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Reflecting on the 2026 Week Without Driving

We would like to thank everyone who participated in the 2026 Week Without Driving! Getting this real life perspective of the joys and challenges of car free living is important and will serve as a reminder of why we do this work.

With 24% of Rochester residents and 12% of Monroe County residents lacking car access, thousands of our neighbors don’t have the option to wait until the system improves. They rely on it today. The more of us who understand the benefits and the barriers firsthand, the more likely we are to build a multimodal community that works for everyone.

In 2026 we saw 43 participants logged a stunning 642 non-car trips for a total of 2,362.52 non-driving miles!

Special shout out to Hannah Geitner who used Flix bus to get to Ithaca instead of driving! We have included her thoughts on the experience below your comments.

Biking Comments

I biked to and from school today and I did better than I thought when I was biking up one of the hills, but the way back was much harder than I thought. My hack is remembering to switch gears when I go up big hills.

Biked to the eye dr, about 2.5 miles from my house. The route is pretty ok, but I wished there was bike parking.

Biked, Roundtrip, Home to the grocery store to buy more coffee beans. Not tricky. It was very easy and I’ve done it before. Mine was the only bike in the rack and I wondered if I’d ever find it full? Would be nice…

I went out for coffee. The biggest challenge was the pavement quality – potholes and broken pavement forced me into the road even when there were bike lanes next to the driving lane.

Today I biked from the Erie canal trail to Jefferson Rd for work today. There’s no good connection from the trail to Jefferson. I needed to bike on the shoulder S winton road which was awful

I rode from home to the Greece Library, using primarily bike boulevards. It’s tricky crossing Latta and Long Pond (several left and right hand turning cars), so I make sure the cars see me before I move into the intersection. I have a light in the front and rear of my bike and on my helmet, and wear a high visibility jacket. It’s pretty hard NOT to see me!

I biked to the pharmacy then stopped at the grocery store on the way back to pick up some stuff. My route starts going north on Mt Read for about 1 mile. The only difficult part is the intersection at Mt. Read/Stone. It’s tricky on a bike.

I’ve been working on low-stress bike route mapping for a few months, and today really emphasized the challenges of our current network. As a confident cyclist, I took some very direct routes that have little or no formal infrastructure (Scio St, Circle St, Woodbury Blvd) rendering them very uncomfortable for many. Anyone who is less confident is stuck using meandering, indirect routes that can add significant amounts of time to a trip. If we want to encourage cycling in our City, we need to make the most direct routes safe for all ages and abilites; even if that means re-routing or inconveniencing drivers.

I rode my bike to the public market to do some produce shopping on my way to the Roc the Riverway guided bike ride. I forgot to snap a picture but Jesse saw me there. Then I picked up a bottle of wine for dinner from Schuber on Park on my way home.

I’m in my own forever war against disappearing bike lanes. Shouts to Culver and Winton! Constantly asking myself if I should just take the lane even when the current stretch has a bike lane just so I don’t risk getting clipped when trying to get in the lane when the bike lane ends. But then I risk the revenge pass! Where a driver passes unsafely because they were annoyed that I slowed them down.

I did a big grocery shopping trip on bike, including a full-size watermelon and a carton of eggs! My panniers make me feel unstoppable!! However, I do despise the East Ave Wegmans parking lot with any form of transportation, but especially on a bike…

Heavy headwinds coming home on the Canal Trail in the afternoon. “Slow but steady wins the race.

Commute to and from work that I do all the time. Riding 7/10 miles on the canal is great. Rough spots are Lee Rd north of the canal, the Chili Ave intersection, and getting to near the Brickyard Trail from the canal.

Bowling on Monday night. I decided to get a locker last year so I could ride my bike without having to worry about carrying my bowling ball and shoes every week.

I rode my bike to the Y for yoga class this morning, then on to Walgreens to pick up photos. This afternoon I rode my bike to get a haircut and used bike boulevards to travel there and home safely.

Biked with my 6-year old to his choir practice on S Clinton. It required a very circuitous route and more sidewalk riding than we typically do. Luckily, the weather was perfect. We probably won’t do this regularly, but I’m glad to know it’s an option.

Cold morning – warmed up after 5 miles or so, but it was a brisk start to the day.

On my bike home from work on Monday, I took a detour to run an errand near Cobbs Hill Park. I usually would’ve taken the Harvard St bike boulevard for this route, but I decided to try out Park Ave itself. And what a nice ride it was! Super low traffic volume on Park Ave at 4:30pm on a Monday, and I played “tag” with a roller skater headed the same way as me; we passed each other a few times. Then to get home from there I biked up and over Cobbs Hill & Highland Park, which were tough but rewarding climbs with beautiful views.

Walking Comments

The weather was perfect today. Walking downtown with the construction on Main Street

There wasn’t always a side walk, other than that it was an easy trip.

All of my walks today were extremely pleasant on account of the perfect weather and being in Manhattan for work. I love when a City supports all 4 of Jeff Speck’s walkability tenets (useful, safe, comfortable, interesting).

