Governor Cuomo made a ceremonial arrival in a Lyft ridesharing car at the Greater Rochester International Airport this morning, for groundbreaking on the upgrades now getting underway with a major infusion of state aid.
Ceremonial, because New York’s ridesharing law hasn’t take effect yet, so the ride had to be specially set up.
The airport will undergo a $60 million upgrade over the next two years, driven by $40 million from the state. It will change 
almost everything from a new arrival canopy to improved security checkpoints.
County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo says 24 months from now, the airport will look completely different and will have what she calls the “WOW factor” that will hit everyone who passes through, including people who make decisions affecting jobs and the economy. She says that starts with hundreds of construction jobs.
It starts with a new smartphone lot open later this year, where you can arrange by text to meet your party and not have to drive endlessly around the loop until you spot them at the doors. Dinolfo says a website called “ROCrenovations.com” will let you track the project and see what traffic changes may exist.
Governor Cuomo says the airport upgrades will be good for tourism, which is an economic engine for Rochester and the Finger Lakes, boosting the 20 million people who visit every year. He says the airport is a community’s front door and makes a statement about who you are. The governor says the architecture of this arrival area is out of the box and a unique signature wave from Rochester.