We’ve been busy at Reconnect Rochester since the start of the year pursuing our 2025 Plans and Priorities. Below are a few key updates on what’s been going on in advocacy, especially those projects or events we asked you to mobilize around, and what to look forward to in the next few months:
Growing Our Movement:
Our biggest goal as an advocacy team this year is to grow our base of active, informed and engaged advocates throughout Monroe County. We’re always looking for more people to join the movement – get in touch if you are interested! We have opportunities to support multimodal transportation from taking surveys to speaking to elected officials or writing letters. The easiest way to learn about opportunities is to sign up for Mobility Action Alerts and we will send actions and events you can join.
Annual Executive Meetings:
Back in January, we held our annual meetings with Rochester Mayor Evans (City Hopes & Asks) and Monroe County Executive Adam Bello (County Hopes & Asks), setting the stage for our advocacy throughout the year, including budget advocacy that will be ramping up in the City soon. See our 2025 Budget Input submitted to the City.
ROC Vision Zero:
The Beacon’s ROC Vision Zero forum was well attended with a keynote by Mayor Evans, and an expert panel we helped assemble. Reconnect Rochester is serving on the ROC Vision Zero task force and will be participating in committees on education and community traffic safety champions in March and April.
We don’t know when the next version of the Rochester Zoning Alignment Project code will drop, but we have continued our focus on promoting transit-supportive land use that we had last year in our ZAP comments and Sprawl Effect Rochester Street Films Event. We’re continuing our focus on land use in the Transportation Impact Collective and partnering with Our Local History, Empire Justice Center, RMAPI, and the Climate Solutions Accelerator to deliver informational presentations to pro-housing advocates countywide.
Media Engagement:
Through our daily media monitoring, we are identifying problematic news articles covering crashes and sharing timely feedback using our Crash Reporting Toolkit as a guide.
Federal Uncertainty:
Last but certainly not least on our minds (and likely yours too) is the chaos and uncertainty set off by President Trump’s Executive Orders. Throughout the last two months, we have stayed in close contact with national advocacy groups such as the League of American Bicyclists, America Walks, and the National Campaign for Transit Justice. Focusing on just Monroe County, we analyzed USDOT memos and Trump Executive Orders and identified about $150 million of discretionary funding aimed at bike, pedestrian, transit and safer streets projects, already appropriated by Congress, announced, and some already under contract, potentially at risk through these orders. We have shared this information with Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Congressman Joe Morelle, who will be meeting with Rochester cyclists in Washington during the National Bike Summit next week. Currently, we believe White House-mandated review outcomes will be announced in April 2025. We will continue to fight for resources that were appropriated by Congress and awarded to our community to fund multimodal transportation projects.
Save the Dates!
We’re excited about several things coming up:
May 1: Mayor Evan and County Executive Bello will deliver the official Bike Month proclamation at Austin Seward Plaza at 1:30 pm
The protected bike lanes surrounding DC’s iconic landmarks highlight the importance of multimodal infrastructure for attracting residents and enhancing livability. Between the three bike share programs, metro trains, and a bus system, DC provides a multitude of options for those looking to get around without a personal vehicle. Pedestrian islands provide refuge for those crossing the street on foot while also providing space for turning bikers. Bus stop islands and shared bus stops allow riders to step out of the flow of traffic while maintaining awareness of cyclists.
We were struck by the decisive action of DDOT and their leadership prioritizing proven safety measures over means-testing and hesitation. Washington DC’s mayor has pushed to add 20 miles of protected bike lanes over three years to meet the demand for bicycle infrastructure for all ages and abilities without worrying about miniscule delays for drivers. Rochester could take inspiration from this approach by installing infrastructure such as two-way protected bike lanes. While this would require coordination with the county and some new traffic signal configurations, the benefits far outweigh the challenges.
We also had the chance to see DC’s Curb Extension Murals (the inspiration for Downtown SmART Streets) up close. As we prepare to break ground on this new program and review artist submissions (due March 22nd) we were eager to take notes on what has worked (and what hasn’t) for these traffic calming elements.
The Asks
The most critical part of the summit was taking our advocacy to Capitol Hill. Thank you to the League of American Bicyclists for the herculean task of organizing these meetings on a national scale. Our first ask? Fighting for Safe Streets for All grant funding—money that has already been approved by Congress but is now threatened in an unprecedented move from the Executive Branch.
The local projects funded by this grant are designed to meet the needs of each community, understanding that local governments know their streets best. In our meetings with Congressional Representative Joe Morelle, staff from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s legislative aide, we pressed them to recognize the importance of projects such as completing Rochester’s Bike Spine Network or expanding our Downtown SmART Streets program. These projects will make the streets safer for everyone—cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike. Canceling their funding will also harm our communities through the loss of local construction jobs from the projects and the long-term economic benefits these amenities bring.
As traffic dangers increase for everyone on our roads, improving safety isn’t a political issue; it’s a necessity.
Our next ask to the US House of Representatives was to support HR 1668, The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act. In 2022, Sarah Lagenkamp was killed while riding her bike after dropping off her son at daycare. Her husband Daniel made it his mission to make our streets safer.
As the League of American Bicyclists say, this bill highlights the need to fill gaps in biking and walking networks and makes it easier for states and local governments to use Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) dollars as a “local match” to build safe bicycling and pedestrian infrastructure.
We were proud to have a strong Rochester contingent to mingle with our fellow advocates across the country. If you want to get more involved in our incredible local bicycle community here at home, please make sure you are signed up for our Mobility Action Alerts for weekly emails with local advocacy opportunities for safer, multimodal streets.
Two immediate actions you can take to support our cause:
With federal funding for bike lanes and many important transportation projects in danger of being cut off by USDOTwe urgently need your support to show the importance of these projects for the entire community. The League of American Bicyclists have put together a petition to show how many people oppose cutting this funding. Please take a moment to sign and send it to 5 of your friends Getting as many signatures as possible is critical to the success of our upcoming projects.
On Rochester’s last Report Card from the League of American Bicyclists, we were urged to collect and track bike crash data. With that in mind, Reconnect Rochester started requesting crash reports involving cyclists in 2021 under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). We started small by just collecting and analyzing city crashes but soon branched out to crashes in the suburbs too.
Today we’ll explore what is consistently the most common cyclist crash in Monroe County. We want all road users to be aware and take appropriate safety measures, both for themselves and for the safety of others. In separate blog posts, we’ll parse out other findings from these reports.
In the early days of bicycling, roads weren’t suitable for riding. They weren’t paved and were thus dusty, muddy and full of horse poop. The only smooth, hard rideable surface was the sidewalk network. When too many Rochester cyclists started using the sidewalks, pedestrians were inconvenienced and the local law was changed. In 1896, Rochester cyclists were banned from riding on sidewalks, much to their consternation. That ultimately led to (short lived) bike infrastructure, and longer term to paved public roads, which became a normal expectation of government henceforward.
Meanwhile, the automobile gradually took over our cities and bicycling, for a variety of reasons, dwindled for decades to primarily become a childrens’ activity. (It was the 1970s oil crisis and better built bikes and new gearing which gradually started bringing adult bicycling back). Sadly, a spate of fatal crashes involving Rochester children in the 1950s woke the community up to the need for changing laws once again.
The City Code was changed in 1958 to allow sidewalk riding here. Bicyclists in Rochester, therefore have it both ways. They can choose to ride in the road following most of the rules for motor vehicle drivers OR if they’re not comfortable riding in the road, they can bike or scoot on the sidewalk where they are more or less treated as a higher speed pedestrian.
The most common bike/automobile crash in Monroe County features a motorist failing to yield to a sidewalk-riding cyclist approaching from their right. Just as pedestrians can walk both ways on a sidewalk, cyclists can ride both ways on the sidewalk, though riding on the sidewalk on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic is much safer. (The law requiring cyclists to ride on the right with the flow of traffic applies only when riding in the road itself). When riding on the sidewalk on the leftside of the road facing traffic, the trouble for cyclists primarily comes at intersections and parking lot exits.
It’s all too common for motorists wanting to turn right at a red light or stop sign to only look to their left, waiting for a break in oncoming traffic before making their turn. Pedestrians or cyclists entering the crosswalk from their right must be yielded to. Therefore motorists must look both ways, ensuring the way is clear and that their turn can be made with safety.
It should be noted that this failure on the motorist’s part is a ticketable offense. On rare occasions, law enforcement in Monroe County will issue motorists tickets for either of the following violations in this scenario:
VTL 1146 Every driver shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any bicyclist or pedestrian…
VTL 1151 Drivers shall yield the right of way, slowing down or stopping if need be to so yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk… (In their crash reports, it’s very common for Officers to refer to the cyclist in this scenario as a pedestrian – with all their accompanying rights)
What can drivers do to avoid this particular crash?
The law requires motorists to come to a stop *before* the stop line/marked crosswalk, if there is one. If not, you must stop *before* you enter the crosswalk area. (Crosswalks exist legally whether or not they are marked).
Only after yielding to people walking or rolling in the crosswalk and ensuring the way is clear in *both* directions can motorists creep up gradually to get a better view, waiting for a break in traffic before making their turn with safety.
What can bike riders do to avoid this common crash scenario?
Because riding on the sidewalk opens you up to some very common motorist mistakes here, we recommend riding on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic. Yes, this can be scary at first (traffic will be coming up behind you on your left), but you are much more visible and predictable this way. The crash scenario we’re examining today is much more common than cyclists’ greatest fear (getting hit from behind or side-swiped).
Constant fear isn’t required when riding a bike, but constant vigilance is. If you choose to ride on the sidewalk, maintain awareness, scan around and behind you on a regular basis, and ride on the sidewalk on the right side with the flow of traffic. As noted above, motorists ahead of you tend to look left in your direction when approaching intersections, so you ought to be more visible to them.
Riding across crosswalks/parking lot exits via the sidewalk, don’t assume the driver sees you and will yield to you. You must negotiate and reach an understanding. This can be hard due to the increase in tinted windows which don’t allow you to interact with the driver in any way. Don’t proceed until you know it’s safe in all directions.
Some safety educators would advise you to dismount and walk your bike across crosswalks, particularly at busy intersections.
Crossing intersections on the lefthand sidewalk also puts you in danger of other turning motorists, such as motorists behind you turning left.
For municipalities that allow sidewalk-riding, update your code to require motorists to yield to bike & scooter riders in the crosswalk too. This is already the “common law” interpretation, but it helps to get rid of the ambiguity. Clear motorist expectations are important.
Continual messaging to motorists that cyclists have every right to ride in the street
Do us a favor and spread this finding widely. If Monroe County could eliminate or lessen this crash scenario, we’d see a significant decrease in motorist/cyclist crashes. Stay tuned for more crash analysis…
In our climate, most people ride bikes in the Spring, Summer and Fall and that’s okay! When the cycling scene slows down in November, our cycling Instagram account would go almost completely dark for several months. The thought struck us in 2019 that we could use that season to feature guest contributions from area cyclists. It would be a fun way to celebrate biking in Rochester. Contributors could give us a glimpse of their biking lifestyle, what it means to them, what got them into riding, their favorite places to ride and groups to ride with, etc. It’s become a neat way for cyclists who bike in different ways for different reasons to find commonality.
We are proud to present below consolidated stories of our contributors from fall 2023-spring 2024. We hope it inspires you to get out and ride!
Carlo Jereza
“I got into biking primarily for health reasons. I’m in my 50s and my health was starting to decline due to being a couch potato. Biking has become some sort of meditation for me to get away from the world. My favorite places to ride are the Erie Canal Trail and the beaches by Lake Ontario. I’ve found Rochester to be pretty bike friendly.”
(five posts Nov 10-22, 2023)
Gina Cardarelli
“Rochester has natural topographical advantages for a bicycle friendly city: waterways and a mostly flat landscape in the city. The improvements in infrastructure are very encouraging. “Aren’t you afraid of cars?” People ask. The reward still outweighs the risk for me. I can get from A to B while improving my mood, cognition, and fitness. I’ve also learned when pairing a bike with a bus, many of the most troublesome legs of some trips can be eliminated with planning.”
(six posts Nov 24-Dec 7, 2023)
Nick Giordano
“I moved from the suburbs into the city and traded my car for a bike for parking reasons. I quickly fell in love with the joy of biking and have been regularly riding for the last ten years. My favorite group rides are the Flower Pedal Populaire and the Fall Classic. Dressing up and biking with a big group is so much fun. The Keeping it Classy Cycling Club is great at keeping riders safe. I’ve also done Reconnect Rochester rides and the (now defunct) Coffee and Cogs 585 group. One of my favorite rides is the Genesee Riverway Trail going past the Maplewood Rose Garden, through Turning Point Park and heading down to Abbotts at the Lake. On the way back I like to ride the trail that runs parallel to the @senecaparkzoo and then take the el camino trail back into the city.”
(five posts Dec 8-20, 2023)
Kathryn O’Brien
“I’ve never not had a bike in my life. I’ve always loved biking for its ease and speed. Fast forward to my 20’s and you’d find me barcycling to the Bug Jar, around the corner to Lux so that I didn’t have to walk even one block alone, or riding to friends’ apartments to avoid parallel parking/paying a meter. I try to spread the word about Reconnect Rochester’s on-bike classes to everyone I know. Even though I was already a strong rider, the class just helps you feel more empowered to realize biking is transportation too. Be loud; take up space!”
(five posts Jan 5-18, 2024)
Monique Peterson
“My cousin Karen Rogers at EE Pathways got me into biking. I enjoy riding along the Genesee Riverway Trail. I join the Flower City Feeling Good community bike ride series on Wednesdays with Reconnect Rochester and EE Pathways. Also the Unity Ride and with family. Biking is therapeutic! It helps with arthritis in my knee and is just a lot of fun. Through biking, I hope to live a healthier, better life.”
(five posts Jan 19-31, 2024)
Andrea Parros
“What I like about riding is it’s a meditation – you have to focus your attention and maintain total awareness of your surroundings at all times. I stay active while saving on gas, it’s better for the environment and it helps both my physical and mental health. When I’m riding, I love checking out people’s dogs while they’re out walking, and I think it’s fun to spot the bunnies that live in my neighborhood.”
