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!
By Jesse Peers, Cycling Manager at Reconnect Rochester
As many readers and advocates know, Rochester’s first Bike Master Plan was created in 2011. After more than a decade of investment with that plan as a guide, we’ve made significant progress. We’ve “leveled up” in the League of American Bicyclists’ quadrennial assessment from Honorable Mention to Bronze. Since most cities that are intentionally making progress in terms of bikeability get awarded Bronze, Rochester is in good company (i.e., we’re “average” / “decent”).
After the first initial decade of investment, the City of Rochester recognized it was time to take a step back and reassess. After all, we don’t want to get stuck at Bronze, perpetuate mediocrity, or worst of all – diminish to just checking off a complete streets box without attaining meaningful, continuous and safe connections. The creation of Rochester’s first ever Active Transportation Plan (and the accompanying update of the Bike Master Plan) in 2022-23 served as this step back. Boston’s Toole Design, one of the most respected firms in the country, was hired to create the plan. More on this plan in a bit…
As we’ve noted before, the most significant shortfall in Rochester’s bikeability is the piecemeal, scattered nature of bicycle facilities. If the City keeps doing “what we can, where we can” for cyclists, only giving them “underutilized parking space” when bike lanes and on-street parking conflict, this disjointed nature will continue.
Ifcyclists are only given “underutilized parking space” when bike lanes and on-street parking conflict, this disjointed nature will continue.
Disconnected segments don’t create a network
For the average person on a bike, who after all is who the City should be creating its bike network for, a disappearing bike lane on a busy road is a lost cause. After a decade of investment, we’ve mostly got piecemeal, disconnected bike lanes, hence no true network yet (the ATP admits this!). If the City wants to lessen emissions and car-dependence, along with getting more women, kids, and older adults on bikes, a greater emphasis must be put henceforward on connectivity.
Excerpts from the City’s Active Transportation Plan
It’s time for a Minimum Grid
In the coming years, as the City looks to implement the Active Transportation Plan, Reconnect Rochester urges the City of Rochester to concentrate on what is called a Minimum Grid bike network in the near term. What is a Minimum Grid? It’s a bare bones, seamless, fully connected network of high-comfort bikeways: at least one continuous bike facility for all ages and abilities in the north-south direction, from one end of the city to the other going through downtown, and a complementing bike facility in the east-west direction from one end to the other through downtown. Because of Rochester’s small size, if we attained that minimum grid and connected it with high quality, well-signaged bike boulevards, that might be enough to get us up to Silver. We could become one of the country’s hidden gems for bikeability.
As Planner Jeff Speck says in this great segment, “It is not unusual to see cities jump very quickly in their cycling population at the moment they cross that threshold from not having an effective, comprehensive system to having a more comprehensive system.” In other words, how many miles of scattered bike lanes doesn’t matter as much as how safe, seamless & stress-free those miles are. Less is more, and we need to shift emphasis and metrics from quantity to quality.
A few examples of cities who have focused political will on attaining a minimum grid and crossed that threshold:
Sevilla, Spain built its 50-mile grid in four years, “in time for politicians to brag about [the major biking improvements] in their next campaign.”
Victoria, British Columbia’s All Ages and Abilities (AAA) Cycling Network is nearing completion. Next year, 95% of residents will be within a two-minute bike ride of a AAA route! This completion comes 8 years after adopting their plan.
Paris, France has been transformed into one of the world’s best cycling cities since Mayor Anne Hidalgo took office in 2014. 52 bike lanes were installed this summer alone.
New Britain, Connecticut built a very comprehensive network of bicycle infrastructure in ten years.
Fortunately for us in Rochester, a minimum grid is exactly what our new Active Transportation Plan is recommending, based on community feedback and expert analysis. The ATP calls it the Bike Spine Network, which would hopefully connect someday to the proposed countywide active transportation network envisioned in the County’s Active Transportation Plan. Consultant Toole Design notes that “it is essential that bike lanes be separated from traffic” “on high-speed/high-volume streets [on this spine network]. During the planning process, Toole urged the City to concentrate political will on establishing a minimum grid bike network in the “near term.” Unfortunately, specific timeline goals didn’t make their way into the final document.
Recommended spine network in dark blue; dotted lines are already completed segments, such as the Genesee Riverway Trail and East Main cycletrack between Goodman and Culver.
So Rochester has a better vision. ✔ We’ve got our action-oriented blueprint. ✔ It’s going to take a lot of political will, hardened resolve, and leadership to see this through. Unlike comprehensive plans like Rochester 2034, the Active Transportation Plan doesn’t have to be voted on and adopted by City Council. It’s not the law of the land. Its recommendations just have to be “considered” by project managers and engineers on a case by case basis.
