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Top 10 Things We’re Most Proud of in 2023

2023 was a non-stop busy year at Reconnect Rochester as we worked on many fronts, both on stage and behind the scenes, to champion better mobility. Check out below the Top 10 things we’re most proud of accomplishing this year. 

We give thanks to all the people and partners who took part in these efforts by bringing your energy and gifts to this work — whether coming out for a community bike ride, being part of our latest street makeover project, reaching out with financial offers of support, or sharing the good word on social media. All of it counts in this mobility movement we’re building together.

Top 10 Things We’re Most Proud of in 2023

(In no particular order of importance)

#10

Elevating Voices and Sharing Stories

This year, we stepped up our efforts to elevate human voices and stories about the joy and challenges of getting around by bus, on bike or on foot. We invited guest bloggers to share their mobility stories on our blog, everyday cyclists to contribute to our #ROCbyBike Instagram posts, and RTS riders to be part of our Voices of Transit blog series (you’ll hear more about that later).

#9

Getting More People on Bikes in Monroe County

Through bike classes, tours, community rides and pit stops, we work to build bike community and to educate and inspire more folks to get on bikes. We’re always innovating and finding new ways to reach people. In 2023, we rolled out a custom bike route assistance service, offered new learn-to-balance & ride classes at City Rec Centers, developed a Bike to School How-To webpage, curated an exhibit on Rochester’s fascinating bike history, and generated buzz with #PizzaByBike photos on social media.

There are so many accomplishments we now have a TOP 10 CYCLING HIGHLIGHTS list if you want to check that out! These efforts are led by our rock star cycling manager, Jesse Peers.

#8

Making Our Streets Safer

On June 10, Reconnect Rochester and our amazing team of partners came together to transform the intersection of Arnett Boulevard and Warwick Avenue in the 19th Ward. This project was our fourth Complete Streets Makeover, completing our ‘quadfecta’ of a project in every quadrant of the city. We published a full project recap in this blog, and as always, captured the magic in film and in photos to inspire other neighborhoods and communities to get out there and take back their streets. 

We followed up the project with our October edition of Rochester Street Films and a screening of The Street Project, a film about the national scourge of road violence and the fight to make our streets safer. The audience was moved by a powerful post-film discussion with 19th Ward community members who have suffered personal loss and taken action for change.

#7

Deepening Our Community Engagement

One of our favorite things is to host quarterly Engagement Breakfasts, open to anyone interested in learning more about our work and plugging in. Every gathering brings a new mix of people, and fruitful connections and conversations. In addition to inviting people in, we are going to where people are, talking up mobility at meetings and events around the community. This year we also introduced Mobility Action Alerts as a new way to engage folks and let you know about real-time opportunities to take action.

#6

Amping Up Our Advocacy

2023 saw us doing more than ever to champion better mobility, whether meeting with lawmakers on our virtual trip to Albany, weighing in on every major road project in Monroe County, rallying people to attend public meetings, educating the media about the language they use, talking up mobility at media appearances and speaking opportunities, or informing the electorate through our candidate questionnaire. Our goal is to be at every table where transportation decisions are being made, partnering with elected officials and holding them accountable for delivering better mobility for our community.

#5

Celebrating Breakthroughs in Road Design

We spent a lot of advocacy energy this year weighing in on the City’s Active Transportation Plan and the Countywide Active Transportation Plan, with the hope that the vision and commitments in these plans will spur a new approach to road design in Monroe County. We saw evidence of that in our biggest win of the year when Monroe County implemented a road diet and installed bike lanes on Elmwood Avenue in Brighton, making it the first County road to have dedicated bike infrastructure. Several City projects have also raised the bar on road design that implements complete streets designs.

#4

Outreach to RTS Riders

This summer, we launched a new Transit Ambassadors outreach program to find out what’s on the minds of RTS riders and gather their ideas for how the system could be improved. We learned so much to inform our own advocacy work, and we delivered the survey results with recommendations to RTS leadership to inform their decision making. We got to know 5 RTS riders especially well through longer-form interviews, and published their stories in a Voices of Transit ethnography series. 

#3

Measuring Our Progress

How well (or not) is our community providing safe, convenient, and accessible transportation options for people living in Monroe County? We took a step toward answering this question with the selection and addition of 10 transportation data indicators to the ACT Rochester community dashboard. These indicators will help us track community progress, as well as our organization’s own impact. Next we’ll work to set targets and goals for transportation. Where are we now, and where do we want to be?

#2

Raising Funds While Building Community

In June, we hosted our 2nd annual ROC ‘n Roll community bike ride. Over 100 cyclists came out, and we raised nearly $10,000 to help fuel Reconnect Rochester’s work. This annual fundraising ride is part of a larger strategy to diversify and expand our funding sources so we can sustain our growing organization, and we’re lucky to have Fundraising & Development Manager Lindsay Crandall on board now to coordinate the effort!

#1

Building an All Star Staff Team

In 2023, we welcomed Lindsay Crandall (top right) and Cody Donahue (top middle left) to our staff team in the new positions of Fundraising & Development Manager and Director of Policy & Advocacy (respectively). This growth was made possible in great part by the continued support of Dr. Scott MacRae and a generous grant from the ESL Charitable Foundation’s Building Strong Neighborhoods initiative. 

More human power means more impact, and we are loving all the new and expanded ways we’ve been able to pursue our hopes and dreams for mobility in Monroe County.

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Voices of Transit: Anthony Thomas

Reconnect Rochester presents Voices of Transit, an ethnography profile blog series that along with the qualitative survey data from over 200 RTS customers, shows how our current bus system helps (and sometimes hurts) transit-dependent riders in their daily lives. Read more about the initiative here and to review the survey results from the Transit Ambassador Pilot Program, click here.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and give us an introduction to your transit story.

I’m originally from Atlanta, GA, but my mom moved here when I was an infant so I grew up in Rochester.

I’ve been riding RTS for years, before Reimagine RTS and before the Transit Center was built, so I know the “good and bad”, as a frequent rider and longtime customer.

Can you talk about why you ride RTS?

I used to drive a lot but now that I’m pushing 60, I don’t have the patience to sit behind the wheel anymore. I’m also on SSI, so I’m on a fixed income and it’s cheaper to use RTS. I also found that I wasn’t always driving, so if I’m not always driving, then I don’t need to own a vehicle so I got rid of it.

It’s easy to go to a lot and buy a car, but people don’t think about how much it costs to maintain it. I don’t need to worry about that [maintenance] with RTS.

It’s also cheaper than having to pay people gas money to give me a ride.

What do you enjoy about RTS?

The Transit Center is the best thing RTS has done because it’s one place where I can access all of the buses. And Rochester gets cold! So, rather than having everyone wait outside in the winter, it’s nice to have a warm shelter to wait for your bus.

I live a few streets away from the Transit Center and it’s convenient to be able to walk a few blocks away from my apartment with my grocery cart, catch the #3 to go to Walmart, get back on the bus with my groceries and go back home.

I also just learned about the RTS OnDemand service. I have family that live near Emerson St. and it’s hard to visit them using the regular routes because I have to walk far. I love walking but I’m getting older. I have a bad hip and I have a cane, so I can’t walk as far as I used to. So having the OnDemand service drop me off right where I need to so I can visit my older sister is convenient and cuts down on travel time.

I will also say that the security guards at the Transit Center are very pleasant. I do think they could be trained to de-escalate situations better, because I have seen incidents that could’ve gotten out of hand, but overall 85-90% of my experiences with RTS as a frequent rider are pleasant.

Is there anything that you don’t enjoy about RTS? Or anything that you might change?

In terms of the OnDemand service, I don’t like that I have to schedule in advance, that defeats the purpose of OnDemand, especially if I make last minute plans to visit family for example.

Also, over the years I’ve found people who are selling monthly passes for $20 instead of paying $56* which is obviously cheaper especially if I don’t ride the bus all the time. I liked the old passes where you use it and it counts how many times you use it and it adds up to a month. But, getting a monthly pass now can be a waste of money if I don’t ride the bus everyday. If I only use it half the month, then the other days are going to waste. 

The only other thing I would change is how they allow people to hang outside, hustle items and smoke outside of the Transit Center because not everyone is comfortable with smoking and people soliciting you**. Other than that, the Transit Center is a wonderful thing.

What are your thoughts on bus stop amenities? Is there anything that would make you more comfortable while you wait?

There are a lot of conversations that RTS only wants to put shelters in areas that they think are “good areas”. It’s a surprise to me that there’s one on Jefferson Avenue but they don’t keep it clean unfortunately. I think if there will be shelters, there needs to be a crew of people to maintain it.

What’s your hope for the future of the RTS bus system?

Consider lowering the cost of the monthly bus passes or make it so that you are only credited for the rides that you actually take. I would also suggest that it should be mandatory for every driver to lower the bus to make sure it’s accessible for all riders getting on and off the bus. We shouldn’t have to ask the driver to lower the bus. It’s my biggest pet peeve.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I appreciate the customer surveys and feedback session and that RTS is willing to hear from their customers.

*According to the RTS site, “RTS Go caps the amount you spend to a maximum of $3 per day ($1.50 for reduced fares) and $56 per month ($28 for reduced fares). The more you ride with RTS Go, the more you’ll save.”

**Editor’s Note: Prior to publishing this piece, the Reconnect team met with RTS and were notified that the area past the pillars at the Transit Center is public space so they cannot directly manage loitering and other activities, however RTS contracted with the Rochester Police Department to have officers stationed in front of the Transit Center (on RTS property) throughout the day to discourage activities that may be uncomfortable to riders.

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Voices of Transit: Antonio Cruz Zavaleta

Reconnect Rochester presents Voices of Transit, an ethnography profile blog series that along with the qualitative survey data from over 200 RTS customers, shows how our current bus system helps (and sometimes hurts) transit-dependent riders in their daily lives. Read more about the initiative here and to review the survey results from the Transit Ambassador Pilot Program, click here.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and give us an introduction to your transit story.

Before I moved to Rochester, I lived in NYC and walked and biked everywhere. I have a brain injury and have been disabled for the last 14 years which prevents me from driving. Now, I ride RTS to get everywhere that I need to go. In the winter, I have a fat bike that I use to bike around the city too.

Can you talk about why you ride RTS? What do you like about it?

I live in a building that has a lot of elderly and disabled people with mobility challenges, so I take different routes like the 23, 14, or the 3 to get to Walmart to buy groceries for my neighbors, or to get to Home Depot to buy parts to fix the mechanical problems on their wheelchairs.

I live on a tight income and I don’t have a car so riding the bus is very convenient. I also love the Transit App, it makes it easy to find the bus schedules and figure out where I need to go.

The other day there was a woman with crutches carrying bags getting on the bus and I love that the bus driver waited for her to sit down and find her stability before taking off, that’s important.

Is there anything that you don’t enjoy about RTS? Or anything that you might change?

I use my [Transit] app and I only pay .50 cents for a ride and one time the driver asked for my ID and I was surprised because this hasn’t happened to me before, I didn’t know what he meant. He got angry with me and things escalated quite quickly. The second time it happened, the driver snatched my card out of my hand. Not all bus drivers are like that. But, we are all human, we have our days. 

What are your thoughts on bus stop amenities? Is there anything that would make you more comfortable while you wait?

There are a lot of people drinking and smoking and using the bus shelters as housing. I know that this can’t be avoided but I would prefer to not have to hear [sic] that while waiting for the bus.

What’s your hope for the future of public transit in Rochester?

I work with the National Council on the Arts and I bring culture and art to rural communities around Rochester like Victor, Brockport, Medina, and Geneseo. I don’t drive and biking is 21 miles to Brockport, even longer to Geneseo, so my only option is the bus. But it’s not frequent or in some areas there’s no service. I have heard of OnDemand but I have no idea how it works so I would hope that there’s more service in these areas.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

One of my greatest joys of riding the bus in Rochester is that I get to hear people from all over the world, speaking different languages. Like if I take route 1 down St. Paul near the school for English learners, I hear different languages, people dressing in traditional garments, I love it!

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Better Zoning for Better Mobility: What Mobility Advocates Need to Know about the Rochester ZAP

By Cody Donahue, Director of Advocacy and Policy

The Rochester ZAP Draft came out September 20th with an aim to update the City of Rochester’s zoning code to align with the Rochester 2034 comprehensive plan and provide a blueprint for growth over the next 15 years. A new zoning code should enable the comprehensive plan’s goal of investing in quality infrastructure for walking, biking, rolling and public transportation. While others are providing valuable analysis about housing, Reconnect Rochester has taken a deep look at the proposed plan’s impact on multimodal transportation and the ways this plan can lead Rochester to a less car-dependent future.

Rochester needs to hear your voices to make sure the new Zoning code will lead to better community mobility. Join one of the upcoming hearings or submit your comments online by January 31st. Two public hearings before the Rochester Environmental Commission will be held on the following dates. Verbal comments will be accepted at these hearings:          

  • 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, at City Council Chambers at City Hall, 30 Church St.
  • 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in City Council Chambers at City Hall, 30 Church St.

Need some help with identifying the things that will support better mobility? Feel free to use Reconnect Rochester’s ZAP Talking Points.

 

In the meantime, here are three things we want you to know about zoning’s impact on transportation. 

1. Zoning enables smarter growth, and smarter growth means denser, human scale neighborhoods. Higher density is good for walkability, wheelchair accessibility, bikeability and public transportation coverage.

What does zoning even have to do with transportation? A lot actually. We believe a new zoning code should encourage smarter land use that puts Rochester on a path towards less car-dependence. Human scale neighborhoods are more equitable to all residents, placing everyday amenities like groceries, pharmacies, daycares, doctor’s offices, cafes and restaurants within walking distance of where people live. Far too often, our City’s amenities are disappearing in favor of sprawled development in neighboring towns. For the 24% of Rochester City households that do not have access to a car (City of Rochester Active Transportation Plan, pg. 4),  it becomes a lot harder to meet basic needs. Denser, human scale neighborhoods enable people to choose to take fewer single-occupancy car trips in favor of walking or public transit. 

So what should change in the draft ZAP to make Rochester a denser, more human scale city?

