Posted by: Mike Governale, president and co-founder of Reconnect Rochester
Reconnect Rochester is proud to partner with Rochester Contemporary Art Center to bring you an exhibit focusing on bicycle history and culture in Rochester! Ride It: Art and Bicycles in Rochester will open on Friday, April 3…
A new Transit Center began operating, demolition began on the old Inner Loop, and a 1000-bike sharing system may soon launch, along with hundreds of other projects in the region. What should we make of them or of others not planned?
In the early days of Reconnect, we shared more ideas, news, and opinion around a table, but nowadays a tight agenda occupies our meetings. Though smaller workgroups have formed, they’re tasked onto specific projects. In so, we miss larger opportunities to connect from wider ideas and to form new ones, and thus #innovate. Salons let us rejuvenate some of this early energy.
Conversations in a salon need not focus on our projects, or projects around the region, nor even transform into action. They may wander onto tangential topics. This keeps the conversation fresh, and also opens the floor to others who might not otherwise participate in monthly salons about transportation or land-use reform.
Salons practice an art of conversation, of listening and sharing ideas. Convened in a space comfortable for ten to twenty, and hosted historically by educated patronesses of a royal court, they’ve taken form this century convened by inspired hosts. Help us revive the form.
* Or use the form directly and you can revise your response later.
Posted by: Mike Governale, president and co-founder of Reconnect Rochester
This Wednesday, 5:30 – 7:00pm at the Penthouse (1 East Avenue – 11th Floor) you are invited to attend a Downtown Parking Summit 
hosted by the City of Rochester. But this is not a meeting to discuss how we create more parking. We’ve tried that before, and it nearly killed our city.
Reconnect Rochester recognizes the importance of having an adequate supply of downtown parking. However, we believe parking should be one component to a much larger, diverse plan to improve access to downtown…
Posted by: Mike Governale, president and co-founder of Reconnect Rochester
On Tuesday, January 27 at 6:30pm, Reconnect Rochester will get together with the Rochester Improvement Society for food, drinks and thoughtful conversation at Scotland Yard Pub. We’d love to see YOU there!
For $5 you’ll get pasta/pizza, a free beer, and entry into an awesome raffle drawing. Raffle prizes include a Hart’s Grocers gift card, a Rochester T-shirt package, framed poster/prints from RochesterSubway.com, and tickets to Landmark Society’s 2015 Inside Downtown Tour. See the prizes here.
You can pay at the door, however, we have less than 50 spots remaining. Order your tickets online now and don’t miss out!
![RTS has announced several changes, including new bus stop signs and route numbers. [IMAGE: Rochester Transit Service]](http://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/bso-rts-new-bus-stop-sign-01.jpg)
RTS on Thursday announced several changes to its bus routes and stops. Changes to routes and route numbers will be made in conjunction with the opening of the RTS Transit Center on November 28, 2014. In addition, new bus stop signage will be installed system wide in 2015. Here’s what you’ll need to know…
On Monday, September 29, Reconnect Rochester will host a discussion with author and transit advocate Benjamin Ross. Mr. Ross will be at the Public Library on Monroe Ave. at 6:30 p.m. to talk about his new book, Dead End: Suburban Sprawl and the Rebirth of American Urbanism . Afterwards, follow us across the street to Aladdin’s for more conversation with Ross, and enjoy some free munchies courtesy of Reconnect Rochester. Please join this free event on Facebook and bring a friend or two. We hope to see you there!
![ROC Transit Day 2014 gives Rochesterians an excuse for a 'stay-cation'. [PHOTO: Jason & Stefanie Schwingle]](http://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/roc-transit-day-stay-cation-2014-01.jpg)
Posted by: Brenda Massie, Board Member and Secretary, Reconnect Rochester.
As July winds down, I find myself thinking about how summers in Rochester fly by. Already, one month has passed since our annual ROC Transit Day. This year brought new merchants and vendors, new fun events like the swing dance and treasure hunt; but more importantly, a new wave of enthusiasm for public transit.
As the Secretary of Reconnect, I sometimes find myself trying to convince people that using public transit can be an enjoyable and even fun way to get around. I tell them if you ride the bus you may meet people and see things you may not have noticed if you were driving in a car.
So, when I received the following email titled “Birding By Bus” from a brave neighbor that decided to try the bus on ROC Transit Day, I felt inclined to share. These ROC Transit Day-ers used their passes to have an unexpected stay-cation and noticed some wonderful things about our City along the way…
![Park & Changes are coming. [PHOTO: RGRTA]](http://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-park-and-ride-01.jpg)
RTS is proposing changes to all Suburban Park & Ride routes and is inviting the public to ask questions and provide feedback at two Information Sessions and a Public Hearing…
For ROC Transit Day 2013 we gave away nearly 1,000 transit fare cards and asked Rochesterians to ditch their cars for one day in support of a healthier community. 30 different forward-thinking organizations (and many intrepid individuals) pledged to ride public transit that day.
This year ROC Transit Day is Thursday, June 19, 2014. All kinds of free fun and great deals will be available for anyone who leaves their car at home and uses public transit for the day.
Simply use this form or contact info@ReconnectRochester.org or 585-354-3232.
But hurry, we only have a limited supply and these babies go quickly. First come first serve.
And remember, public transit, walking and biking are healthy options for our bodies and the Rochester community. So get onboard!
The days are getting longer, and (slowly) the air is getting warmer. Soon enough the sweet scent of Lilac will be in the air. This can only mean one thing… ROC Transit Day will soon be here!
If you drive in your car to work alone each day, you’re probably asking yourself, “Why would I want to ride public transit when I can just drive my Nissan Leaf (or whatever)?”
