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Mayors’ Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets

Crosswalk [PHOTO: Renee Stetzer]
Posted by: board member Renee Stetzer, pedestrian safety advocate and blogger at RocVille.com

In January, DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx unveiled the Safer People, Safer Streets Initiative external link. The goal is to address “non-motorized safety issues and help communities create safer, better connected bicycling and walking networks.” He called it the most comprehensive and forward-thinking initiative the DOT has ever put together on bike and pedestrian issues. It aims to engage transportation specialists, safety experts, leadership and the public to make streets safer for a variety of transportation options. And it recognizes the vital role biking and walking play in a reliable multimodal transportation network…

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Congress Introduces Safe Streets Act of 2015

Pedestrian Sign Park Ave [PHOTO: Renee Stetzer]
Posted by: board member Renee Stetzer, pedestrian safety advocate and blogger at RocVille.com

Congress introduced a bill this week that will help streets across the country become safer for all people, regardless of their mode of transportation. With bipartisan support, The Safe Streets Act of 2015external link, was introduced by Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA) and David Joyce (R-OH):

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National Day of Advocacy Focuses on Transportation Infrastructure Funding

Rochester participates in Stand Up 4 Transportation Day; urging Congress to pass a long term transportation bill.
Story via: RTS

Today, RTS will join with the Genesee Transportation Council, and local leaders and transportation partners to participate in the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) nationwide Stand Up 4 Transportation Day.

RTS CEO Bill Carpenter will be joined by Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks, James D. Hoffman, Chairman of the Wayne County Board of Supervisors and Genesee Transportation Council, and representatives from the Rochester Cycling Alliance, Reconnect Rochester, and other organizations for a rally at the RTS Transit Center on Thursday, April 9 at 11 a.m…

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You Can Support Increased Transit Funding in NY State

Now would be a good time to contact your State Senator and Assembly member to request that they support increased transit funding in the state budget. [PHOTO: RTS]
Story via: NYPTA

The State Senate and Assembly are in final preparation of their one house budget bills. If you’d like to see improved public transit service in NY state, now would be a good time to contact your State Senator and Assembly member to request that they support increased transit funding in the state budget…

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Available Positions with Reconnect Rochester

Reconnect Rochester is a young organization with lots of ambition and we’re looking for energetic, self-motivated individuals to help us grow. If you have strong leadership skills and a desire to give back to your community, drop us a line and request a meeting…

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2014 the Safest Year to Be a Pedestrian in NYC Since 1910

In June, the New York State legislature passed a bill to let NYC lower its default limit to 25mph. Lowering speed limits is part of Mayor Bill de Blasio's Vision Zero plan. [PHOTO: Michael Tapp, Flickr]
Posted by: Renee Stetzer, pedestrian safety advocate and blogger at RocVille.com

This month marks the one year anniversary of New York City’s ambitious Vision Zero campaign external link, a plan to eliminate traffic fatalities by the year 2024.

As part of the effort external link, traffic calming and street design measures were implemented, bike lanes were expanded, speed cameras were installed in school zones, the citywide default speed limit was reduced to 25 mph, arterial slow zones were established, public education and awareness were ramped up and the NYPD significantly stepped up enforcement and ticketing for traffic violations. It’s an effort that requires all people, regardless of how they traverse those streets to rethink how they drive, walk and ride about their daily lives. It requires a shift in the culture of getting about in NYC, which is no easy task.

So, one year later, is the campaign making a difference?

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City Council Approves Additional Red Light Camera Study

Do Red Light Cameras Make Rochester Streets Safer? [PHOTO: Yousuf Fahimuddin]
Posted by: Renee Stetzer, pedestrian safety advocate and blogger at RocVille.com

Last week, the City Council approved further study of Rochester’s red light camera program. This isn’t a brand new study, but an expansion of the study that was released in November. The results of that study indicated a reduction in the number of accidents at 22 intersections external link that have red light cameras. Two intersections had no changes in the collision rates before and after the cameras were installed. And 8 intersections had an increase in the number of collisions. Those 8 intersections are the subject of the expanded study, as well as whether the cameras could be tied into traffic signals to help reduce operation costs…

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Parking Summit This Wednesday

The City of Rochester will hold a public Parking Summit this Wednesday.
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 external link 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…

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Help needed this week on restoring the transit commuter benefit

Your help is needed this week on restoring the transit commuter benefit.
Via: National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates (NAPTA)

The Commuter Tax Benefit program allows commuters the opportunity to pay for a portion of their commuting expenses with pre-tax dollars. As of January 2014, federal tax law allows commuters to set aside $250 for qualified parking expenses (an increase over the previous year). But workers who use public transit saw their monthly limit shrink from $245 to $130 per month.