(seven posts Feb 2-14, 2024)
Scot Makai
“I’ve been riding bikes since I can remember. I now ride my bikes for fun on wooded trails with my friends, on the road between parks or to a restaurant in town. I volunteer with the Genesee Regional Off-road Cyclists. I ride trails to connect with nature, to have fun with friends, to challenge my technical riding skills, but mostly to decompress from my workday and experience a surprisingly clear and “quiet” mental flow state. Everyone should ride bikes!”
(six posts Feb 16-29, 2024)
Linda Agnello
“My husband and I sold our house, moved to an apartment in Greece, and purchased bikes in 2012. Being one street over from 390 trail was perfect. I can’t begin to tell you how biking has changed my life. Not only am I stronger physically but also mentally. It just gives me such a high and being with nature and places you can’t access with a car are simply outstanding. I am recently retired so everyday is a biking day. I try to balance home with biking, but biking always WINS!”
(six posts Mar 1-14, 2024)
Robin Hill
“I really started biking when I saw bike riders in my neighborhood every Thursday on the Unity Ride. I was so intrigued by the diverse group of people. I wanted to be a part of that! I joined them and have been riding ever since. Biking is freeing from being behind the wheel all the time. It is a kind of meditation for me. Being out and the sights and sounds really relax my mind. I’m always going to ride but we need more safe places to ride so more people can experience the joy of riding.”
(six posts Mar 15-27, 2024)
Lisa Roberts
“We live in one of the most beautiful bikeable places…I can bike commute from my driveway, ride to my local mt bike park via multi-use trails, and get to the Erie Canal trail via rail trails. Biking isn’t always about the destination. I mix it with other hobbies such as visiting historical places & buildings. There’s lots of cycling groups in Rochester & the surrounding area, try one or all of them! You’ll find there’s more than one you like to ride with.”
(five posts Mar 29-Apr 10, 2024)
Tom Paradise
“I really like to ride on my own but I am a big extrovert and like to plan fun for people. There are great group rides in Rochester, but I wanted to start my own. In 2022 I started Coffee and Cogs 585. I was inspired by coffee.and.bikes for the idea of early morning rides and combining it with coffee. I am a big coffee head and wanted to use this as a way to support the great local coffee scene in Rochester. I love going to group runs with @rocrunningco and wanted to create my own version by bike. We’ve built a great little community.”
(six posts Apr 13-May 8, 2024)
If you’re interested in sharing your story for our 2025-26 #ROCbyBike series, reach out to Jesse at cycling@reconnectrochester.org.*
*Diversity is important to us. So, it may take a while to fit you in the queue so we can make spots for other voices.
For fun on socialmediathis year, Reconnect Rochester posed the following question: What’s a destination, that at first glance, would seem quite difficult & stressful to bike to, but is actually pretty easy *IF* you use a certain route, probably an unintuitive approach or easily overlooked back way? (Definitely not the way you’d drive there). Over the course of this series we hope to inspire and equip more folks to bike to popular destinations, at least in good weather.
Responses have been coming in and we’re excited to share our next several destinations.
Two helpful links before we jump in:
Our ROC Easy Bike map – the easy ways to bike around the area. Many of the zoomed out maps below couldn’t label every street along the way. You’ll get your answers here.
Most of the following maps incorporate the growing Bike Boulevard network. Reading this recent deep dive on the bike boulevards is highly recommended before proceeding.
ROCHESTER’S CITY-RUN PUBLIC MARKET
Our award winning public market is one of the most popular destinations in the area, especially on Saturday mornings. The parking lots are extremely congested but one doesn’t have to worry about that at all when biking there. There is ample bike parking throughout the complex and as long as you have a way to haul what you buy, biking is probably the easiest and most convenient way to get to and from for nearby residents. The City’s bike boulevard network takes riders to the Market comfortably from all four directions. If you haven’t checked it out, definitely enroll in their bicycle incentive program: “Each time you ride a bike to a regular Market shopping day or free-admission special event, you can enter drawings for Market Gift Tokens!”
EAST AVE WEGMANS
Let’s be very clear: University & East Avenues’ intersections with Winton Road need to be made bike-friendly. In the meantime, many folks have easy access to Wegmans via Harvard Street, Colby Street and the bike/ped bridge over 490. From the north, access is pretty easy via the University (north side) and Winton (west side) sidewalk. Though sidewalk riding is not generally advisable, it tends to be fine in instances like this – short, finite stretches with few conflict points. Bike parking at Wegmans is the best! Right up in the front.
*Remember to use the ROC Easy Bike map for more detail on these routes!
THE FREDERICK DOUGLASS GREATER ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Thanks Doug Kelley for this entry. Unlike so many airports, Rochester’s is quite close to downtown; very bikeable! Brooks Avenue, as it’s currently configured, is uncomfortable to bike on but there’s another way to access the airport by bike. Just take the Genesee Valley Greenway southbound from the Genesee Valley Sports Complex (131 Elmwood Ave). There’s a traffic light that helps you cross Scottsville Road to E Airport Road, which is very low traffic and overall bike-friendly. The main parking garage has multiple bike racks, which many riders have found secure. Whereas car parking is $12 per day, bike parking there is free! Granted, biking to depart for a flight isn’t for everybody, but it can be done, especially if packing lightly. Furthermore, access to the airport isn’t just for airline passengers. The airport is an employment hub and many employees can use this way to bike to work in an easy manner, especially if they live in the 19th Ward, South Wedge or West Brighton.
PITTSFORD PLAZA AND WHOLE FOODS
As we explored in this 2021 blog, the newly improved Auburn Trail makes it super easy (and downright delightful!) to bike to Pittsford Plaza, Whole Foods – heck, even the PGA when they’re in town. Getting there does require biking on Highland Ave for a tiny bit. Most riders can bike on Highland over 590 with no trouble. Once past Clover, there are multiple lights and crosswalks that allow you to cross Monroe to visit destinations such as Barnes & Noble and Trader Joes.
NAZARETH (AND ST JOHN FISHER TOO!)
Thanks Tim Franz for this entry. Similar to the map above, if you go just a bit further along the Auburn Trail past Pittsford Plaza, you’ll come to French Road. A nice sidepath there takes you straight to Nazareth University. St John Fisher is just a short ride along East Avenue, which has shoulders.
In our climate, most people ride bikes in the Spring, Summer and Fall and that’s okay! When the cycling scene slows down in November, our cycling Instagram account would go almost completely dark for several months. The thought struck us in 2019 that we could use that season to feature guest contributions from area cyclists. It would be a fun way to celebrate biking in Rochester. Contributors could give us a glimpse of their biking lifestyle, what it means to them, what got them into riding, their favorite places to ride and groups to ride with, etc. It’s become a neat way for cyclists who bike in different ways for different reasons to find commonality.
The #ROCbyBike series has been a hit! To see our recap of the first three seasons, read here.
We are proud to present below consolidated stories of our contributors from season 4. We hope it inspires you to get out and ride!
Ronnie McCrea
“Several years ago, I ran into an old friend who enjoyed bike riding and after several not-too-subtle hints, she convinced me to purchase a bike so we could ride together. The rest is history! I had no idea there were so many trails. Riding my bike allows me to clear my mind. An added benefit is an opportunity to exercise because as I age, I want to be more active. Participating in the Flower City Feeling Good bike rides on Wednesdays with Reconnect Rochester and EE Pathways has introduced me to a great group of people. It amazes me how diverse this group is with young, old, beginners and true cyclists. The best part of riding with the group is riding through the city, kids joining in, and drivers cheering us on by honking their horns. I am so happy I was reintroduced to one of my childhood favorite pastimes – riding my bike.”
(six posts Nov 11-23, 2022)
Lori Burch
“It wasn’t until the arrival of grandchildren that I got back on a bike. Part of cycling is inherently social. Riding with various bike groups since then helped me to improve my skills, to find new places to ride, and led to making so many new friendships! We have so many beautiful, quiet, country roads to ride on in our area, along with many wonderful nature trails. Riding helps me shed whatever worries and stresses I might be carrying and puts my soul back at peace! Miles in these locations are indeed my meditation!”
-(seven posts Nov 25-Dec 7, 2022)
Barry Cherney
“Spontaneous ride on a hot Summer eve. I start out aimless, go where I please. The sun beckons me to get a shot. So to the bay I pedal, aimless I’m not. To the point I ride, swift of pedal. Rubber rolling, gears of metal. Will I make it in time, the sun is sinking. Faster I go, faster I’m thinking. I look over my shoulder to see the sphere. Lower it gets, miss it I fear. I make the spot, I beat the sun. I get the shot, this ride was fun.”
(eight posts Dec 9-22, 2022)
Arlene Sankey
“My parents couldn’t afford to buy a car when they moved to the USA from Taiwan. My mom rode around a lot. I was a super-avid child rider but got back into it as an adult to improve my health. One day, I saw an article in the D&C about the City Recreation Department’s Flower City Feeling Good Bike Rides. This inspired me because I realized how much I had missed all the fun bike rides from my youth. I wanted to go out and have new adventures. To try something different. This is where I first met Richard DeSarra as a bicycle tour guide. Later I decided to form the Deaf Group bike rides for all variety speed levels in ASL (American Sign Language). In doing so, I was able to create a positive and safe environment for not only all Deaf riders but also for our hearing allies as well.”
(eight posts Dec 23, 2022-Jan 5, 2023)
Alexa Harding
“Cycling is my FAVORITE thing in the world to do! I’ve been cycling since 2007 (which is also the year I moved to Rochester) so my love of this city is directly related to my love of cycling in and around the city! I enjoy the multiple mountain bike legal parks within an hour of driving (with 2 being in the city limits), the network of bike paths and rail trails available to us, the numerous bike shops in the area, and the community of cyclists I’ve gotten to know over my past 15 years of living here. It seems that every time I hop on my bike, I run into a friend! I also enjoy biking to the Public Market on occasion, spinning into the city to grab coffee or for an event such as the Twilight Crit, and I’ve been known to ride my bike to the local yarn shop to buy a skein of yarn for my latest knitting project. I even met my boyfriend on a group ride! So it’s safe to say that cycling has infiltrated every aspect of my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way!”
(six posts Jan 6-18, 2023)
Kadie Tower
“I am Deaf with other disabilities including Sacral Agenesis and Klippel-Feil syndrome. I am proud of my rare condition from birth. I loved to ride a bike until I had spine discomfort. In 2022, I got my first handcycle from a grant award. I love it! Handcycling is more arms with the upper body and less pressure on the spine. I love riding on the old Erie Canal Trail. I appreciate its beautiful history. My favorite places to ride are Ontario Beach Park and Turning Point Park.”
(eight posts Jan 20-Feb 2, 2023)
Lee Lejnieks
“I really started riding when I was 8 years old. I had a D&C paper route. Haven’t stopped riding.
Any weather. Everywhere. Ride for fun. Ride for transportation. Ride to work. Ride. Let it rip.
oh — Never trust cars. Ever. Use lights. There are little hidden trails, roads, paths, find them. The canal path, no cars, and it gets you anywhere. Livestrong!!!”
(six posts Feb 3-16, 2023)
Greg Torres
“We are new to the area and just made Rochester our permanent home. What got me into biking as a child was simply the adventure factor. I think being on a bicycle is the closest thing to feeling like you have wings with the freedom to go wherever you want. This is especially true now with my kids: I want them to remember childhood experiences of discovery and freedom that biking gives you. We love riding along the Genesee Riverway Trail to Upper and Lower Falls. What exists below that bridge on Driving Park is amazing. I love how you can loop around and see a rose garden and a waterfall all within a half mile of the trail. Biking is also practical: grocery runs, riding with my daughter to guitar practice, Rochester Red Wings games, the Genesee Brew House, the Lilac Festival, etc.”
(six posts Feb 17-Mar 1, 2023)
Joanna Prescott
“Riding on the roads never felt very comfortable to me but gravel biking looked like fun so I got one and the rest, as they say, is history. I was lucky enough to find the Just For Giggles, Wheel Women of Tryon and @rar.fingerlakes cycling groups. I’m the founder of the Rochester chapter of @the.gravel.collective. The Gravel Collective’s mission is to build a gravel community that centers underrepresented groups that may identify as queer, women, trans, non-binary, indigenous, black, people of color, and para-athletes. Our goal is to make gravel cycling more accessible for all. We have social rides every month and we’d love to see some new faces! We have a lot of great places to ride in and around the Rochester area. My favorite routes often include the Erie Canalway Trail, Genesee Riverway Trail, the Auburn and Lehigh Valley trails. For road rides, I really enjoy riding around the Finger Lakes and last year I completed the Bike the Finger Lakes 11 Challenge.”
(six posts Mar 3-15, 2023)
James Gilbert
“I was born and raised near 12 corners in Brighton and biked to school from 6th grade through Senior year. That carried right into biking to class at SUNY Oswego. Biking was so integral to my life, I didn’t even get my driver’s license until I turned 20! When I started working at Channel 8, I first lived in Neighborhood of the Arts, then North Winton Village: Just a few miles ride into work. I saved many gallons of gas as I biked to and from the studio everyday. Now in Fairport I put hundreds of miles on my bike riding through Egypt, Mendon, and Perinton. I now bike while towing my son Mason to the playground and along the Canal. He begs to go every time he sees his bike.”
(five posts Mar 17-29, 2023)
Jena Cinanni
“I got into biking in college after meeting people involved in Rochester Bike Kids (RBK). We went on a weekly ride and had amazing bonfires and scavenger hunt events. I also got into some road riding with a local ladies group when I worked at Towpath. I would ride the canal to commute and participate in the breast cancer event. These days I mostly ride the local mountain trails. I like the solace of nature and flowing through the trees. I get to practice technical stuff and try new skills. The way I look at it, any biking is good biking. Becoming a bike kid (RBK), and now bike adult (LOL) has led me to meet some of the best people of my life. I hope everyone finds joy on two wheels.”
(five posts Mar 31-Apr 18, 2023)
Marita Smith
“When I was a teen and into my young adult years, I rode my bike a lot, especially over to the 19th Ward where many friends from school lived. Once I was in my 30s, I gave up regular biking. About 5 years ago, I was listening to the radio and I heard an interview about the organization, @blackgirlsdobike. They mentioned local chapters and I thought “No way does Rochester have a chapter”. I was pleasantly surprised that there is a local chapter and they are active. I finally attended an event and I haven’t looked back since. Not only was my love of biking reignited, I met a new sisterhood and an entire biking community! Through biking, I even reconnected with two friends I haven’t seen since the 8th grade.”