  • While some upzoning has occurred in the draft plan, the City should review intersections that are well-served by public transportation and maximally upzone a larger area around the intersection. This allows more amenities to be concentrated near where people take the bus.
  • Consider allowing by special permit additional density in residential zones. For example, in Low-Density Residential (LDR), allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and duplexes and in Medium-Density Residential (MDR), allow dwelling units in mixed-use buildings.
  • Place a moratorium on new gas stations, drive-thrus and carwashes. We recommend the City of Rochester join other cities such as Santa Rosa and Petaluma, CA to place a moratorium on new gas stations, not only due to their long-term harmful impacts on the environment and residents’ health, but also to encourage the transition to electric vehicles. In addition, new drive-through restaurants and banks and carwashes place priority on vehicle drivers passing through neighborhoods, and the frequent in-and-out traffic increases danger for pedestrians and cyclists. 

2. Zoning rules that require car parking minimums perpetuate an unnecessary amount of parking spaces 

Rochester has taken away parking minimums for car storage in commercial zones in the draft plan (yay!), but retained it in residential areas (boo!). We believe that Rochester should join the 46 other North American Cities that have eliminated parking mandates altogether, including Buffalo and Canandaigua. Findings from Buffalo and other cities following the elimination of parking minimums show that parking was overprovisioned even in residential areas. As a result of eliminating parking minimums, within 4 years Buffalo built 1,000 new homes that wouldn’t have otherwise existed. The City of Austin just became the largest city in America to remove parking minimums too. Why would Rochester keep them when everyone else seems to be jettisoning them?

If we’re going to see a less car-dependent future in Rochester, we need to stop making the number of parking spaces a key factor in building plans. Big shopping days don’t even fill up parking lots anymore. While Downtown and other commercial zones no longer have parking minimums under the new plan, any building with an occupancy posting of 75 people or more will be required to develop a Transportation Access Plan. That seems like a very low threshold. Also, the way the TAP requirements are written create a competing dual mandate to both “encourage alternative modes of transportation” while “not straining public infrastructure”. This requirement seems unworkable on a mass scale, especially in Downtown and should be removed. Yes, transportation demand management has the potential to do good, but in practice we’re concerned the zoning rule will lead to dozens if not hundreds of isolated TAP plans that don’t manage anything. We’re suggesting the ZAP remove this TAP requirement altogether. If they do keep it, remove the clause in article 15.2 about avoiding undue burden on public infrastructure. If anything, we need developers to show how they’re investing in public infrastructure. It seems to us that requiring developers to explain how their plans help the City meet the City’s Comprehensive Access and Mobility Plan developed in 2019 would be a better idea.

3. Bicycle parking is part of zoning too! 

Yes, you heard it here. Zoning plans require indoor, secure bicycle parking. Rejoice! But there are some catches. For instance, the City isn’t requiring itself to build bicycle parking in Open Space Districts (think parks, Parcel 5), where recreational bicyclists and festival goers tend to want bicycle parking. In addition, folks who work in industrial and regional commercial zone buildings won’t necessarily have to be provided indoor, secure bicycle parking. We don’t agree with these exemptions and think Rochester can better meet its climate goals by continuing to install bike parking at all its open spaces. 

Rochester’s new zoning code has made some positive strides, but there’s more we can do to promote a city that is walkable, rideable and rollable. The draft Environmental Impact Statement recognizes (on page 7) that 81% of Millennials and 77% of Baby Boomers prefer to live in walkable, active communities that don’t require access to an automobile, and further indicates that by 2030, 25% of people in the housing market will be seeking housing in transit-supportive neighborhoods. 

Rochester needs to hear your voices to get these changes reflected in the Zoning code. Join one of the upcoming hearings or submit your comments online. 

Need some help with identifying the things that will support better mobility? Feel free to use Reconnect Rochester’s ZAP Talking Points.

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Introducing: Voices of Transit

Reconnect Rochester presents Voices of Transit, an ethnography profile blog series that dives into the deeper stories of five transit-dependent RTS riders who vulnerably and authentically detail how our bus system helps (and sometimes hurts) them in their daily lives.

These profiles were gathered during our Transit Ambassador pilot program which launched in July 2023 and wrapped up at the end of September. Over 10 weeks, two Reconnect Rochester Transit Ambassadors conducted 2-3 minute surveys, capturing the experiences of over 200 RTS riders at 40 different locations. We learned alot about what’s on the minds of RTS riders and their ideas for system improvements. View the survey results and recommendations that we shared directly with RTS leadership.

During these interactions, our Ambassadors asked if riders would be interested in sharing their transit story more in depth for our Voices of Transit series.*

Jenelle, Antonio, Anthony Thomas, Leticia and William were the inspiring bunch who, with their stories, proved why we are committed to this work. We hope that after reading their stories, you will join  in our efforts to both celebrate what’s good about public transit, and advocate for an improved system that will better serve the people of Monroe County.

*As a thank you for their time and lived experiences, survey respondents were offered an All Day Pass, and ethnographies interviewees were offered a Weekly pass.

Disclaimer: All stories in this blog series are reflective of the rider’s experience and may not convey the most up to date and accurate information on the current RTS system. We will add relevant links directly to the RTS website where readers can find more information and inquire with the RTS team for further clarification on routes, bus passes, amenities, schedules and other details that might be pertinent to rider experiences.

Jenelle Harriff (she/her/hers)

Tell us a little bit about who Jenelle is and an introduction to your transit story.

I grew up in Webster, right off of Bay Road, and I started riding the bus when I was 16. My first job was as an intern at the Board of Elections in the Sibley Building, so I always took the bus downtown. 

I went to college in NYC and after a year I came back home and ended up working 3 jobs and going to night school at MCC all while taking the bus, so I was a ‘super rider’. All of my drivers that I grew up with back then are still on the road today. So it’s always fun to keep up with each other after all these years…25 years actually!

You’ve been riding with RTS since before the system change (Reimagine RTS). What difference has it made to your trips?

I live in North Winton Village, by Winton and Browncroft. So I’m on routes 8, 9 and 10. I was very disappointed that they eliminated the Winton road service because the abbreviated 9 route from Blossom Route to downtown flies! 

I don’t think they [RTS] realized how many people they isolated in our neighborhood when they eliminated the 48 bus route. There used to be 12 people a day on a morning bus, now it’s 2 or 3. Now people get rides from spouses or neighbors. I think that RTS is doing great on improving the system,  but I think they need to think about people’s first and last mile trips and how far they have to hike, especially when carrying groceries or children. My walk went from 3/10ths of a mile to over 7/10ths of a mile up to Winton and Blossom, it’s not bad in nice weather. But when there’s ice and unshoveled snow, it’s treacherous. It’s more than double the walk and there’s no easier way to do that trip. 

So unfortunately the system change made my life a lot tougher and I wasn’t a huge fan [of Reimagine RTS], but most of the time I get the service when I need it. 

What do you like about RTS?

I try to advocate for our public transit system whenever I can. I always tell people they can take the bus to the public market and not have to worry about the headache of finding parking, or to get to one of our many festivals and concerts (like the PGA!).

I also love the Customer Open House. There are a lot of people who are deterred because they don’t want to ask questions. But the open house makes using the bus system more approachable for people.

In our harsh winters, even on the snowiest days, I’ve always gotten home safe. I’m always thankful for my drivers because it’s been ugly out there sometimes. But I’ve always made it home and you can always depend on the good heat on the bus. It’s been my lifeline. 

What do you dislike about the current system? What makes it difficult as a transit-dependent rider?

I’ve been job hunting for months now and I’ve had to eliminate several employers who are out on Bailey Road or W. Henrietta Road. 

OnDemand doesn’t extend past East Avenue and there’s no service to Linden Avenue. So all of those healthcare agencies and offices really cut out my prospective employers. Paychex, Remade Institute, all of the big companies out there don’t have bus service to get to work, unless you’re willing to pay for a $20 uber. So it really compressed my job hunt and it was discouraging. I have several college degrees and a great job history, and it really puts a linchpin in everything. 

Thankfully I was able to find a position in Canandaigua on Main Street, so I trialed it and I was able to get there by bus! It took a while but all the connections worked to RTS Ontario: I went from Blossom Loop and got to Eastview and connected my next bus to Finger Lakes Gaming and took the third shuttle down to the West Avenue Hub, and my new job is one block away.

The lack of transit to a lot of the best paying jobs in our region really made it so I was pushed to relocate and it’s discouraging. I love my neighborhood here in the city and I’m very involved in my community as the Block Captain. I’ve been a vendor at the public market since I was 17 and I’m involved in my local Community Gardens. But I need to independently get around and I don’t like to depend on family or friends to do so.

To add onto that, when I lived in Philadelphia and NYC, I was independent and that really empowered me as a disabled person. I have one good eye but I have bad depth-perception, so the world’s a safer place without me driving. I came back home in 2010 and trying to get around after all of those years of independence and frequent service was an adjustment. 

What are your thoughts on bus stop amenities? What would make you more comfortable while you wait?

My local stop doesn’t have any seating or shelter. But, I love the bus stop cubes because even just to put your bags down after shopping because the ground gets muddy in bad weather, just those little touches makes people’s lives easier, or just a place to lean or I’ve seen people who are disabled with walkers using the cubes which is really helpful. It’s nice to see those enhancements.

I would love to just see a simple plexiglass panel that can protect you from the elements, even if it’s not a full shelter. And if there is a shelter, having regular maintenance and cleaning would be nice. Sometimes the shelters are just gross, the seats are gross, there’s litter and cigarettes and the trash gets piled up. I would rather not have a shelter where it gets dirty and you don’t want to sit and be comfortable.

What’s your hope for the future of public transportation in Rochester? 

The existing system with set service is great. I would love to see enhanced service to suburban areas through OnDemand more. We’re on the right path for more frequent service in the city. But better and additional service for surrounding towns because there’s real travel gaps for people that used to ride old service frequently.

I would also like to see more park and rides. We’re a very car centric city but get people to realize how convenient and easy it is to take the bus.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I love talking to people on the bus, you meet wonderful people and it builds camaraderie in your community. 

It’s also not as expensive as owning a car. Driving could be an option but the expense of a vehicle is insane. So I always ask myself, “Do I really need a car to go 2 miles to work?” 

Generally, I have been so happy to see improvements and I know it’s only going to get better.

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#ROCbyBike – A 2019-2022 Season Recap

By: Jesse Peers

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.

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Where They Stand: 2023 Candidates for Monroe County General Election

Reconnect Rochester surveyed general election candidates for Monroe County Legislature and Executive to learn where they stand on issues related to transportation and mobility.

Questions were designed to give the candidates the opportunity to share their opinions, ideas and vision for a well-connected and accessible community.  We hope this information will help you make an informed decision when you head to the polls on November 7th or Early Voting starting on October 28th (more info on early voting here).  We contacted every candidate in writing and conducted several follow-ups in an attempt to obtain responses from every candidate on the ballot.

Click on the candidate names below to read their full, unedited responses. Candidates are listed in order of the district they are running for.

Some candidates previously answered in our Primary Election Questionnaire, so their answered are repeated here.

**This list includes only candidate who are running contested races for Monroe County Legislature and Executive on the General Election ballot. To check if you are registered to vote, confirm your polling location, and even see a preview of what your ballot will look like, click here.**

Candidates for Monroe County Executive:

Adam Bello

Candidate Email: info@belloformonroe.com

Website: https://belloformonroe.com/

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

Transportation is a challenge to health/safety, access/equity and sustainability that influences both personal and community wide opportunity.

Providing an equitable transportation system for all users is particularly crucial to help facilitate increased economic and social opportunities for populations and geographic areas that lack mobility options. Regardless of physical ability or mode of transportation everyone should also be able to travel safely and securely. The county’s pedestrian, bicycle, and transit networks connect many communities and provide access to places our residents need to go. However, many residents are not located near these networks or are unable to use them. People walking and biking in Monroe County, regardless of age, ability, income, or race/ethnicity, should be able to travel safely and comfortably in and between communities. Ensuring that low income, elderly, disabled, and young people have access is vital to increasing quality of life and offering a brighter economic future for all the County’s residents.

Transportation decisions that support environmental and sustainability goals are critical as the transportation sector generates the largest share of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. Additionally, there is substantial cost associated with building, operating, maintaining, and repairing transportation assets including roads, bridges, culverts, sidewalks, and support facilities. It is important to convene the transportation community to identify federal and state resources to maintain current transportation infrastructure as well as investments in transportation expansion and enhancements.

I am proud that Monroe County is leading the effort to address these transportation challenges. Monroe County just completed the Countywide Active Transportation Plan (CATP), its vision is that people using all modes of transportation and regardless of age, ability, income, or race/ethnicity, will be able to travel safely between transit and active transportation reducing congestion and road maintenance needs. The CATP also emphasizes the importance of active transportation in addressing the climate crisis. Additionally, Monroe County is in the process of developing a climate action plan that is aimed at addressing sustainability, climate crisis issues county wide, and reducing GHG emissions.

2. What role can the Monroe County Executive play in addressing our transportation challenges?

The County Executive is able to lead and convene stakeholders who can help identify community priorities, and work together to develop and implement a plan to address them. When I took office, I made a commitment to develop a Countywide Active Transportation Plan (CATP). Developed over 18 months, the CATP, is the result of a collaborative partnership with Monroe County and the Genesee Transportation Council to engage local, regional, and state agencies, alongside community stakeholders, transportation experts, and the county’s residents. This comprehensive approach serves not only as a roadmap for decision-makers, stakeholders, and community members, ensuring alignment and cohesiveness, but also strengthens the County’s ability to procure funding for transformative projects and initiatives enhancing our transportation infrastructure.

The CATP outlines recommendations and strategies to make walking and cycling safer, more convenient, and more appealing for residents of all ages and abilities. The CATP process combines in-depth data collection with inclusive public engagement to promote health, equity, and community resilience in Monroe County. To begin addressing disparities through the CATP, Monroe County intentionally engaged with stakeholders and identified potential policy and program actions to increase access to transportation networks, and developed a framework for prioritizing investments equitably. Plan recommendations will help shape future transportation improvement projects that enhance safety, connectivity and transit access.