I walked to Trillium Ribbon Cutting on Jefferson Ave and very surprised by the lack of visible crosswalks

Walked to dinner and convinced all my friends to go walk too!

Downtown construction made staying on the same side in the correct lane difficult and placed me walking into places cars werent expecting- the closer to State st, the more difficult

I walked from my house to The Rochester Oak Street Complex Center for the HBCU Tailgate party..I walked through the Bullshead Revitalization area and so excited to see ao much done and stating to see the vision come together. If I would have drove im sure I would had been frustrated by the detours.

First time walking to my house to the gym in Gates. I noticed the total difference walking in a town vs city…I almost don’t want to complain anymore about city sidewalks….what an adventure….not sure if I will do that again.

Walked to and from the Y on Thurston, then to and from work downtown and to and from a neighborhood community event. A beautiful day to be outside walking.

I walked from my job County Office Building to Local’s Only on 311 Alexander Street for a lunch meeting and let me tell you I love walking downtown. Seeing the diversity in people walking, handling their business, sitting out talking or people watching makes me happy.

I walked from work to the convention center and truly took in the view of the Genesee River.

Bus Comments

Super easy bus ride to and from work!

Loved event at Salinger’s. Took bus there and back.

Brighton bus line ends in a highway with no sidewalk to cross the river- was disappointed since there’s a trail system right underneath that could be connected by the bridge!

Grateful for living on the bus line direct to work when it’s pouring outside!

I like bikes and I like the bus but I don’t like transferring buses because there’s so much waiting in-between. So I bike to the transfer point where I get on the bus that gets me to work.

My Amtrak got into Rochester late so I had to litterally run with a week’s worth of luggage from the train station to the Transit center to catch the 18:00 pulse or I would have been stuck waiting for an hour. We need 15 minute frequencies or better on all urban fixed routes ASAP

One thing that’s been on my mind for months is the RTS policy of closing its bathrooms during the busiest hours of the commute to prevent bad behavior, but also preventing accessibility and basic human dignity.

Bus to an actual brewery + Bug Jar!

I had a bus delay completely alter my route home today. While this delay was happening at the Transit Center I helped another man pack up his groceries while RTS staff chided him and told him he couldn’t get on another bus. Feels like the bus system requires a lot of patience from riders without giving riders any respect in return, to put it delicately. I had a time I needed to be back, and thankfully I gave myself a lot of time, so I made it home by 6 pm, but it was closer than it should have been.

E-Bikes/E-Scooters

I took an ambitious trip up to Irondequoit from Rochester on my e-scooter. It was a lot of fun! The bike accomodations were spotty, but no one was yelling at me in the road and there weren’t many moments I felt unsafe, even when riding at night.

I took a trip up to Home Depot on Ridge Road, I had to return some items and buy more. Using my scooter in a hostile environment was challenging. I rode a lot on the sidewalks near the Home Depot because there was no dedicated bike lane and driving in traffic felt risky. But coming up from the city there’s bike lanes / easier roads on Goodman, Norton, and Main street. So most of the trip had some infrastructure.

I rode my e-scooter to RIT for a meeting. I rode down the Lehigh Valley Trail for the first time. It could definitely use some maintenance, but it’s a nice way to get between UofR and RIT.

I’ve found that it is sometimes faster to use a e-scooter than the bus since the routes are sparse. The lack of connection leaves long walk times at either end, so using the e-scooter shaves off quite a bit of time compared to the crosstown bus.

Hanna Geitner’s Flix Bus Experience

It is Reconnect Rochester, Inc‘s #weekwithoutdriving! Yesterday’s challenge was to take public transportation. At first, this seemed like a challenge as I had two site visits in Ithaca (75 miles away) but with a quick internet search I booked a round-trip ticket on a Flixbus! Conveniently, the Rochester bus stop is within walking distance to my office where I stashed my bike for the day and the Ithaca bus stop was 0.2 miles from my first meeting. I was able to walk to almost every other meeting site thanks to Ithaca’s downtown density and carpooled with 4 colleagues to one site outside the city center not connected via sidewalks.

Some things I noticed–

  • Its much easier than you think to use the bus. Flixbus, Greyhound, Trailways, etc. have impressive routes across the country that can get you where you need to go.
  • Taking the bus is like having a personal driver, I answered emails, took a quick nap, prepped for my meetings, and enjoyed the first glimpses of fall foliage around the Finger Lakes!
  • Dense community design makes being carless far less intimidating. All but one of my meetings in Ithaca were in a 0.5 mile radius. Within this, I stopped to check out 3 different restaurants/cafes and spent some down time in the public library taking advantage of the free wifi and phone chargers.
  • You can learn a lot about a place by showing up without a car and not relying on rideshares. This felt important as I showed up as a non-native to analyze potential projects. Before my first meeting, I had seen the main bus stops, saw how folks can access them (or not), seen their proximity to services, food, and stores, and used them myself. This was an incredibly small glimpse but it was one I would not have had if I had driven from my house, parked right outside each meeting, then drove back to Rochester. 