(three posts Apr 21-28, 2023)
If you’re interested in sharing your story for our 2024-25 #ROCbyBike series, reach out to Jesse at cycling@reconnectrochester.org.*
*Diversity is important to us. So, it may take a while to fit you in the queue so we can make spots for other voices.
By: Rob Sliker President, Genesee Regional Off-road Cyclists
The Irondequoit Bay Park System is a natural gem within Monroe County, providing residents access to some of the region’s most beautiful and diverse landscapes. Yet, despite their value, these parks remain underutilized by many who would benefit most. The reason? Each park exists in isolation, with fragmented and informal trails that don’t offer the continuity needed for a comprehensive outdoor experience. We have the opportunity to advocate for the parks to be interconnected by professionally constructed trails that provide seamless off-road connectivity to cyclists for both recreation and active transportation.
Imagine a future where everyone—beginners, families, adaptive users with disabilities—can easily access and enjoy these spaces through a well-planned, connected trail network.
This vision extends beyond recreation; it’s about building resilience to climate change by giving people more access to green spaces and sustainable transportation options. The recently adopted Monroe County Community-Wide Climate Action Plan emphasizes the need for climate adaptation, and trails can be a key part of this effort. By enabling people to use trails for transportation between destinations, we reduce carbon emissions while promoting a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Currently, many trails within the Irondequoit Bay Park System cater primarily to seasoned outdoor enthusiasts. However, these trails are often “social trails”—organic paths not designed with accessibility or sustainability in mind. As a result, these parks can feel out of reach for beginners, families, or those with disabilities. To serve the entire community, we need inclusive trails—wider beginner trails, well-maintained and suitable for all, from adaptive bikes to beginner cyclists. In addition, having designated learning areas with gentle grades will allow beginners to explore at their own pace. Accessible facilities like bike parks, lodges, and rest rooms are also key. Imagine adaptive equipment rentals, making it possible for individuals with mobility challenges to experience the full joy of outdoor activities. This level of inclusivity will allow the parks to serve a diverse range of users, turning them into spaces where everyone feels welcome.
Connectivity
Equally important is connectivity. The goal isn’t just more trails but a cohesive, well-designed network linking all the parks. With professional sustainable trail design, we can minimize environmental impact, avoid sensitive habitats, and reduce erosion, all while creating arteries that connect the parks. For example, trails can be carefully routed to avoid wetlands and constructed using eco-friendly materials that blend seamlessly into the natural landscape. These trails can do more than provide recreation—they can act as vital corridors that help protect local wildlife by offering less disruptive routes for human activity. This thoughtful approach preserves both the environment and the experience, ensuring that future generations can enjoy these green spaces.
Additionally, these trails can serve as critical connectors within the community, not just between parks but between neighborhoods, schools, and local businesses. By integrating the park system into the fabric of the surrounding area, we can encourage active transportation—walking, biking, and other non-motorized travel. These trails become more than just recreational; they provide safe, scenic routes for daily commuting or local errands, reducing car dependency and contributing to a healthier, more sustainable community.
Implementation
Let’s explore a practical example of what this future vision could look like. Imagine starting from the “Mind the Gap Season 3 Submission #4” trail near Route 104, where users can head south toward Norton Street. From there, the path seamlessly connects into Homewood Road, leading you to Bay Park West. As you continue, the trail links into Tryon Park, offering the option to exit at Tryon Road or continue south. The trails then extend further, reaching Browncroft Boulevard, where users can access Lucien Morin Park. From here, you can either circle back north toward Empire Boulevard or push onward into Ellison Park, with access points at Blossom and Penfield Roads. This interconnected system would transform how residents and visitors explore these green spaces, enhancing accessibility, connectivity, and community engagement.
The vision for the Irondequoit Bay Park System is clear: a future where these parks are accessible to all, thoughtfully designed to protect our environment, and interconnected to maximize their value to the community. But achieving this vision requires your support. Whether participating in the Monroe County trails study, advocating for responsible development, or joining local organizations supporting these changes, you can help make this future a reality.
Together, we can ensure that the Irondequoit Bay Park System thrives as a space where everyone connects with nature, enjoys outdoor recreation, and preserves our green spaces for generations to come.
Make your voice heard and provide your feedback through the Irondequoit Bay Park Trail User Study by Monroe County Parks:
At Reconnect, we’re always working to improve mobility access in our community. Sign up for Mobility Action Alerts for tangible advocacy and volunteer opportunities involving transportation, safe streets, and bike infrastructure.
For fun on socialmediathis year, Reconnect Rochester posed the following question: What’s a destination, that at first glance, would seem quite difficult & stressful to bike to, but is actually pretty easy *IF* you use a certain route, probably an unintuitive approach or easily overlooked back way? (Definitely not the way you’d drive there). Over the course of this series we hope to inspire and equip more folks to bike to popular destinations, at least in good weather.
Responses have been coming in and we’re excited to share our next destination: Parcel 5 and downtown, which are deserving of their own deep dive.
Photo courtesy of Bryan Agnello
Some helpful links before we jump in:
The map below around downtown largely incorporates the growing Bike Boulevard network. Reading this recent blog on the bike boulevards is highly recommended before proceeding.
Our ROC Easy Bike map shows the easiest ways for newer/younger riders to bike and scoot around the area. Riders who’ve developed their skills aren’t constrained to the lines on that map. Want to increase your biking know-how and confidence? Take one of our classes sometime.
It has to be said: At the moment, the easy ways to access downtown and Parcel 5 by bike are quite limited.
More and more bike lanes are being added to Main Street over time, which is great. However, what’s been installed so far at the time of this writing doesn’t meet the criteria for riders of all ages and abilities. Main Street between Goodman and Union is built like a gun barrel (an inappropriate design for a road in any city’s heart) and the bike lanes there badly need protection.
Westbound as you approach downtown, there’s the stressful turn-off to the Inner Loop cyclists have to navigate, and as you head further into downtown on Main, the bike lanes between University and Scio are routinely blocked by parked cars. There are no westbound bike lanes from Franklin to Plymouth (except for over the Genesee). At present, there are no eastbound bike lanes on Main Street from Scott Alley to Aqueduct Street.
Furthermore, it’s unfortunate that the northeast side is bereft of decently comfortable bike connections to downtown. Crossing Inner Loop North on St Paul, Clinton, Joseph, North St, or Union is uncomfortable for most riders.
But don’t despair! Five transformational projects are in store that will change the game in coming years:
With the removal of Inner Loop North and the restoration of the surface grid, intersections can be reconfigured and hopefully the Union Street cycle track can wrap around to Innovative Field.
The gradual building of the ideal Bike Spine Network envisioned in the City’s 2023 Active Transportation Plan. As the Plan clearly states, only protected bike lanes will hit the mark: “It is essential that bike lanes be separated from traffic on high-speed streets that carry a lot of traffic” [along this spine network].
So in the future, we have every hope that bike riders of all ages and abilities will be able to access downtown in ways that are obvious, intuitive, direct, safe and comfortable (no secret backways required!).
In the meantime, here is how we think the average bike and scooter rider can access Parcel 5 without too much trouble.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TRACY STREET
Boy oh boy. Thank goodness for Tracy Street. It’s the only decently comfortable bike connection from the direction of Park Ave and Brighton. After Tracy Street, cross to the sidewalk on the other side of Alexander when the way is clear. Bike north on the sidewalk just a bit and take Chapman Alley west to Union. Yes, Tracy Street is technically one-way traffic eastbound for a tiny stretch, but you’re probably fine biking westbound along it (bike on the sidewalk for a few seconds if you want a clear conscience). We’re hoping the City makes it both ways for cyclists, like you see in the below New York City example (right).
THE WESTSIDE BIKE/PED BRIDGE OVER 490
This bridge grants pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders easy downtown access from the 19th Ward, Mayor’s Heights and Corn Hill.
THE PORTION OF THE GENESEE RIVERWAY TRAIL ALONG PLYMOUTH
A curious detour of the Genesee Riverway Trail, a vestige of the never-quite completed “Plymouth Avenue Greenway,” runs alongside the Plymouth sidewalk between 490/Utah Alley and Allen Street. More or less a north/south cycletrack, albeit less distinct. While bicycling on downtown sidewalks is generally discouraged, bikes are allowed on this “trail” section of the Plymouth sidewalk.
*Remember to use the ROC Easy Bike map for more detail on these routes!
BROAD STREET
Broad Street doesn’t have dedicated infrastructure along its entirety downtown, but it’s plenty wide, tends to have low traffic volumes and slow speeds, and most folks are capable of biking along it just fine. Take “The Grove at Midtown” cut through below (in between Unwine’d and Dice Versa) to access Parcel 5 from the south. Just go leisurely and be polite, yielding to pedestrians.
THE NORTHWEST BIKE BOULEVARD NETWORK
The Bike Boulevard Network through Maplewood, Edgerton and Brown Square grants very easy bike access from the northwest. This allows riders to bike parallel to Lake Ave without biking on Lake Ave itself (thank goodness!). For the tiny stretch of Plymouth that’s one way northbound (Lyell to Morrie Silver Way), use Verona instead or just hop on the sidewalk briefly.
IN SUM
Whether it’s biking downtown for Fringe or the Jazz Festival, a movie at Parcel 5, a fireworks display, RDDC’s Midday Bash, the Central Library, a hockey or lacrosse game at Blue Cross Arena, or enjoying one of downtown’s many great dining establishments, we hope the routes above get you there relatively stress-free by bike. In the future, because of the many investments being made, you’ll have more direct, obvious and comfortable options. We have a lot to look forward to!
Car Lite Rochester is a blog series that highlights the stories of Rochesterians living a car-lite lifestyle. The term “car lite” encompasses a variety of multimodal transportation lifestyles, featuring little dependence (but not NO dependence) on a car. It typically looks like sharing one car within a household or only using a car when absolutely necessary.
So, we hope you’ll continue to follow along. Maybe you will be inspired to join our bloggers in living a car-lite lifestyle!
For most of my adult life, I got around using the default transportation mode in America: a car. I didn’t own a bike as an adult and never thought about using the bus. I was perfectly content to drive my Honda Fit to wherever I needed to go.
Then, in the spring of 2019, I had a seizure while walking out into a parking lot after a workout. I grew up with epilepsy, but it was well-controlled and I hadn’t had a seizure in about a decade. As I regained consciousness and the EMTs began loading me up into the ambulance, my mind quickly focused on one thing: not the ambulance bill I was going to get or the fact that I just had a seizure again, but that I wouldn’t be allowed to drive for at least 6 months.
You see, when someone has a seizure in New York State, they lose their driving privileges for 6-12 months until their neurologist and the DMV Medical Review Board clear them. I had to go through this once before when I was in high school and I remember how frustrating it was to lose my independence suddenly and be reliant on others for rides.
That’s what I was scared of: losing my independence to get around because I relied solely on my car for transportation. That’s why this is called “car dependency.”
I lived alone, so my mind was suddenly flooded with questions like:
How will I get to work?
How will I get groceries or run errands?
How will I see friends and family?
The options seemed to be:
Get a bike and a use the bus
Depend on friends, family and Uber/Lyft to chauffeur me around
Be stuck at home for 6-12 month
I chose to get a bike and a bus pass.
Adapting to Life Without a Car
The Importance of Walkable Neighborhoods One thing that helped a lot is that I live in a walkable neighborhood in Rochester, the North Winton Village. I didn’t fully appreciate the importance of a walkable neighborhood until I wasn’t allowed to drive.
I live about a mile from Wegmans, walking distance to where I worked at the time (Carlson Cowork), and near plenty of shops, restaurants, and parks. This made a huge difference. Life would’ve been much more challenging if I had lived in the car-dependent suburbs.
Getting around by bike Soon after the seizure, I went to my local bike shop and bought my first bike as an adult, a Trek FX3, which I still ride today. I also made sure to get a bike rack and a set of panniers so that I could carry cargo like groceries (more on that later).
At first, riding my bike on the road around cars was nerve-racking. However, I was lucky enough to find out about Reconnect Rochester’s On-Bike Smart Cycling Class taught by Jesse Peers where I learned how to ride safely on city streets. After taking the class, I was surprised at how much more confident and comfortable I felt biking through Rochester. I highly recommend it!
Getting around with the bus Besides my bike, I began using the bus more regularly to get to doctor appointments and other trips that were too far away or inconvenient to bike. Although the bus was not as convenient as a car, it was nice not to have to do the actual driving in traffic and I could sit and read.
It’s also really easy to combine a bike and the bus with the nifty bike rack on the front of the bus. Or you can bring your scooter. This adds a lot more flexibility to using the bus and it extends the range of a bike, especially on corridors where it’s unsafe to ride. For example, I recently had to go BayTowne Plaza from the city. Instead of biking on Empire Boulevard and putting my life at risk next to four lanes of 60 mph traffic, I rode my bike from my house to Empire Boulevard and took the bus the rest of the way.
Managing Challenges
Busy Roads Early on, I used Google Maps to map out a route to bike on. This would often give me a route that was shortest, but that also included busy roads that were very stressful to ride on, especially with all the giant SUVs and pickups these days.
At the Smart Cycling class, I learned about Reconnect Rochester’s Low-Stress Bike map and the Bike Boulevard Network. These tools helped me plan out a safe, comfortable bike route to get where I needed to go.
For example, riding downtown for me includes a lovely ride down Harvard St.
Groceries I thought getting groceries would be a big challenge without a car, but I quickly realized that a bike is fully capable of carrying a load of groceries. With a set of panniers, I can carry two fully loaded grocery bags with room on top of the rack for more. It’s also easy to hook up a small trailer to carry more and e cargo bikes are becoming more popular options as well.
When I didn’t ride my bike for groceries, it was easy enough to take the bus. I found the bus more convenient than I expected to get to Wegmans, as long as I didn’t stay too long and miss the bus on the way back!
That’s all to say: Good News Everyone! You don’t need an F-250 to get groceries!
Weather The weather also wasn’t as much of a challenge as I had expected. I try to avoid riding during a downpour, personally, but if the roads are wet or it’s only raining lightly, bike fenders and some rain gear go a long way.