I am proud to report that the completion of the CATP marks a significant step toward a vision for enhancing active transportation infrastructure across the county, building a safer environment for active transportation, reducing congestion, and contributing to a more sustainable future for Monroe County.

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

When I took office, I made a commitment to address climate change both at the county operations level as well as community wide. Our Climate Action Plan (CAP) fulfills a promise I made to combat the impacts of climate change on our region. The CAP, is a comprehensive, strategic effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and related environmental impacts of climate change. The CAP Phase I, developed during my first term and adopted by the County Legislature, established an aggressive goal of 80% reduction in GHG by 2050 for County operations. The sectors within the County operations targeted for GHG reductions include Buildings and Facilities, Transportation Fleets, Expressway Lighting and Signals, Pure Waters, Infrastructure and Solid Waste Facilities. Several priorities established in Phase I are already underway including the installation of electric vehicle charging stations at nine county-owned locations for county and public use. Each location is open to the public and will help support the use of clean vehicle technology across the county. The project is funded with grants from New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation. Each location has multiple charging stations and allows up to four vehicles to charge at a time. By investing in this type of infrastructure, we’re also fulfilling some of the commitments we made as part of the County’s Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project will help expand the clean energy infrastructure that is available for public use in Monroe County. The use of electric vehicles locally contributes to improved air quality. Electric vehicles help achieve the County’s climate initiatives, and encouraging the use of electric vehicles helps pave the way for other forms of clean transportation.

The CAP Phase II, which is currently under development, will establish GHG emission reduction goals for the entire community, including residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal activities. I expect the CAP Phase II will include a more expeditious move towards electrifying buildings and vehicles, establishing opportunities for community wide scraps and organics recycling, exploring affordable green community power, and building more efficient buildings.

I believe that the County must lead by example, but needs community support and engagement to achieve meaningful and lasting GHG emission reductions. The Climate Action Plan is a framework for prioritizing future policies and projects to reduce GHG emissions. An audit of the plan will occur in 2025 and further reviews will occur every five years to measure the county’s progression towards its goals. The results of the audits will be public and will drive decision-making. We have already made great progress in reducing our carbon footprint and becoming more sustainable, but there is still much more work to be done. I remain committed to this important effort so together we can create a healthier, more resilient and equitable community for generations to come.

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

I am committed to a complete streets vision and am already working with local municipalities and NYS to successfully implement that vision.

As I have already referenced, the development and completion of the CATP is the result of a successful collaborative partnership. Developed over 18 months, the CATP, is the result of a collaborative partnership with Monroe County and the Genesee Transportation Council to engage local, regional, and state agencies, alongside community stakeholders, transportation experts, and the county’s residents. The CATP incorporates the vision of complete streets to enable safe access and mobility for all users. Additionally as we move forward to successfully implement this CATP, it is critical that there is continued coordination between county, town and state agencies. Monroe County is committed to this coordination to identify priority projects in support of active transportation infrastructure and plan implementation.

My administration wants to be helping assist with active transportation within our towns, I recently announced a new program that aims to encourage towns to add more sidewalks. This program aligns with our Complete Streets Policy and with our vision of a county that prioritizes the needs of its residents. The program offers towns up to 50% of the cost of sidewalk installations to make these crucial infrastructure improvements more affordable and attainable for our towns. Sidewalks play a pivotal role in creating safe and accessible pedestrian networks to help people of all backgrounds, including those with mobility challenges, to safely travel in Monroe County. The Town of Perinton is the first town to participate in this newly launched sidewalk initiative. I look forward to partnering with additional towns so that there will be sidewalks across our community.

In April, I was proud to announce with Town Supervisor Bill Moehle and County Legislators Susan Hughes-Smith, Linda Hasman, Howard Maffucci and Albert Blankley that bike lanes would be installed along Elmwood Avenue from South Goodman Street to Twelve Corners. The new lanes were a part of a Monroe County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) rehabilitation project to enhance connectivity throughout Brighton, and make it safer for kids, parents and anyone who bikes or walk along Elmwood Avenue. Monroe County worked closely with Supervisor Bill Moehle and his Public Works Department to successfully plan and implement this project that will seek to attract residents, spark economies, ensure transportation equity, promote public health, and address climate change.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

Before I took office, I was constantly asked “what does County government even do?” Since I have been in office, I am asked, “How can County Government help with this problem?” The difference between now and then is that people now know that County government can and will help. For our community who is concerned about safer streets, better mobility and better transit, the County has spent the past 18 months developing a CATP for safer streets, better mobility and connections to public transit. I made a commitment to convene our community and develop and complete a plan and it is here. I would like to work for you over the next four years to begin to implement it.

Mark Assini

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Candidates for Monroe County Legislature:

Legislature District 3:

Marvin L Stepherson

Candidate Email: Friendsofstepherson@gmail.com

Website: marvinstepherson.com

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

I would believe it is the lack of options: Job searching ability, commuting to a job, affordability, bus pass, car ownership, etc.

2. What role can the Monroe County Legislature play in addressing our transportation challenges?

We must engage the ones most directly impacted by it and take the suggestions to the planning stages to draft the goals in a tangible vision. and then get all stakeholders at the table to commit to the task of addressing the issues

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

We have to look at creating communities that are proactive in placing resources within the community to help minimize transportation challenges and reduce the practices that play a part in negatively impacting the environment.

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

The County can invite the local and State representatives to a meeting to discuss the designing of greener spaces that connect towns and Urban Communities. The more stakeholders involved the better planning and the higher quality of input.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

My resume illustrates the work, and volunteer efforts I have demonstrated through the years, and it is that record I plan to build upon with my continued public service to this County.

Tracy DiFlorio

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

 

Legislature District 5:

Terry Daniele

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Richard Milne

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Legislature District 8:

Michael DiTullio

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Mark Johns

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Legislature District 9:

Mel Callan

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Paul Dondorfer

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Legislature District 10:

Howard Maffucci

Candidate Email: howardmaffucci@gmail.com

Website: howardmaffucci.com

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

The demographics and climate of our region create some challenges. Our region’s population lives in a wide area with a spread out population outside the city. That requires people to drive for work, family, and leisure activities. Our most significant challenge is having a region-wide active transportation plan embracing Complete Streets to make roads more pedestrian and bike-friendly in places that make sense. We must recognize there are times of the year when it is difficult for people to bike and walk. Our regional public transit system needs improvement.

As someone who bikes regularly, we must find ways to slow traffic down in places with dense populations. We must also ensure pedestrians can cross streets safely. I strongly support the active transportation development process.

2. What role can the Monroe County Legislature play in addressing our transportation challenges?

The county must continue to update its Active Transportation Plan and work collaboratively with other governments. As stated above, ensuring road updates in our area address the needs of pedestrians and bikers must be considered in road project planning. The county should also seek and support state and federal grants to assist in implementing Active Transportation Plans.

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

We should continue to promote the evolution of EV driving. Our family is currently all EV. We own two electric vehicles. We have ‘experimented’ with long trips and have found high-speed charging to continue to improve. Opening the Tesla networks to all other EVs will be a huge benefit.

We should also promote the conversion to heat pumps and solar technology for homes and businesses.

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

Please see my answer to question 1 and 2.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

I’ve embraced EV driving and continue to engage with people who doubt the benefits of driving electric. I share my experiences regularly on social media, having been involved since 2013 in the evolution of the emerging electric vehicle technology, as my first three vehicles were hybrids.

Locally, I have assisted in implementing cross-walk improvements in my community and will continue to promote Complete Streets as part of community Active Transportation Plans.

I admit I am not an expert in transportation improvements. I will always listen and work with experts who can assist our region in embracing data-driven solutions to improve traveling as pedestrians, bikers, drivers, and public transportation riders travel in our area.

Nancy Lewis

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Legislature District 13:

Michael Yudelson

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Ethan Greene

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

 

 

 

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

Legislature District 14:

Sue Hughes Smith

Candidate Email: Sue@SueHughesSmith.com

Website: SusanHughesSmith.com

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

The current system is designed around individual, private cars and contributes to the interrelated problem of sprawl and exacerbates inequality. We need to redesign our transportation system to be more equitable, to create access to economic opportunity, and to provide individuals with the freedom to move safely by other modes including public transit, walking and biking.

2. What role can the Monroe County Legislature play in addressing our transportation challenges?

Monroe County has taken a good first step in developing an Active Transportation Plan that focuses on developing a more equitable system. The next task is to begin to implement the plan. The County Executive must direct DOT to review every road project and incorporate the appropriate design features like sidewalks and bike lanes. The County Executive must require DOT to change its complete streets policy from preferring shoulders to preferring bike lanes. The County Legislature can continue to advocate for those needed changes both publicly at committee and full legislature meetings, and privately with staff, and administration. The County Legislature can and should take the step to require a portion of the budget for Monroe County DOT be directed to implementation of the Active Transportation Plan.

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

There are three pieces to solving this situation: (1) Provide fast, reliable, frequent public transit – focus on a few major roads and incentivize future building redevelopment to locate and occur along those lines; (2) Expand bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure to create a safe and more equitable alternative; (3) Facilitate and build more EV charging stations to encourage the electrification of vehicles

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

Monroe County roads pass through many of our towns and villages providing us with the opportunity to partner with other communities in redesigning our infrastructure. The Legislature approved a 50% matching cost-share program to construct sidewalks along County roads. The County will pay 50% and the Town/Village would pay the other 50%. This is a significant change as previously all sidewalk costs were left to the Town/Village. I hope that communities take advantage of this pilot program and that the Legislature moves to make it a permanent offering.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

My top concerns include addressing community needs that will improve public health, and the environment in ways that create a more resilient, equitable and prosperous county. One of the best ways to accomplish those goals is to create safer streets with more mobility options. I’m already working on this vision and will continue to advocate for the changes we need.

Pat Reilly

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Legislature District 16:

Dave Long

Candidate Email: LegislatorLong@gmail.com

Website: www.davelongformonroe.com

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

I think the County learned a great deal from the creation of the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) and I was very glad to support that effort during my term in office. Challenges with equity, climate change, and funding are the greatest. Perhaps another more overarching challenge is how to leverage the various work-products and studies that have focused on transportation improvements in a way that moves forward in unison.

2. What role can the Monroe County Legislature play in addressing our transportation challenges?

Local jurisdictions are responsible for building and maintaining active transportation infrastructure so the County plays a limited role in the facility selection and design of individual routes (ex. the City of Rochester has its own ATP). Through legislation and funding, I see the County Legislature as playing a pivotal role as a body to help see through the idea of an “active transportation network” that serves as a resource for communities all over Monroe County. Also, the Legislature can help to make sure projects in areas like our Department of Transportation and those contained in our 5-year Capital Improvement Program are adhering to ATP recommendations.

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

I’ve been proud to be a part of adopting the first Climate Action Plan (CAP) which seeks to reduce the County’s greenhouse gas emissions 80% below 2019 levels by 2050. I am supportive of seeing this work through in my role on the Legislature. Also, I am supportive of CAP phase 2 which is focused on the emissions produced community-wide (outside of the direct control of the County government). I think these initiatives are ongoing/living efforts which will require continued collaboration of our elected officials in order to be successful.

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

Similar to my response to question two (above), I see the County as best-suited to be a connector and convener of communities to help connect in our area. Also, the County can work to create policy and enact legislation that brings entities together and incentivizes collaborative solutions to improving transportation for all.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

I’m a husband and father of three who wants Monroe County to be the best place to live, learn, work and, play. I truly believe making our community more easily accessed is better for everyone and for future generations. I want these things for my family and neighbors because I care about our environment and taking actions to address climate change by making it easier to get around via means other than a car. Most of all, the planning done with the Active Transportation Plan and the Climate Action Plan require dedicated law makers to help see them through – I want to be part of the that team.

Joe Carbone

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Legislature District 18:

Lystra McCoy

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Sean Delehanty

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Legislature District 20:

Jaime Erskine-Pettit

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Robert Colby

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Legislature District 21:

Oscar Brewer Jr.

Candidate Email: thepeoplesslate@gmail.com

Website: https://www.peoplesslateroc.com/

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

People need to be able to get where they’re going cheaply. Sometimes that’s not possible or efficient for people who don’t have a car.

2. What role can the Monroe County Legislature play in addressing our transportation challenges?

The county should be investing in public transportation opportunities to help low-income folks in our community. No one should be too poor to get where they need to go. I know first-hand the challenges of transportation in a county that’s built for people driving cars. In the County Legislature, I will be a voice for people who need transportation support.

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

Public transportation is a must. We need cheap, efficient public transportation options available to reduce reliance on cars. Also, making streets safer for people walking would encourage more people to walk to where they need to go.

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

We need to put people at the center of what we’re doing at all levels of government. Too often, politicians make decisions to benefit developers and big money interests. If we listen to our neighbors in the community, we’ll be able to prioritize what people need. That includes making sure sidewalks are safe for pedestrians and bike lanes are available for cyclists.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

I know first-hand what it’s like not to have a car. I strongly believe in public transportation, which lets people live their lives without having to own a vehicle. I’m a man of the people fighting for the people. And that’s exactly what I’ll do in the County Legislature.

Santos Cruz

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Legislature District 27:

Rose Bonnick

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

 

David Ferris

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

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Welcoming Cody Donahue!

Please join us in warmly welcoming Cody Donahue, who joined the growing Reconnect Rochester staff this month as the Director of Policy and Advocacy. Cody brings tremendous professional skills and experience and a personal passion for our cause. We feel very lucky to have found someone with “all the right stuff” to round out our dynamic staff team working day-in and day-out to boldly advocate for a transportation system that provides mobility options and resource access for everyone. 

Cody will play an integral role in driving (bad pun) the policy and advocacy action that will advance Reconnect Rochester’s mission. He’ll provide leadership and expertise in transportation public policy and implement innovative strategies to influence decision-making at both the grassroots and grass-tops levels, amplify community voices, and mobilize people to take action on mobility issues in our community. 

Find out how Cody landed here and what inspires him to advocate for mobility in the message below. 