What our elected officials say

State Senator Jeremy Cooney, Transportation Committee Chair, on RTS

“We like our drivers, we feel safe on the bus, RTS buses are newer and riding is a great experience! But do they get you to your destination frequently and on time? 

We secured money to study Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to dedicate a lane just for bus service with transit signal priority to move our buses quicker. So if someone misses a bus they’re not waiting 45 minutes for the next one, they’re waiting 5-10 minutes.

I need everyone to call their state representatives and tell them to make transit a priority this budget session. It’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity.”

Watch State Senator Cooney’s video on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. 

Deputy Mayor Michael Burns on Walking

“One of the great things about living downtown is that we reduced the number of cars in our house from one to two because of good public transit and the walkability of downtown.

ROC Vision Zero is our initiative to make sure our streets are safer for all residents whether they drive, walk, or bike. A key component is safe crosswalks with crossing times that are adequate especially at high traffic intersections.

We also have a hazardous sidewalk repair program that identifies hazardous sidewalk areas throughout the city to ensure that folks walking have safe sidewalks.”

Watch Deputy Mayor Burns’ video on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. 

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello on Biking

“Monroe County believes there should be a complete streets approach to how we design our streets. To make sure it’s safe for everybody to use our roads regardless of the mode they choose.

We changed county policy to allow for bike lanes to be installed on county roads. We have more lane miles planned for the future so it’s not just the city of Rochester but we’re connected into the suburbs as well. 

Try riding a bike to get to where you’re going today and Monroe County’s commitment is to design roads that are safe for you to ride your bike and safe for motorists as well.”

Watch County Executive Bello’s video on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.  

Dr. Miriam Moore, Chief Diversity Officer for Brighton on Disabled Mobility

“I do think if there were better transit options there would be fewer cars on the road subsequently lending more parking for individuals who need accessible parking. 

Living with Avascular necrosis makes walking difficult. Having infrastructure that is in good condition with no cracks or bumps is important. Brighton now has a crosswalk that lights up. I’ve used it and I think it’s awesome for individuals who may not be able to cross at the speed that healthy individuals can.”

Watch Dr. Moore’s video on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky

Our local Week Without Driving initiative inspired the following news coverage:

Thanks again to all of our participants!

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Making Rochester Streets Safer for All: The 2026 Complete Streets Makeover of Genesee Park Blvd and Pioneer St

Over the years, we’ve received dozens of thoughtful submissions from Rochester residents for places where it doesn’t feel safe to walk or bike. Responding to this growing epidemic was the impetus behind our Complete Streets Makeover program, created to bring attention to street design as one critical factor in the safe streets equation. Do you know of a risky spot in your daily travels? Make sure to nominate it for consideration and you could see this change on YOUR street!

The Selection Process

A steering committee made up of our program partners selected Genesee Park Boulevard and Pioneer Street from a pool of 48 community submissions.  “There are [crashes] at this intersection at least every other week. It has always been a problem…” is what the original nominator mentioned as a concern. As we dug deeper, other neighbors mentioned that drivers failing to yield to the right of way has made them feel unsafe rolling or walking through the intersection. 

That’s especially concerning because this intersection connects people to Genesee Valley Park and some of Rochester’s most popular active transportation routes, including the Empire State Trail and Genesee Riverway Trail. It’s also a key connection for University of Rochester students, families, and children traveling to and from School #53.

When an intersection makes people change their route out of fear, it’s a sign that it’s time to rethink the design.

Getting Community Input

At our neighborhood design workshop in March, 19th Ward residents gathered to discuss the specific concerns they have while traveling through this intersection on a daily basis. Neighbors of all ages joined to envision safer crossings, playful sidewalks, better wayfinding, public art, and a reference to the 19th Ward’s neighborhood traffic calming turkey to serve as a symbol for the need to address safety for all road users.

As fate would have it, the turkey showed up an hour before the installation began to check on our progress!

Our partners at Stantec created a rendering based on the neighborhood feedback. The final design used flexible delineator posts to visually narrow the roadway; using a design strategy backed by traffic safety research to slow traffic and daylight the intersection which prevents parked vehicles from obstructing visibility of oncoming road users when crossing.

While neighborhood residents favored a temporary neighborhood traffic circle, the additional approvals and complex logistics were not possible within the timeline. We moved forward with a curb extension design for the strongest improvement we could install immediately.

We will be working with the 19th Ward to strongly advocate for a traffic circle to be tried in the next couple of years. If efficacious in reducing speed (without barring the ability for larger vehicles to pass through), we will push to have this design element included in the planned reconstruction of Genesee Park Blvd planned for 2032.

Making Magic at Genesee Park and Pioneer

At the installation in May, more than 100 neighbors came together to paint, volunteer, celebrate, and reclaim their intersection. With a vibrant burst of color and tributes to Rochester’s Flower City logo, this design transformed the space to reflect the pride and spirit of our community.

Just as the last of the paint was drying, the sky opened up with rain yet volunteers stayed to pack up supplies and help one another. The timing was eerily perfect as the design was finished! We are so grateful for the camaraderie and giving spirit of our 19th Ward neighbors.

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.