Even in the winter, the roads are usually snow-free most of the time. Also, cold weather isn’t as bad as you’d think on a bike, as long as you have the right gear, like pogies to keep your hands warm. Even if it’s chilly out, riding a bike naturally warms you up with the exercise.
In the summer, the challenge sometimes is hot, humid weather. Riding at a leisurely pace helps, but it can be a challenge if I need to arrive somewhere and I don’t want to be all sweaty. This is where e-bikes have an advantage over regular bikes.
Bus Routes A main challenge with taking the bus was that I often needed to make a connection through the Transit Center. This was compounded with the fact that bus headways were often 30 minutes apart or more. Together, this meant that the travel time could be an hour or more by bus instead of a simple 15 minute drive by car. A short errand could take half a day on a bus.
However, if the bus route is convenient, it’s a great way to get to where you need to go. Just use the Transit app to easily see what bus you need to take and buy a bus pass on your phone!
Transitioning to Car-Lite Living and Lessons Learned
Overall, I was able to maintain my independence during those six months thanks to my bike and the bus. After about 6-months, I was cleared to drive again.
These days, I’d say I’m “car-lite.” I get around by bike if I can, but I drive when I need to go somewhere farther away or when the weather is bad and I just don’t feel like biking (that’s OK, too!). In case I have a seizure in the future (a very real possibility), I want to live a lifestyle that’s not dependent on driving everywhere.
[8/29/24 edit: Welp, unfortunately, I did have another seizure last week. Looks like I jinxed myself writing this. In the future, I’ll have to write an update about Car-Free Living Round 2!]
I learned a number of good lessons during this period
1 – The Benefits of Traveling by Bike
First, I realized so many unexpected benefits from riding a bike for transportation, which is why I still ride my bike to get around today. Some key benefits:
Being more active and enjoying the health benefits
Feeling more connected to the community as I bike through it
Improved mental well-being – I always feel better if I get somewhere by bike than by sitting in a car
A major lesson I learned is how important transportation resilience is. If you’re solely reliant on driving for everything, having a car breakdown, a medical issue leaving you unable to drive, or aging out of driving can be a major life challenge. For this reason alone, I think it’s important, both on a personal level and societal level, to make sure different transportation options are available. Just in case.
3 – The Inadequacy of Rochester’s Transportation System for Non-drivers 24% of Rochester households don’t have access to a car, but Rochester’s transportation system is built around the assumption that everyone has a personal automobile and can drive. This largely ignores the transportation needs of non-drivers; people who also need to get around to live life.
When driving was taken away from me as an option, I realized how difficult our city makes it for non- drivers in our community to get around. The main issues I personally noticed were:
Inadequate public transit: too infrequent, lack of connectivity, and lack of amenities like benches and shelters
Lack of a safe, connected network of comfortable bike lanes
Not enough safe crosswalks and crosswalks spaced too far apart
Roads built for moving cars fast at the expense of safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, kids, and other drivers
Signs of Improvement
Despite the challenges for non-drivers, I am excited about the steady progress and improvement I’ve seen in Rochester since 2019.
A (literally) concrete example of this progress is the reconstruction of E. Main between Culver and Goodman, which includes comfortable cycle paths, traffic calming measures, pedestrian islands, and crosswalks. Now, I bike it almost weekly to shop at the Public Market. Yes, bike lanes are good for business!
Reconnect Rochester has been integral to improving transportation options in Rochester and Monroe County. This work is important so that transportation is less of an obstacle for daily living.
Join Reconnect Rochester in making our city and county more livable by expanding transportation options:
Sign up for Mobility Action Alerts to stay in the loop with opportunities of how to advocate for safer streets, bicycle infrastructure, and transportation options
Be part of the change happening in Rochester by getting “multi-modal” yourself and riding a bike, taking the bus, walking, or rolling for your next trip!
At Reconnect, we’re inspired by the stories of people in our community, like Robert Picciotti, Calvin Eaton and Yamini Karandikar, who are passionate about living a car-lite or car-free lifestyle.
Let us know if you want to share your mobility story! What’s in it for you? The intrinsic reward of knowing you’ve inspired others, and a free t-shirt from our online shop! Contact Chaz to submit your story.
For fun on socialmediathis year, Reconnect Rochester posed the following question: What’s a destination, that at first glance, would seem quite difficult & stressful to bike to, but is actually pretty easy *IF* you use a certain route, probably an unintuitive approach or easily overlooked back way? (Definitely not the way you’d drive there). Responses have been coming in and we’re excited to start showing you some of the answers. Hopefully this will inspire and equip some folks to bike to popular destinations, at least in good weather. Of course, over time, as the City and County’s Active Transportation Plans are implemented, we hope the ways to bike to popular destinations are obvious, intuitive, safe and comfortable for riders of all ages and abilities (no secret backways required!).
Two helpful links before we dive in:
Most of the following maps incorporate the growing Bike Boulevard network. Reading this recent deep dive on the bike boulevards is highly recommended before proceeding.
Our ROC Easy Bike map – the easy ways to bike around the area. Many of the zoomed out maps below couldn’t label every street along the way. You’ll get your answers here.
THE SENECA PARK ZOO
Our wonderful zoo is right beside the Genesee Riverway Trail, El Camino Trail, the beautiful bike/pedestrian bridge connecting Maplewood & Seneca Parks, and delightful neighborhood bikeways in Irondequoit. There is a bike rack at the main entrance. Hopefully someday, the Seneca Trail north of the zoo will lead all the way to Lake Ontario on the east side of the Genesee River.
MONROE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
It’s been a common complaint for years: Monroe Community College, our area’s largest institute of learning, is very uncomfortable to get to by bike. Though bike lanes have been installed on East Henrietta Road from Westfall south to 390, the bridge over 390 can be terrifying. Good news though: The Town of Brighton is developing a Multiversity Plan for an accessible, off-road, and multi-use trail system connecting the campuses of the University of Rochester, MCC, and RIT! In the meantime, there’s an easy, though unintuitive way to approach MCC from the northwest. It incorporates the Lehigh Valley Trail’s north branch, Whipple Park, West Brighton and Corporate Woods.
INNOVATIVE FIELD FOR ROCHESTER RED WINGS GAMES
Biking is the best way to get to a Red Wings game! The Pont de Rennes bridge (scheduled to reopen in November) grants bike/ped access directly from the east. There’s plenty of bike racks at both Innovative Field entrances and security is there during games. When the game ends, you’ll be most of the way home before most attendees get out of the congested parking lots nearby.
*Remember to use the ROC Easy Bike map for more detail on these routes!
RIT & LOVIN’ CUP
At least from the north, RIT and Lovin’ Cup are easy to bike to thanks to the Lehigh Valley Trail’s north branch – a bicycle superhighway along an old railroad bed.
TINSELTOWN & GATES HOME DEPOT
File this in the “This ride isn’t for everybody, but it’s probably way easier than you think” category. From Corn Hill, Cinemark Tinseltown & the Gates Home Depot are only 6.5 miles away by bike. Bike lanes are coming to West Main Street. In the meantime, there are bike boulevards parallel to West Main that take you to the Canal and under 390, which isn’t too bad compared to many other highway underpasses. Hinchey and Pixley get you the rest of the way there. Tinseltown has a well placed bike rack. Furthermore, if you want, you can take Loderdale and Brooklea, which parallel Hinchey and are a breeze to bike along.
I adore biking. I have always preferred it to driving. I spent most of my adult life car-free or car-lite until my wife and I had kids. Then I started driving all the time to take them to daycare because I didn’t feel safe traveling with my infant on a bicycle. After a few years, they were toddlers and I finally felt comfortable returning to bicycle commuting.
I opted to transport them in a Burley Bee bike trailer so my kids could sit side by side instead of adding seats to my bike and potentially putting too much weight on the bike frame itself. It’s lightweight, user-friendly, and comfortable to use. I did worry about visibility because the trailer is low to the ground so I got two flags to put on the trailer. They are bright orange with high visibility reflective stripes.
I took my kids on a few practice rides and words cannot express the joy I felt sharing the bicycle experience with them. On a sunny day, you don’t need to roll your windows down to enjoy the weather because you’re already outside. We say hi to our neighbors. We hear kids playing. We can observe the flowers and gardens by peoples homes. We are a part of our environment.
The other day I heard my son in the trailer saying, “Happy. Sad. Mad. Mad. Sad. Happy. Sad.” and I realized he was observing the facial expressions of people in their cars. He said sad and mad a lot and it got me thinking about how dehumanizing it is to be stuck in a car. If someone cuts you off, you feel rage. You don’t think about them as a person. You just see the big machines that you both have to operate. You’re angry because you could have easily been hurt. Driving is a very high stakes activity.
This is especially clear when we see the remnants of car crashes, which are everywhere. Crashes are cleaned up quickly to keep traffic flowing. You don’t really notice the evidence when you drive by but it’s easy to see the bits of broken window and smaller plastic bits when you’re on a bicycle. Being on a bicycle is a constant reminder of how we have normalized road violence with a street design that prioritizes speed above all else.
With this in mind, I worked out the best route to bike to daycare. Fortunately I could bypass Monroe Avenue (which in Brighton is a high speed, four lane stroad) by cutting through neighborhood streets. From there I went on the sidewalk on Elmwood Avenue. I am thrilled that the town of Brighton added a bike lane to Elmwood Avenue. When I bike on my own, I use it often. I just don’t like it with my little boys in a trailer. Ironically I had spent some time defending this bike lane on NextDoor neighborhood threads. I’m happy we have it, I’m just eager to keep improving bicycle access.
The final part of the journey is the one my wife and I spent the most time discussing and the part of the journey that makes me the most nervous. It is such a small yet very significant part of the journey. Just a couple hundred feet.
It involves crossing South Clinton Avenue at Elmwood. Intersections create a lot of variables. I have had minimal incidents and only two collisions in more than ten years of biking by assuming a driver doesn’t see me until I see eye contact or a signal from them. I have yielded several times despite having the right of way and I’m almost always correct that the driver did not see me. Sometimes they notice at the last second and seem startled or give an “I’m sorry” wave.
I am more annoyed with the road designs than the driver. I would like to see our roads designed with protected bike lanes and traffic calming measures to make it impossible to drive recklessly as opposed to relying on drivers to make the correct choice.
[EDIT: I have since begun avoiding this intersection by using Lac De Ville Blvd and turning on to Rue De Ville before crossing South Clinton. Thanks to Reconnect Rochester’s Easy Bike Map for the tip!]
Still, it has been a transformative experience for me as a parent. My boys love the bike trailer. The first day I dropped my 3 year old off at his classroom a few kids wanted to know why he had a helmet. He proudly told them he got there in a bike trailer. The kids started excitedly talking about their bicycles and their helmets that they have at home.
I rode him in the rain the next day. The Burley trailer has a great rain cover so he doesn’t get a drop of water on him. I have a good raincoat and I change my pants at work so it’s no big deal for me either. My brother who lives in the Netherlands says the parents there like to say, “Are you made of sugar? Why are you scared of a little water?”
Other parents at the daycare frequently comment on the trailer when we roll in. Some of them say “that loks nice!” or “I wish we could do that!” I’ve even shared bike trailer suggestions and safe route recommendations with other determined parents.
That’s what is so incredible about bicycle activism. I can talk about it for hours (and have!) but it doesn’t often resonate the same way as just witnessing the joy of little kids experiencing their community, or starting your day with an active outdoor experience rather than sitting in an expensive, noisy, isolated metal box. As I’ve seen from the last few months of biking my kids to daycare, the interest is there but most people just don’t think about it.
I firmly believe we should do anything we can to encourage parents to bike their kids to get around. It would even make things more pleasant for drivers since every bicycle is another car off the road thereby reducing traffic.
If we keep developing a comprehensive bicycle network we could reduce road deaths, create a more trusting and open community, reduce our environmental damage and even give parents a break from driving their kids everywhere when they get older and start activities and clubs. Imagine a bicycle network where 8 and 9 year olds could safely bike to and from school without adults. It’s possible and these communities exist. That could be us too. If we want it.
At Reconnect, we’re inspired by the stories of people in our community, like Chaz Goodman, Robert Picciotti and Yamini Karandikar, who are passionate about living a car-lite or car-free lifestyle.
Let us know if you want to share your mobility story! What’s in it for you? The intrinsic reward of knowing you’ve inspired others, and a free t-shirt from our online shop! Contact Jahasia to submit your story.
Well the peak biking season is upon us! That means it’s time for our annual Mind the Gap campaign! The Rochester area has seen an investment in bike infrastructure over the last dozen years, but often these investments are piecemeal and disconnected, thus of limited use to the average person on a bike.
Unite the scattered bike lanes.
This voting campaign is all about Reconnect Rochester’s push to connect investments. So we’re once again asking you, our audience: What obvious gaps in our bike network, if filled, would have the largest connectivity value for the greatest number of (current and would-be) riders?
The winning vote-getter in 2022 was Elmwood Avenue, which recently had bike lanes installed – the first for Monroe County DOT! Last year’s winner was Empire Boulevard around the head of Irondequoit Bay. We’re having ongoing conversations with NYSDOT about that stretch of road which needs vast improvement. The gap that receives the most votes this year will be declared the winner! Reconnect Rochester will give this segment special attention in our advocacy efforts. We’ll approach the municipality and the operator of the road (be it City, County or State) with our community support evidence in hand to help make the case that this is a crucial gap to fill.
Without further ado, we present to you the nominees for the 2024 Mind the Gap award:
Okay voters: we hear you! Brighton residents want to be able to bike from the Brickyard Trail and Buckland Park to Meridian Centre Park and the Erie Canal, but 590 stands in the way. Some dream of a bike/ped bridge over 590 (wouldn’t that be cool!), but this voting campaign is about short stretches and low-hanging fruit. Biking along Winton under 590 is way too uncomfortable for most bike riders. South Clinton, however, is more doable. How about protected bike lanes from Senator Keating Blvd to the parking lot beside the Canal? That’s only 4/10 of a mile.