Well, I could list all the reasons why public transportation is healthier for our earth, healthier for our bodies, and healthier for our community. But that would be boring. Instead, watch this video and hear it straight from the mouths of your fellow Rochesterians…
![RTS has scheduled a 'How to Ride the Bus' transit orientation for Tuesday, April 29. [PHOTO: RGRTA]](http://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/how-to-ride-rts-bus-01.jpg)
Getting on a bus for the first time can feel awkward for some. If the last bus you took was a yellow school bus, you might be due for a refresher course. RTS has scheduled a “How to Ride the Bus” transit orientation for 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, April 29, at Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) John G. Doyle Jr. Administration Building located at 1372 East Main Street . The orientation is the first of a series designed to help guide first-time riders of any age or those who might need a brush up. All are free and open to the public…
![The new RTS Transit Center will be opening on November 28th, 2014. Coinciding with the transit center opening, RTS is also proposing changes to bus routes and schedules. [PHOTO: RGRTA]](http://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rts-route-changes-01.jpg)
The new RTS Transit Center will be opening on November 28th, 2014. Coinciding with the transit center opening, RTS is also proposing changes to bus routes and schedules. This is to accommodate the additional time required to travel through the Transit Center…
The City of Rochester, in partnership with the NY State Department of Transportation, Monroe County, Town of Greece, and Genesee Transportation Council, is leading an effort to develop a vision for improving Mount Read Boulevard from Buffalo Road (NYS Route 33) traffic circle to Stone Road.
If you use this section of Mt Read Blvd, either on foot, bike, car, truck, or public transit, you are invited to attend a public meeting this Thursday…
Three local entrepreneurs want to open small coffee shop in Rochester. But parking rules may prevent that from happening. John Ebel, Marc Lebeau (co-owners of Smokestack Cowork) and Brandon Rizzo plan to open Pour Coffee Parlor at 23 Somerton Street in the Park Ave / East Ave area, but the City of Rochester contends that there is not enough parking at the location for the City to grant proper zoning to open. The location has 4 parking spots, and the partners have leased 6 more spots from a neighboring business to reach the quota, but that may not be enough…
![Bike Boulevard in Berkeley, CA [PHOTO: Artbandito]](http://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/bike-boulevard-berkeley-artbandito.jpg)
Rochester is planning a network of bicycle boulevards to connect destinations throughout the city and give residents a safer bike commute. The plan is being developed by the City of Rochester, in partnership with the New York State Department of Transportation, Monroe County, Rochester Cycling Alliance, and Genesee Transportation Council.
If you’d like to hear more about this project and provide input, please attend the first public meeting tomorrow:
Tuesday, Feb. 11 @ 6pm
Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County NY
Kate Gleason Auditorium
115 South Avenue
Posted by: Bob Williams, VP of Advocacy
After tasting some success during the last round of the USDOT’s TIGER grant program ($15 Million was awarded for Rochester’s intermodal station), the city has jumped back into the aptly named moat with another application that we at Reconnect Rochester are extremely excited about. There is a very conscious effort afoot on the part of city staff to rid us once and for all of a sizable portion of the Inner Loop, that underutilized sunken ring road and choker of downtown connectivity.
While the Intermodal Station took precedence in the 2012 fight for funds, this most recent expressway removal proposal is the best we’ve seen yet. A financial winner just on its face, in terms of reducing future maintenance burden, the latest from city hall is very serious about reconnection and reintegration. Take a look at the latest design draft…
![Photos from ROC Transit Day 2013 [PHOTO: RocPX.com]](http://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/Roc_Transit_Day_004.jpg)
The numbers are in, and out of 950 free fare cards we gave out, 172 were used. That may not seem like a big number, but to us it represents 172 new transit users, on top of tens of thousands of Rochesterians who already choose to go car-free every day. Of course, we think Rochester can do better. And now we’ve got a number to beat next year.a
If you were one of those people who participated, thank you! We can’t explain how much fun we had. You’ll just have to check out the photos below. Special thanks goes to Rick U. at RocPX.com, all our sponsors and volunteers and all the people who sent in pics from their ROC Transit Day adventures…
The 2nd annual ROC Transit Day is tomorrow. This little grassroots event has exploded. We’ve handed out 950 transit fare cards. 93 businesses & organizations have chosen to participate. 56 of them are offering fun deals to transit riders. 34 have pledged to ditch their cars and ride transit.
We’ve prepared over 70 prizes from our generous sponsors to give away to random bus riders. REX the Rhino has planned his morning bus ride. 8 music buskers are getting ready to play on Main Street (4:30-6:30pm). And happy hour is on at Murphy’s Law (5:30pm).
[ Use this map to find all the fun stuff on ROC Transit Day. ]
It’s been an insane two months of planning and excitement is high. But let’s remember the true meaning of ROC Transit Day…
Tomorrow we’ll choose to put our feet on the street instead of the gas pedal. We’ll put our money into the local economy instead of our tanks. And we’ll experience our community up close, instead of from behind our windshields.
Rochester, let’s go – together.
ROC Transit Day is just a week away. About 85 local businesses and organizations have signed up to participate on June 20 – either encouraging their employees & members to leave their cars home, or by offering exclusive deals to transit riders .
Rex the Rhino is planning his bus ride as we speak. Music buskers are tuning up for their performances during the evening rush hour on Main Street. Murphy’s Law on East Avenue is priming the kegs for our happy hour celebration (RSVP here ). And our volunteers are wrapping up HUNDREDS of prizes to deliver to random transit riders.
A few short weeks ago I told you about ROC Transit Day 2013 . The idea is simple… pedestrians make for a vibrant city. The more people Rochester has walking the streets instead of driving, the stronger our community will be; and the stronger our local economy will be. ROC Transit Day is a holiday from our cars. It’s a day to celebrate local businesses. And it’s a day to cast a symbolic vote for a stronger transit system…