The Impact

But did it make a difference? YES! 

Drivers traveling above the posted 30mph speed limit decreased by nearly 18%. More importantly, the changes weren’t limited to just the fastest drivers. Speeds decreased across the entire range of drivers, especially for eastbound traffic, showing that this encouraged safer driving behavior overall rather than simply curbing the most excessive speeding.

This type of broad behavioral change is exactly what traffic engineers hope to see from “self-enforcing” street design. Research shows that by using visual cues and subtle geometric changes, projects like this encourage drivers to choose safer speeds naturally, without overreliance on enforcement to slow speeds.

Even small reductions in vehicle speed can significantly improve safety for people walking and biking, reducing both the likelihood of a crash and the severity of injuries if one does occur. 

Learn even more about the Complete Streets Makeover of Genesee Park and Pioneer

Looking Ahead

In the eight years since we began the Complete Streets Makeover initiative, we have seen time and time again when communities are given the tools to reimagine their streets, safer neighborhoods become possible.These temporary projects help city officials evaluate future investments while transforming neighborhood experiences into meaningful transportation data. 

Keep nominating intersections and trouble spots you experience in your daily travels that could use a re-design! 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 Genesee Park Blvd & Pioneer St is a collaborative venture with the following community partners:

Reconnect Rochester

The Healthi Kids Coalition, convened by Common Ground Health

Stantec

City of Rochester

Genesee Transportation Council

19th Ward Community Association

Cub Scouts Troop 1965

Southwest Rotary Club

Southwest Neighborhood Services

Trillium Health

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Reflecting on the 2025 Week Without Driving

We would like to thank everyone who participated in the 2025 Week Without Driving! Disability Rights Washington first launched this campaign in 2021 as a way to highlight the barriers faced by those without access to a car. By 2023, the challenge had expanded nationwide, encouraging individuals across the country to rethink their reliance on automobiles.

While we think highlighting barriers is important, we also wanted to inspire Monroe County residents to explore their mobility options beyond the car to see how “one less car trip” can be easier than most people imagine at first. As Simeon Banister mentioned in his reel on our Magic Bus day, the best way to improve our public transit is for people to “use public transit!”

We are thrilled to share that 44 participants logged a stunning 616 non-car trips for a total of 1,970. 41 non-driving miles!

Thank you to EJ Bradford for your photo submissions and detailed reflection of the week! We have included your response along with many of the comments we received from our participants below.

Biking Comments

I biked to the grocery store to get a few things for dinner and wondered why more people didn’t do the same…With the right planning, it’s actually easy, fun, AND it helps you to avoid buying unnecessary impulse purchases because you will only buy what you can carry back on your ride home!

Biked to RIT, the scariest part was being on the road on Monroe Ave in the city. Drivers aren’t cognizant or expecting cyclists on that road and many drive recklessly.

BIG shoutout to panniers. And dressing in layers. And then shedding layers and putting them in your panniers!

Home Depot on Portland Ave. was very tricky, but I managed it!

Traveling with a bike trailer is no joke! Luckily I spent the majority of my trailer laden route on the Genesee river trail. I don’t often have a need to take that trail so it’s nice not to have to feel like your competing with cars especially when carrying cargo.

I’ve decided that 104 is the devil for bikes.  The closer you get, the less bike friendly.

Took the Auburn Trail from cobbs hill to Pittsford Plaza. Not my first time on the trail, but first time using it as a way to get to those stores. Always surprises me how close they are.

Walking Comments

Lee Road should at least have a sidewalk north of Lexington to the City line with Greece where the shoulder starts. You can see a dirt path worn in and can see it on Google maps from this year. Lots of shift workers walking to and from work here.

Mixed use buildings are the way to go! Two of the five places I went were such in the same building as another one of my destinations so I didn’t even count miles for the few feet I walked.

I will carry a bookbag next. I carried shoulder bags, and it wore me out.

I love walking to my yoga class as it helps me transition from my work day to a more meditative and expansive mindset. Plus I often run into people I know, which gives me joy!

I had a lot of meetings in the downtown area today. I was surprised how quickly I was able to get there. The tricky part is all the construction going on in the downtown area but still in all a very pleasant walk time today.

Bus Comments

I was so excited to see how easy it was to get a bus to get my errands downtown done! I plan on using the same route to get to The Little this weekend! 

Well, went to MCC as usual (6, then the 13 buses). After that, took the 17 the entire route to the library for the transportation hearing (it was pretty decent, though I was the only one along with another participant), then I took a short walk to the center to then take the 6 back home.

Bus service to RIT is hot garbage, but taking the RTS 14 most of the way and biking the rest is surprisingly easy!

I head to MCC in the morning, walking to a nearby bus stop along N. Goodman. I take the 6, then the 13 (this route gets PACKED, I’m shocked it doesn’t run every 15 minutes). After my classes today, since I am NOT waiting almost an hour for the 6 (my class ends before 7 pm), I took the 41, up until the Culver Waring intersection, where I then walked a decent amount home.