Jurisdiction: Monroe County DOT
2.LEE ROAD CONNECTING ERIE CANAL TRAIL TO 390 TRAIL
Rochester’s west side is bereft of comfortable biking connections. It’s crucial that the 390 Trail and Erie Canal Trail be connected. A great start was made in 2022 with the new 390 Trail extension and Eastman Trail. Unfortunately, a NYSDOT project to construct a trail along Lee Rd from Ridgeway Ave to Trolley Blvd fell through. In the not too distant future, hopefully County DOT can give Lee Road a road diet and protect cyclists from that intimidating semi truck traffic. This stretch is 1.4 miles.
Jurisdiction: Monroe County DOT
3.BUFFALO ROAD BETWEEN HOWARD & TRABOLD
Biking westbound out of the City isn’t easy. The average rider won’t be comfortable biking on Brooks or Chili Ave with their current configurations. The good news however is that once you bike past the Canal & 390, there are some residential streets that get you further west in a low-stress manner. Buffalo Road at least has bike lanes & wide shoulders until you approach Howard. The biggest wall then becomes 490. There’s no other way around it: Buffalo Road needs to be made bike-friendly going under 490. How about protected bike lanes along the half-mile stretch from Wegman Road to Davy Drive? Easy residential cycling then gets you to TSE, the Gates Library and the Amazon Fulfillment Center.
Jurisdiction: NYSDOT
4.CROSSING 104 INTO IRONDEQUOIT
The easiest way to cross Route 104 by bike is via the El Camino Trail. But another low-stress route is needed to the east between Rochester and Irondequoit. Goodman and Culver are not friendly for cyclists. We see two options: Monroe County DOT makes the 104 underpass on Culver more bike-friendly, or the Town of Irondequoit explores this great trail idea put forth by Jack Rinaldo a couple years ago. Such a trail would only need to be half a mile long (!) and it would be transformative.
Jurisdiction: Monroe Co. DOT / Town of Irondequoit
5.TRAIL ALTERNATIVE TO 441
As area cyclists know, biking on 441 is not comfortable at all. Riding a bike from the City to Penfield and southward to East Rochester is quite the challenge. Penfield Road east of 490 isn’t awful. At least there are shoulders to ride in. When those shoulders disappear after Poplar Drive, there’s a sidewalk/market parking lot/sidewalk again on the north side that will get you very close to Panorama Plaza. Behind Panorama Plaza, there is a trail network that gets you all the way to Perinton’s Spring Lake Park. But alas, adults aren’t allowed to ride their bikes on Penfield Trails. Remedying this gap would require the town to update its code. Pedestrians and cyclists can coexist on those trails right?
Jurisdiction: Town of Penfield
6.DRIVING PARK AVENUE BRIDGE
The City is starting a study to find the best way to fill the gap in the Genesee Riverway Trail north of downtown. As it is now, St. Paul Street bike lanes take riders north to Brewer Street, where the trail resumes over Middle Falls. (The Avenue A bike boulevard gets you here from the east as well). Those who don’t want to descend into the gorge only to climb back up to Driving Park Ave can avoid the hills & stay on flat terrain by taking Carthage Drive and biking on the Driving Park Avenue Bridge for a tiny bit. There are bike lanes on the bridge but motorist speeds are very fast and it’s quite an intimidating experience. How about protected bike lanes on this bridge, or a two-way protected cycletrack on the south side that takes you to the crosswalk and newly installed RFFB?
Jurisdiction: City of Rochester
7.HYLAN DRIVE TO MARKETPLACE DRIVE
Parts of Henrietta (residential streets) are somewhat bikeable but 390 severs Henrietta in two. The north branch of the Lehigh Valley Trail is also severed in two. Perhaps someday Bailey Road, West Henrietta Road and Calkins will be made bike-friendly in order to really complete the trail’s north branch. But an easier lift would be giving Hylan Drive a road diet and really taking care to protect cyclists going over 390. Once a northbound cyclist gets to Marketplace Drive, they can veer off west or east for lower-stress biking. Where the trail ends at Calkins to Marketplace Drive is only 7/10 of a mile.
Jurisdiction: Monroe County DOT
8.EAST AVENUE WEGMANS
Biking to the East Avenue Wegmans and locking up your bike next to the front doors is often way more convenient than driving there and searching for a parking space. But Wegmans could certainly be more approachable by bike in each direction. From the southwest, cyclists can ride along the comfortable Norris Drive or Harvard Street bike boulevards to Colby. There are new bike lanes on East Ave but unfortunately they don’t get you all the way to Wegmans. Surely something can be done too to connect the Harvard/Colby bike boulevard to the bike boulevard across from Artisan Works on Marion Street. That bike boulevard parallels Winton and goes up to Tryon Park. Many voters complain of how uncomfortable Winton is going over 490. This whole can of worms area needs attention.
Jurisdiction: NYS DOT (East Avenue) and City of Rochester (Winton and Blossom)
9.THE JOSANA TRAIL
A critical connection the City intends to make someday is between the Colvin Street bike boulevard and the soccer stadium, where the Plymouth bike boulevard continues north all the way to Kodak Park. This is especially important as this area sees a lot of cyclist-motorist collisions. The intended connection is via the abandoned railroad tracks and would be called the JOSANA Trail. Things always get complicated when acquiring CSX right-of-way is involved, but if this gap wins the contest, perhaps it’ll give the City a sense of urgency in acquiring right of way and finding the funding to implement the planning work that’s already done. This segment of the trail is only a half mile.
Jurisdiction: City of Rochester
10.BETTER CONNECTION BETWEEN THE 390 AND LAKE ONTARIO TRAILS
Thanks to the new Eastman Trail and 390 Trail extension, Greece residents can bike along the 390 Trail almost to Mt Read Blvd, though the 390 Trail is in need of some serious maintenance. The 390 Trail goes all the way north to Janes Road, where some traffic negotiating is required. One has to take a left turn onto Island Cottage Road to where the Lake Ontario Trail starts. This little bit of shoulder riding is only half a mile between the two trails. The shoulders are quite wide but some all ages and abilities bike accommodations would be fantastic along that half-mile stretch.
The Rochester area is famous for its 20-minute commute. For driving that is. Reconnect Rochester is excited to ask a different question in this blog series: Where can you get within 20 minutes on a bike?
Presenting the seventh in a series of custom “bike shed maps.” For this next installment, we chose where Chili Avenue, Paul Road and Chili-Coldwater Road come together in Chili and are showing how far out in every direction you can get on a bike at a casual but steady pace of 10 miles per hour. This means that if you live anywhere in this green area, you can get to that intersection & its stores/workplaces within 20ish minutes on a bike. Thanks again to Brendan Ryan for his help putting this map together for us.
To get us familiar with this green territory in Chili, here’s Joe Osgood sharing his personal travel-by-bike experiences.
In 2022, I started “returning to the office” after a period of working remotely during the pandemic. I already lived a reasonable bike ride from work, so I decided to try bike commuting regularly. I soon found myself investing in some quality panniers – Ortlieb panniers are worth the price – for both work-commuting and getting groceries. As time has passed, I’ve evolved from a fair-weather commuter, to a rain-rider, to eventually getting studded bike tires for the winter – which I highly recommend! At this point, I’ve been living “car-lite” – tending to lean towards biking as my transportation choice unless there is some reason not to (such as time/distance or dangerous conditions). There are quite a few destinations around Chili I can reach in about a 20 minute bike ride, and I’m able to find routes that have minimal car traffic. I’ll share some of those routes below.
Chili Center
The Chili Wegmans is here, as well as Aldi and Target, and lots more. If you’re approaching from the east or northeast, the best way to approach Wegmans is to sneak in the Paul Rd entrance. It’s less busy than the Chili-Paul intersection, and you get closer to the bike rack between the pharmacy entrance and the main entrance (by the bottle return).
If you’re approaching from the west, you can take the sidewalk next to the car entrance down into the Target lot. These metal bars by the entrance to Target are probably meant for herding shopping carts inside, but they also make a great object to lock your bike to. Bike “parking spots” are often more convenient than car parking spots!
Or, skip the bike rack altogether and get yourself a folding bike you can take inside with you. I got a Tern Link D8 from Bert’s Bikes a few months ago and it has served me well so far. My Ortlieb panniers work fine with the rear rack. I recently installed the Tern Transit Rack so I can wheel it around while folded – a worthwhile investment.
Rochester Tech Park
The Rochester Tech Park used to be busy back in the day, but now it has very little car traffic and is actually great for biking – inside the Tech Park, that is. Unfortunately, the Tech Park is surrounded by “stroads”: Buffalo, Manitou, Elmgrove, and Rt 531. Rt 531 is a highway that forms a geographical barrier comparable to a river – Elmgrove and Manitou being the only nearby bridges crossing it.
The best way to get into the Tech Park by bike is to cross the busy “stroads” at a traffic light, particularly the one at Coldwater Rd. While Coldwater Rd has a moderate amount of traffic, it also has a decent-sized shoulder for most of its length.
To get to Coldwater Rd from Chili Center, most cars take Chili Center Coldwater Rd. While this is the shortest way, it’s also the busiest.
A much better option is to take the Paul Rd exit from Wegmans and immediately turn onto Grenell Dr. Go down Chili Ave briefly before turning into the St Pius X church parking lot, which connects to Chestnut Ridge Rd. Then take Fenton Rd to Westside Dr and finally onto Coldwater. It does make the trip 4 miles instead of 3.5, but it’s well worth it to be on quieter roads.
Buffalo Road Tops
The Buffalo Rd plazas on the other side of 490 have businesses like Tops, Home Depot, and Tinseltown.
Buffalo Rd here is an archetypical “stroad” – high traffic volume moving at dangerously high speeds. The least-stressful way to approach these plazas is via Pixley Rd. While Pixley Rd has a fair amount of traffic, it only has 3 lanes of car traffic instead of 6. It also has a wide shoulder for biking.
To get to Pixley, you could take Chili Ave. An alternative is to go through the parking lot of St Pius X church, as described above, and use Fenton to get to Westside Dr. Westside Dr has less car traffic than Chili Ave. Going the Westside Dr route adds an extra half mile to the trip (4.3 miles vs 3.9 miles).
Chili Walmart
The obvious way to get to Walmart from Chili Center is to take Chili Ave. As mentioned above, Chili Ave is okay for biking – at least between Grenell Dr and the intersection with Westside Dr. You could choose to take Fenton Rd and Westside Dr here, but that will add an extra half mile to the trip (4 miles vs 3.6).
Whichever way you go, you will eventually have to take Chili Ave east of the Westside Dr intersection. East of this intersection, Chili Ave becomes a much busier “stroad”. The sidewalks are the best option when biking this stretch of Chili Ave.
At some point, you will want to get to the sidewalk on the north side of the road. There is a sidewalk branching off this one that goes to Westgate Park, and you can take that sidewalk to avoid some busy intersections. Safely cross Howard Rd at a light, and you’ll arrive at Walmart.
Note: Last I checked, Walmart’s bike rack was rusted out and not trustworthy. Ensure you lock your bike to a secure object. I usually use the fence by the garden center.
City of Rochester
While outside of the 20-minute range, I will occasionally do longer rides into the city or across town. Usually such a route involves getting to the Erie Canal trail. Here’s two lower-stress routes to get there.
One option would be Chili Ave to Pixley to Hinchey. This route avoids the more stressful stretch of Chili Ave between Westside Dr and the Canal. Use caution on the last ¼ of a mile of this route when you are back on Chili Ave, as there are multiple slip lanes and busy intersections to cross. Once you get on the Canal trail, you can easily head east towards Genesee Valley Park and take a bike trail from there.
Another option is to take Paul Rd to the airport and then pick up the bike trail that parallels Scottsville Rd. Between Chili Center and the airport, Paul Rd is fairly quiet. It’s a little busier around the southern tip of the airport. The crosswalk at Paul Rd and Scottsville Rd was recently improved for better pedestrian safety. And the bike trail along Scottsville Rd is very pleasant to ride, between the river and trees (and the fire safety training grounds!).
Bicycle-Friendly Businesses in Monroe County: WomanTours
By: Karen Miltner
Bikes are good for businesses and their employees. Through the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) program, employers are recognized for their efforts to encourage a more welcoming atmosphere for bicycling employees, customers and the community.
With the aim of seeing more Monroe County employers give greater thought towards accommodating bike-riding employees and patrons, Reconnect Rochester is proud to shine a light on local businesses who’ve received the distinction of being named a Bicycle-Friendly Business.
First up: WomanTours, a women-only bike tour company headquartered in the Town of Brighton!
Although WomanTours has been in the bicycle touring business since 1995, it wasn’t until 2020 that our company applied for and earned recognition as a Gold Bicycle Friendly Business from the League of American Bicyclists, the advocacy organization that helps cyclists in the United States enjoy the benefits and opportunities of safe bicycling.
We were the first business in Monroe County to garner this distinction. And of course, we were thrilled to receive the Gold designation right out of the gate. Since then, three other businesses have received either Silver or Bronze Bicycle Friendly Business status. We hope there will be more. It’s also encouraging to know that several area colleges and universities, including University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology and Monroe Community College, are also on board.
WomanTours take our pledge to encourage a more welcoming atmosphere for bicycling employees, customers and the community seriously. Some of the resources that have helped us to achieve this:
We proactively selected an office with close access to the Erie Canalway, a major traffic-free bicycle commuting corridor. Then we worked with our landlord to install a bike rack and a shower.
Work dress code is always casual, making it easier to commute by bike.
There are plenty of bike pumps and tools on hand in case commuter bikes need a quick tune-up.
Safety is always our first priority when taking customers on tour, so our pre-tour literature and first-day orientation always prioritize defensive riding. In addition, our tour guides offer mechanical tutorials to our customers, teaching them how to change a flat and handle minor bike repairs.
Our company also likes to give back to the local and global bicycling community.
Each year, WomanTours donates proceeds from its Tanzania tour to globalbike, an organization that works to make bicycles accessible to women in rural Tanzania in order to improve their health and well-being. The company has so far donated more than $57,600 to globalbike.
Thanks to our annual Angel Fund Scholarship (supported by an anonymous benefactor), we have been able to offer dozens of women a chance to travel on select tours for free. Candidates are chosen based on need and suitability to the tours.
WomanTours donates older used bikes to R Community Bikes in Rochester, a service that refurbishes bikes for those who could otherwise not afford them. WomanTours also contributed old bikes to Dreambikes, a service that sells used bikes and trains youth to become bike mechanics. (DreamBikes no longer operates in Rochester).