Now let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room: On-street parking will have to be sacrificed on certain roads to accommodate the seamless, high-comfort grid. It’s time to be more intentional with where we put our bike infrastructure (and perhaps where we don’t put it as well): to hunker down and determine what those select corridors will be where on-street parking doesn’t win the day over the safety and comfort of vulnerable road users.
At Reconnect Rochester, our job will be to relentlessly point to the ATP and its recommendations for this Bike Spine Network. When an upcoming road project comes along on one or more of those proposed spines, we are going to ask you to join us. When a road project comes along that isn’t envisioned for the Spine Network, we’ll still advocate for safer, complete street designs; we just won’t go at it full-gusto for bike infrastructure as we do with the proposed Spines. After all, if we’re asking the City to concentrate political will (“focus investments”) on fewer, more meaningful bike miles, it only makes sense for us to fight hard for the most important wins. Hopefully in the not-too-distant-future, that Spine Network will be attained and we’ll see ridership soar!
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
“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!
“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.
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.**
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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.
Was the vehicle poorly maintained to the point where a crash was more likely (lights out, bald tires, bad wipers, etc.)?
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.
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!
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:
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.
Fully fund the 2nd year of the Non-MTA 5-Year Transit Capital Program at $159.5 million.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Vehicle Safety Standards (S1952/A4057) – Mandates standards in new vehicles including intelligent speed assistance and other features.
Crash Victims Bill of Rights (A1901) – Guarantees rights & a voice for crash victims and their loved ones in legal proceedings
Sammy’s Law (S2422) – Allows for lower life-saving speed limits in NYC
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:
Idaho Stop Law (S2643/A3986) – Allows cyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield sign, and a red light as a stop sign.
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.
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:
Climate and Community ProtectionFund to implement the NY Climate Act
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.
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!)
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.
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.
By Jahasia Esgdaille, Community Engagement Managerat 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!
At Reconnect Rochester, 2022 brought renewed hope and activity as the world fully opened up and we could get back to what we love doing best — getting together and working alongside people and organizations in the community who share our passion for improved mobility.
This has also been a year of dramatic organizational growth that’s allowed us to do even more to pursue our hopes and dreams for mobility in Monroe County. Check out below the Top 10 things we’re most proud of accomplishing in 2022. The list gets more action-packed each year!
TOP 10 THINGS WE’RE MOST PROUD OF IN 2022 (In no particular order of importance.)
#10
Inspired People to Get Multi-Modal
At Reconnect Rochester, we want to inspire and empower people to use various modes of transportation and discover the joy and freedom of getting around by bus, by rail, on bike or on foot. Our Car-Lite ROC blog series featured the voices and stories of folks around the community who are living a car-lite lifestyle in Rochester and loving it! Catch up on the blog series here and listen to the podcast of some of our guest bloggers on Connections with Evan Dawson.
#9
Expanded Bus Amenities
In August, we held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the installation of 23 more bus stop cubes on Portland, Hudson, Lake, Dewey & St. Paul. Seating at bus stops not only supports the basic needs of people who rely on RTS bus service, it also encourages more people to use public transit by improving the experience. Special thanks to the City of Rochester for being a valued partner on this project, and State Senator Samra Brouk for securing funding to support this round of bus stop cubes.
#8
Transformed an Intersection
We continued our effort to make Rochester streets safer for all with a Complete Street Makeover of the intersection of Orange Street and Orchard Street in the JOSANA neighborhood. In collaboration with many neighborhood and community partners, we implemented temporary street design changes to make the intersection safer for those who use it every day. As a result of our installation, the average speed decreased 20%, the 85th percentile speed declined 28%, and the maximum speed declined 26%.
In January, we welcomed James Dietz in the newly created Advocacy Manager position to bolster our volunteer-based advocacy work with staff-based efforts. Our advocacy efforts this year included a virtual trip to Albany to fight for safe streets legislation & public transit funding, supporting the expansion and accessibility of mobility options like HOPR bike & e-scooter share and the launch of Floshare electric car share, and more on-the-ground action like mobilizing a team of staff and volunteers to shovel out bus stop cubes.
#5
Stepped up Communications and Outreach Efforts
In August, Jahasia Esgdaille joined our team in another newly created position of Community Engagement Manager. This investment in staff capacity has allowed us to step up our engagement in the community with things like increasing our in-person presence via event tabling, conducting an RTS rider survey, introducing quarterly Engagement Breakfasts, and expanding our social media presence (you can now find us on Instagram!).