Cody Donahue

Greetings Reconnecters! I am honored to join the Reconnect Rochester staff and especially excited to collaborate with all of Reconnect’s passionate volunteers and community advocates. I have been impressed for years by Reconnect Rochester’s respectful approach to partnering with government, community organizations and the People to achieve safer streets and more equitable multimodal transportation options. So when I saw this role open up, I biked right over to submit my application!

Coming into this new policy and advocacy role, I hope to amplify the diversity of voices calling for a robust transportation network that makes it easy for anyone – regardless of physical or economic ability – to get around Monroe County. You and your networks are absolutely essential to getting change to happen and I can’t wait to hear what you are passionate about!

Over the last 20 years, I’ve held a variety of nonprofit leadership roles from international women’s and children’s rights programs to shared administrative services with New York State Planned Parenthoods. As an almost lifelong vegan, I’ve been active in national animal rights advocacy (happy to share recipes!). My lifestyle is car-lite, living as close as possible to work and amenities and using public transportation or cycling to work. In Rochester, I’ve run-commuted a lot, including in the snow (I have the Strava to prove it!)! My family and I live in the 19th Ward and love visiting Monroe County’s libraries, parks and festivals.

p.s. Even before joining the team, back in June Cody and his family came out for the Complete Streets Makeover of Arnett & Warwick in their 19th Ward neighborhood. Check out his cameo appearance in the project short film!

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It’s Time for a Minimum Grid

Jesse Peers (white man) stands in front of Reconnect Rochester door at the Hungerford Building.

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.

If cyclists 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.
  • Montreal’s Mayor Valérie Plante is having 200 km of protected bike paths installed in a 5-yr timeframe.
  • 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!

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Making Rochester Streets Safer for All: The 2023 Complete Streets Makeover of Arnett & Warwick

On June 10, Reconnect Rochester and an amazing team of partners came together to transform the intersection of Arnett Boulevard and Warwick Avenue in the 19th Ward. This project was our fourth Complete Streets Makeover, completing our ‘quadfecta’ of a project in every quadrant of the city. Before we dive into how we made the magic happen, let’s remember why this program is central to our work and mission at Reconnect Rochester.

Why We Need “Complete Streets”

Across the U.S., we are seeing a spike in pedestrian injuries and fatalities, and Monroe County has been no exception to that. Our Monroe County Crash Map shows that on average, 10 pedestrians and cyclists die from motor vehicle crashes every year. In 2023, we have already lost 7 pedestrians and 3 cyclists on our streets.

Responding to this growing epidemic was the impetus behind the creation of our Complete Streets Makeover (CSM) program in 2018. Our goal is to bring attention to complete street design as one critical factor in creating streets that are safe for everyone. A “complete street” allows everyone—regardless of age, ability or mode of transportation—safe access on that street. It is a street shared by pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and motorists. 

“Complete Streets are streets for everyone. Complete Streets is an approach to planning, designing, building, operating, and maintaining streets that enables safe access for all people who need to use them, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.”

Smart Growth America | National Complete Streets Coalition

Selecting Arnett & Warwick

Along Arnett Boulevard in Rochester’s southwest quadrant, 12 crashes with pedestrians and cyclists occurred between 2012-2021 that resulted in serious or traumatic injuries. 

Experiencing the harm of this road violence is perhaps what motivated members of the Arnett Block Association to nominate the intersection of Arnett & Warwick for a Complete Streets Makeover. The submission was the most extravagant we’ve ever received, complete with a compelling narrative, stated commitments from neighborhood organizations, and a host of images and videos (check one of them out here) providing evidence and testimony from concerned community members who wanted to see change.

In reviewing this nomination and judging the location by a set of established criteria, our Steering Committee was convinced that Arnett and Warwick presented the right mix of community support, evidence of safety concerns, and had great potential for a street redesign.  A Complete Streets Makeover at the intersection would create real, transformative change for the community through this project.

This intersection is also at the heart of a community hub featuring the Arnett Branch Library, the family-owned Arnett Cafe and School #16 right around the corner. Because of the proximity to kids, there was an emphasis on improving safety for children and families, the community’s most vulnerable road users.

Gathering Community Input

We kicked off the project with a community workshop in February 2023 at the Arnett Branch Library Community Room. Over 40 community members came out to share their experiences, identify the issues that they have seen along this corridor, and offer their ideas and solutions to improve safety and create a welcoming space.

Common issues identified by the community included: lack of crosswalks across Arnett Boulevard, frequent speeding, and low visibility of cars for pedestrians. 

Common solutions identified by the community included: installing crosswalks, curb bumpouts, more signage and installing beautification features and pedestrian infrastructure including benches and planters.

The Stantec Team provided a map and transfer paper so that community members could draw street design elements and solutions.

Following the workshop, the Stantec team got to work creating a rendering that would reflect the community’s input, and bi-weekly meetings with a core group of neighbors commenced to begin planning for the many aspects of the event: the street mural, food, music, a parklet outside of the library, and other placemaking elements. The community identified neighborhood artist Richmond Futch Jr. to lead the design and implementation of the street mural which would become a focal point of the project and a crucial design element to capture the attention of drivers and encourage them to slow down. 

Richmond’s initial design of the street mural:

Stantec’s design rendering incorporating Richmond’s design and the community’s input:

You can imagine that at this point during the process, there was a lot of excitement and energy looking forward to the day of the event where we would bring this all to life.

Making the Magic Happen at Arnett & Warwick

After much planning, over 100 people came out to Arnett & Warwick on June 10 to make the magic happen! Attendees were made up of people from the neighborhood, youth organizers and leaders from The Center for Teen Empowerment, children from School No. 16, and a team of community partners*. Together, we worked to make the intersection of Arnett Blvd and Warwick Avenue a more vibrant, safer place for everyone.

Design elements to calm traffic and improve safety included curb bump outs with bollards to slow cars turning onto Warwick or Arnett, and a street mural. Other elements to beautify the space included:

  • A wishing tree where community members can leave positive messages to uplift others
  • Flower planters made from repurposed bus stop cubes
  • A built out parklet that used a parking space in front of the Arnett Branch Library and transformed it into a kid-friendly space with colorful benches, turf, a copycat Simon Says game and hopscotch.

View more photos of the day here, courtesy of Healthi Kids.

Nothing captures the life of a project better than film. Reconnect Rochester is pleased to share this short film, produced by Floating Home Films, that tells the full story.

Filmed and Edited by Floating Home Films

The Impact

But did it make a difference? YES! Data collected before and after the implementation (April and July, respectively) shows a measurable decrease in vehicle speeds along Arnett & Warwick.

Makeover speed data graphic

After implementation, the 85th percentile speed (the speed that 85% of vehicles travel at or below) declined 9% and the average speed declined 10%. When it comes to speed, each mile-per-hour a driver is traveling makes a difference for pedestrian and cyclist safety, and can be the difference between life and death or a person sustaining life altering injuries.

The impact of vehicle speed in pedestrian collisions (The Healthi Kids Coalition)

The City of Rochester has already approved a permanent crosswalk for the intersection as a direct result of this project, so the neighborhood can look forward to that coming soon!

Looking Ahead

Our awesome team is taking one year off in between projects, but we’ll be back in mid-2024 with a public call for submissions, so keep taking note of the intersections and trouble spots you experience in your daily travels that could use a Complete Streets Makeover! Together, we’ll keep advocating to design our streets for people, and we’ll keep making it happen one intersection at a time.

Community Partners

The Complete Streets Makeover of Arnett & Warwick was a collaborative venture with the following community partners:

and,

Richmond Futch, Jr., 19th Ward Neighborhood Artist

Amy Schramm, School 16 Art Teacher

Funding Support

This project is supported with funding provided by ESL Charitable Foundation, The Community Foundation, Genesee Transportation Council, and New York State Department of Health’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities initiative.

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Shifting My Perspective on Space

Shifting My Perspective on Space

By: Robert Picciotti

“I number it among my blessings that my father had no car, while yet most of my friends had, and sometimes took me for a drive. This meant that all these distant objects could be visited just enough to clothe them with memories and not impossible desires, while yet they remained ordinarily as inaccessible as the Moon. The deadly power of rushing about wherever I pleased had not been given me. I measured distances by the standard of man, man walking on his two feet, not by the standard of the internal combustion engine. I had not been allowed to deflower the very idea of distance; in return I possessed “infinite riches” in what would have been to motorists “a little room”. The truest and most horrible claim made for modern transport is that it “annihilates space”. It does. It annihilates one of the most glorious gifts we have been given. It is a vile inflation which lowers the value of distance, so that a modern boy travels a hundred miles with less sense of liberation and pilgrimage and adventure than his grandfather got from traveling ten. Of course if a man hates space and wants it to be annihilated, that is another matter. Why not creep into his coffin at once? There is little enough space there.” – C.S. Lewis

In December of 2020, walking to church had long been one of those things I wanted to do but never gotten around to. When I heard the above quote I committed myself to taking the half hour walk to church for at least a month. I recall being worried about cold and snow as December was beginning but I was determined to keep up with my commitment to see how it went.

My concerns about the cold quickly proved unfounded; walking on all but the coldest days can be quite comfortable if you dress appropriately. The coldest days can be a bit bracing, but are quite manageable and give a little sense of adventure. I quickly came to find joy in the simple pleasures the walk offered. Today I find walking to church a great joy in all seasons, whatever the weather. Each season has its own unique blessings, and my commitment to walking has allowed me to enjoy each of them. A light snowfall in the evening, snowflakes dancing in the warm streetlights, is possibly my favorite. And experiencing that was a direct consequence of my choice to walk in winter. 

That summer I turned my eyes toward Wegmans. If I wished to get groceries without a car then I would benefit from a bike. After getting a bike I found many car trips were easily replaceable, including my Wegmans runs.  In general I find that around 20 or 30 minutes is my normal cutoff in trip length before I start to think about it as a “trip.” That’s true regardless of my mode of transportation; however, I (and I think most people) find driving to be a chore and would teleport instead of drive given the choice. On the other hand I would not give up walking and biking to teleport; I find them to be valuable parts of the trip, enjoyable unto themselves. Though I must admit, a good deal of the joy evaporates when stuck on a busy, fast road without good bike infrastructure.

Over time I shifted most of my daily errands to biking and walking trips. Then last November I got a new job with an office a little over three miles from my home, whereas my previous job had been largely remote since COVID and had its office a good deal further away. Given that it was November I was concerned about biking in the winter, something I’d largely avoided up to that point, but was determined to stick it out as late into the season as I could. I found winter biking in Rochester to be surprisingly practical. Ice wasn’t a big issue (and studded tires exist for those concerned). Being cold also wasn’t much of an issue, overheating because I had dressed too warm was a more common concern. The only winter specific purchase I had to make was buying a headband to keep my ears warm while not getting in the way of my helmet. I’d rather bike to work on a summer day than a winter one, but I would happily take the winter ride over driving. I felt that most keenly when I got COVID this February and felt myself longing for my commute. Something I can’t imagine having wanted when I drove to work!

I have done a couple of longer trips as well. I’ve gone to  Letchworth and most recently I and a friend took the train to Niagara & biked back. I’ve found that doing all these things has given me some of the perspective that Lewis talked about. 

Nowadays I walk & bike nearly everywhere, something that was entirely untrue of me even a few years ago. There have been many benefits that have come with that. I find the traveling part of going places more enjoyable, I am physically active at least 30 minutes a day, when I’ve had car troubles it’s not been a big interruption in my life, and I’ve had the opportunity to lend my car out to others when they’ve had car troubles.

My transition to biking and walking happened over several years as I learned the joy of movement under my own power; it was not a sudden change. My choices are not the choices everyone would make, but often the choice is never even considered. Rather we yield to a cultural sense of practicality and a belief we must maximize our “convenience” and “efficiency.” But, I have found eschewing “practicality” in favor of enjoying movement a much more practical use of my time. Whether or not a person sticks with it, I would encourage anyone to try taking some of the normal car trips of their lives by foot & bike, you never know where you’ll end up.

Interested in sharing your mobility story on the Reconnect blog? Reach out to Community Engagement Manager, Jahasia Esgdaille (jahasia@reconnectrochester.org) to get started!

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Dangerous Behavior on Two Wheels Vs. Four Wheels

Written by Arian Horbovetz and originally published on The Urban Phoenix blog

“I saw this guy on a bike today, weaving in and out of cars waiting for a light to change. I thought, man, that person is ruining it for all bike riders. That kind of thing must drive you crazy right?”

“Not as much as a Ford F-150 doing the same thing,” I replied.

The statement recently made by a friend of mine was classically indicative of people close to me who really try to understand my take on cars, trucks and SUVs, but are still under the spell of the automobile-first mentality that plagues our flawed view about transportation and mobility.

This week alone, I was almost hit by a driver swerving through traffic at high speed with no signaling. I witnessed a driver screaming at a school bus operator on a 1.5 lane bridge, then squeal his tires and drive away at what had to have been 50 in a 30. While my wife and I were traveling to the beautiful Finger Lakes Region this weekend, we were passed by no less than 20 drivers exceeding 80mph. And of course, there was the usual smattering of blatant red light running, stop sign roll-throughs and blatant drive-by disregards for pedestrians waiting at crosswalks.

While everyone laments these activities, they rarely cause us to question the automobile itself. Strategies to create environments and infrastructure that make our roads safer have gained momentum, but they are still in their relative infancy, both with regard to execution and influence. Despite the fact that automobile crashes are the number 2 killer of children and teens in the U.S. (it was #1 for decades until recently when shootings stole this tragic and senseless title) we collectively tend to dismiss bad driving behavior as a sort of toxic bi-product of an essential form of mobility.

But when a bike rider flagrantly disobeys the law or pilots a two-wheeled machine dangerously, that’s when we react with a desire to crack down and put these death-wish seekers in their place. There’s just one key flaw in this argument and one that is so hidden in people’s plain sight that it makes me laugh every time. On my bike, I am only a danger to myself on our roads. Even if I recklessly ride my biggest, fastest bike hard into a Smart Car or a Mini-Cooper, the likely outcome is that I, the bike rider, will end up dead or horribly injured while the driver of the tiny vehicle will walk away unscathed.