Two of our five staff members in our Rochester office live close enough to commute regularly by bike into the office. One of them is President Jackie Marchand, who also serves as treasurer of Reconnect Rochester. But even those of us who live too far away to commute to work daily take advantage of WomanTours’ bike-friendly resources.
I, for example, live in Geneva, about 55 miles away (an hour by car, four hours by bike). Thanks to our flexible schedules, I work two consecutive days a week in the office, staying overnight in town so I can save a couple hours of driving (and more importantly, two hours of fuel and wear/tear on my car). The other three days of the week, I work from home and telecommute.
I am also able to keep a bicycle on premise. This enables me to ride to and from my overnight lodging. And if I need to run an errand during the work day, I will do so by bike whenever possible. Often, I take a ride during my lunch break or after my work day is over. All three options give me some much needed fresh air and exercise and are a huge reason why my stress levels don’t get out of whack. I know this perk makes me a much happier and more productive employee.
While WomanTours is in the business of providing cycling trips for women of all ages and capabilities, we know our impact goes far beyond a fun outdoor vacation. Our customers tell that our tours coax them to ride more year-round, not just for recreation and fitness, but also for errands, commuting and general well-being. They also let us know that our tours have made them better bike mechanics and safer riders. Lastly, a WomanTours experience has turned many of our customers into bicycling advocates and ambassadors, inspiring their friends, family and neighbors to hop on a bike and enjoy the ride.
WomanTours is a woman-owned and women-operated company that offers domestic and international bicycle tours for women. It is based in Rochester. For more information, go towww.womantours.com.
Ride and rally with us on Friday, May 3rd for the Ride for the Spine, a community ride to support building the Bike Spine Network envisioned in the City of Rochester and Monroe County Active Transportation Plans. Arrive between 2 pm and 2:15 pm at Genesee Valley Park Sports Complex to depart promptly at 2:30 pm and ride to City Hall. Please register so we can have an accurate count: bit.ly/rideforthespine
Confirmed speakers at the rally on the steps of City Hall at 3-3:30 pm:
City of Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello
Congressman Joe Morelle, NY-25
City Council Vice President LaShay D. Harris, Chair of the City Council Committee on People, Parks and Public Works
Michelle King, Black Girls Do Bike
Cody Donahue, Reconnect Rochester
We bike to get around. We bike to stay healthy. We bike with our families to play and have fun. Biking is good for our planet and our pocketbooks. Our biking community in Monroe County is diverse and vibrant. But what if everyone who wanted to bike could feel comfortable and protected doing it? They could if we made our bike network safe, low-stress and seamless. They could if our community prioritized biking as a mobility option for all kinds of people.
However, we know none of these resources can fix roads where cars travel at unsafe speeds and painted bike lanes that disappear and reappear seemingly randomly. We can’t make up for the almost complete lack of dedicated, on-road bicycle infrastructure outside of the City of Rochester. According to the Federal Highway Administration, for about 60% of people who might otherwise ride their bike, these conditions discourage them from even trying to bike to work, to school or to the grocery store. This is especially true for women, children and the elderly.
To our community’s credit, we are starting to change. Rochester’s cycletracks and Inner Loop East project have been featured in national media, Elmwood Avenue became the first County road outside of the city with bike lanes, and Rochester secured $3.2 million of federal funds to test (among other things) bike lane barriers. These projects are a down payment on what we hope will be the transformation ahead to become a more multi-modal community.
Two key transportation plans were adopted in 2023 that, if aggressively implemented, would significantly expand and transform bike infrastructure in our community. The Monroe County Active Transportation Plan and the City of Rochester Active Transportation Plan (hereafter, the “ATPs”) were completed in a coordinated fashion so that the bike network envisioned in the city would continue out into Monroe County’s towns and suburbs. The ATPs quite literally provide a roadmap for building a bike transportation system throughout Monroe County.
The City of Rochester called the main corridors of their bike network the spine and that is why we are calling our ride the “Ride for the Spine”. On May 3rd, we will Ride for the Spine with bicyclists of all ages and all walks of life and rally together with our elected official partners to demonstrate our support for the work ahead. Our goal is to show there are people from all over Monroe County who support aggressive implementation of the Active Transportation Plans, building a high-comfort and seamless bike transportation network in a matter of years – not decades. Continuing at our current pace will not get us to this goal.
To bring the ATPs’ visions off the paper to reality, our rally will ask the following of our municipal leaders:
Build 8 miles of protected bike lanes to complete the minimum grid now
Don’t wait to build the spine. We can attain a “minimum grid” of north-south/east-west axis bike facilities by installing protected, seamless bike facilities on Main Street from the Erie Canal to Winton Rd. (a 6-mile investment) and by filling in the Genesee Riverway Trail gap north of downtown (a 2-mile investment). These 8 miles are the key to success and must be completed in the near-term. Building good quality bike infrastructure is a small percentage of a repaving project and we should leverage every project to deliver it. But relying only on road maintenance cycles won’t be enough. To accelerate progress, the City and County will need to dedicate funding in their operational budgets, and/or seek dedicated State and federal funding.
Build the seamless, high-comfort bike facility every time
When a road that was envisioned in the ATPs spine is up for repaving or reconstruction, the design must reflect protected bike lanes with connectivity to other parts of the network. Painted lanes only suffice for the envisioned “supporting corridor network” for more experienced riders. Protected bike facilities make all road users safer, including drivers. Low-cost materials are available and widely used nationwide.
Build resilience in the face of opposition
City and County officials: You are doing the right thing by implementing complete streets. They make roads safer for everyone and more inclusive for people of all ages and abilities. Protected bike facilities are cost effective, reduce fatalities & injuries, and get more people biking & scooting, which lessens pollution & congestion, saves families money, attracts and retains young people, acts as a social cohesive, gets residents active & healthy, gets kids outside and results in a more equitable and vibrant community. That’s a lot of checked boxes! Certainly there are trade-offs – mostly underutilized parking spots and slowing cars down. Often we bicyclists are motorists too and we find these trade-offs acceptable. Safety for vulnerable road users must be our prime directive and override perceived inconveniences for drivers.
We can do this together, in partnership, for the betterment of our community. Once again, we hope you will ride with us Friday, May 3rd to support building the bike spine network! Please click the button below to register so we can have an accurate count!
As Rochester cyclists know well, when bike lanes are installed here, they tend to be in isolated stretches, and disconnected from each other. Hopefully that will change as a result of the Active Transportation Plan and its envisioned Bike Spine Network. Today, though, Reconnect Rochester wants to highlight a component of the City’s bike network that isn’t disjointed and is quite well executed: the growing Bike Boulevard network.
Bike Boulevards are residential streets through neighborhoods that parallel primary, busy roads (aka, “arterials”). They are traffic-calmed, particularly by speed bumps, and wayfinding signage is installed for cyclists. Though not all bike riders will be comfortable riding along bike boulevards, most people find them manageable, even pleasant to bike along.
For those who haven’t heard my funny Garson story, I’ll repeat it here. In 2021, Garson Avenue through Beechwood and North Winton Village was made into a Bike Boulevard. One day I overheard some neighbors complaining about the changes and the speed bumps in particular: They exclaimed in anger, “We don’t even drive on Garson anymore!” I had to keep myself from laughing: That’s the point, of course – bike boulevards are supposed to slow down and even deter – car traffic. The speed bumps are doing their job.
In 2015, Alta Planning put a lot of good thought into where Bike Boulevards could be installed. As you bike around, try these purple dotted lines!
Rochester’s Bike Boulevards Plan was created in 2015 and the first boulevard along Harvard Street opened in May 2016.
The first Bike Boulevard along Harvard was celebrated with a ribbon cutting
Phase 1 (2016)
Phases 1 and 2 (2021)
2021 was the year that the Bike Boulevard Network got a significant boost with the installation of phase 2. The City is currently seeking CMAQ funds for the construction of phase 3. Since the Bike Boulevards are centrally planned with an eye towards connectivity, they’re linking to each other when installed. (These maps don’t show the trails they connect to; that’s in part why we created the ROC Easy Bike map.) A vocal minority in a public meeting don’t get to say “no thanks” the way opponents sometimes overturn bike infrastructure on arterials (creating gaps in the bike network).
Phase 3 in yellow
It’s important to note that the City of Rochester doesn’t view bike boulevards as substitutes for dedicated bike infrastructure on arterials. Rather they view the two types of infrastructure as complementary to each other. After all, destinations like workplaces, stores, daycares and such tend to be on arterials. The Active Transportation Plan encourages the City to take more care at bike boulevard crossings and this must be a priority. The Bike Boulevard along Harvard Street for instance is great, but jeesh – have you ever tried to cross Goodman there? Especially with a kid tagging along, it’s tough.
Unfortunately, we’ve been waiting for three years now on the wayfinding signage for the phase 2 boulevards. The pandemic wreaked havoc on the supply chain and Monroe County DOT, which is responsible for installing signage, is short staffed and hasn’t yet had the time to put them in at the time of this blog. Coupled with the fact that the City has not done a press release or ribbon cutting, it’s no wonder why the Bike Boulevards are the low-stress bike network and investment/accomplishment no one knows about.
It’ll be quite some time before phase 3 of the boulevards is complete. My take: Bike along those future bike boulevards anyway! That’s what we do on our Flower City Feeling Good bike ride series on Wednesdays: We amp up anticipation for and increase familiarity with that growing network. Phase 3 boulevards are not traffic calmed yet but they’re definitely bikeable and easier to bike along than arterials with no/disappearing bike lanes.
Here are more reasons why I love the bike boulevards and use them for most of my riding:
With less and slower car traffic, there’s less car exhaust to breathe in. Studies confirm this.
Since residential streets are narrower than arterials, there’s typically more tree shade, sometimes even “kissing canopies.” Thus in the summer, it’s easier to stay cool.
Since the streets are calmer, I take advantage of that by listening to podcasts or music as I ride.
Kids along these streets have safer playing conditions, so there’s more joy in the air; more people on their porches saying hi too.
Granted, navigating the area largely by bike boulevards isn’t as direct. Each ride can be a little squiggly. But I’ve ridden along the existing and future bike boulevards so much the last few years that I know where the turns are without consulting a map or signage. And these minute turns are literally a few seconds on a bike, so you’re not wasting much time “being squiggly,” especially if you’ve got an e-bike or e-scooter. For all these reasons, it’s worth it. My kids and I use the Bike Boulevards a lot – especially when getting to Innovative Field for a Red Wings game.
Some quick notes to end on:
The USDOT estimates “that for an alternative low-stress route to be viable, the increase in trip length should be less than 30%.” My hunch is that most Rochester trips along the bike boulevards will be within that 30% threshold.
As a bike rider’s know-how and confidence grows, they can stray outside the lines on our ROC Easy Bike map. Want to increase your know-how and confidence? Take one of our on-bike classes sometime!
Bike Boulevards aren’t just a City investment! Brighton and Irondequoit are investing in bike boulevard networks too.
To be a great biking city, our bike network and investment can’t be hidden from view (mostly along overlooked back ways). The bike network must be obvious and intuitive to grow ridership. There’s more work to be done and the Bike Spine Network of protected bike lanes must be built.
As you can see on the following map from the City’s ATP, pretty much all of Rochester’s residential streets are low-stress to bike along. So don’t feel like you have to stick strictly to the official Bike Boulevards. Just take care when crossing those major roads in red.
Bike Boulevard roundabout at Pershing Drive & Rocket Street in the Homestead Heights neighborhood
By Jesse Peers, Cycling Manager at Reconnect Rochester
Many people in the mobility world are probably familiar with Janette Sadik-Khan, Transportation Commissioner in New York City from 2007-2013. She’s credited in many ways with starting the 21st Century bike boom in the US, which she chronicles in her stellar book Street Fight. Last summer, when I heard she was featured on the Possible podcast to talk about the future of cities, I gave the episode a listen while riding my bike, scoping out a potential route for our ride series. The episode was great and you can listen to it here.
Towards the end of the podcast episode, Sadik-Khan was asked if there was a book that filled her with optimism for the future. She immediately answered and recommended Kim Stanley Robinson’s The Ministry for the Future, her favorite book. The novel sounded so intriguing that I purchased a copy and read it last summer. It’s one of the most inspiring books I’ve ever read, and though I wished it emphasized transportation, proximity and land use more, many aspects of it will keep me thinking for a long time.
The premise of the book is that things get so bad climate-wise that the United Nations creates a new subsidiary body with permanent duties to push things forward. The so-called Ministry for the Future’s job is to advocate for the world’s future generations, to defend all living creatures present and future who cannot speak for themselves. Over the course of the book, humanity gets its act together with a broad swath of sustainable initiatives.
A concept that really intrigued me was that of the Half Earth Project and habitat corridors from Chapter 72. To protect critically endangered wild animals, habitat corridors such as Y2Y (Yukon to Yellowstone) are established. When wildlife is cooped up in isolated pockets, it can’t thrive. In the book, nations establish habitat corridors, long unbroken spines for wildlife, that serve as safety zones. Animals get free passage up and down those spines, roads are given under- and over-passes to not inhibit animal movement, wildlife are protected from hunting, and disparate animal populations get a chance to connect, breed and thrive.
While I was reading this book, the City of Rochester’s Active Transportation Plan was being finalized and it struck me how similar habitat corridors are to the envisioned Bike Spine Network. Obviously, Rochester’s bike network now is disparate and piecemeal, hence it can be argued that we really don’t have a bike network yet (would disconnected train tracks all over the country be considered a national rail network?).
The idea of the Bike Spine Network is to concentrate political will, to focus investments, on a few seamless, high-comfort bike routes across the city, hopefully in the near term. I see the Bike Spine Network as Rochester’s “habitat corridor” for bike riders of all ages and abilities: safety zones allowing free passage, along which we can thrive and multiply.
Envisioned Bike Spine Network in dark blue; already completed segments such as the Genesee Riverway Trail and East Main cycletrack are shown as dashed lines
To Rochester’s credit, especially recently, the City often wants to do the right thing: reallocate street space to create dedicated bicycle facilities. But as many advocates know, some people get really mad when space for cars, for on-street parking in particular, is taken away for bike lanes. The opposition can be quite vocal and sometimes the City steps back from safer designs (remember Lake Ave?).