#4
Strengthened Partnerships
This year, we made a concerted effort to strengthen our relationships with key entities in the transportation sector and organizations that share our passion for better public transit and safe streets. We’ve established regular meetings with RTS, GTC, the City of Rochester and Monroe County, and work with countless other elected officials and organizations in the course of our day-to-day work. It was collaborative conversations that led to Monroe County’s decision to fund the relaunch of the public awareness campaign Drive 2B Better, developed by a coalition group led by HealthiKids that aims to increase safety for all road users. You can request a D2BB lawn sign for your yard here!
#3
Gave & Encouraged Public Input
Thanks to the work of our Advocacy Committee, Reconnect submitted input on every major street project and community plan in Monroe County, beating the drum to incorporate complete streets policies and a more multimodal community. We gave special attention to providing robust input into the City and County Active Transportation Plans, attended countless public meetings, and served on project advisory committees for Aqueduct Reimagined and the Zoning Alignment Project.
Check out the CYCLING TOP 10 LIST for even more about bike-related efforts led by our rock star Cycling Manager, Jesse Peers.
#1
Leveled Up Our Staff & Welcomed New Board Leadership
If you’ve made it this far, you’ll know there were a few areas where we mentioned increased staff capacity. In 2022, we were able to hire two full-time employees and increase the hours of our part-time employees. More human power means more impact, and we are loving all the new and expanded ways we’ve been able to tackle our mission. 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.
We also brought on three new board members – Bree-Ana Dukes, Bo Shoemaker & Erick Stephens – who have each used their experience and talent to energize our efforts.
For 6 years, I’ve been dreaming of the day when Genesee street in downtown Utica, NY might be reduced from four lanes to two with a turning lane and bike lanes. To be perfectly frank, this was a reality I feared would never materialize. Despite the fact that countless cities and towns across the country have successfully executed a “road diet,” thus making a street safer for pedestrians, cyclists AND drivers with zero-to-minimal impact on travel time, so many Uticans had abrasively rejected my vision every time I brought it up.
Thanks to the vision of Utica Common Council member Katie Aiello, that formally unrealized hope for Utica’s historic Genesee Street was re-striped a little over a month ago with two travel lanes, a left-hand turning lane and bike lanes, just like I’ve imagined so many times.
This was done as part of a 90-day trial period to assess the impact of the project. But as is typical when a city is introduced to the concept of Complete Streets and road diets for the first time, many people responded with a flurry of dissent.
Hot tip… if you ever want to sit back and watch a relentless flow of verbal bile and fire-scorched sense of logic, suggest a road diet in a downtown to a city and metro population for the first time. Just grab a substantial bag of buttery, salted popcorn and watch the horror unfold.
I’ve spent a significant amount of time assuring the people of Utica that projects like this make our streets safer for everyone, as well as helping to elicit private investment and provide greater accessibility of community resources for the population. A big part of this assurance is telling people that if this kind of project worked on the Main Street of my home city of Rochester with a population of over 200,000 people, it will work for a city with a population of just over 60,000 people. Genesee Street in Utica and Rochester’s Main Street downtown each have similar daily traffic counts (approximately 9,000 vehicles per day, well below the 15,000-20,000 that begin the four-lane road conversation).
But, as usual with these sorts of projects, my fact-backed urgings and invitations to references and resources in support of road diets were often met with a “no thanks,” as many community leaders choose their own opinions over actual data that has been repeated hundreds, if not thousands of times. My favorite comments from leading members of a prestigious local organization implied that bike lanes and greater walkability would make the area more accessible for “crack dealers.”
What it all boils down to is this… many residents still have an insulated “out my front door” view that their city or community is unique. And while to some extent this is true, for the most part, Rust Belt (or as I like to call them, Robust Belt) cities are all dealing with, and recovering from, the same barriers. And again, as much as we struggle to admit the solutions of de-prioritizing the automobile, creating small business-friendly environments, solving issues of equity and access and laying the fertile soil for human-centered economic growth are the broad but key lenses of change for all communities, it’s the proven truth. Despite the aforementioned opposition by many of Utica’s community leaders, the road diet that has taken place on Genesee Street is a small but significant puzzle piece with regard to the solution.
Maybe you’re still not comfortable thinking that your city isn’t as unique as you think it is. OK, I’ll concede that for a moment… but what I will not waiver on is that, as soon as we Americans get in our cars, we act more predictably than ever.