Unfortunately the bus routes for me to get to most destinations I frequent are incredibly long and inconvenient because there are no direct routes. You have to go all the way to the transit center first before you can go out to a different destination. Routes need to be added that circle around the city instead of just spokes going out from the center.

I was disappointed that I couldn’t manage to get to and from work without my car. I made a few short trips by walking, and I wanted to try taking the bus to work, but my 10 minute commute would take over an hour on the bus! I realized that if I didn’t have a car, I wouldn’t be able to work at my current job. 

 I was frustrated because I had a convention center trip, which is easy by bus, but because my wife had to go to a construction site, I had both kids in the AM and I was short on time so even though its just one bus, I could not make it happen. I think I just need to spend more time planning and change the pace of life.

E-Bikes/E-Scooters

I took my e-bike to work today.  My son had a soccer game so I left work and headed to his game.  Unfortunately, I had to go up Culver and cross over 104 to get to east ridge road. Then I had to take a left on East ridge.  That whole area is not bike friendly but good news, I didn’t get yelled at by a car driver that I should be on the sidewalk.

Took an e scooter for the first time today! It was a little scary– they go so fast! But my legs were tired from an earlier bike ride so it was definitely a good alternative!

Reflections from EJ Bradford

Dressing in packable layers and having a way to store them was the biggest “tip” or “trick” I had this week. When the weather was predicted to be a low of 48/50 in the morning and then 75/80 in the afternoon, that was a big challenge for bike commuting. However, that made the bus much more appealing of a solution for me and was great when facing decision fatigue/paralysis with trying to find comfortable outfits to wear for theses commutes in highly variable temperatures.

I’m a fairly confident bike commuter, however I was shocked at how frequently the bike lane and shoulder was completely blocked by cars/construction/and signage this week. I saw plenty of “no parking” signs but it was clearly unenforced. This was both surprising and the trickiest for me this week. My bike commute is about 9.9 miles in one direction, so it’s longer than the average, but I have some very good bike lanes and options to use the Canal and Pittsford Rail Trail- I challenged myself to try new routes this week and was shocked at the lack of infrastructure.

I have walked from my office to the bus-stop that takes me direct to my neighborhood (the 41) it is about a 3 mile walk, mostly on sidewalks and fairly quiet neighborhoods. The amount of “car-centric” drivers who are shocked by this amount of walking saddens me. People are very comfortable walking that amount in parks, walking tracks, even doing laps in the mall. The social stigma of going on an hour long walk to an actual destination with a purpose in mind is a major challenge I have faced as a non-driver.

Thank you again to all of our participants!

Our local Week Without Driving initiative inspired wide local news coverage:

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Making Rochester Streets Safer for All: The 2025 Complete Streets Makeover of Avenue D & Hollenbeck

Photo Credit: De’Jon Washington

Our fifth Complete Streets Makeover project at Avenue D & Hollenbeck Street is now complete! Since 2018, we’ve partnered with Rochester neighbors to transform neighborhood intersections in every quadrant of the city. By listening closely to community voices and focusing on safety over speed, we’ve transformed these intersections into spaces where pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers can all move with greater confidence.

The Selection Process

Located smack dab in the middle of the El Camino neighborhood, Avenue D is often treated as a thruway for traffic connecting larger roads such as St Paul St and N Clinton Ave where driver speeds tend to be higher. From Conkey Ave to N Clinton Ave, a one block distance from either side of the intersection, we saw a total of 16 crashes with pedestrians and cyclists between 2014-2023 with a noticeable cluster occurring right at the intersection of Avenue D & Hollenbeck St. 

These safety concerns raised red flags for vulnerable road users passing through this intersection. The nomination for this location came from an R-Center staff member who had helped move the needle with traffic safety improvements in this area through organizing R-Center youth to lobby for temporary speed humps as a traffic calming measure along Avenue D. 

With the Avenue D R-Center, an attractive third space for neighborhood youth, at one end of the block and senior housing nearby, the Steering Committee saw a need and opportunity to protect vulnerable road users in the area. 

Getting Community Input

At a community workshop in February 2025, we sat down with residents of the El Camino neighborhood to hear firsthand what it’s really like to navigate this intersection every day. After walking everyone through the idea of complete streets and how they can make roads safer and friendlier for everyone, we opened the floor. People shared stories, frustrations, and creative ideas, and we listened closely. A visit to School No. 8 added youth voices and ideas to the mix. Then we got to work turning those hopes and concerns into concrete design features—practical changes that reflect the community’s vision for a safer, smarter intersection.

A unique element to Avenue D & Hollenbeck St is that it is an “offset” intersection as opposed to a conventional t-intersection meaning that Hollenbeck St ends at Avenue D and continues again a few feet down on Avenue D. A recurring comment from the community was that drivers cutting diagonally across the intersection when traveling along Hollenbeck St posed a high risk for pedestrians. 

Based on community input from this session, the Stantec team drafted a conceptual drawing of street design improvements. Their rendering focused on elements that could be brought to life in the temporary, on-street installation and then translated into permanent improvements. For this project, they proposed flex posts in the center of Avenue D to direct vehicles to turn right, then left, giving drivers more time to watch for pedestrians and making their movements easier for pedestrians to anticipate. Flex posts in the middle of the roadway is the first installation of its kind in Rochester. This project will serve as a pilot of this intervention to improve pedestrian safety at offset intersections.