It’s time for bike riders (and people who would bike if they felt protected and comfortable) to be vocal.
Please join us on Friday afternoon, May 3, 2024 for Reconnect Rochester’s Ride for the Spine. More info here along with an RSVP form to help us get a headcount.
We want as many people as possible to ride to City Hall together that afternoon and surround the city with support and positive energy for the Bike Spine Network. If you have kids (or nephews, nieces and/or grandchildren), consider taking them out of school early so they can join in the fun. When we get to City Hall’s steps, we want the Mayor, County Executive, Commissioner and Councilmembers to look out upon a sea of diverse people (people of color, kids, women, seniors) supporting these changes. Together, we’ll give City Hall political capital to work towards these improvements in a timely manner. We hope to see you on May 3rd!
Photos from the People’s Climate Movement rally in April 2017
If you’re a cyclist, there is nothing quite like riding on a dedicated bike right-of-way for the first time. In a world where the car is prioritized, new trails, dedicated bike lanes and cycle tracks are rare but welcomed community additives that appeal to those of us who choose or rely on the benefits of biking for transportation.
Over the last several years, my home city of Rochester has installed a number of cycle tracks in key areas:
Along the new Union Street neighborhood (built on top of the former Inner Loop expressway)
At College Town, connecting the University of Rochester campus and Medical Center with restaurants, bars, a bookstore, a pharmacy and more. The track also connects to a “mixed use” trail, which is actually a double-wide sidewalk, connecting the U of R to the nearby suburb of Brighton.
Along East Main Street, connecting downtown to a major residential and mixed-use neighborhood.
Having spent a significant amount of time on these alternative mobility thoroughfares to commute, run errands, and meet up with friends, I’ve learned a lot about the good, the bad, and everything in between. Let’s dig in.
The Union and Howell cycle track connects a residential neighborhood that did not exist ten years ago with major bike routes in and out of the city, bisecting East Avenue, Chestnut/Monroe Avenue, and Broad Street. Along its path is the world renowned Strong Museum of Play (featuring the National Toy Hall of Fame), which boasts more than 600,000 visitors annually.
Also adjacent to the cycle track is a brand new Hampton Inn and Suites, a handful of bars and restaurants, a trendy coffee shop, and and two locally-owned convenience bodegas.
The two major streets that the track crosses, East and Broad, have fully-synced traffic and pedestrian signaling that defaults in the direction of the cycle track. Since the lights are timed, there’s never a need to dismount the bike and press a “beg button” to legally cross either of these streets. Furthermore, and most importantly from a safety perspective, for cars that turn left onto East or Broad from Union Street, there is a left hand turn signal arrow that defaults to red unless a car is position to make a left-hand turn. In essence, riders on the cycle track are prioritized over left-hand turning cars via this signal-controlled scenario.
Why is this last point so important? Because for cycle tracks to be effective AND safe, we need to acknowledge that, when a driver is making a left turn, they are likely looking out for oncoming traffic, not pedestrians or cyclists that they might be “turning into” beyond that traffic. This is a prime reason why nearly all cycling organizations discourage “sidewalk cycling.” Research shows that, when making turns, drivers rarely look beyond the roadway itself for points of conflict. This is why controlling left turns by cars into the path of paralleling cycle tracks with a left-hand turning arrow is an absolute must if the cycle track is to be a truly safer option for those of us on two wheels.
Lastly, the Union and Howell cycle track has relatively few street and driveway crossings. Most of the ones that do exist are either signal-controlled as mentioned above, or low traffic corridors. For cycle tracks to truly be effective, it is important that points of contact with streets and driveways are minimized. Otherwise, as noted previously, it is no different than the risks of sidewalk riding.
The Bad
The Union and Howell cycle track is not concrete or asphalt. Instead, it features a soft surface that mimics that of a high-school track and field consistency. In other words, it actually takes slightly more effort to pedal on this surface, as it absorbs the energy of the wheels on top of it instead of maximizing it. I’ve heard many local cyclists say that they prefer riding on Union Street instead of the cycle track for this reason, entirely defeating the purpose of the progressive infrastructure.
While there is little else truly “wrong” with this cycle track, I would not be the only person to question whether it’s necessary in the first place. While I will NEVER question any project that works to safely and conveniently prioritize cyclists (which this cycle track does!), some green-painted bike lanes on a lightly-traveled, low-speed set of streets that this track parallels would probably have been just fine.
College Town
OK full disclosure, this one is complicated. College Town, a tick south of downtown Rochester, was completed in 2015 as a “new” mixed-use stretch along Mount Hope Avenue adjacent to the University of Rochester academic campus and medical center. It replaced a lifeless collection of dated administrative buildings in an effort to create an exciting space where college students, university and med center employees could eat, drink and gather. While I have at times been critical of the project for a number of reasons, it has, for the most part, stood the test of time.
The College Town cycle track was supposed to be a part of the original plan, but it never materialized until many years after the mixed-use corridor was completed. As a result, there was a bit of a cycling disconnect between the U of R campus and College Town. That was all changed in 2019, when the cycle track was finally installed, connecting Wilson Boulevard (U of R’s main access road) with Mount Hope Avenue.
Furthermore, in the last year, the City of Rochester included a short extension to the cycle track, connecting Mount Hope Avenue with South Avenue, and connecting to the double-wide sidewalk/mixed use path paralleling Elmwood Avenue.
The Good
The cycle track is a much needed piece of connective tissue between the U of R academic campus and the entertainment district that is College Town. College Town also houses the bookstore for the university, a Barnes and Noble on the corner of Elmwood and Mount Hope, adjacent to the cycle track.
The track has very few points of conflict with road and driveway traffic, making it very safe and easy to traverse.
Finally, the College Town cycle track does not exist in a vacuum. It is a piece of protected cycling connectivity to the adjacent suburb of Brighton via the double-wide mixed-use sidewalk that parallels Elmwood Avenue, which also connects to the Highland Crossing Trail and new bike lanes along Elmwood from Goodman Street to Twelve Corners. On the West end of the cycle track, riders can also access the Genesee Riverway Trail, which connects to downtown Rochester to the Empire State Trail.
The College Town cycle track is not just an example of bike infrastructure that connects this to that, but also connects a number of other pieces of bike infrastructure.
The Bad
The one truly negative takeaway of this cycle track is at the point when it crosses from the South side to the North Side of Elmwood Avenue. Cyclists have to push a pedestrian crosswalk button to cross, and while I have never actually set a stopwatch, I am pretty sure that the wait for the light and pedestrian signal to change is 2 minutes.
This might not seem like a long period of time until you realize how frustrated you get as a driver if you have to wait 30 seconds for a light to turn green.
Furthermore, at Elmwood and South Avenue, the cyclist must press the pedestrian signal button to cross or else the signal will display “Don’t Walk” even if the green light signal direction is in the cycle track’s favor. In other words, the cycle track signal does not automatically align with the car traffic signal, which is a fundamental fail if you are attempting to build a high-functioning cycle track.
East Main Street
Just a year ago, the East Main Street cycle track was completed. This was a special moment in cycling infrastructure in Rochester, because this did not service predominantly wealthy white neighborhoods. Instead, the track provided cycling connectivity for mixed income East Main Street neighborhoods between North Goodman Street and Culver Road. For a population that is more likely to rely on bike riding for transportation, this is a step in the right direction.
The Good
Giving bikes prioritized space is almost always a good thing. As I ride on this cycle track, I am grateful to be out of the street, without the fear every cyclist feels with every car they hear approaching from behind. The track connects residents with downtown, and plays host to bodegas, restaurants, East High School and RTS Bus headquarters.
The Bad
Unlike the other two examples in this article, the East Main Street cycle track crosses a tremendous number of residential and commercial driveways, not to mention side streets. Many of the driveways are blind to both the cyclist and a driver that might be pulling out of a driveway or parking lot. In essence, this cycle track is no different than riding on the sidewalk which, as bike experts will warn, replaces the danger of being hit from behind with the greater danger of being t-boned by a driver who doesn’t look both ways before entering a crosswalk or sidewalk (which, from my experience is most drivers).
However, if a cyclist traversing the East Main Street cycle track rides slowly and actively watches for cars with each and every driveway and side street they cross, all will probably be OK. I would argue, however, that the point of a cycle track is to lessen this mindset of the cyclist, not heighten it.
What Do These Examples Tell Us?
Good cycle tracks should, first and foremost, make a cyclists safer. This means finding every possible way to minimize potential conflict points with automobiles. Placing cycle tracks in places where there are fewer driveways and side streets is optimal.
When contact points with automobiles must occur, ensure that there is signaling that either disallows drivers to cross or turn when cyclists have the right of way. These signals should be fully synced and automated such that the cyclists does not have to press a “beg button” in order to safely and legally cross a street. Finally, even if a “beg button” needs to exists, it should give the cyclist the right away in 15 seconds or less.
Signage reminding cars that they are turning into a cycle track that cross the road is also optimal.
The surface of the cycle track should be paved with a hard surface, not one that absorbs the momentum of the bicycle wheels. No one wants to ride on a surface that saps your energy with every pedal.
The track should connect to other bike thoroughfares, including trails, other cycle tracks, streets with bike lanes, low speed streets, and designated bike boulevards. A cycle track that exists on an island is simply for show, not substance.
Finally, cycle tracks should connect people to a wealth of different community resources, including jobs, grocers, retail, healthcare, community services, restaurants, and entertainment. If we are to make biking for transportation a priority in our communities, we have to be thoughtful about the resources that these networks connect.
Cycle tracks come in many shapes and sizes, and it goes without saying that not all are created equal. I personally ride and appreciate each of the “new” Rochester cycle tracks and use them as their design requires. With each concept, we can build on the knowledge from iterations that came before, providing a safer, more practical, enjoyable, and connective experience for the bike rider of all comfort levels and walks of life.
In our climate, most people ride bikes in the Spring, Summer and Fall and that’s okay! When the cycling scene slows down in November, our cycling Instagram account would go almost completely dark for several months. The thought struck us in 2019 that we could use that season to feature guest contributions from area cyclists. It would be a fun way to celebrate biking in Rochester. Contributors could give us a glimpse of their biking lifestyle, what it means to them, what got them into riding, their favorite places to ride and groups to ride with, etc. It’s become a neat way for cyclists who bike in different ways for different reasons to find commonality.
The #ROCbyBike series has been a hit! We thought it would be great to consolidate the stories of our contributors from the first three seasons of #ROCbyBike and we hope it inspires you to get out and ride!
Julie Adner
“Ever since moving downtown in 2014, biking has blossomed from a suburban, canal-side hobby to my city-side pastime…Biking is always an adventure! Adventures and exploring are a few of my favorite things – cycling has become a perfect way to find places you may not look at via foot or car. It encaptures for me a sense of happiness, fun and freedom.”
(five posts Apr 8-20, 2022)
Hezir Aguero
“Even if you are not a diehard, buffed athlete, you can ride your bike…and it’s a ton of fun! From riding around the neighborhood to driving my bike to a State Park to enjoy the silence and beauty of nature, the time spent consistently kickstarts my energy level, brings clarity of mind, and leaves me with a sense of rejuvenation.” – (five posts Jan 1-13, 2021)
Tracey Austin
“The number one perk of riding a bike in Rochester is being outside. We have some very gorgeous places to ride here in Monroe County! And often if you commute, you can hit any one of these parks or trails along the way.”
(six posts Nov 1-13, 2019)
Steve Carter
“It wasn’t until living in Rochester and using the bikeshare system that I was reminded of the [childhood] freedom, flexibility, and joy that comes with cycling. It didn’t immediately click to me when I moved here that riding a bike could not only be a form of recreation, but also a mode of transportation…I started noticing people riding more.”
“For a city to truly start being a more equitable place, access to different modes of transportation play an incredibly large role – and that includes biking.”
(eight posts Jan 15-27, 2021)
Kay Colner
“Rochester has made me the cyclist I am. The roads aren’t too wide or too busy. There are the river and canal trails that connect many excellent places to visit and ride. And the city just isn’t that big. You can get a lot of places in just about the same amount of time it takes to drive there.”
(six posts May 22 – Jun 5, 2020)
Natasha Dailey
“During my journey I have seen the growth of more women of all backgrounds choosing recreational cycling when considering ways to get healthy. Physical activity helps to reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes as well as maintaining weight, reduces high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and several forms of cancer.”
(four posts Mar 25 – Apr 8, 2020)
Mike Davis
“Upon moving to Rochester in 1993 I rediscovered my [childhood] love of cycling…I noticed that the roads in this part of the state had much wider shoulders than in the Hudson Valley region where I grew up. I was looking for alternate modes of maintaining my fitness so I decided I would grab my old bike…I now ride my bike [downtown] to work.”
(five posts Nov 20 – Dec 2, 2020)
Hillary Ellis
“Most days it takes the same amount of time or sometimes less time to navigate rush hour traffic by bike. I like biking to work because I get to see things in the city that I wouldn’t normally see if I just took the highway on my commute.”
(six posts Dec 13-26, 2019)
Katie Epner
“I’ve seen parts of our city that I would have never experienced without a bicycle…As long as you’re outside and moving your body, YOU. CAN. DO. THIS. It doesn’t matter if you’re slow or can’t use gears or don’t know what a Presta valve is. This is a community who loves to help each other. The one thing you have to do is get out there.”
(seven posts Nov 6-18, 2020)
Dave Everson
“The thing I love best about cycling is that it keeps taking me to beautiful places that otherwise I never would have seen…I’ve lived and bicycled in Rochester for almost 20 years, and the recent investments in bike infrastructure – while not perfect – have utterly transformed the experience of cycling for transportation, not to mention leisure and exercise.”
(seven posts Dec 18-30, 2020)
Kevin Farrell
“Cycling has played a big part in my life and it will certainly play a big part in Rochester’s revival and beyond. I love this quote by Dr. K.K. Doty: ‘Cyclists see considerably more of this beautiful world than any other class of citizens. A good bicycle, well applied, will cure most ills this flesh is heir to.’”
(six posts May 8-20, 2020)
Brooke Fossey
“I’m a parent living the dream of biking with my family as a means of transportation. For me, being on a bike with my kids is often where some of the best moments of our day happen, where I can connect in a very special way with my kids about the world around us.”