We all make subjective statements like “Massachusetts drivers are the worst,” or “Indiana drivers always pass on the right.” The truth is, people don’t drive differently because they’re from a different locale. Real world data shows that there are scores of given principles that determine the behavior of drivers. If the roads are wide, people will drive faster. If there are no vertical points of reference (trees for example) people will drive faster. If there is parallel parking, people will drive slower. If the lane is 9 feet wide instead of 11 feet wide, people will drive slower. And why is automobile speed so important when blended with walkability? Because of the shocking data from the National Traffic Safety Board…
A pedestrian hit by a car traveling 40 miles per hour is nearly twice as likely to be killed than if the car was traveling 30 miles per hour. Building infrastructure that reduces speeds, even by a few miles per hour, has the potential to save lives. But in order to do this, we must accept that traffic in our community doesn’t behave differently than traffic in other locales. We must accept that the drivers in Utica behave the same way as they do anywhere else… it’s the infrastructure that determines how safely or unsafely people pilot their vehicles.
This is typically where people will stand up and point out that cyclists and pedestrians break the law as well. My answer is always the same… sure, just like drivers, those who walk, bike and scooter break the law… the difference is that they are not piloting a 3,000-6,000 pound vehicle capable of 100mph that doesn’t just threaten their own life, it threatens the life of other people and property as well. Car crashes are the close #2 killer of children and teens, after gun violence. The NHTSA states that car crashes in the United States cost nearly a trillion dollars annually. And much of this burden is directly shouldered by the taxpayer. Why, then, would anyone rally against a mobility strategy that had the potential to save lives, lessen the chance of personal injury AND save taxpayer money?
The answer is entitlement that is always thoroughly-veiled in the word “freedom.” Drivers often view projects like this as yet another assault on their personal freedom. The irony, of course, is that transportation infrastructure that prioritizes the most expensive modality (automobiles) means that one doesn’t have a choice in how to access jobs and resources in their community. Because driving is subsidized so heavily in the US, there is no equitable alternative that is feasible or practical. Because of far higher gas taxes, gasoline in Europe costs twice as much… but the average American spends four times as much on transportation as the average European. This has led to the antithesis of transportation freedom for the American, replacing it with a blatant “pay-to-play” scenario. You must own a car to have the opportunity to succeed.
No, simply re-striping Utica’s Genesee Street won’t, on its own, invigorate a pedestrian and bike-friendly culture in the city’s downtown. No, it won’t single-handedly increase sales at local stores, restaurants, museums and theaters. It should be seen, instead, as a social and economic fulcrum, or a sort of fertilized soil that can help grow the seeds of prosperity for Utica’s future. It’s a small step, but one that so many cities have taken toward a more socially and economically prosperous community.
By Jesse Peers, Cycling Manager at Reconnect Rochester
Before we get too far, we have to put a plug in for one of our upcoming events: a free Winter Cycling Class on Saturday, December 10! Join us at 11am in the CDCR’s Gallery (1115 E Main Street, Door 3B) to learn more about biking in the snowy season (hot cocoa provided).
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Transportation parity in Rochester, New York can’t ignore winter. It’s not good enough or equitable to have a multitude of transportation options in the spring, summer and fall, and to have to resort to driving a car of your own in the winter. That’s why Reconnect Rochester has been championing better plowing of sidewalks and the clearing of bus stops so transit users don’t have to wait in the street for a bus.
Convincing people to bike in the winter is admittedly a harder sell. At first glance, who wants to bike in the cold? And especially when there’s snow?! I’d concede to you… EXCEPT, city after city after city after city after city shows that normal folks will bike in the winter, especially if dedicated bike space is kept clear. Let’s go over some facts and misnomers. Even if you choose to never bike in winter, at least you’ll realize why some choose to.
1. Winter biking doesn’t have to be an extreme sport! In fact, it used to be pretty normal. NBD (no big deal).
Browse old bike periodicals and you’ll come to the same conclusion. Granted, once we entered the Eisenhower and Robert Moses era, winter biking became less common but that was due to the surge of automobiles dominating the roads, not the existence of winter itself.
The opening scene of Sam Mendes’ film Road to Perdition gives us a glimpse of how ordinary and nonchalant biking in the winter used to be.
2. There’s no difference between a 10-minute walk in the cold and a 10-minute bike ride in the same elements.
Lots of people take a regular walk outside in the winter. Perhaps they’re a dog owner taking their pet out on their “daily constitutional.” Or someone taking a walk in their neighborhood or further afield to enjoy nature. Those aren’t “extreme.” Neither is biking in the cold for a finite amount of time. In fact, biking in the cold tends to be more comfortable than walking because:
3. Biking makes the temperature feel about 15° warmer.
Because of the moderate “work” you’re doing turning those pedals, your body warms up. You can literally make three months of 30° feel like three months of 45°! That’s why cyclists and joggers wear less layers than they would otherwise when the temperatures drop. This outdoor exertion warming your body up makes winter more bearable for many. Necessary side notes:
Body-temp-wise, biking is more comfortable than waiting at a bus stop.