Alternatively, if a driver of even the smallest automobile miss-pilots their car, truck or SUV, they do so at great risk to themselves AND other people on our roads. If you’re going to be hit, would you rather be hit by a bike, or by a Chevy Silverado?

Simply put, a reckless bike rider is only a danger to themselves, while a reckless driver, which we all see constantly on our roads, is danger to themselves AND the other drivers, cyclists, scooter riders and pedestrians around them. And yet I’ll put good money on the fact that most drivers see cyclists as a human-less barrier to their endgame.

The response to the above comparison between transportation modes and ability to do harm is typically followed up with a call for cyclists to protect themselves better, citing the fact that law breakers put themselves at greater risk. Which is kind of like saying 100 pound people should be very careful to not step out of line around 250 pound muscular people for their own safety.

Another hilariously “backed into a corner” response is that “people just need to be raised to be better drivers,” implying that what happens on our roads is a product of bad manners, bad parenting, and generally crummy people. But since there will always be people in our society who’s baseline it is to flagrantly do as they please in spite of their surroundings, why not build infrastructure that makes it harder, not easier, to break the law on our roadways?

A 2013 Atlantic article speaks to the concept of freedom that power elicits. In the article, Joe Magee of New York University states that “Power isn’t corrupting, it’s freeing,” going on to say that “Once you get into a position of power, then you can be whoever you are.” When we are given tools of great power, the best or the worst of who we are shines through. Power removes the confines of fear, which is often a good thing, unless we are realistic about the responsibility of driving a 5,000 pound vehicle with hundreds of horsepower. This is probably a case where a small dose of fear is healthy and encouraged.

In a world indoctrinated in one transportation mode, these aren’t easy concepts. When driving has been subsidized, prioritized and normalized as part of every trip, “letting off the gas” of this automobile normalcy goes against the power-based psychology that is present in all humans. Slowly, more and more people are open to understanding the concepts mentioned here and as a result, our communities may slowly grow to become safer and healthier places to be.

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Where They Stand: 2023 Candidates for Rochester City Council and Monroe County Legislature Primary Election

Reconnect Rochester surveyed all primary candidates for Rochester City Council and Monroe County Legislature to learn where they stand on issues related to transportation and mobility.

Questions were designed to give the candidates the opportunity to share their opinions, ideas and vision for a well-connected and accessible community.  We hope this information will help you make an informed decision when you head to the polls on June 27th.  We did our best to make contact with all of the candidates.

Click on the candidate names below to read their full, unedited responses. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.

**This list includes all candidates for City of Rochester City Council and Monroe County Legislature on the June 27th Primary Election ballot. To check if you are registered to vote, confirm your polling location, and even see a preview of what your ballot will look like, click here.**

Candidates for City Council:

Paul Conrow

Candidate Email: Not available

Website: https://www.conrowforrochester.com/

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

LaShay Harris

Candidate Email: LaShay4citycouncil@gmail.com

Website: https://www.lashayharris.com/

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Frank Keophetlasy

Candidate Email: Contact@frankkeophetlasy.com

Website: Frankkeophetlasy.com

 

1. What are Rochester’s greatest transportation challenges?

Through my work as a County Legislator on the RASE Commission, one of the greatest transportation issues was accessibility to cheap or free public transportation to some of the most important locations of major employers. The accessibility of transportation is a major barrier to sustainability of jobs and workforce development.

2. What role do you see the City Council playing in addressing those transportation challenges?

I will fight for adequate resources and funding for public transportation and listen and fight for constituents when those problems arise. We also have a role in advocating and fighting for safe complete streets when any major road work is done in the City of Rochester.

3. The transportation sector is responsible for a large portion of emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Rochester.

Reducing emissions is essential for long term sustainability in a community. More active transportation via biking and walking with streets that welcome biking and walking would help. Advocacy for carpooling and public transit is essential as well.

4. Pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities are on the rise, and reckless driving is eroding safety and quality of life for everyone. Solutions include street design, driver education and increased enforcement. What solutions would you support to make Rochester safer for people walking and biking?

Supporting complete streets going forward is essential. As we invest on our infrastructure its important to move forward with this in mind to ensure equitability for all in street design. Working with a former State Assembly Transportation Chairman I now realize the importance of transportation issues and the role government has in making sure we are considering all sides.

5. 24% of Rochester households do not have access to a personal vehicle and must rely on public transportation to get to work. What land use and economic development policies would you pursue to encourage job creation and development to remain in the city core, and better connect people in the city to employment opportunities?

Again, through my work on the RASE commission it was evident that this is an issue. We need to incentivize public transit and future potential employers to work hand in hand with one another so we can maximize the workforce that we have in Rochester while eliminating these barriers together.

6. Rochester currently ranks at the “Bronze” level award (the average level) as a bike-friendly community, according to the League of American Bicyclists Bike-Friendly Communities criteria. One of the key steps to receiving “Silver” status is a dedicated budget for implementing our Bike Master Plan. Would you support a line item in the budget devoted to bike infrastructure?

I would support a bike master plan depending on the cost and outcomes because I believe a bike friendly community can benefit Rochester in the long term.

7. Why should Rochesterians who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

I am an active and accessible leader that will listen and respond to my constituents and that includes Rocheterians that care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit. Some of the most successful metropolitan cities have great infrastructure for public safety and Rochester should as well.

Mary Lupien

Candidate Email: thepeoplesslate@gmail.com

Website: https://www.marylupien.com/

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Bridget Monroe

Candidate Email: Bridgetmonroe2023@gmail.com

Website: https://bridgetmonroe.com/

 

1. What are Rochester’s greatest transportation challenges?

The greatest challenges include the lack of enough bus routes and regular, 15 minute service, along with needing more bike trails & complete streets. The current dangerous driving also presents major challenges for all travelers.

2. What role do you see the City Council playing in addressing those transportation challenges?

I will continue to support complete streets and the addition of bike and walk trails throughout the community. Although we don’t have control over RTA, I will certainly advocate for increased bus coverage throughout the area. The problem of dangerous driving will need to be handled under police and needs to be prioritized to keep pedestrian, bikers and other car drivers safe.

3. The transportation sector is responsible for a large portion of emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Rochester.

A continued switch to EVs for the city’s fleet will help the environment and save money. With our GPS technologies, we should also pinpoint/maintain sanitation route efficiencies, thereby lessening emissions.

4. Pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities are on the rise, and reckless driving is eroding safety and quality of life for everyone. Solutions include street design, driver education and increased enforcement. What solutions would you support to make Rochester safer for people walking and biking?

I would start with increased enforcement. People must be stopped and ticketed for violating traffic law. Then I will look to street design, possibly introducing new speed humps along residential streets, and learn about new ideas that are being used elsewhere.

5. 24% of Rochester households do not have access to a personal vehicle and must rely on public transportation to get to work. What land use and economic development policies would you pursue to encourage job creation and development to remain in the city core, and better connect people in the city to employment opportunities?

Helping new and expanding businesses locate to Rochester is critical to keeping downtown active. I think that using design as the standard for land use in our commercial areas allows for more creative business models to settle in the city. Promoting the restoration of Tent City for housing and using that as a jumping off point for renewed investment on Lyell Ave. can help grow local jobs. Supporting Eastman Business Park and the Port of Rochester & Charlotte Vision Plan will all encourage job creation that is more easily accessible on foot, bicycle, or bus for city residents.

6. Rochester currently ranks at the “Bronze” level award (the average level) as a bike-friendly community, according to the League of American Bicyclists Bike-Friendly Communities criteria. One of the key steps to receiving “Silver” status is a dedicated budget for implementing our Bike Master Plan. Would you support a line item in the budget devoted to bike infrastructure?

I see value in moving up to silver status, however, this would be something in the capital improvement plan and not the budget. With the CIP, the city forecasts five years worth of investment and this is where I would think implementation of the bike master plan would reside. I cannot, in good faith, promise support for the project without the context of the entire budget, current economics impacting the city, and more detail from the NBD.

7. Why should Rochesterians who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

They should vote for me because I am dedicated to safe streets, know we need better and more accessible bus service, support rental scooters and bikes, and want fully connected trails in and around the city.

Michael Patterson

Candidate Email: Not available

Website: Not available

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Barbara Rivera

Candidate Email: thepeoplesslate@gmail.com

Website: https://www.peoplesslateroc.com/

 

What are Rochester’s greatest transportation challenges?

People need an affordable way to get to work, go to the store, and visit loved ones. Balancing the needs of people driving, walking, and taking the bus is one of the biggest challenges in this area.

2. What role do you see the City Council playing in addressing those transportation challenges?

We need to make sure people are able to catch a bus, since not everyone has a car. Making sure any new construction is pedestrian-friendly would also help people out.

3. The transportation sector is responsible for a large portion of emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Rochester.

Promoting public transportation can go a long way in reducing emissions. Plenty of people will still drive a car, but if we can make it easier to choose public transportation that would help the climate.

4. Pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities are on the rise, and reckless driving is eroding safety and quality of life for everyone. Solutions include street design, driver education and increased enforcement. What solutions would you support to make Rochester safer for people walking and biking?

Making street designs safer makes a lot of sense to me. I think it’s important to listen to people who are hurt by the way things are now, so I would want to hear what walkers and bikers think about current street designs.

5. 24% of Rochester households do not have access to a personal vehicle and must rely on public transportation to get to work. What land use and economic development policies would you pursue to encourage job creation and development to remain in the city core, and better connect people in the city to employment opportunities?

I think the key is creating jobs that pay people well, are close to where they live, and aren’t going to leave the city if the company gets a better offer somewhere else. Sometimes the rush to bring in out-of-town businesses seems good on paper but doesn’t hold up in real life.

6. Rochester currently ranks at the “Bronze” level award (the average level) as a bike-friendly community, according to the League of American Bicyclists Bike-Friendly Communities criteria. One of the key steps to receiving “Silver” status is a dedicated budget for implementing our Bike Master Plan. Would you support a line item in the budget devoted to bike infrastructure?

Yes, making biking safer and expanding opportunities for people to bike makes sense to me. This is especially important for our youth and young adults who would benefit from biking as a form of transportation, exercise, and recreation.

7. Why should Rochesterians who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

My experience doing tenant organizing has taught me that the power of the people is unmatched. When we come together, we can do so much to improve our community. That’s the mentality I’m running my campaign with, and it’s what I’ll bring to City Council to advocate on your behalf.

Chiara "KeeKee" Smith

Candidate Email: thepeoplesslate@gmail.com

Website: https://www.peoplesslateroc.com/

 

1. What are Rochester’s greatest transportation challenges?

We need cheap public transportation that gets us where we need to go. Right now, that is not the case for everyone in Rochester.

2. What role do you see the City Council playing in addressing those transportation challenges?

I believe City Council should be a strong advocate for affordable public transportation. I believe in listening to people impacted by a problem and figuring out a solution together. That’s the sort of co-governance that I will support on City Council.

3. The transportation sector is responsible for a large portion of emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Rochester.

We know public transportation is more efficient than everyone driving their own car. That’s why I support robust investments in RTS to make sure everyone can take a cheap, smooth bus ride. Investing in electric buses could also cut greenhouse gas emissions.

4. Pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities are on the rise, and reckless driving is eroding safety and quality of life for everyone. Solutions include street design, driver education and increased enforcement. What solutions would you support to make Rochester safer for people walking and biking?

Safe street design is definitely part of the equation. I also know from talking to members of the community that we need to create spaces for dirt bike riders to practice their sport without putting pedestrians and other cyclists at risk.

5. 24% of Rochester households do not have access to a personal vehicle and must rely on public transportation to get to work. What land use and economic development policies would you pursue to encourage job creation and development to remain in the city core, and better connect people in the city to employment opportunities?

I believe we should stop giving handouts to huge corporations and real estate developers who don’t have a stake in supporting our community. Working with locally-owned small businesses to ensure people have jobs is a better way to go. It’s all about creating an environment where sustainable jobs are close enough to the people in this community.

6. Rochester currently ranks at the “Bronze” level award (the average level) as a bike-friendly community, according to the League of American Bicyclists Bike-Friendly Communities criteria. One of the key steps to receiving “Silver” status is a dedicated budget for implementing our Bike Master Plan. Would you support a line item in the budget devoted to bike infrastructure?

Yes. And I would want to talk to the people I represent to make sure bike funding is done in an equitable way. For too long, transportation funding (including for bikes) has left Black people and poor people behind. I want to make sure that doesn’t keep happening and rectify the current inequities.

7. Why should Rochesterians who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

I like to tell folks when I’m at their door, if you want different, you have to vote different. I’m running because I believe the community is ready for change. I believe I can bring that change, whether it’s advocating for gun violence prevention, food security, or improved public transportation.

Candidates for Monroe County Legislature Primaries:

Carolyn Hoffman

Candidate Email: carolyndhoffman@carolynforthecounty.com

Website: carolynforthecounty.com

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

The lack of public transportation perpetuates segregation, prevents access to jobs and is a drawback to those who would consider making a home here. The lack of bikable and walkable streets is a safety and quality of life issue, pushing a reliance on cars and further disadvantaging those who cannot afford a car. We are truly behind as a modern community and it touches every aspect of our lives.

2. What role can the Monroe County Legislature play in addressing our transportation challenges?

We can advocate for County funding for better public transportation and push the Department of Transportation to change their complete streets policy to prefer bike lanes over paved shoulders.

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

We need to plan and help fund the construction of more electric vehicle charging, especially at high density areas like apartments and where we want to attract shoppers to local businesses. We should also be incentivizing the switch to electric vehicles for individuals who are not ready to stop using cars. The County can lead by shifting its own fleets to electric. Finally, we can encourage healthier alternatives like walking and biking by creating safer communities and roads.

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

We can work to educate local municipalities while advocating at the state level so that when the opportunities for Complete Streets appear, all stakeholders are ready and able to move forward. I hope the Active Transportation Plan will be adopted this summer and will provide the framework for prioritizing road redesign.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

Because I agree it is important and I will support efforts to improve our systems to better address the community needs for more equitable transit.

