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Archive for the ‘Things You Can Do To Help’ Category
Thursday, November 10th, 2011
Posted by: Carlos Mercado
![The populations of Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Toronto are closer than we realize. With good, high speed transportation links we become an economic powerhouse. [Flickr Photo: Calori & Vanden-Eynden]](http://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/acela-train-platform.jpg)
Rochester, NY has about 1,035,000 population in its metro area; Buffalo is slightly larger with 1,124,000; and Syracuse has about 646,000. The combined metro population for the three major cities along the old New York Central Water Level Route is 2,804,000.
In terms of rank, Buffalo is 50th, Rochester is 51st, and Syracuse is 81st. As a combined area, we would become 19th largest, edging out Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, FL and just behind St. Louis. Nice, eh?
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Tags: Amtrak, Buffalo, high speed rail, rail transit, Rochester, Rochester Amtrak Station, Syracuse, Toronto
Posted in Background Stories, Events + Meetings, Things You Can Do To Help | No Comments »
Sunday, October 2nd, 2011
Reconnect Rochester, RTS Partner to Stop the Exodus of $1.5 Million Vanishing from the Local Economy Daily
Riders with a “UFO” pin will be able to ride local buses for free all day on October 20, the first Critical Mass Transit Day. The UFO promotion is part of an ongoing campaign to raise awareness of the $1.5 million in gasoline money that is ‘abducted’ from our local economy every day.
Reconnect Rochester will be handing out UFO pins
at local farmer’s markets throughout October:
Critical Mass Transit is a joint effort by Regional Transit Service (RTS) and Reconnect Rochester, a transit advocacy group that suggests by using public transit as an alternative to driving a car, Rochesterians have the power to reinvest those dollars back into Rochester’s economy.
THE SAVINGS ARE VERY REAL! According to CommuteSolutions.org, those who drive to work everyday alone can incur costs that exceed $1 per mile. That includes fuel, maintenance, parking and depreciation, and depends on vehicle type and driving habits. By comparison, a ride on an RTS bus costs one dollar.
In addition to the personal savings, every one-dollar invested in public transportation can generate $4 in economic returns for our area. Conversely, nearly every dollar we burn on gasoline leaves Rochester.
Making smarter choices when it comes to transportation is an easy way for households to save money, and grow our region’s economy over the long run.
On October 20, proudly display your pin. Even if you just go for a joy-ride down the street, the idea is to learn about our transit system and show your support for the future of public transit in Rochester.
Need Assistance Using RTS?
Download this Commuter Resources sheet [PDF] for handy RTS transit tips. You can also call RTS at 585-288-1700 for help planning a trip or contact the volunteers at Reconnect Rochester—they can help you decipher the routes and schedules.
Tags: Critical Mass Transit Day, Regional Transit Service (RTS), Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Vanishing
Posted in News, Things You Can Do To Help | 1 Comment »
Sunday, September 18th, 2011
Sorry if we caused a mass panic last week with all of the reports of UFO’s and abductions. We staged the whole UFO thing. But we can’t apologize for the adbuctions. As it turns out, every dollar we spend on gasoline, over $1.5 MILLION each day*, leaves the local economy never to be seen again. Vanished! The numbers are real. The UFO’s are not. We can do something about the vanishing resources.
Did you know every $1 invested in public transportation generates approximately $4 in economic returns. It’s true. Households that use public transportation and live with one less car can save on average $9,000 every year.[1]
The volunteers at Reconnect Rochester find these numbers downright frightening. And we’re doing something about. We’ve organized a ‘human resistance’ movement have been getting the word out this weekend at the Greentopia Festival about Critical Mass Transit Day.
ON THE 3RD THURSDAY OF OCTOBER, AND EVERY MONTH THEREAFTER, WE WILL LEAVE OUR CARS AT HOME & JOIN TOGETHER FOR A “CRITICAL MASS” TRANSIT RIDE. EVERYONE IS INVITED! NO ONE IS IN CHARGE! LOOK FOR YOUR COMRADES ON RTS BUSES WEARING THIS PIN…
ON OCTOBER 20 SHOW THIS PIN TO YOUR RTS DRIVER AND RIDE FREE ALL DAY!
THAT part is no hoax. RTS has kindly agreed to honor our NO-UFOs pin as free entry onto any RTS bus all day on October 20. Just flash this pin at the friendly driver. Even if you’ve never ridden RTS before, now is the perfect time to give it a try. If only for one day. To get to work, or for a leisurely trip around the block.