That “+15° thing” is why summer can sometimes be the least comfortable time to ride.
Give it 5 minutes; the first 5 minutes are the most uncomfortable before you get into a rhythm.
4. As snowy as Rochester is, most winter days are cold temps and clear streets.
If someone chose to leave their bike at home on days when arterials have snow on them and biked only when those primary roads were clear, they’d be biking the majority of winter. Increasingly, I’ve found that we tend to get most of our snow during a handful of big events each year. The rest is pretty manageable. My experience is that altogether there are maybe 5-7 workdays a year when biking is completely inadvisable because the roads are flat-out unsafe. Not too bad for one of the world’s snowiest cities! Working from home in those instances is not an option for everybody, but it’s more common than it used to be. Of course there are times when an alternate mode, such as bus or taxi, might be the way to go.
5. Biking in the winter isn’t an all-or-nothing thing.
Extending one’s biking season happens by degrees. All cyclists start as fair weather cyclists, and that’s okay! When folks want to bike more, they first acclimate to riding at night or in the rain. Then they might extend their season to riding in the 50s. Then the 40s. The next step is 30s with clear streets. Then 20s with clear streets. Last of all is biking when there’s snow on the ground or when temps are super frigid. If you never get to those later phases, no worries! But it is possible due to studded tires, one of the best investments a Rochester cyclist can make.
6. The City of Rochester knows it needs to make progress in terms of clearing bike infrastructure in the winter.
It’s a challenge to do so, but the Rochester 2034 Comprehensive Plan acknowledges strides must be taken. After all, Buffalo’s Department of Public Works clears their bike lanes and shoulders.
For starters here, Reconnect Rochester has advocated for the Genesee Riverway Trail be cleared from downtown to the University of Rochester. Since the squeaky wheel gets the grease, let your councilmembers know that clearing of some bike infrastructure in the winter should be prioritized.
In Sum…
If you don’t want to bike in Winter, you don’t have to! But it’s probably easier and more feasible than you think. Those who choose to bike in Winter, taking advantage of Rochester’s average 4.1-mile commute, deserve better accommodations and to be passed safely and courteously as the law requires.
Want to Know More?
If you’re interested in learning more, come to our free Winter Cycling Class on Saturday, December 10 at 11am in the Community Design Center’s gallery space (1115 E Main Street, Door 3B). It’s chock full of practical tips to get you started.
If you want to learn more on your own, these two books are highly recommended:
Car Lite Rochester is a blog series that highlights the stories of Rochesterians living a car-lite lifestyle. The term “car lite” encompasses a variety of multimodal transportation lifestyles, featuring little dependence (but not NO dependence) on a car. It typically looks like sharing one car within a household or only using a car when absolutely necessary.
So, we hope you’ll continue to follow along. Maybe you will be inspired to join our bloggers in living a car-lite lifestyle!
Car Lite Rochester: From Car-Free to Car-Lite, Three Years Later
By: Calvin Eaton
Calvin Eaton is a disabled scholar, author, cultural curator, content creator, and social entrepreneur. He founded the theglutenfreechef brand and website in 2013 and founded 540WMain, Inc. in 2016.
Whew! It’s been a long time since I last checked in! Can you believe it’s been three years since my last blog with Reconnect Rochester? And what a time we’ve had in three years. We’ve survived an incessant global pandemic and I’ve survived two bouts of COVID-19, vaccinations, boosters, masks, and so much more. With so much change you would think we would be closer to realizing neighborhoods and streets that are more universally designed, pedestrian friendly, and less reliant on the all-powerful automobile. This is hardly the case. So much has changed yet when it comes to a culture that is less reliant on cars so much has remained the same. Still it’s not all doom and gloom. There’ve been lots of positive changes in the realm of more bicycle and pedestrian friendly infrastructure in recent years. Before I dive into that let me update you on what’s been happening with me.
New Bike, New Me
I got a new bike in 2021. Actually, a very kind friend gifted me a brand new bike. It was a complete surprise and I am forever grateful. After what seems like decades of lamenting about how I needed to get a bike, I just wasn’t making it a priority. One day in early summer 2021 I reached out to my Facebook community to ask if anyone had recommendations for a decent used bike and next thing I knew I received a brand new bike on my doorstep. What a thoughtful and amazing gift. I was able to test out my new bike just in time for the 2021 edition of the Juneteenth Roc Freedom Ride through Rochester. Tapping into the robust bike community and the dedicated bike trails has been key for me since I still don’t always feel comfortable riding my bike solo on the city streets. Even though fibromyalgia prevents me from cycling as much as I would like, having my new wheels has been amazing.