Santos Cruz

Candidate Email: Not available

Website: https://www.votesantoscruz.com/

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

William Burgess

Candidate Email: Legislatorburgess@gmail.com

Website: VOTEWILLIAMBURGESS.COM

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

Unsafe pedestrian and bike lanes. Public transportation not going to jobs that are in the suburbs along with not being “carpool’/”ride share” friendly.

2. What role can the Monroe County Legislature play in addressing our transportation challenges?

The County can pass referrals to provide more money for safer bike lanes, pedestrian sidewalks and other forms of public transportation. Something else that would help would be to have more paved bike lanes instead of paved shoulders.

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

I would like to see the County encourage and support the use of public transportation, like carpooling, biking and walking. Education and awareness: Increase public awareness about the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and the importance of individual actions. Promote sustainable lifestyles and encourage behavioral changes. This education should be introduced in elementary school. If children are taught to respect the earth at an early age, they will have a more sense of responsibility later in life.

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

The County should establish clear lines of communication between themselves, municipalities and outreach groups. The County can develop complete streets policies that provide a framework for complete streets. These policies should outline the vision, goals, and design principles of complete streets. It takes a collaboration and teamwork to reach the goal of complete streets.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

I’ll be the first to admit that I am no expert when it pertains to complete streets, but I have been researching and learning. I don’t claim to be the foremost expert, but as a servant leader I’ll surround myself with those that are knowledgeable. As a County Legislator I have learned to seek out those that have the information and know how in certain areas to help me become more efficient in this role.

Oscar Brewer

Candidate Email: thepeoplesslate@gmail.com

Website: https://www.peoplesslateroc.com/

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

People need to be able to get where they’re going cheaply. Sometimes that’s not possible or efficient for people who don’t have a car.

2. What role can the Monroe County Legislature play in addressing our transportation challenges?

The county should be investing in public transportation opportunities to help low-income folks in our community. No one should be too poor to get where they need to go. I know first-hand the challenges of transportation in a county that’s built for people driving cars. In the County Legislature, I will be a voice for people who need transportation support.

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

Public transportation is a must. We need cheap, efficient public transportation options available to reduce reliance on cars. Also, making streets safer for people walking would encourage more people to walk to where they need to go.

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

We need to put people at the center of what we’re doing at all levels of government. Too often, politicians make decisions to benefit developers and big money interests. If we listen to our neighbors in the community, we’ll be able to prioritize what people need. That includes making sure sidewalks are safe for pedestrians and bike lanes are available for cyclists.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

I know first-hand what it’s like not to have a car. I strongly believe in public transportation, which lets people live their lives without having to own a vehicle. I’m a man of the people fighting for the people. And that’s exactly what I’ll do in the County Legislature.

 

 

 

Rose Bonnick

Candidate Email: Not available

Website: https://www.voterosebonnick.com/

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Rachel Barnhart

Candidate Email: rachel@rachbarnhart.com

Website: rachbarnhart.com

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

Monroe County is built for cars, not people. Jobs, retail and health care have been migrating over time farther away from where people live, making these things inaccessible by public transit. This exacerbates inequality. We also don’t consistently support infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, or road design that lends itself to lower speeds. People are at higher risk of injury and death as a result of these policy decisions.

2. What role can the Monroe County Legislature play in addressing our transportation challenges?

I am working with colleagues on a “complete streets” policy that we can pass into law. As a legislator and member of the Monroe County Planning Board, it is my job to scrutinize infrastructure projects. I ask tough questions about the design of roads so they can be a place where everyone can safely and efficiently get around. In addition, I wrote and introduced the bill that overwhelmingly passed the Legislature to mandate that cars, when passing bicyclists, give them three feet of space. I also have written memorializing resolutions to state lawmakers supporting policies at the state level to provide more funding and enact laws to make our roads safe for everyone.

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

We must make Monroe County a place where people are not car-dependent. This means investing in public transit, housing near population centers and transit, and sidewalks and protected bike lanes. By building a place where everyone can get around safely and efficiently we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

I am working with colleagues on a “complete streets” policy that we can codify into law. Monroe County is also incentivizing municipalities to install sidewalks. We should advocate for better policies and funding to support roads that are built for all, and a transit system that is robust.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

I have been a longtime advocate for pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders. I have shown real results on the County Legislature with the passage of a law protecting cyclists and the imminent introduction of a “complete streets” policy. I use my considerable platform and leadership role to rally for policies that help all road users.

Nadja Justice

Candidate Email: Not available

Website: Not available

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Sabrina LaMar

Candidate Email: LegislatorLaMar@gmail.com

Website: Not available

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Candice Lucas

Candidate Email: Not available

Website: https://www.voteforcandicelucas.com/about

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Virginia McIntyre

Candidate Email: virginia4district4@gmail.com

Website: Not available

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Jessie Parson

Candidate Email: Not available

Website: Not available

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Rita Pettinaro

Candidate Email: Rita.Pettinaro@gmail.com

Website: Not available

 

We did not receive a response from this candidate.

Allan Richards

Candidate Email: Richardsforlegislature@gmail.com

Website: richardsforlegislature.com

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

The biggest challenge for any transportation is moving people for point A to point B, safely and efficiently. To overcome this challenge we must have creativity in our local transportation community leadership. The solutions may include additional public transportation, expansion of bike lane and sidewalks and changing with way our cities are constructed. I am willing to be part of that converstaion and part of the solution, but we need strong leadership from transportation experts that are willing to work on the solution.

2. What role can the Monroe County Legislature play in addressing our transportation challenges?

The county legislature is the body that can set policies that will allow for the solutions that are agreed upon by the community to be written either as statue or as goals that will allow our community to acheive a safe, sustainable model of transportation and community development. Additionally, the county can bring resources to any solutions and offer support to ensure success.

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

An investment into complete streets is a good start to reducing the need for transportation that contrubites to our poor health and poor air quality that negatively impacts our community. We also need to invest and expand those area that we know will make a positive impact on the greenhouse issue. These resources can include the expansion of bike lanes. narrowing of streets, and expansion of sidewalks, bike storage areas that promote bke usage. We als need to educate and expand the use of public transportation and remove the stigma of riding the bus or using a bike as the main mode of transportation.

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

Every dollar invested in the county and localities, must include a design element that includes all the provisions of the complete street concept. We must focus and give priority to the projects that have the safety of our citizens in mind.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

Through my experience in the NYS Assembly allows me to work with many of the highway department from across the county. I understand their need to ensure roads are safe, but I also understand that with proper education they can work to ensure our streets are well maintained and safe. I have also served on the City and Irondequoit Planning Boards and understand the need to adopt our zoning codes to reflect anrea that are able to reduce the amount of pavement need to move people and things. We need to look at zooning the reflects our goal of reducing the amount of carbon and travel time. I am committed to working with transportation specialist to ensure that our communities are move forward in a cleaner brighter future for our children and our families.

Mercedes Vazquez Simmons

Candidate Email: mercedesforld22@gmail.com

Website: https://www.mercedesforld22.com/

 

1. What are Monroe County’s greatest transportation challenges?

Safe walking and biking routes for commuters

2. What role can the Monroe County Legislature play in addressing our transportation challenges?

Increase funding and allocate engineering resources to adapt current aging infrastructure to accommodate alternate transportation choices including walking, biking, bus, train

3. The transportation sector in the Genesee Finger Lakes region is responsible for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to poor air quality, poor health outcomes, and overall climate change. Please share your ideas for reducing emissions as it relates to transportation in Monroe County.

Working towards goals in alternative energy transportation options in vehicles and public transportation. Governments should lead the way in providing the example.

4. The concept of “Complete Streets” focuses on designing our roads to be safe for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. How can Monroe County work with local municipalities and New York State toward that vision?

The first would be the creation of such a concept that currently does not exist in Monroe County.

5. Why should Monroe County residents who care about safer streets, better mobility, and better public transit vote for you?

We must all care. The impact of climate globally is a real challenge, and we must all do our part to insure we take the initiative to works towards repairing and hopefully reversing it’s negative impact on the quality of our lives and the planet.

Reconnect Rochester would like to thank all of the candidates (and their teams) for the time and effort they’ve dedicated to our community, and for taking the time to answer our questions. We look forward to working with them very soon.

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Three Years Car Lite in Rochester

Three Years Car Lite in Rochester

By: Yamini Karandikar

In May 2020, my husband and I moved from Saint Paul, MN to Rochester, NY.  We owned two sedans, but as we had heard so many stories about the abundant snowfall experienced in Western NY, my husband and I decided to sell the Toyota Yaris since it did not have anti-lock braking (terrifying!) and it had a recent airbag recall (even more terrifying!).  Once the pandemic ended, we figured we would buy an SUV with all-wheel-drive so that we could fearlessly drive through the snow.

We chose the beautiful Neighborhood of the Arts (NOTA) to call our home and instantly loved the area.  As time passed and as we adjusted to life with one car for two people, the prospect of spending $20-30k on an SUV became quite unappealing and unnecessary. 

To get to work, my husband has priority for the car because he works at the hospital.  If I absolutely have to go to work and the car is not available, I drop him off before heading to my job, or I do a multimodal bike + bus trip if the weather is nice.  Driving in the snow with a sedan is perfectly fine as long as we don’t drive recklessly. 

Enjoying the river & skyline views while biking home from work

This is all feasible because of NOTA neighborhood’s walkability.  Within a ~15 minute walking and biking range, I can do all my favorite activities: walk to the Public Market on Saturday mornings for groceries, rock climb at Central Rock Gym, play volleyball at Hot Shots, take a yoga class, and get coffee, food, or drinks with friends. 

Excited to see fellow bike riders at Central Rock Gym

I don’t really consider myself a ‘cyclist’.  I don’t have a fancy bike, wear super tight bright spandex outfits, travel in packs of 20, or go faster than a casual 10 mph pace.  I consider biking a means to get from one place to another and a way to get fresh air and sunshine while getting to where I want to go.  There are wonderful shops and eateries I would never have known about if I was zooming past them in a car.

I LOVE eating – here are some neighborhood favorites: Garbage plate at Vasko’s, Brews and Food truck at Three Heads Brewing, ice cream from Hedonist, and coffee at Melo’s.

My favorite part about being car-lite is the connection to the earth and the sense of community I feel with my neighborhood and the city.  As I walk to the gym, my favorite coffee shop, or local restaurants, I get to observe the daily change of flower buds forming, starting to open, then fully blooming in a beautiful array of colors, and then gently falling to the earth when their time has come. I love spontaneously running into friends, recognizing people as I walk or bike around town, or pausing to take in the beautiful sunset.

Pausing to soak in the sunset (and take a selfie) while walking home from the gym on University Ave

I know which streets have the best tulips, daffodils, and magnolia blossoms in the spring, and what streets to walk down for the best fall colors.  Rochester has beautiful trees and flowers lining the streets of the city, and I do think it is best experienced outside a car.

Vibrant spring and fall colors at George Eastman Museum & the Lilac Festival (I highly recommend biking to the Lilac Festival!)

This lifestyle is not without its challenges. Rochester doesn’t have protected bike lanes on most busy streets.  When I feel unsafe, I ride on the sidewalk, which puts me in the way of pedestrians. When on a bike, I often feel like I don’t belong anywhere because there is not enough bicycle infrastructure. However, I began to notice which streets felt safe to bike on and which didn’t. For example, I find Goodman and Alexander unpleasant for biking due to higher car traffic, but Averill and Meigs are great to bike on because they are more peaceful and have speed bumps to slow down cars.

I rode Meigs Street all the way down to the Lilac festival.  The bike ride was very pleasant and I did not have to deal with the crazy festival parking!

As I spoke to friends, family, and coworkers about my experience, I began to realize that this kind of lifestyle was only possible in very limited neighborhoods.  I didn’t understand why more neighborhoods were not built in this way and I began to ask myself why cars became so necessary.  Don’t get me wrong – cars are useful tools, but in most communities, why are we essentially forced to drive a car, an expensive, depreciating asset, to participate in society?

Volleyball at the Armory, Book Club at Bicycle Brothers, and tacos at the Public Market.  Living car-lite did not stop me from having lots of social activities as I am able to walk or bike to a lot of places.  This was possible due to my neighborhood’s proximity to many activities.

Questions like these and a lot of Googling, YouTube, and Reddit rabbit holes led me to discover Not Just Bikes and Strong Towns where I found answers on why walkable neighborhoods are so rare. As my husband and I plan to continue to live car-lite, we plan to support efforts that make walking, biking, and transit safer and more convenient.  You can also help make a car-lite lifestyle more possible and enjoyable by communicating its importance to public officials.  A great way to start is by giving input for the City of Rochester’s new Active Transportation Plan and for Monroe County’s new Countywide Active Transportation Plan.  Don’t feel like you need a degree in Urban Planning to be able to give input! You are the one that understands your neighborhood and streets and what changes can help your community thrive.

Interested in sharing your story on the Reconnect blog? Reach out to Community Engagement Manager, Jahasia Esgdaille (jahasia@reconnectrochester.org) to get started!

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Mind the Gap, Season Two!

Last Spring, in an effort to get leaders to think about the biggest impediment to bikeability in our community – the lack of connectivity and coherence in our bike network – we organized our first annual Mind the Gap vote campaign.

We took a look at the bike network and identified ten obvious gaps that, if filled, would have huge connectivity benefits for cyclists of all ages and abilities. 2022’s clear winner was #10: Elmwood Avenue from the City line to 12 Corners in Brighton. We presented Monroe County DOT with the following certificate and copied in County Legislators, State Senators, State Assembly Members and Brighton Officials. It seems to have done some good: It was announced yesterday that the plan for an upcoming resurfacing project later this year will implement a 4:3 conversion “road diet” (single lane traffic with a center turning lane), along with bike lanes in both directions. This will be the first time bike lanes will be installed on a road under the jurisdiction of Monroe County!

Now it’s time for 2023’s voting campaign! Some nominations from last year remain. But many of them are new and came from you, the voters!

We want your vote! Take a look below at the nominated locations and tell us which THREE gaps you think are the most important to fill.