Making the Magic Happen at Avenue D & Hollenbeck

On Saturday, June 7, the street came alive as neighbors, the school community, and community partners* rolled up their sleeves together—painting a vibrant mural (designed by Artist TaQiyya Burrs), setting flex posts in place, and brightening the block with fence art and flower planters in the adjacent empty lot.

We are continually grateful to Floating Home Films, for documenting the transformation and producing a video of the process.

The Impact

The flex posts have helped to guide drivers on how to safely navigate through the intersection. The butterfly mural helps to reinforce the El Camino neighborhood’s identity while serving as a visible reminder that streets are shared spaces. Pre and post-installation data collection showed that the roadway has seen up to 16% reduction in the average speed off vehicles traveling westbound.

Most importantly, testimonials from neighborhood residents indicated a marked improvement in safe vehicle movement, feelings of safety, and added vibrancy in and around the intersection.

The Complete Streets Makeover of Avenue D & Hollenbeck inspired wide local news coverage:

Looking Ahead

In collaboration with the amazing neighborhood team, we will continue taking action on long-term advocacy opportunities, working with community partners for as long as it takes to achieve permanent changes to further improve pedestrian safety on Avenue D.

If you have a spot where you don’t feel safe, keep an eye out for our next project when we ask for nominations from the community. In the meantime, make sure to let the county know by filling out their Traffic Safety Concern Form.

*Community Partners

The Complete Streets Makeover of Avenue D & Hollenbeck was a collaborative venture with the following community partners:

Reconnect Rochester

The Healthi Kids Coalition, convened by Common Ground Health

El Camino Neighbors

Avenue D R-Center

Northeast Neighborhood Service Center

Stantec

City of Rochester

Father Tracy Advocacy Center – FTAC

Genesee Transportation Council

Rochester Latino Rotary Club

Ibero-American Action League, Inc.

Lincoln Branch Library

Eugenio María de Hostos Charter School – Rochester, NY

Conkey Cruisers

Artist TaQiyya (Ty) Burrs

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Making Rochester Streets Safer for All: The 2022 Complete Streets Makeover of Orange & Orchard

Makeover team at Orange & Orchard
Photo Credit: De’Jon Washington

As we report out on the third successful Complete Streets Makeover project, let’s remember why we do this.

In the U.S., pedestrian fatalities have skyrocketed, increasing by 59% from 2009-2020. According to the latest “Dangerous By Design” report, between 2009-2020, drivers struck and killed 64,073 pedestrians in this country. Here in Monroe County, from 2012-2021, over 5,000 crashes involved bicyclists and pedestrians, and ten people die on our local streets every year as a result of these crashes.

Monroe County Crash Map
Reconnect Rochester Crash Map of Monroe County, 2012-2021

Responding to this growing epidemic was the impetus behind our Complete Streets Makeover project, created to bring attention to street design as one critical factor in the safe streets equation.

The Selection Process

We began this year’s project back in July 2021 by asking you (the people that walk, bike, and roll along our streets every day) to help identify the intersections and trouble spots where you live, work and play that could be redesigned to make them safer for everyone. The community response was tremendous, and we received a total of 76 nominations for 68 locations in Monroe County.

From these submissions, our Steering Committee selected the intersection of Orange Street & Orchard Street in the JOSANA neighborhood for this year’s project.

Complete Streets Makeover Steering Committee
The Steering Committee hard at work

The Orange & Orchard location presented the right mix of community support, evidence of safety concerns, and potential for a street redesign that would create real, transformative change for the community through this project. School 17 is located right at this intersection and was a strong advocate for implementing change. Last fall, the Rochester City School District eliminated the Walker-Bus Program that had provided transportation for students living within 1.5 miles of their school, which contributed to the school’s desire to improve safety for its walkers.

Getting Community Input

So what happened next? We connected with representatives of School 17 and the JOSANA neighborhood, and together we planned a community workshop held in February at the school. We invited school families and residents to come share their experiences at this intersection and ideas for how it could be safer. At the workshop, which was facilitated by the Community Design Center of Rochester-CDCR, attendees were first led through the basics of road safety statistics and complete streets. Then, CDCR volunteers helped translate the community’s thoughts and desires into actionable design elements that would improve the intersection.

Complete Streets Makeover Community Workshop
Complete Streets Makeover Community Workshop
Complete Streets Makeover Community Workshop
Community Workshop at School 17 on February 9, 2022

Based on community input from this session, the Stantec team drafted a conceptual drawing of street design improvements. Their rendering focused on elements that could be brought to life in the temporary, on-street installation and then translated into permanent improvements.

Complete Streets Makeover Design Rendering

Making Magic at Orange & Orchard

After much planning with the JOSANA neighborhood, over 150 people came out to Orange & Orchard on May 14 to make the magic happen! Attendees were made up of people from the neighborhood, school community, and a team of community partners*. Together, we worked to make the intersection of Orange Street & Orchard Street a more vibrant, safer place for everyone.