Rochester’s affinity based cycling communities have grown throughout the pandemic. These communities are important to me because they break down the stereotypes and bias that Black people don’t bike or can’t bike. Amazing transformative leaders like Rashad Smith and the Roc Freedom Ride initiative are a beautiful homage to the bus desegregation movement of the 1960s and parallel the modern day desegregation of “cycling culture” in Rochester and other cities around the country. Cycling culture in Rochester like most cities looks very homogenous (i.e white) and groups like Roc Freedom Riders, Black Girls Do Bike, Conkey Cruisers, and the Flower City Feeling Good bike rides are some of the initiatives that have grown over the past few years that diversify and bring equity and inclusion to cycling culture in Rochester. This work is priceless. Despite this progress, bike legislation and biased enforcement has led to over policing, racial profiling and pretext stops for Black and brown cyclists. Group bike rides provide a measure of support and safety for those of us that are new to cycling as a regular form of transportation.
Car-Free to Car-Lite
In my last blog I shared my journey to a car-free lifestyle and three years later I’ve migrated from car-free to car-lite. The short story version is that during the pandemic my brother purchased a used car from Geva’s fleet of cars for performers and then gifted the car to me. It all happened very quickly but I do remember needing a week or two to think about the implications of bringing a car back into my life. This was at the top of 2021 and at the time I was teaching as an adjunct at St. John Fisher University and we were migrating back to in-person learning. After three years of being car-free, having access to my own vehicle again didn’t seem like a bad idea.
My final decision came down to convenience. Even with the many improvements to bicycle infrastructure, and the reimagine RTS initiative I would be being disingenuous if I didn’t admit that having a car is simply more convenient in our city. Owning and maintaining a car is a privilege, this I must admit. Getting reacclimated to car life and taking care of the administrative details like registration, insurance, and transferring the title was relatively easy for me to do and I recognize this immense privilege. As someone living with a disability my lifestyle lends itself to far less driving than the average car owner. Due to the disability that I live with, each month my car sits idle in the driveway for multiple consecutive days. More often than not, I don’t have the stamina or energy to drive. The majority of my work happens online and I hold many meetings remotely via zoom. Even on my good days having a car for me isn’t essential. Understanding this privilege I recently was able to loan my car to a car-free friend who was taking a road trip for a couple of days.
For me having a car during the cold winter months is most helpful. And I notice and advocate for improvements in how our streets and sidewalks are plowed during the winter months. Anyone that uses a wheelchair or power chair is figuratively and literally stuck when the snow starts to accumulate, and this is simply unacceptable. There remains much work to be done in this regard.
Transportation Justice is an Ongoing Movement
Despite my return to life with a car, I remain an active and vocal advocate for safe streets, increased and improved bicycle infrastructure, and better accessibility for our roads, public transportation and the built environment for disabled people. My journey has taught me to have more compassion and empathy for everyone’s choice to own a car or not and to spend less time making moral judgements about people’s decisions and more time advocating for a city that includes all perspectives and voices. There have been lots of additions that allow more transportation choice in our City like the HOPR bike and scooter share, bike clubs, electric vehicle sharing, renovations to the RTS station, road diets, improvement along East and West Main streets, and the advocacy and education presented by Reconnect Rochester. Still we have so much work to do to reimagine and redesign our city to be more pedestrian safe and friendly.
Car Lite Rochester is a blog series that highlights the stories of Rochesterians living a car-lite lifestyle. The term “car lite” encompasses a variety of multimodal transportation lifestyles, featuring little dependence (but not NO dependence) on a car. It typically looks like sharing one car within a household or only using a car when absolutely necessary.
So, we hope you’ll continue to follow along. Maybe you will be inspired to join our bloggers in living a car-lite lifestyle!
Car Lite Rochester: Small Decisions Become Core Values
By: Tracey Austin
It’s interesting to think through why your life includes (or excludes) something that most other American families find normal. I would say my family’s car-lite life was born from necessity. We never really made a conscious decision on a particular day to be car-lite, yet it has become one of our values. And it has amazed me how such a seemingly small decision has shaped our life.