Think we missed something? We’ll have a fill-in-the-blank that will help us with nominations for future years’ contests.

The gap that receives the most votes will be declared the winner! Reconnect Rochester will give this segment special attention in our advocacy efforts. We’ll approach the municipality with our community support evidence in hand to help make the case that this is a crucial gap to fill.

In deciding which locations to nominate, we looked for places that  have somewhat comfortable biking on each end with a relatively short, awkward or uncomfortable gap in the middle, that if filled in with comfortable bike infrastructure, would  have a positive impact for a great number of riders.

Without further ado, we present to you the nominees for the 2023 Mind the Gap award:

1. EAST MAIN STREET BETWEEN UNION AND GOODMAN

Rochester boasts three cycletracks at the moment: Elmwood, Union Street and East Main from Goodman to Culver. Many people want to see the latter two connected. There are conventional bike lanes on East Main between Union and Goodman, but much more for this corridor was envisioned during the 2015 E. Main & Market District Plan. Unfortunately it puttered out. East Main is very wide and with so many traffic lanes, motorist speeds are incredibly fast, making the bike lanes intimidating to ride in. Plus, blockages in the bike lanes are routine, either from parked cars or signage and cones put out by the Auditorium Theatre. Though installing a new cycletrack is outside the realm of feasibility, this stretch, which is only 6/10 of a mile, is a great candidate for a road diet and some protected bike lanes. Easy, transformative fix. Jurisdiction: City of Rochester

2. EMPIRE BOULEVARD

It’s one of the most common complaints we receive: Cyclists east of Irondequoit Bay are completely cut off from the City. It’s actually quite possible to bike through Penfield to Webster comfortably via a series of neighborhoods. But traversing Irondequoit Creek by bike is very unpleasant, whether by Empire, Browncroft, or Blossom. There’s probably the most space for bike accommodations on Empire, where separation would definitely be necessary from that fast moving traffic. How about a cycletrack? Jurisdiction: NYS DOT

3. RIDGEWAY AVE 

If you haven’t biked the new Eastman Trail and 390 Trail extension yet, we highly recommend it! Greece and Rochester are now connected via a network of trails and comfortable Bike Boulevards through Maplewood. But there’s an uncomfortable gap on Ridgeway between Lily Street and Mt Read, where the Eastman Trail starts. We understand that the City envisioned a second phase of the Eastman Trail but that effort has stalled. At the very minimum, cyclists would benefit from bike lanes on Ridgeway along this half-mile stretch. Jurisdiction: City of Rochester

4. SCOTTSVILLE ROAD TO THE GREENWAY

For over a century, Rochester cyclists have reveled in biking around Genesee Valley Park and its environs. Many riders these days drive to the Genesee Valley Sports Complex on Elmwood, park their car and bike around. Heading southwest on the Genesee Valley Greenway is a treat. You’ll pass the Rochester Fire Academy, where you might see firefighters practicing their skills on old planes. But to reach the newly resurfaced portion of the Greenway, you have to bike on Scottsville and Ballantyne Roads for a bit. There is a separated shoulder on the southbound side of Scottsville Road, but it disappears at the railroad tracks. If it continued south and west on Ballantyne and was available in both directions, or if a trail paralleled the tracks west so cyclists didn’t have to bike on Ballantyne at all, the Greenway would be much more accessible. Jurisdiction: NYS DOT

5. THE APPROACH TO MONROE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

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 is quite scary. Students, faculty and staff approaching MCC from the north deserve a more comfortable approach. Jurisdiction: NYS DOT

6. 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 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 last year. Such a trail would only need to be half a mile long (!) and it would be transformative. Jurisdiction: Monroe Co. DOT / Town of Irondequoit

7. BROOKS AVE TO THE AIRPORT

Unlike many airports, Rochester’s isn’t terribly far from downtown. The Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport is quite bikeable since it’s right next to the Erie Canal Trail and a stone’s throw from the Genesee Riverway Trail. The main entrance is also just half a mile from the 19th Ward’s comfortable Bike Boulevards. We think Brooks Avenue is the perfect candidate for a road diet and bike infrastructure to make the ride to the airport a seamless one. Jurisdiction: NYS DOT and City of Rochester

8. PITTSFORD CONNECTION TO EAST ROCHESTER

This might be fanciful since the separation of these streets was intentional, but if Brightford Heights Road, Linden Oaks, and Gleason Circle were connected in Pittsford, East Rochester could be quite accessible by bike (anyone up for some Pinball? 😉). The 490 foot bridge from Allen Creek Elementary allows you to go over 490 without biking on Linden Ave, which can be scary. From there, the ride would be a breeze. Jurisdiction: Town of Pittsford

9. GENESEE RIVERWAY TRAIL AT DRIVING PARK AVE

Just as the Genesee River is the heart of Rochester, so is the Genesee Riverway Trail the heart of the City’s bike network. Since it’s not seamless and currently requires you to bike on St. Paul, it’s not comfortable for all yet. But we’re proud to report the City is receiving funding for a plan to complete a seamless Genesee Riverway Trail north of downtown. In the meantime, we’d like to see the intimidating crosswalk on Driving Park Ave addressed with a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB), or better yet, a raised crosswalk. Motorist speeds are fast and as a cyclist or pedestrian, crossing here shouldn’t take the courage that it does today. Jurisdiction: City of Rochester

10. JEFFERSON ROAD TO MARKETPLACE MALL

Did you know there’s a comfortable, fun, scenic Bicycle Superhighway between the University of Rochester and RIT? Check out the Lehigh Valley Trail’s north branch! The former railroad bed gets you south to Brighton Henrietta Town Line Road, which curves and becomes John Street next to RIT (where Barnes & Noble and Lovin’ Cup are). At that point, the trail becomes a separated cycle path on the west side of John Street all the way to Bailey Road, where the comfort ends. Presently, this trail is the least stressful way to bike from Rochester to Henrietta, home to many job opportunities. But to get to those destinations, one must contend with Jefferson Road, which is a scary place to be on two wheels. Jefferson Road is being recommended for the proposed Countywide Active Transportation Network, so perhaps someday we could see changes to this corridor. The changes we’d like to see are narrower travel lanes, which could make space for buffered bike lanes between the trail and Marketplace Mall (one mile!). Jurisdiction: NYS DOT

So, what do you think?

VOTE NOW

Note: You might notice we didn’t nominate the Genesee Riverway Trail through downtown. The City is well aware of this obvious gap and through the ROC The Riverway initiative, is addressing it segment-by-segment as funding becomes available. (Someday we will have a seamless riverway trail through downtown!)

p.s. Here are some other promising bike connection developments if you’re interested:

  • Things are looking good for a road diet on Monroe Avenue to 12 Corners in 2024.
  • We know how popular the idea is of extending the Union Street cycletrack north to the Public Market. But since Union is so skinny and there isn’t space north of Main Street, we understand the City is considering extending the cycletrack northwest as part of the Inner Loop North project, and perhaps having a high-comfort bike connection on Scio to the Public Market.
  • West Main Street is getting resurfaced in the not-too-distant future and we expect a road diet and buffered or protected bike lanes will be part of the plan.
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An Open Letter to Greater Rochester Media: Why Language Matters When Reporting on Pedestrian and Cyclist Crashes

Dear Members of the Local Media,

The media plays a critical, leading role in educating and engaging the public.  We appreciate the hard, nonstop work required to provide this essential community service.

As you know, our community struggles with violence, and that violence often leads the news. Yet a particular violence crisis is flying under the radar of the local media and the community – road violence. Tremendous harm is being inflicted on our community as a result of the wildly increasing number of pedestrian and bicycle injuries and deaths on our streets, which disproportionately affects our neighbors of color.

It is becoming more dangerous to walk here in our community and across the country. In the U.S., pedestrian fatalities have skyrocketed, increasing by 62% from 2009-2020, and another 13% in 2021 alone. Bicyclist deaths are also at the highest point since 1975. In Monroe County, 5,498 crashes from 2012-2021 involved bicyclists and pedestrians, with 4,466 resulting in injury or death. On average, 10 people die on our local streets every year as a result of these crashes (a majority of them pedestrians).

Recent incidents include the death of Edgar SantaCruz and his dog Rosie, struck by a driver in the crosswalk at North Goodman and Park Avenue; the death of octogenarian Madeleine Schreiber in Brighton, who was backed over by a driver on Oakdale Street; the death of Ernest Martin, a cyclist hit by two drivers on North Street; the death of pedestrian Khadijah Stanley, hit by a driver while on the sidewalk on Hudson Avenue; and the death of Jarod Jones, a teenager killed by a driver in a hit-and-run on Lake Avenue. These are only a few of the many reported and unreported cases of precious lives lost in our community just the last few years.

We have observed that the media can do more to accurately and adequately report on these incidents of road violence. While driver-pedestrian or driver-bicyclist crashes often receive media coverage, the coverage tends to misattribute the causes and consequences of the crashes. Going forward, we encourage  you to report on these crashes – and the preventability of them – more thoughtfully.

Below is a compilation of ways the media often misrepresents these incidents, and some suggestions for more balanced reporting.

Blaming the victim and absolving the driver.  Media coverage often highlights that the person injured or killed “wasn’t in a crosswalk,”  “was wearing dark clothes,” or “was out walking at 3 a.m.” Meanwhile, drivers are often recognized in a positive light with commentary such as  “the driver stayed at the scene” and “no charges were filed.”

Blaming the vehicle and absolving the driver.  Crashes are often described as pedestrians or cyclists being “hit by a car”, rather than being hit by a driver operating a car. Language matters!

Calling crashes “accidents.”  Again, language matters. The word “accident” implies that the crash couldn’t be avoided, and has the effect of normalizing them as unavoidable and acceptable since “accidents happen”.

These crashes often occur because of driver behavior, as well as poor street design that fails to protect those outside a vehicle. In many cases, the driver could have prevented the crash by paying attention, slowing down, and driving responsibly. While driver behavior is relevant to crash causes and consequences, as important are street design, conditions and policies that enable and encourage dangerous driver behavior, namely:

  • Streets and roads that are too wide, which encourages motorists speeding and distractibility at the expense of pedestrian, cyclist *and* driver/passenger safety. Landscape architect Ian McHarg once said that “if you design a road like a gun barrel, people are going to drive like bullets.”
  • Poorly designed infrastructure and poor maintenance of existing infrastructure: signal crossings that don’t give pedestrians sufficient time to cross, insufficient street lighting, lack of crosswalks or worn out crosswalk paint are some examples. At Reconnect Rochester, we advocate for complete streets design that accommodates and protects ALL users of the road.
  • Unsafe speed limits: The citywide and village 30 mph speed limits seem slow and safe to our speed-desensitized experience, but 30 can easily be a lethal speed for a vehicle, and many people regularly drive at 40 mph or more in those zones. Speed kills. The chance of a pedestrian surviving a hit from a 3,000-7,000-pound machine plummets from 95% if hit at 20 mph, to 55% at 30 mph, to 15 percent at 40 mph.
  • The build-up of snow and ice covering sidewalks and curb cuts, conditions that force pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users into the streets. Compounding this problem:  plows that bury or block sidewalks with the snow they throw aside to ensure the streets and driveways are clear for drivers.

To help with greater mindfulness and accuracy about the ways you report on pedestrian-driver and bicycle-driver crashes, we suggest investigating the following questions when preparing your reporting.

Road Design/Conditions:

  • Was the road where the crash occurred designed to promote vehicle speed with wide open lanes and few markings on the road? Does it have safe, dedicated space for cyclists and pedestrians, and protective design features such as crossings, bike lanes, pedestrian medians, and other complete streets features?
  • If the crash happened at night, was a lack of street lighting a factor?  The majority of vehicle-pedestrian crashes happen at night.
  • If the crash happened during winter, was the sidewalk clear of snow and ice?

Drivers:

  • Was the driver driving over the legal speed limit, or did the driver disregard a different traffic control device (e.g. light, stop sign)?
  • Was the driver distracted or impaired by a cell phone, alcohol or drugs or other distraction? Driver inattention is a leading cause of crashes.
  • Was the driver properly licensed, and did they have a history of crashes or traffic infractions (i.e. “chronic bad driver”)?  We often hear of crash perpetrators who are unlicensed and/or have had their licenses revoked dozens of times, and are still driving.

Vehicles:

  • Did the vehicle have limited front, side or rear visibility? This is the case with many of the most popular SUVs and pickup trucks. For example, studies have shown that front blind zones on SUVs lead to deadly crashes and especially endanger children.

We appreciate your time and consideration. Reconnect Rochester is standing by as a resource and willing partner to improve your media outlet’s approach to crash reporting, as well as helping to educate the public and policy makers about the crisis of rising road violence.  We would welcome an opportunity to meet with your team if you wish to have further dialogue on this subject.

Best,

Reconnect Rochester

Special thanks to Evan Lowenstein, a passionate advocate for better mobility in the Rochester community, who collaborated with us to write this piece.

Header Image Source: Man will appear in court in January in connection to death of pedestrian on Park Ave by Evan Bourtis News10NBC

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Hey Albany! 2023

Reconnect’s Virtual Trip to Albany – 2023

Last week, Reconnect Rochester went on a (virtual) trip to Albany to champion public transit and safe streets for Rochester residents (and all New Yorkers). We spent the day meeting with state legislators and their staff and having great conversations about what needs to be done to move towards our vision of a robust and equitable transportation network. We’re fortunate to have many allies in our State delegation to push for better multi-modal transportation across New York.

Reconnect team meeting with Assemblymember Harry Bronson’s Legislative Assistant, Aaron Pilgrim


We’d like to shout out Reconnect Rochester Board members Victor Sanchez, Bill Collins, Jason Partyka, Erick Stephens and John Lam for devoting their time to the effort, and a huge thank you to all the legislative offices who took the time to meet with us: Assemblymembers Demond Meeks, Harry Bronson, Jennifer Lunsford, Sarah Clark, Josh Jensen, and William Magnarelli, and Senators Samra Brouk, Jeremy Cooney, and Tim Kennedy. Check out more screenshots from the day!