Design elements to calm traffic and improve safety included enhanced signage, curb extensions, temporary speed cushions, and a street mural designed by local artist Shawn Dunwoody. The temporary design was created by Stantec, which donates pro bono professional engineering services for the project. Other elements to beautify the space, like fence art and flower planters, were done with help of 2nd graders as part of their class project.

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.

We hope you enjoyed watching a beautiful display of community! We will continue supporting the neighborhood in their effort to make these temporary street design improvements permanent.

Working on the makeover
Working on the makeover
Working on the makeover
Working on the makeover
Working on the makeover
Working on the makeover
Complete Streets Makeover On-street Installation on May 14, 2022
Photos 1 & 5: Stantec | Photos 2 & 3: Common Ground Health | Photos 4 & 6: Reconnect Rochester

The Impact

But did it make a difference? YES! Data collected before and after the implementation (April and July, respectively) shows a measurable decrease in vehicle speeds along Orchard Street. Let’s get specific.

Makeover speed data graphic

Since the implementation, the 85th percentile speed (the speed that 85% of vehicles travel at or below) declined 28% and the maximum speed declined 26%. It’s worth noting that the maximum recorded speed in July happened between 1:15am and 1:30am.  Other than that outlier, the maximum speed was only 32 mph!  Even the average speed dropped 20%, despite there being no school in July. This is particularly notable with the safe assumption that arrival/dismissal congestion suppressed the speed of a great deal of traffic during our April data collection.  Finally, the speed data showed only 13 of 1,017 vehicles were traveling over 25 mph.

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.

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

Learn even more about the Complete Streets Makeover of Orange & Orchard

Looking Ahead

Our awesome team is on board to continue our Complete Streets Makeover program in 2023 and beyond!  So keep taking note of the intersections and trouble spots you experience in your daily travels that could use a re-design, and keep an eye out for calls for public submissions. 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 Orange & Orchard was a collaborative venture with the following community partners:

Reconnect Rochester

The Healthi Kids Coalition, convened by Common Ground Health

Stantec

City of Rochester

Community Design Center of Rochester

Genesee Transportation Council

Coordinated Care Services Inc.

Charles House Neighbors in Action

Enrico Fermi School #17

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A Resident’s Proposal for a New Mixed-Use Trail in Irondequoit

If you’ve ever navigated the world without a car (whether that be for necessity or recreation), you’ve probably had a, “Why can’t I get over there from here?” moment. Guest blogger, Jack Rinaldo, had so many of these “moments” that he actually wrote up a proposal for a new mixed-use trail in Irondequoit, which would connect the eastern edges of Norton Street and Ridge Road. Curious? Read on for the nitty-gritty details in his own words.

Guest Blog by Jack Rinaldo

If you want to walk or bike to or from Southeast Irondequoit, you need to cross 104. There are only three locations to do so, highlighted in red in the picture below. Goodman Street and Culver Road have intersections with on/off ramps for 104. Both of these locations are dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists, no matter if they are on the road or the sidewalk. The other option is Bay Shore Boulevard. This street is calm, but it has huge hills at either end of it, making it unusable for most people.

These barriers cut off the southeast side from the rest of Irondequoit. Would you let your kids use any of the three current routes? I am an experienced and confident cyclist and I will not ride on those sections of Goodman or Culver.

The proposed new trail would run from Norton Street north to Ridge Road. As seen in the picture below, the trail would start just east of the Norton Street/590 onramp. The trail could run very close to the 590 onramp, similar to the Brooks Avenue/390/Erie Canal Trail setup as shown below. It would then run north, connecting with the road that the new Irondequoit town Department of Public Works (DPW) is on. This half mile section would potentially be the only new construction needed.

Once connected to the DPW road, trail users could use that road to reach Ridge Road. Additional sections of trail to the side of the road could be added as well if they are determined to be needed.

This trail would be similar to other local trails near highways such as the Route 390 Trail in Greece, and the Route 104 Trail in Webster.

Brooks Avenue, 390, and Erie Canal Trail

This new trail would easily connect to the Sea Breeze Drive trail as seen in the picture below. Once at Ridge Road, trail users go 1000 feet west to Kane Drive. Kane Drive is a nice calm street. Once at Kane Drive, they would proceed north until they met the Sea Breeze Drive trail at the Titus Avenue roundabout.

The new trail would also easily connect to the City of Rochester’s Bicycle Boulevards. Heading south, traveling 700 feet west on Norton Street brings you to Helendale Road. Helendale Road is another calm street. Once in the Laurelton neighborhood, use Spencer Road and Whittington Road to directly access the Bicycle Boulevard system on Farmington Road.

To connect the new trail to the other systems above, all that would be needed would be signage directing users along the route.

The newly expanded trail system would also connect all six of the schools in the East Irondequoit School district. Students and families could use the trail to access school facilities for class and extracurricular events.