After college, my sister and I wanted nothing more than to get an apartment together in the City of Rochester. We shared our college car, and since my job was downtown and closer, I was the one who got to take the bus, ride my bike, and walk. I learned so much about Rochester during that time of my life because I used these multimodal ways of getting around. They weren’t an alternative for me; it was just what I had to do, like most people who don’t have access to a car.
After I got married, there was no question whether we would also live in the city near friends and our jobs. Proximity to work and “life things” has always been a natural priority for us. I love this city. I have spent the past 20+ years exploring some of its best short cuts. Back in the day, my favorite shortcuts were through the old midtown building and the enclosed path you could take from MCC to the other side of Main Street – glory days!
I love bike commuting, and the bus has helped in a pinch. But I prefer to walk most places. If I’m short on time, I bike. But walking is a form of therapy for me, especially before and after work in the winter. It’s always a peaceful way to start and end the day. And when I worked downtown it was always a good excuse to pick up coffee on the way into work without having to wait in a drive thru or park my car. I guess all of my life’s decisions usually come down to coffee access.
For these combined reasons, we have been able to get by with one car (even now with a teenage driver also sharing it!). My husband prefers the bus to biking or will walk sometimes when I need the car. And all of us are now very used to asking friends and co-workers for rides. I wish that was more normalized. I even have close neighbor friends who always anticipate my request for a ride if we are both invited to the same event. Most people don’t mind at all, especially if you help pay for gas or bring them something freshly baked. ☺
We manage, and we manage well. Although I sometimes agree with my youngest son’s wish that “we at least had a newer car,” I don’t frame it as a necessity and I never will. What started as an economic decision continues to be one: I could never stomach paying a car payment on a new car, let alone two. And paying for parking when the job or event is fairly close to my house seems silly. I am happy that my kids prioritize material things less, since the necessity of cars wasn’t modeled for them. And sometimes I make a point to say things like, if we had two cars to pay for we wouldn’t be able to go on this trip or pay this bill. As they get older, I hope they will prioritize adventure and healthy budgeting over something that ties them down.
I suppose my story isn’t going to be a huge revelation to most readers. But my car-lite life has revealed a lot to me—about myself and about my city. I choose to interact with it daily in a more tangible way by how I travel through it, and that in turn helps my bank account and our environment. That makes me happy. So as long I have physical mobility to travel the way I prefer, I will do just that. And I hope I can help some friends to try it along the way.
Car Lite Rochester is a blog series that highlights the stories of Rochesterians living a car-lite lifestyle. The term “car lite” encompasses a variety of multimodal transportation lifestyles, featuring little dependence (but not NO dependence) on a car. It typically looks like sharing one car within a household or only using a car when absolutely necessary.
So, we hope you’ll continue to follow along. Maybe you will be inspired to join our bloggers in living a car-lite lifestyle!
It was early 2015 when my transportation lifestyle hit rock-bottom. Rochester’s winter had been especially cold and snowy that year. I was still bitter over the cancellation of the RTS route that had shuttled me, all through the prior winter, directly from my own block to my job at the University of Rochester (anybody else have fond memories of the 52 line?). With my children in elementary school and my wife and I both working new jobs, busy-ness and frustration led me to break my routine by buying a parking pass and commuting in a car all winter. It seemed logical enough, especially since my wife and I happened to own two cars for the first time since our daughters had been babies.
But by March, it was clear that car commuting had been a terrible blunder. I found myself much more grumpy, fussing over traffic and parking and gas prices. I was out of shape and feeling lethargic. Canceling the built-in exercise of walking to the bus or biking to the office, and eliminating the routine that gave me quiet outdoor moments for reflection twice a day, had made me miserable — both physically and emotionally. The writing was on the wall: I crave exercise and the joys of active transportation more than I hate the cold. I swore I’d never buy another winter parking pass, and I never have. We soon got rid of that second car.
Once we did, the benefits piled up. For starters, living a car-lite lifestyle can be a big financial help for a young family. Driving less meant we spent less on gas, of course — and today’s high gas prices would increase the impact. Dropping my parking pass saved us a few hundred bucks a year. (Shout out to the University’s free Occasional Parking Program!) But the real financial payoff came with getting rid of that car altogether: no car payments, no insurance, no oil changes, no brake jobs or belt jobs or worries about what would break next. Our car-lite lifestyle continues to save us thousands of dollars each year.
Other benefits are less tangible, but for a family, maybe more important. Exercise is one of the best things anybody can do for physical and mental health, so building exercise into daily transportation routines is great for parents and kids alike. Biking and walking make my family and me happier, more focused at school and work, and ready to enjoy time together more fully. Burning less fossil fuel and emitting less carbon make my wife and me feel better about our climate impacts, not only for our own sake but also for our two teenage daughters. After all, they will live through more repercussions of climate change than us, and going car-lite now will empower them to be more adaptable and less dependent on fossil fuels. Meanwhile, strolling and rolling around the neighborhood weaves all of us more tightly into our community. The kids bump into classmates; my wife and I see friends and neighbors.
