Project Case Study: Lighting the Genesee Riverway Trail

Location: Rochester, NY – Austin Steward Plaza
Product: Irys Mega + Custom Pole System

Client: City of Rochester, NY

The Genesee Riverway Trail serves as a vital connection between neighborhoods, natural areas and historical landmarks in Rochester New York. The riverfront path allows residents to run alongside the river, inviting walkers, joggers, and cyclists to explore the city’s waterfront. But like many urban pathways, its full potential after dark was limited, until now.

As part of a recent enhancement near the Austin Steward Plaza, the City of Rochester turned to GROUPE RAGNI North America to implement a lighting system that improved safety and visibility, created ambience, and protected both the environment and the trail’s character.

Project Requirements

The City of Rochester needed a system that could:

• Provide focused, glare-free lighting along a winding, multi-use trail
• Accommodate a variety of mounting angles and orientations to suit variable terrain and sightlines
• Blend aesthetically with both modern and historic features of the trail system
• Support long-term durability in an outdoor riverside environment

To fulfill these requirements, GROUPE RAGNI North America specified Irys Mega luminaire mounted on custom pole systems. Designed for flexibility and visual performance, Irys Mega allowed project engineers to direct light precisely where needed across different zones of the trail.

Irys set itself apart with its ability to adapt, featuring full tilt and rotation functionality that allowed users to precisely direct light toward trail features while avoiding residential areas and enhancing plaza entrances and pathway curves. The result was not just illumination, but intentional light where it was needed, and nowhere else.

Design and durability maintained equal importance for the system. Positioned along the river, the luminaires had to stand up to the elements while delivering consistent performance. The Irys Mega’s IP66 and IK08 ratings made it ready for the challenge, with a housing built for long-term outdoor use and a form that blends seamlessly into the urban landscape.

The city design team worked alongside Ragni during planning and installation to create an outcome which displayed both technical excellence and civic pride. The lighting system now guides pedestrians with a warm, confident glow, supporting evening use, enhancing safety, and helping the city take another step forward in creating accessible, inviting public spaces.

The Rochester project surpassed a basic lighting improvement to become a fundamental investment in community infrastructure that demonstrates successful design-to-function implementation.

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