(six posts Feb 21-Mar 4, 2020)
Rachel Gordon
“The most important part of my bike adventures is the people I have met and the friends I have made, above all else. From the Black Girls Do Bike gang…to the Wheel Women of Tryono to my weekend gang I met through WDKX, they are friends who are like family. When it’s cold and dark, and the hill is long and steep we lift each other up!”
(six posts Nov 26-Dec 8, 2021)
Will Haines
“In addition to the health benefits, I find cycling one of the most fun and rewarding things to do in life. It’s like being able to take a mini-vacation whenever I heat out. It gives me a chance to recharge, it gives me perspective.”
(five posts Dec 28, 2019 – Jan 8, 2020)
Jimmie Highsmith
“Biking means the freedom to explore my current world. I got into biking for the great workout. It’s also an opportunity to enjoy nature and hang with friends…I ride my bike to work, musical performances, post office, the store, etc.”
(six posts Feb 26-Mar 10, 2021)
David Hough
“Bicycling is a beautiful way for me to connect with my family…We end most days with a family bike ride either to a big empty parking lot or along the Genesee River path. We often end up with an ice cream from Hedonist, some time to lay in an open field, or with a dandelion bouquet.”
(seven posts Jun 6-29, 2020)
Kim Jenkins
“I’ve heard others say, ‘Riding a bike makes me feel like a kid again.’ I wholeheartedly agree! I have made a lot of different friendships and connections through cycling. We have a lot of different terrain to explore.”
(five posts Nov 29-Dec 11, 2019)
Annette Lein
“I am an avid cyclist who loves to explore all that the Rochester area has to offer. I live and ride in the city and find that biking is a great way to get to know your place in the world.”
(six posts Apr 10-21, 2020)
Evan Lowenstein
“…I still look forward to every bike ride, regardless of conditions. Even when I feel too tired, I know that if I go ‘too-tired’ I will still always feel better…I was diagnosed with ADD at the ripe young age of 51.” Research shows “that cycling is an excellent ‘medicine’ for the downsides of ADD…This research makes a ton of sense to me – when I ride, I feel my focus sharpen, my anxiety wane, and I find that my thoughts become positive.”
(six posts Mar 25 – Apr 5, 2022)
Shana Lydon
“There’s really nothing I enjoy more than riding my bike…[Biking] changes your perspective – literally and figuratively. You see things differently from your bike – you take a different route, catch things you would normally miss and you get to see places and meet people I know I wouldn’t normally get to…The Rochester area is a great place to live if you ride a bike.”
(five posts Jan 29-Feb 10, 2021)
Laura Mack
“I started off cycling because of my family…As I got older, cycling created a way for me to meet other people…I have met a lot of great people due to my love of bikes and riding. The people I have met along the way in the cycling community are some of the best people I know.”
“Cycling is also special to me because my dad has had a Traumatic Brain Injury for the past 10 years and I haven’t been able to ride with him like I used to as a child. Cycling keeps me connected to his adventurous spirit and the way he moved about the world, with joy to be out riding, enjoying the fresh air.”
(seven posts Apr 11-May 7, 2021)
Brian and Karen Managan
“Did you know that Rochester is a small but beautiful diamond in the cycling world? We’ve got a goldmine of a trail network in the Rochester / Monroe County region and beyond. The Finger Lakes Region is known to many as one of the finest regions in the entire country for cycling. The Genesee / Western New York Region [is] our 1st choice place to live.”
(seven posts Dec 31, 2021 – Jan 12, 2022)
Deb Marcuccilli
“Both of my legs were amputated after a bus accident when I was 7 years old. My childhood dreams of riding a bike were realized later when I was introduced to handcycling. My friend Rebecca and I have handcycled a few 5Ks. I went on to handcycle the New York City Marathon. I have a wall covered with racing medals. That is a pretty cool achievement for a woman who, as a 7 year old, did not even have access to a bicycle.”
(six posts Nov 12-24, 2021)
Kecia McCullough
“I rekindled my favorite childhood activity, bicycle riding, at the ripe [age] of 50! I wholeheartedly believe self-care is an extension of self-love, which is why engaging and having fun with physical activities that I enjoy is a top priority for me and a way of life.”
(five posts Jan 24-Feb 5, 2020)
Antoine McDonald
“When I ask myself the question: what does biking mean to me? the first thought to mind was not a word but a feeling: FREEDOM…Inclusivity is the new face of the biking community…Together we can utilize biking as means to a positive end, starting in our own communities spreading its impact out across the world!”
(five posts Jan 14-26, 2022)
Alicia Oddo
“Cycling has helped me come out of my shell, let loose, meet lifelong friends and explore Rochester. As an introvert, I need space and downtime to relax. However, group bike rides and subsequent hangs are the exception for me. Meeting the fine folks in the Rochester Bike Kids, a local cycling group, made cycling less intimidating.”
(four posts Apr 24 – May 7, 2020)
Pat Patton-Williams
“There is a sense of peace I feel in riding. Not only is it refreshing, but it relieves stress and allows me to leave my troubles behind! I…enjoy riding on the trails!”
(seven posts Feb 11-23, 2022)
Jesse Peers
“Most of my miles come from cycling-as-transportation – just running everyday errands. I love the cost savings and the sustainability of this mode of travel.” Plus “cycling breaks down barriers like nothing I’ve ever seen. It has an uncanny power to bring people together.”
(seven posts Nov 15-27, 2019)
James Reynolds
[While attending RIT], I would ride into the city to explore the trails and downtown…[Later] I moved into the City and started riding with the Rochester Bike Kids…There were no better tour guides than the rowdy delinquent friends I made in RBK. [Through them} I discovered the city’s oddities and delights…”
(six posts Mar 12-23, 2021)
Alyssa Rodriguez
“I like to explore trails on my folding bike. It’s one of my favorite ways to experience the outdoors…I love the feel of [a] single lane dirt path; it makes me feel like I’m flying through the woods! There are often beautiful flowers along the trail and I love experiencing the outdoors by bike.”
(four posts Feb 12-24, 2021)
Karen Rogers
“Biking has completely changed the way I see my community. I enjoy the many health benefits from riding. I feel great and it keeps me healthier.”
(five posts Mar 26-Apr 8, 2021)
Lisa Schneider
“I bike for a number of reasons, but mainly because it’s the most enjoyable form of exercise I’ve found. I love being outside, I love seeing what there is to see, I love feeling my muscles doing their thing, and it simply makes my heart happy to be on my bike.”
(seven posts Jan 10-22, 2020)
Andy Scott
“What does cycling mean to me? It is an opportunity to meet others on the path and ride with a purpose…I am a rider for life.”
(five posts Feb 25 – Mar 9, 2022)
Amy Slakes
“Not only did biking lead me to my husband, but it also brought many new friends into my life. We are blessed to live in such a beautiful area for biking. You’ll find an awesome and welcoming biking community in Rochester!”
(five posts Feb 7-19, 2020)
Penny Sterling
“I got into cycling because I was looking for something I could do to help get myself into shape. [I continue riding] because I like what happens when I ride. I do much of my best ‘writing’ while I’m riding. And I’ve seen so many beautiful things…It’s a great way to feel alive.”
(six posts Dec 10-24, 2021)
Georgena Terry
“Like any kid, I loved to ride my bike. As an adult, the bike was an escape into nature and away from work…I like to think I started a movement – bikes which properly fit women, regardless of their height. Biking is way too much fun to miss out on just because the bicycle industry has its head in the sand.”
(five posts Dec 4-16, 2020)
Leslee Trzcinski
“Life slows – and perspective heightens – on two wheels, no matter your objective or how fast the legs turn over. And, there’s just no place better than the amazing, winding perfection of our Erie Canalway Trail in greater Rochester…”
(seven posts Jan 28 – Feb 9, 2022)
Chesea Wahl
“I credit my love for two wheels from going to my father’s vintage motocross races and dabbling in motocross as a little kid. Mountain biking [is my] soul food. Fresh air and epic experiences create an everlasting sense of community: riding, clinics, racing, inclusion, and trail maintenance.”
(seven posts Mar 11-23, 2022)
Guy Zeh
“Biking was my first taste of freedom, back when kids were allowed and encouraged to have it. I appreciated that. Since then, I have ridden for just about every reason anyone would ride – for exercise, transportation, to better the environment, to save money, because it’s more fun than driving, just because it’s fun, because it’s faster than walking, for mental health, to do something fun with the kids, to get away from the kids, because the state doesn’t charge me registration and I don’t have a license plate for big brother!”
(six posts Mar 6-23, 2020)
If you’re interested in sharing your story for our 2024-25 #ROCbyBike series, reach out to Jesse at cycling@reconnectrochester.org.*
*Diversity is important to us. So, it may take a while to fit you in the queue so we can make spots for other voices.
By Jesse Peers, Cycling Manager at Reconnect Rochester
As many readers and advocates know, Rochester’s first Bike Master Plan was created in 2011. After more than a decade of investment with that plan as a guide, we’ve made significant progress. We’ve “leveled up” in the League of American Bicyclists’ quadrennial assessment from Honorable Mention to Bronze. Since most cities that are intentionally making progress in terms of bikeability get awarded Bronze, Rochester is in good company (i.e., we’re “average” / “decent”).
After the first initial decade of investment, the City of Rochester recognized it was time to take a step back and reassess. After all, we don’t want to get stuck at Bronze, perpetuate mediocrity, or worst of all – diminish to just checking off a complete streets box without attaining meaningful, continuous and safe connections. The creation of Rochester’s first ever Active Transportation Plan (and the accompanying update of the Bike Master Plan) in 2022-23 served as this step back. Boston’s Toole Design, one of the most respected firms in the country, was hired to create the plan. More on this plan in a bit…
As we’ve noted before, the most significant shortfall in Rochester’s bikeability is the piecemeal, scattered nature of bicycle facilities. If the City keeps doing “what we can, where we can” for cyclists, only giving them “underutilized parking space” when bike lanes and on-street parking conflict, this disjointed nature will continue.
Ifcyclists are only given “underutilized parking space” when bike lanes and on-street parking conflict, this disjointed nature will continue.
Disconnected segments don’t create a network
For the average person on a bike, who after all is who the City should be creating its bike network for, a disappearing bike lane on a busy road is a lost cause. After a decade of investment, we’ve mostly got piecemeal, disconnected bike lanes, hence no true network yet (the ATP admits this!). If the City wants to lessen emissions and car-dependence, along with getting more women, kids, and older adults on bikes, a greater emphasis must be put henceforward on connectivity.
Excerpts from the City’s Active Transportation Plan
It’s time for a Minimum Grid
In the coming years, as the City looks to implement the Active Transportation Plan, Reconnect Rochester urges the City of Rochester to concentrate on what is called a Minimum Grid bike network in the near term. What is a Minimum Grid? It’s a bare bones, seamless, fully connected network of high-comfort bikeways: at least one continuous bike facility for all ages and abilities in the north-south direction, from one end of the city to the other going through downtown, and a complementing bike facility in the east-west direction from one end to the other through downtown. Because of Rochester’s small size, if we attained that minimum grid and connected it with high quality, well-signaged bike boulevards, that might be enough to get us up to Silver. We could become one of the country’s hidden gems for bikeability.
As Planner Jeff Speck says in this great segment, “It is not unusual to see cities jump very quickly in their cycling population at the moment they cross that threshold from not having an effective, comprehensive system to having a more comprehensive system.” In other words, how many miles of scattered bike lanes doesn’t matter as much as how safe, seamless & stress-free those miles are. Less is more, and we need to shift emphasis and metrics from quantity to quality.
A few examples of cities who have focused political will on attaining a minimum grid and crossed that threshold:
Sevilla, Spain built its 50-mile grid in four years, “in time for politicians to brag about [the major biking improvements] in their next campaign.”
Victoria, British Columbia’s All Ages and Abilities (AAA) Cycling Network is nearing completion. Next year, 95% of residents will be within a two-minute bike ride of a AAA route! This completion comes 8 years after adopting their plan.
Paris, France has been transformed into one of the world’s best cycling cities since Mayor Anne Hidalgo took office in 2014. 52 bike lanes were installed this summer alone.
New Britain, Connecticut built a very comprehensive network of bicycle infrastructure in ten years.
Fortunately for us in Rochester, a minimum grid is exactly what our new Active Transportation Plan is recommending, based on community feedback and expert analysis. The ATP calls it the Bike Spine Network, which would hopefully connect someday to the proposed countywide active transportation network envisioned in the County’s Active Transportation Plan. Consultant Toole Design notes that “it is essential that bike lanes be separated from traffic” “on high-speed/high-volume streets [on this spine network]. During the planning process, Toole urged the City to concentrate political will on establishing a minimum grid bike network in the “near term.” Unfortunately, specific timeline goals didn’t make their way into the final document.
Recommended spine network in dark blue; dotted lines are already completed segments, such as the Genesee Riverway Trail and East Main cycletrack between Goodman and Culver.
So Rochester has a better vision. ✔ We’ve got our action-oriented blueprint. ✔ It’s going to take a lot of political will, hardened resolve, and leadership to see this through. Unlike comprehensive plans like Rochester 2034, the Active Transportation Plan doesn’t have to be voted on and adopted by City Council. It’s not the law of the land. Its recommendations just have to be “considered” by project managers and engineers on a case by case basis.
Now let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room: On-street parking will have to be sacrificed on certain roads to accommodate the seamless, high-comfort grid. It’s time to be more intentional with where we put our bike infrastructure (and perhaps where we don’t put it as well): to hunker down and determine what those select corridors will be where on-street parking doesn’t win the day over the safety and comfort of vulnerable road users.
At Reconnect Rochester, our job will be to relentlessly point to the ATP and its recommendations for this Bike Spine Network. When an upcoming road project comes along on one or more of those proposed spines, we are going to ask you to join us. When a road project comes along that isn’t envisioned for the Spine Network, we’ll still advocate for safer, complete street designs; we just won’t go at it full-gusto for bike infrastructure as we do with the proposed Spines. After all, if we’re asking the City to concentrate political will (“focus investments”) on fewer, more meaningful bike miles, it only makes sense for us to fight hard for the most important wins. Hopefully in the not-too-distant-future, that Spine Network will be attained and we’ll see ridership soar!
the Union Street cycle track can wrap around to Innovative Field.
