will continue the effort to obtain crossing beacons.
A Connected Natural Habitat
The Town is committed to strengthening biodiversity and improving connectivity of natural habitats in Pittsford. These efforts align thoroughly not only with policies and recommendations in the Town’s recently updated Comprehensive Plan, but also, more broadly, with the Town’s longstanding commitment to environmental stewardship and preserving open space.
The Town maintains nearly 233 acres of active parkland and over 1,130 acres of open space comprised of neighborhood recreation areas, undeveloped fields, woodlots and working farmland - prime habitat for a variety of birds, insects and other creatures.
Sewer Work - Ongoing
Most of the work performed by our Sewer Department goes unnoticed. Their efforts keep our stormwater drains and our sewer system pipes flowing – and keep our basements dry! Many of their tasks are completed using our flush truck, which the Town purchased in 2019. This powerful truck holds 1500 gallons of water and can flush 80 gallons per minute at 2000 psi! So next time you see the truck out and about, give our crew a wave; they are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, dedicated to the construction, operation and maintenance of about 280 miles of sanitary and storm main lines and over a dozen pump stations.
Native Plants – Simple to Grow and Good for Pollinators!
Our Pollinator Garden at our Erie Canal Nature Preserve features an array of native flowers, grasses, trees and shrubs meant to provide food and shelter to pollinators and other wildlife each season.
Why native plants? Native plants can withstand local insects, fungi, and other pests in our area better than other species, and they’ve adapted to our climate. That means native plants generally require lower maintenance – less watering, and they're less likely to need fertilizer or synthetic sprays or chemicals to keep them healthy.
And they’re GOOD for other living things – including us! Native plants provide food and habitat for the wildlife in our region, supporting them and offering us a wonderful opportunity to watch birds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators in action. Native plants help support the environment for all of us!
You can do it too – creating a native planting pollinator garden or landscaping area is an easy and inspiring way to enjoy nature while helping out our local butterflies, moths, bees, birds and other creatures. We hope our garden can serve as a resource to help you encourage native plants in your own yard.
For tips and information about which plants to choose, best planting conditions and the birds and pollinators you might expect to attract, the DEC and the Audubon Society have helpful resources. Visit www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/factnatives.pdf or www.audubon.org/native-plant for more information.
Refuse Districts - New approach to trash collection aims for lower cost to residents and decreased truck traffic
In response to interest expressed by residents, Town Supervisor Bill Smith announced steps to enable residents to create refuse districts for their neighborhoods. This marked a new approach to trash collection in Pittsford. Creating a refuse district means potentially lower cost to residents for trash collection and would reduce garbage truck traffic on residential streets to one visit, once a week.
“The consolidation of waste hauling companies restricts competition and leaves residents with fewer choices,” said Supervisor Smith. “Allowing for refuse districts means the Town may be able to negotiate a group price lower than what an individual would pay. Our residents deserve better options. We’re providing them.”
The Town of Pittsford’s Refuse District program began in 2019. As of 2024, the Town has over 40 neighborhood refuse districts.
For more information of Refuse Districts and how to create one for your neighborhood, visit our Town Refuse Districts information page.
Composting Program
In partnership with Impact Earth, the Town launched a composting program in February 2019 at the Spiegel Pittsford Community Center. Instead of throwing away food scraps from the lunch programs at the Senior Center located at Spiegel, the Town collects them, to be picked up and composted by Impact Earth using worm composting and other natural methods. That turns the scraps into nutrient rich soil, for use in agriculture. Some of the compost will be returned here to Pittsford, for use in our Pittsford Community Garden at Thornell Farm Park.
Robert Putney, Jr. of Impact Earth tells us that Pittsford was the first town in Monroe County to launch such a composting plan!
To date, the Town has composted hundreds of pounds of food scraps.
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