This imbalance in the tax code means that transit users could pay as much as $565 in higher taxes annually, while creating a perverse favoritism in the tax code for automobile commuters. As fellow transit advocates, we need you to email your Members of Congress external link and ask that this commuter tax imbalance be fixed…

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Bus Stop Cubes Are Winning Community Support

Reconnect Rochester's bus stop cube seats are winning support from the community, including RTS and The Strong Museum of Play.
Posted by: Mike Governale, president and co-founder of Reconnect Rochester

Last month we unveiled an idea to put seating at area bus stops. Our little CUBE seats have since garnered local external link and national external linkattention, and we’ve also been approached by The Harley School, Rochester Community Design Center, and The Strong National Museum of Play about partnering to make this idea a reality! Today, Rochester Transit Service (RTS) official threw their support behind the cubes as well…

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Mike Governale Nominated for Strasenburgh Activism Award

Mike was among the 2014 nominees for the Betty Strasenburgh Award for Activism. [PHOTO: John Derycke]
Posted by: Renee Stetzer, pedestrian safety advocate and blogger at RocVille.com

The Rochester Community Design Center hosted the fourth annual Reshaping Rochester Awards luncheon this week and we had a table full of Reconnect Rochester board members there to support one of our own – Mike Governale.

Mike was among the nominees for the Betty Strasenburgh Award for Activism external link. He did not win the award, but I’ll get to that in a moment…

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Bus Stop Cubes: a place to rest while you wait

Reconnect Rochester is aiming to come up with a solution for the lack of seating at bus stops in our region.
Posted by: Mike Governale, president and co-founder of Reconnect Rochester

Anyone who has ever used public transportation in Rochester is painfully aware of two things: At some point will have to wait for your bus, and when you do, you will probably be standing. But now, Reconnect Rochester is aiming to come up with a solution…

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NEW Board Members: Welcome Renee Stetzer and Phillip Borrelli

We are super excited to announce the addition of Renee Stetzer and Phillip Borrelli to the Reconnect Rochester Board of Directors!

• • •

Renee Stetzer

Renee StetzerRenee Stetzer will serve as head of Reconnect Rochester’s Pedestrian Safety & Complete Streets committee and has already begun to lead community efforts on this front.

Renee is a public relations and branding professional with over 15 years experience in the communications industry. She started her career as an analyst and holds a Masters Degree in Strategic Intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College. She worked for Fleishman-Hillard International Communications in Washington DC for many years before relocating to Rochester, where she provides PR, social media and research support for an online marketing firm and a local food organization. She is a pedestrian advocate and co-founder of Rocville.com external link, an online community resource devoted to improving the quality of urban life for Rochesterians by advocating for more walkable, vibrant neighborhoods.

She currently serves on the board for The Horizons Student Enrichment Program, a summer learning program for low income City of Rochester students. She is an avid runner and swimmer. And she’s a big fan of vegetables and front porches.

• • •

Phillip G. Borrelli

Phillip G. BorrelliAs a Rochester NY-based attorney, Phillip Borrelli has served Reconnect Rochester in an advisory role since the group’s inception. He has since successfully guided the organization through the process of establishing its non-profit status.

Phillip focuses his practice on affordable housing, and historic preservation. Phillip is a graduate of SUNY at Buffalo School of Law and is admitted to the New York State bar. In 2012, Phillip opened his own law practice, and in 2014 he partnered with Jason Yots to form Borrelli & Yots PLLC external link.

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Rochester Extends Red Light Camera Program

Rochester Extends Right Light Camera Program [PHOTO: Renee Stetzer]
Posted by: Renee Stetzer, pedestrian safety advocate and blogger at RocVille.com

Last night the City Council approved the extension of Rochester’s red light camera program until December 2019. The 6 to 3 vote was originally scheduled for September, but postponed when the results of the red light camera study were not yet available. The official report was released last week…

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Help Move Us Into 2015

Reconnect Rochester needs your support to keep rolling in 2015. [PHOTO: John Derycke]
Posted by: Mike Governale, President, Reconnect Rochester

Have you been following Reconnect Rochester over the past few years? Do you like the idea of increased transit options and walkable, more vibrant neighborhoods? If so, please consider making a year-end contribution and keep us rolling into 2015…

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New Citywide 25MPH Speed Limit in NYC

New Citywide 25MPH Speed Limit in NYC. [PHOTO: Vision Zero, NYC.gov]
Posted by: Renee Stetzer, pedestrian safety advocate and blogger at RocVille.com

New York City’s new lower citywide speed limit goes into effect today. In June the NY State legislature passed a bill that allowed NYC to lower its default speed limit to 25mph external link. Part of the city’s Vision Zero plan external link to eliminate traffic fatalities, the new lower default speed limit was approved by the City Council in October and signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio last week. And the new 25mph signs are going up today…

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City Council to Vote to Extend Red Light Camera Program

Last week Governor Andrew Cuomo granted permission for several cities and counties in New York, including Rochester, to begin or continue red light camera programs until 2019.  [PHOTO: FringeHog, Flickr]
Posted by: Renee Stetzer, pedestrian safety advocate and blogger at RocVille.com

The City Council will vote to extend the red light camera program on October 14th. Rochester began its program in 2010 and there are currently cameras installed at over 30 intersections. The city recently completed its second study on the impact the cameras have on traffic accidents at intersections with cameras. Although the official report is not yet available to the public, some draft findings were shared at a City Council meeting in August.  Here are a few…
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RTS Unveils Bus Stop Changes

RTS has announced several changes, including new bus stop signs and route numbers. [IMAGE: Rochester Transit Service]

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…

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