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!
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Walking Rochester: A Personal Reflection
By Josie McClary:
Walking in the City of Rochester has always been more than just a way to get from one place to another for me. It’s how I stay connected to my neighbors, my community, and the city I’ve called home for so many years. But the truth is, being a pedestrian in Rochester isn’t easy. It can be frustrating, unpredictable, and at times, even unsafe. Still, every time I step outside and walk down a block, I’m reminded why walking matters — and how much better this city could be if it were built with people, not just cars, in mind.
Rochester is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own rhythm. Walking through the 19th Ward feels very different from walking on Park Ave or downtown. When you walk as much as I do, you see the city in a way that drivers never will. You notice the cracked sidewalks, the missing curb cuts, and the cars that speed through crosswalks as if pedestrians are invisible. You also notice the beauty — the old homes with character, the trees that somehow manage to push through concrete, the kids walking home from school, laughing and carrying backpacks that look too heavy for their small shoulders. There’s life and community on every block, but getting from one place to the next can feel like an obstacle course.
In certain neighborhoods, walking feels pleasant and safe. But in others, it feels like taking a risk. Some sidewalks just end with no warning, forcing you into the street. Others are so uneven you have to watch every step to avoid tripping. There are intersections where I hold my breath waiting for the light to change, hoping drivers actually stop before turning. And if you’re walking at night, you learn quickly which blocks are well-lit and which ones you should avoid.
The hardest part is that so much of this could be fixed — if local government made it a real priority. Too often, the focus is on roads, parking lots, and traffic flow, not on the people who actually live in the neighborhoods. When snow falls, plows clear the roads, but the sidewalks stay buried for days, sometimes weeks. For seniors, parents pushing strollers, or people with disabilities, that’s not just inconvenient — it’s isolating. It means being stuck inside or risking your safety just to get groceries or make a doctor’s appointment.
Too often, the focus is on roads, parking lots, and traffic flow, not on the people who actually live in the neighborhoods.
As someone who enjoys walking as exercise, I see how much harder it is for people who don’t drive. Bus stops aren’t always easy to reach, and some don’t even have benches or shelters. Imagine waiting for a bus in the rain or in freezing temperatures, with no protection from the wind, and you start to understand the quiet struggle of getting around this city without a car. It’s not that people don’t want to be independent — it’s that the infrastructure makes it difficult.
I’ve had conversations with neighbors who depend on walking and the bus system every single day. Some are older adults who gave up driving for safety reasons. Others are younger people trying to save money or can’t afford a vehicle. For many families, especially in working-class neighborhoods, one car has to serve multiple needs — work, school, errands — and walking fills the gaps. It’s a reality that often goes unseen in city planning conversations.
What’s tricky about walking in Rochester is how much planning it requires. You can’t just step outside and go wherever you need without thinking about safety, timing, or the condition of the route. And yet, despite all of this, I love walking. I love how it slows the world down and gives me space to think. I’ve met some of the kindest people just by walking — a neighbor raking leaves who waves hello, a parent waiting with their child at the bus stop, and residents walking their dog early in the morning. Walking connects me to the pulse of the community in a way that driving never could. But it also reminds me how much work still needs to be done.
The biggest challenge for nondrivers isn’t just cracked sidewalks or poor street design. It’s the feeling of being overlooked. The message that our needs don’t matter as much as those of people behind the wheel. A truly inclusive city would make walking and public transit reliable, dignified, and safe for everyone.
We talk a lot about equity in Rochester — about giving people fair access to jobs, food, and opportunity. But access starts with something as basic as being able to move safely through your neighborhood. If we can’t walk to the store, or get to a bus stop without fear, how can we talk about opportunity?
If we can’t walk to the store, or get to a bus stop without fear, how can we talk about opportunity?
I want a Rochester where walking is easy — where kids can safely walk to school, where seniors can stroll without worry, and where the simple act of walking doesn’t require courage or constant awareness. I want sidewalks that are smooth, wider and well-lit, crosswalks that actually protect pedestrians, and city policies that treat walking as a right, not a luxury.
Until that happens, I’ll keep walking — not out of necessity, but to stay connected to those that don’t have a choice. Walking for me, isn’t just about getting somewhere. It’s about being part of Rochester, one step at a time, even when the path isn’t easy.
As a community advocate, I’ll keep speaking up for those of us who walk — the workers, parents, elders, and young people who move through Rochester every day on foot. Our experiences matter. Our safety matters. And when the city truly begins to plan for pedestrians, it won’t just make walking better — it will make Rochester stronger, more connected, and more humane for everyone.
At Reconnect, we’re inspired by the stories of people in our community, like Jasmine Burley, Karen Nozik, and Steve Roll, who are passionate about living a car-lite or car-free lifestyle. If you want to support our work and make it easier for others to go Car-Lite please donate and sign up for Mobility Action Alerts to stay in the loop with opportunities of how to advocate for safer streets and transportation options.
Let us know if you want to share your mobility story! What’s in it for you? The intrinsic reward of knowing you’ve inspired others, and a free t-shirt from our online shop! Contact Chaz to submit your story.