In the coming months we will continue to advocate at the state level for this crucial legislation to be passed this year. Wondering how you can help? Check out our platform and the links below to find out how you can help us advocate for better transit and safer streets for all! 


New York Public Transit Association
NYS S.A.F.E. Streets Act Climate, Jobs & Justice Package

New York State 2023-24 Transportation Priorities

Public Transit:

Public transportation is a vital service for residents of our region, especially for Rochester. Twenty-six percent of households in Rochester do not have access to a car. They rely on public transportation to access jobs and vital services. While increases to upstate transit systems last year were helpful, many agencies like RTS still need robust, long-term funding to grow and sustain our system. Please consider supporting the following budget priorities:

  1. Develop a statewide funding package that provides additional and sustainable dedicated revenue into the future to address growing structural operating deficits for all upstate and downstate transit systems. There is an immediate need in FY 2023-24 to grow STOA funding by $134 million for Upstate systems.
  2. Fully fund the 2nd year of the Non-MTA 5-Year Transit Capital Program at $159.5 million.
  3. Continue the STOA program hold-harmless provision to avoid reductions in operating aid to smaller transit systems, as ridership has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
  4. Release the $60 million in currently available Non-MTA capital appropriations for electric vehicles and infrastructure to allow projects to move forward.

Bicycle and Pedestrian (Active Transportation):

Pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities are on the rise. Reconnect Rochester is working with the NYS Safe Streets Coalition to prioritize legislation to address this silent epidemic. Consider sponsoring or co sponsoring the S.A.F.E. Streets Act which includes the following legislation:

  1. Complete Streets Application (S100/A3180) – Expands the state’s current complete street design principles policy to include all state, county and local transportation projects that are undertaken by the DOT or receive federal, state or both federal and state funding.
  2. Complete Streets Maintenance (S2714/A1280) – Includes, when possible, complete street design features in resurfacing, maintenance and pavement recycling projects and further enables safe access to public roads for all users.
  3. Vehicle Safety Standards (S1952/A4057) – Mandates standards in new vehicles including intelligent speed assistance and other features.
  4. Crash Victims Bill of Rights (A1901) – Guarantees rights & a voice for crash victims and their loved ones in legal proceedings
  5. Sammy’s Law (S2422) – Allows for lower life-saving speed limits in NYC
  6. Safe Passage (S1724/A4346) – Requires that drivers pass bicyclists at a safe distance of min. 3 feet.

In addition to the S.A.F.E. Streets Act package, these are additional bills related to bicyclists that we would encourage you to sponsor or co-sponsor:

  1. Idaho Stop Law (S2643/A3986) – Allows cyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield sign, and a red light as a stop sign.
  2. Ebike Rebate (S314/A275) – Directs the New York state energy and development authority to establish a ride clean rebate program for electric assist bicycles and electric scooters.
  3. Ebike Access (S1123/A2627) – Repeal certain provisions of the vehicle and traffic law and would allow ebikes to be ridden anywhere regular bikes can.

Train and Long-Distance Bus:

Inter-city bus and train passengers tend to be lower income and people of color. They deserve equitable funding for their long-distance transportation that is comparable to the investments made in airline travel. Consider including funding for a new long distance bus terminal (Phase II of the Intermodal Station) in next year’s NYS budget or when Federal funding becomes available.

EV Carsharing:

Nonprofit carshares like Floshare, an electric carshare system in the City of Rochester, provide a valuable service to many in our community who lack access to public transportation or cannot afford to own a personal vehicle which is about a quarter of Rochester households who don’t have access to a vehicle. Many people rely on carshare systems like Floshare to access basic necessities like getting groceries or going to medical appointments. Currently, the most reliable and economical way for nonprofits in New York to acquire auto insurance is through an RRG or a Risk Retention Group. Unfortunately, the Department of Financial Services disallows Risk Retention Groups to insure vehicles in the state which prevents many nonprofit carshares from operating due to the inability to either find insurance or because of the high cost of insurance. We would like to see support for a regulatory change to allow Risk Retention Groups (RRGs) to write auto insurance for carshare nonprofits in New York State, thereby removing a costly barrier to nonprofit carshare operations.

All Modes: 

Please support the Climate, Jobs & Justice package, which includes the following:

  1. Climate and Community Protection Fund to implement the NY Climate Act
  2. Build Public Renewables Act (S4134/A279)
  3. Just Energy Transition Act (S2935/A9881)
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Welcoming Lindsay Crandall!

We are thrilled to welcome Lindsay Crandall, Fundraising and Development Manager, and newest member of a growing staff team at Reconnect Rochester!

We’re so glad that Lindsay has joined our dynamic staff team that works day-in and day-out to improve mobility in our community. In her role, Lindsay will play an integral role in our efforts by helping to attract the financial and in-kind resources that fuel Reconnect Rochester’s work in the community.  Find out how Lindsay landed here and what inspires her to advocate for mobility in the message below.

Lindsay Crandall

It is an honor for me to join Reconnect Rochester as Fundraising and Development Manager. The energy and enthusiasm of the staff is contagious, and I’m excited to learn more about mobility justice and transit equity while helping support the organization through fundraising. 

When I was a kid, my dad walked across town every day to work at the post office where everyone in the community knew him. Even then, people in our town were highly car-dependent, but my dad’s choice showed me the value of living small in a tight-knit community. Now, my interest in mobility comes primarily from a sustainability perspective, wanting to reduce my environmental footprint and car dependency. Over the years, when it’s been possible, I’ve chosen to walk or bike to work, the library, my kids’ school, and to run errands. Not only does it give me a chance to leave the car at home, but I love the added health benefits and the chance to be outdoors (even in the frigid winter). 

My hope is that the fundraising work I do for Reconnect Rochester provides more opportunities to impact and improve mobility throughout the Rochester area and create a community that’s not just interconnected but thriving.

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The Bike Guy Walks!

Jesse Peers (white man) stands in front of Reconnect Rochester door at the Hungerford Building.

By Jesse Peers, Cycling Manager at Reconnect Rochester

One of the things I love about Rochester is its size. Joseph Floreano said it well: “New York City was too big. Binghamton was too small. Rochester was just right.” Partly because of Rochester’s size, and partly because I’m very intentional about it, I have quite a small radius, or orbit, in everyday life. I rarely have to bike outside the space below. My workplace is 1.4 miles away. The stellar Public Market and Wegmans are less than 2 miles away. We’re 3 miles from our church and from downtown. This makes bicycling-as-transportation and being a one-car household quite easy.

Walk Score’s Time Travel Map shows how far out in every direction you
can bike in a given amount of time, in this case 20 minutes.

Now that I’m over 40 and I have some cardiac history in the family to guard against, I give increasing thought to my health. I changed my diet and lost almost 60 pounds in 2021. Now that I have an Apple Watch, I’m conscious of my exercise and how many calories I burn each day from being active. (The watch’s Move ring is pretty neat: “Closing” it comes in part from exercise, yes, but mostly from other activities such as going up and down stairs, folding laundry, taking the dog out, and in my case sometimes: by playing the drums!)

An Apple Watch showing Fitness Rings

As convenient as my 1.4-mile commute is (I wouldn’t trade it for the world!), it’s only 7 minutes by bike each way at a moderate, easy pace. So I barely burn any calories and won’t close my Exercise and Move rings with 14 minutes of biking alone. Something else is required. For years I had a treadmill in the basement, and in 2021, I actually started using it – jogging most days for 30 minutes or so before dinner as I caught up on podcasts. If I attended or led a group bike ride on a particular evening, I could skip the treadmill, knowing I’d close my Move rings twice from my commutes, biking to the group ride, doing the ride itself, and biking home afterwards. As you can imagine, the treadmill in the Winter especially came in handy.

But this October, my old treadmill broke! So I started an experiment: walking to work rather than biking. I like it so much that I might continue it this Winter! Here’s why: If I previously had two 7-minutes-each-way bike commutes + 30 minutes of treadmill time, and walking to work is 22 minutes, my schedule really doesn’t change at all: that’s still 45 minutes a day of activity, no treadmill needed. I still have the same amount of time to devote to other stuff.

What was most interesting to me was how much more calories I burn from a 22-minute walk commute, compared with my 7-minute bike commute. Obviously it varies based on intensity and time of the year, but that 7-minute bike commute really only burns me 35 calories, if Strava can be trusted. That same commute by walking burns me about 145 calories. So the exercise ring closes everyday and as long as I do everyday stuff like laundry and take the dog for a walk, the Move ring closes as well.

I love winter bicycling. It’s easier and more fun than most people realize. But without a doubt, the worst part of biking in the winter is what the road salt can do to your bike. Keeping the corrosion at bay is a pain! If I walk to work this winter much of the time rather than biking, I lose no time, close my rings, alleviate the need for a treadmill, and save my bikes from that brutal road salt, therefore saving money on tune-ups.

Another perk of walking everyday: The cats of Beechwood! I could seriously start a #CatsofBeechwood montage of all the adorable cats I see wandering about. Sometimes they’ll show interest in me and let me pet them.

A photo of a community cat in the Beechwood neighborhood

I’ve been car-free for 9.5 years now. My first few years of that lifestyle were composed of biking for virtually every trip. As I get older, I appreciate being able to rely on transit and walking some of the time. If you’re intrigued by the health benefits tied to walking, biking and ordinary activity, I highly recommend Peter Walker’s The Miracle Pill. It’s a stellar follow-up to his first book, How Cycling Can Save The World. Also check out this recent clip from NPR’s Up First, examining how important it is to get up and walk around every hour if you have a desk job.

Jahasia with her bike at Genessee Valley Park
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A Journey Through My Multimodal Week in Rochester

By Jahasia Esgdaille, Community Engagement Manager at Reconnect Rochester

Author’s note: “Happy New Year! In Fall 2022, I decided to log what a multi-modal week looks like for me and, not so surprisingly, I rely A LOT less on my car than I thought. What does a multi-modal week look like for you?” – Jahasia

Throughout the week I try to leave my car at home as much as possible and use other options of getting around the Flower City, so this was quite a fun experiment to see that I actually rely much less on my car than I thought and really only use it for running errands or to get outside of the city. 

I will say that I am privileged to have options to be multi-modal throughout the week. I live in the city on two major bus lines (cheers to the #41 and the #9) so I am very lucky to have these options available to me. But, I do realize that this is something that needs to be improved in our city. In my opinion, everyone should have the option to have a multi-modal week, whether you decide to take the bus, bike or walk to your destination.

Monday

Walk to work (13 mins)

I got very lucky that my commute to work is only a 13 minute walk each way. As long as I have the energy to climb the steep hill that is the Circle Street bridge, I hoof it to work!

Biked to CVS on Park Avenue (7 mins)

I avoid driving anywhere on Park Avenue like the plague. It’s not convenient for driving or parking…which is good. This is what a people-first street design should be like. So, when I need to run to the pharmacy, I ride my bike, and thankfully there’s a bike rack right outside of CVS where I can safely lock my bike. It happened to be a little rainy this day and I completely forgot that my bike doesn’t have fenders, so enjoy the photo of glorious mud splatter on my bag.

Tuesday

Walk to work (13 mins)

Biked to Abundance Co-op to pick up a compost bin for the office (13 mins)

At Reconnect Rochester, we champion transportation choices that have a positive impact on the environment. We encourage people to swap car trips for other modes of transportation whether you decide to take the bus, bike or walk. So, it only made sense for us to continue our sustainability efforts and start composting at the office so that our food scraps and other biodegradable materials don’t make their way into Monroe County Landfills!

Took the 8 bus to Drive2bBetter conference (20 mins)

The Reconnect Rochester staff took a multi-modal trip to the Drive2bBetter Conference. James and I took the 8 and walked 13 minutes the rest of the way. Mary, Monika and Jesse rode their bikes to meet us there. 

We were so excited to see that the Drive2bBetter campaign was relaunched thanks to the hard work of the coalition group led by HealthiKids. To show your support for the campaign, you can request a free lawn sign here!

Wednesday

Walked to work (13 mins)

Biked to Full Moon Vista to grab bike lights (10 mins)

It’s getting darker earlier in the day, so my husband and I rode our bikes to Full Moon Vista to grab a snazzy set of lights to see and be seen when biking at night.

Bike to Cobbs Hill Park to swap out my compost bin with Roc City Compost (7 mins)

I am sadly starting to clear out my balcony garden for the season, so I chucked dead plant material in my Roc City Compost bin, sat it in my milk crate and biked to Cobbs Hill to meet the friendly faces at Roc City Compost.

Biked to Price Rite to some groceries for dinner (10 mins)

Once again, I am very lucky to have grocery stores close enough to bike, walk or take the bus to. I decided to bike a straight line down to Price Rite and grab a few groceries for dinner. We decided to make shrimp alfredo that night, yum!

Thursday

Drove to an appointment with my husband in Gates (13 mins)

This was where I broke my streak and drove with my husband to an appointment in Gates. We were tight on time and decided to drive 13 mins from home to the doctor’s office. We thought about taking the bus but that would’ve been 2 hours and 10 mins round trip and after getting off of the bus, we would have to traverse the 6-lane road onto a street with minimal sidewalks, so it was more convenient to drive.

Friday

Drove over to Wegmans to pick up groceries (5 mins)

Something I’ve been considering when I decide to drive over to Wegmans is to carpool with a few friends to make the drive more sustainable and inevitably make the East Avenue Wegmans parking lot less congested. If you know, you know!

Biking along the Erie Canal Trail (1 hour)

Back when we had warm and sunny Fall days, my husband and I biked part of the Erie Canal Trail and stopped at the Genesee River in Corn Hill to enjoy the sun and the view. 

Writing this blog, I was hesitant to admit the times in my week where I do jump in my car to run errands or to get to an appointment. But I wanted to be honest about what a multi-modal week looks like in a city that is still very much car-centric. As much as I hate to list that I drove to an appointment, the reality is that a 13-minute drive is a lot more convenient than a 1 hr 8-minute bus ride, and this is just one example among many people in Rochester who experience the same thing. On the other hand, this made me realize that there are so many things you can do around Rochester using alternative modes of transportation, especially by bike within a 20-minute ride!

Happy busing, biking and walking!