  • Irondequoit High School is 400 feet from the Kane Drive/Ridge Road intersection, and a path to the school’s athletic facilities is on Kane Drive.
  • East Irondequoit Middle school is 1200 feet west of the Norton Road/Helendale Road intersection, then 500 feet up Densmore Road.
  • Laurelton-Pardee Intermediate School is 1700 feet from the Norton Road/Helendale Road intersection.
  • Helendale Road Primary School is directly on Helendale Road.
  • Durand-Eastman Intermediate School is almost directly on the Sea Breeze Drive trail.
  • Ivan Green Primary School is 1 mile away by safe neighborhood roads from Kane Drive.

The newly expanded system would connect many parks such as Irondequoit Bay Park West, Tryon Park, Durand-Eastman Park, the Lakeside Trail, SeaBreeze Amusement Park, Irondequoit Bay State Marine Park, and the beach at the Irondequoit Bay outlet.

Here is a link illustrating the new trail and it’s connectivity to the town: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1CTSRzSTvziHLSrxeJaSAt5wvJEjHc9Sd&usp=sharing (best viewed with Google Maps’ cycling layer turned on)

Irondequoit can look at the successes other towns have with trails, such as the new Brickyard Trail in Brighton, as well as the continued use of miles of trail that already exist in the region. Creating the new trail would be a great opportunity for the town to take unutilized land and better connect residents and neighborhoods, while promoting healthy and environmentally friendly transportation. The half mile of construction needed to achieve all of this would be very worth it.

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Hey Albany!

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.

We’d like to shout out Reconnect Rochester Board members Victor Sanchez, Bill Collins, and Jason Partyka for devoting their time to the effort, and and 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!

Read our asks for Albany legislators below. Wondering what YOU can do to advocate for better transportation for all New Yorkers? Check out the links below from our partners at the New York Public Transportation Association and the NYS Safe Streets Coalition.

NYPTA Take Action and Toolkit
NYS Safe Streets Coalition Crash Victims Rights and Safety Act

New York State 2022-23 Transportation Priorities

Public Transit:

RTS continues to be a vital service for our region as we recover from the pandemic. While COVID relief funds have helped to cover revenue loss and increased expenses, robust long-term, recurring funding will be necessary to grow and sustain the system. Governor Hochul has shown strong commitment to public transit, and we urge the Legislature to build upon those proposals in the final budget.

    1. Increase State Mass Transit Operating Assistance (STOA) for upstate transit systems by 36% ($49 million). The Governor’s Budget only proposes a 13% increase for upstate systems.
    2. Include $159.5 million annual funding level for non-MTA transit through the entire proposed 5-year capital program ($698 million 5-year total) in the final budget.
    3. Continue the STOA hold-harmless for formula systems impacted by pandemic ridership loss.
    4. Support Rider Representation (S3559A/A7822) – requires the appointment of a transit dependent and para-transit dependent representative on various transportation authorities.

Bicycle and Pedestrian (Active Transportation):

Pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities are on the rise, which is why Reconnect Rochester has been working with the NYS Safe Streets Coalition to prioritize legislation to address this silent epidemic. Consider sponsoring or co sponsoring the Crash Victims Rights & Safety Act (CVRSA) to make our streets safer:

    1. Statewide Speed Limit (S2021/A01007) – allow for lower life-saving speeds across New York State
    2. Sammy’s Law (S524/A4655) – allow for lower life-saving speeds limits in New York City
    3. Complete Streets Funding (S3897/A8936) – increase state funding where the municipality agrees to fund a complete street design feature
    4. Complete Streets Application (S8394/A08624) – require consideration of complete streets design for projects which receive federal or state funding
    5. Complete Streets Maintenance (S5130/A7782) – include complete street design features in resurfacing, maintenance, and pavement recycling projects
    6. Right to Safe Passage (S4529/A547) – require drivers pass bicyclists at a safe distance of min. 3 feet
    7. DMV Pre-Licensing (S1078A/A5084) – educate NY drivers about safely interacting with vulnerable road users
    8. Crash Victims Bill of Rights (S8152/A9152) – guarantee rights and a voice for crash victims and their loved ones in legal proceedings

In addition to the above legislative package, these are other bills related to bicyclists that we would encourage you to consider sponsoring or co-sponsoring:

    1. S920/A3104 – allow for what is known as an “Idaho Stop” which allows cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights like stop signs
    2. A8656 – repeal certain provisions of the vehicle and traffic law and would allow e-bikes to be ridden anywhere regular bikes can be ridden
    3. S3080 – establish the ride clean rebate program which would allow e-bikes and e-scooters to be eligible for a 50% rebate with a maximum of $1,100

Train and Long-Distance Bus:

Bus and train users tend to be lower income and people of color, and deserve equitable funding for their long-distance transportation that is comparable to the investments made in airline travel. Consider including funding for a bus terminal extension for the Louise Slaughter Rail Station in the new budget or when additional Federal funding is available. 

All Modes: 

Please sponsor or co-sponsor S4264A/A6967, the “Climate and Community Investment Act”, a Green New Deal for New York State. This would help create jobs and funding for carbon reduction and environmental justice programs.