Visit Reconnect Rochester at the Greentopia Festival (High Falls, vendor area, booth 55) and grab your FREE pin today… before they VANISH.
Tags: Critical Mass Transit Day, Greentopia Festival, Rochester Vanishing, RTS
Posted in Events + Meetings, News, Things You Can Do To Help | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
![Greentopia Festival gets ready to kick off this weekend. Workers in the High Falls neighborhood were invited to a picnic lunch today on the newly 'green' Commercial Street. [PHOTO: VJ Ortiz]](http://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-greentopia-ufo-sighting.jpg)
The Greentopia Festival is getting ready to kick off this weekend. Check out the photo above, snapped earlier today on Commercial Street. Ain’t that something?!
The two-day, interactive fest in historic High Falls will reveal what the region is doing to help the environment – and envision a greener Rochester of the future. The volunteers at Reconnect Rochester are VERY excited to have a booth at this brand new event to help promote the green movement and alternate forms of transportation.
I won’t give away the surprise, but we’ll be featuring an out-of-this-world exhibit highlighting some “green” benefits of transit you probably never knew.
Announcing the FIRST EVER
“Critical Mass Transit Day!”
Reconnect Rochester is using this weekend’s event to get the word out about the first ever “Critical Mass Transit Day”—taking place on the 3rd Thursday of October (10/20/2011) and every month thereafter.
Similar to the cycling version of Critical Mass where cyclists take to the streets on human-powered modes of transport, Critical Mass Transit will be a celebration of greener, more social forms of transportation. The rules are simple: on the 3rd Thursday of every month, leave your car at home and walk, bike, or roller skate to the nearest bus stop. Take the bus to work (or where ever it is you go during the day) and then take it back home at the end of the day.
Get Your FREE Ride…
To make things a little more interesting, we’ve teamed up with the Transit Authority to offer you a FREE day on RTS. You heard me right… The first Critical Mass Transit Day can be absolutely FREE for you… No strings. All you have to do is visit our booth at the Greentopia Festival and say hello.
So come visit us Saturday or Sunday in the High Falls overlook area (where Browns Race and Commercial Street meet) and get green with us.
Tags: Critical Mass, Critical Mass Transit Day, Greentopia Festival, High Falls, Reconnect Rochester, Rochester, UFO
Posted in Events + Meetings, News, Things You Can Do To Help | No Comments »
Friday, September 9th, 2011
 The U.S. House of Representatives just stripped funding for the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The Senate will consider funding for the Partnership next Thursday.
NOW is the time to tell your Senators to maintain funding for this important program.
These are tough economic times, which makes it even more important to keep the innovative programs that put federal dollars to good use rebuilding our local economies, strengthening our communities, and creating necessary jobs.
Earlier this year when the Partnership was under threat, your voices made a real difference and funding was preserved. Now we need your voices to be heard even louder.
Tell your Senators: Protect funding for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.
Make sure that Congress knows we will not accept shortsighted cuts that sacrifice the health of our communities.
From connecting affordable housing with jobs to turning dilapidated lots into vibrant downtown centers, the Partnership is making a difference in our communities, where we are hurting the most.
Please tell your lawmakers not to take away crucial opportunities for our communities.
This is the time when we need your voice the most. Thank you for all that you do.
Tags: Partnership for Sustainable Communities, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develompent (USHUD), U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Posted in News, Things You Can Do To Help | 1 Comment »
Friday, July 8th, 2011
![Rep. John Mica says the transportation sector will 'do more with less.' [PHOTO: Orlando Sentinel]](http://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/john-mica.jpg)
Yesterday morning House Transportation & Infrastructure Chairman John Mica unveiled his proposal [PDF, 3.6mb] for t-bill authorization, which amounts to a 33-35% cut to federal transportation spending. Below is a quick thumbnail sketch of his proposal, responses/reactions from other lawmakers & advocacy groups, and three things YOU can do to help stop this train wreck…
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Tags: Rep. John Mica, transportation, Transportation Reauthorization, U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
Posted in News, Things You Can Do To Help | No Comments »
Saturday, June 11th, 2011
On Thursday, June 16 Reconnect Rochester and the people of Rochester NY, will join the rest of the country for National Dump the Pump Day. We will leave our cars in the driveway and instead use public transit. Share this on Facebook and let your family, friends, co-workers, and employers know.
Useful Information:
Use Google Transit to plan your trip.
Find RTS schedules & route maps .