Maybe the best perk for families who go car-lite is one we hadn’t anticipated back in 2015: it has made parenting easier for us. Teaching our kids to walk to elementary school saved us countless hours idling in carpool traffic jams. More importantly, living car-lite lets children gain freedom and learn responsibility in baby steps, as appropriate for their age. In second grade, our girls were big enough to walk by themselves to the playground across the street. In third grade, they could walk to a friend’s house down the block, or another around the corner. Soon, they could bike to see more friends or walk to music lessons. By the time our daughters reached middle school, we found ourselves living a year in Copenhagen. There, great public transportation, world-beating bike infrastructure, and negligible crime rates meant the girls could go nearly anywhere in the city without setting foot in a car. We didn’t own one there anyway. Back in Rochester, though the infrastructure doesn’t match Copenhagen’s, our daughters have the skills and confidence to go many of the places they need, walking to school and work, biking to the pet store and thrift stores. Restricting their childhood transportation to cars alone would have robbed them of the chance to gain agency and independence, steadily and surely, through all those years. Our older daughter will get her driver’s license this fall, and I shudder to think what would have happened if she’d been handed car keys and set loose to drive two tons of high-speed steel without first having learned how to find her way around the world, independently, on foot and on bikes and on buses and trains.
The Kelley Family in Copenhagen
Though living car-free in Copenhagen was a breeze, our family has never lived car-free in Rochester. Looking ahead to a time when all four of us will have driver’s licenses, we’re transitioning now from owning just one car to owning two — but certainly not four! The car-lite lifestyle is a pleasure we will continue.
Our chosen lifestyle is made more enjoyable by a few practicalities we’ve figured out along the way. First, we chose to live in a neighborhood with ubiquitous sidewalks and good bike routes to many places, especially our most common destinations, including my workplace, the kids’ schools, grocery stores, gyms, a bank, a pharmacy, a bakery, and a library. If you live near good routes to work and everyday destinations, by bike or bus or walk, transitioning to a car-lite lifestyle could be almost seamless. If you are among the millions working from home nowadays, going car-lite is even easier. If not, and if you’d like to commute by biking or walking, ask whether your employer has a shower. (Pro tip: U of R has many at the medical center, many at the gym, and at least two others on River Campus.) By providing a little extra power, an e-bike can be a key enabler of a pleasurable car-lite lifestyle, especially if you have health or mobility limitations, your commute is a little longer, or you frequently find yourself hauling young children and groceries. Cargo bikes and trailers are wonderful for families, not to mention backpacks and panniers. When children are old enough to pedal themselves but not yet old enough to navigate to school independently, a great solution is a bike train, in which just one or two parents bike along with a group of neighborhood classmates. Carpools are another great way to go car-lite, whether to school or to work. You can find great routes using RTS’s Transit app or browsing Rochester’s Bike Boulevards. When winter weather makes roads and sidewalks slick, you can pull on some microspikes on your way to the nearest bus.
Microspikes are a great way to make walking in the snow less treacherous!
Finally, you can help make a car-lite lifestyle more possible and more pleasurable for your own family and for everybody else 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.
Reconnect Rochester is excited to announce the hiring of Jahasia Esgdaille, Community Engagement Manager!
We’re so glad that Jahasia has joined our dynamic and growing staff team that works day-in and day-out to improve mobility in our community. In her role, she will act as Reconnect’s conduit to the community by developing strong relationships with people and organizational partners, and by conducting on-the-ground outreach. Get to know Jahasia and find out what drove (no pun intended) her to this work in the message below.
Hello friends and fellow advocates! I’m so honored to step into the Community Engagement Manager position at Reconnect Rochester. The mission of Reconnect Rochester very much aligns with my upbringing growing up in New York City as multi-modality was a part of my family’s everyday life, which I discuss more in my car-lite blog here.
My interest in advocating for mobility justice and transit equity initially began as an environmental sustainability steward where I focused heavily on the ways that I could reduce my personal impact on the planet by swapping car trips for walking, biking or taking the bus. This interest, and admittedly newfound passion, quickly grew into a more encompassing lens on how access to multi-modal transportation options affect everything from our environment to economic opportunities, and more.
I look forward to listening, learning, contributing to and advocating for a sustainable and equitable transportation system for all of our community members!