RTS Fares:
Adults : $1.00
All-Day Unlimited Freedom Pass : $3.00
Adult 5–Day Unlimited Freedom Pass : $14.00
Adult 31-Day Unlimited Freedom Pass : $56
Children age 6-11 : $0.50
Children age 5 and under : FREE
Senior/Disabled : $0.50
Senior/Disabled 1-Day Unlimited Pass : $1.50
Senior/Disabled 5–Day Unlimited Pass : $7.00
Senior/Disabled 31-Day Unlimited Pass : $28
For more information: www.rgrta.org/CommuterResources
or leave a comment below with any question you might have about riding RTS. We will get you an answer.
Let’s ride!
Tags: National Dump the Pump Day, public transit, Regional Transit Service (RTS), Rochester, Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA)
Posted in Events + Meetings, News, Things You Can Do To Help | 9 Comments »
Tuesday, February 15th, 2011
A potential threat to the preservation of rights-of-way for a light rail line between downtown Rochester and the University of Rochester is the City of Rochester’s plan to convert the bridge into a bike/ped-only bridge.
It’s important to note that creation of the bike/pedestrian link itself will not preclude transit; on the other hand it is important that the project be treated as a rails-with-trails project rather than a rails-to-trails conversion. This will ensure preservation of the right-of-way for possible future transit.
A rails-to-trails conversion will make a later conversion to rail transit difficult, whereas a rails-with-trails project specifies that an adequate dedicated right-of-way (strip of land) be specifically preserved for future rail transit use.
Please attend an open-house
public meeting this Wednesday:
Time: February 16, 2011 from 7pm to 9pm
Location: Phillis Wheatley Community Library
33 Dr. Samuel McCree Way
For more information, contact Holly Barrett (428-6384) or barretth@cityofrochester.gov
Tags: Erie Lackawanna Bridge, Erie Railroad, public input, public meeting, rails to trails, Rochester, University of Rochester
Posted in Events + Meetings, Things You Can Do To Help | No Comments »
Saturday, February 12th, 2011
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITE TO ATTEND… A Transportation Equity Town Hall with the New York State Transportation Equity Alliance, Reconnect Rochester, and Empire State Future on February 17th from 6 to 8 PM in the Kate Gleason Auditorium at the Rochester Central Library.
New Yorkers’ transportation needs are changing, but our transportation policies are stuck in the past. Come join New York State Transportation Equity Alliance for a forum on how federal and state transportation policy impacts New York. Learn how we can shape these federal and state policies to create faster, cleaner, safer, healthier and more equitable transportation choices for all New Yorkers.
Rep. John Mica, Chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a Field Hearing in Rochester on February 18, 2011 regarding reauthorization of The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient ransportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), enacted August 10, 2005. SAFETEA-LU authorized $286.4 billion for Federal surface transportation programs for highways, transit, and bicycles and pedestrians for the 5-year period, 2005-2009. The latest continuing resolution for extending funding will expire on March 3, 2011.
Don’t miss these TWO huge events…
Presentation and Roundtable with members of:
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
UPROSE
Empire State Future
WE ACT for Environmental Justice
February 17th, 2011
Rochester Central Library
Kate Gleason Auditorium
115 South Avenue
6-8 PM
(RSVP to the Facebook Event and tell a friend!)
AND…
POSTPONED: U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure
Field Hearing in Rochester
Chairman Rep. John Mica (R-FL) & members:
Tom Reed (R-NY)
Richard Hanna (R-NY)
February 18th, 2011
Greater Rochester International Airport
3-5pm
Check updates at:
http://NYSTEA.net
and
http://ReconnectRochester.org/take_action.php
For Information & RSVP:
Ya-Ting Liu
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
(212) 268-7474
yating@tstc.org
Tags: New York State Transportation Equity Alliance (NYSTEA), Reconnect Rochester, Rep. John Mica, Safe Accountable Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA-LU), U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
Posted in Events + Meetings, Things You Can Do To Help | 4 Comments »
Friday, February 4th, 2011
![[PHOTO: Robert Torzynski]](http://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/transit-policy-cover.jpg)
Reconnect Rochester is a group of transportation advocates calling for the creation of a fully integrated multi-modal transportation network for our region. We believe the next Mayor has the opportunity to champion a dramatic shift in our transportation infrastructure. The transit system this city and region needs will require dedication of time, staff and resources.
We urge all candidates to pledge their commitment to this vision as part of their platform for candidacy.
Read what each candidate had to say about this document and the future of Rochester’s transit system below.
What follows is our reasoning and recommendations for the future Mayor to incorporate into his or her platform.
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Posted in News, Things You Can Do To Help | 12 Comments »
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