Reconnect Rochester – Page 4 – Reconnect Rochester

July 27, 2014 by 1 Comment

ROC Transit Day Reflection: Birding By Bus

Posted by: Brenda Massie, Board Member and Secretary, Reconnect Rochester.

As July winds down, I find myself thinking about how summers in Rochester fly by. Already, one month has passed since our annual ROC Transit Day. This year brought new merchants and vendors, new fun events like the swing dance and treasure hunt; but more importantly, a new wave of enthusiasm for public transit.

As the Secretary of Reconnect, I sometimes find myself trying to convince people that using public transit can be an enjoyable and even fun way to get around. I tell them if you ride the bus you may meet people and see things you may not have noticed if you were driving in a car.

So, when I received the following email titled “Birding By Bus” from a brave neighbor that decided to try the bus on ROC Transit Day, I felt inclined to share. These ROC Transit Day-ers used their passes to have an unexpected stay-cation and noticed some wonderful things about our City along the way…

May 14, 2014 by No Comments

Get FREE ROC Transit Day Fare Cards for Your Organization

For ROC Transit Day 2013 we gave away nearly 1,000 transit fare cards and asked Rochesterians to ditch their cars for one day in support of a healthier community. 30 different forward-thinking organizations (and many intrepid individuals) pledged to ride public transit that day.

This year ROC Transit Day is Thursday, June 19, 2014. All kinds of free fun and great deals will be available for anyone who leaves their car at home and uses public transit for the day.

To request FREE all-day fare cards for your organization…

Simply use this form or contact info@ReconnectRochester.org or 585-354-3232.

But hurry, we only have a limited supply and these babies go quickly. First come first serve.

And remember, public transit, walking and biking are healthy options for our bodies and the Rochester community. So get onboard!

May 5, 2014 by No Comments

ROC Transit Day is important! But you don’t have to take my word for it…

The days are getting longer, and (slowly) the air is getting warmer. Soon enough the sweet scent of Lilac will be in the air. This can only mean one thing… ROC Transit Day will soon be here!

If you drive in your car to work alone each day, you’re probably asking yourself, “Why would I want to ride public transit when I can just drive my Nissan Leaf (or whatever)?”

Well, I could list all the reasons why public transportation is healthier for our earth, healthier for our bodies, and healthier for our community. But that would be boring. Instead, watch this video and hear it straight from the mouths of your fellow Rochesterians…

November 10, 2013 by 2 Comments

Help Keep Us Moving

As you know, we are an all-volunteer, non-profit organization working to build a more sustainable transportation network for our community. This isn’t easy. To be effective, we need to bring together smart, dedicated people to think up new and creative ways to put these issues in the public spotlight. And we also need money to be able to operate and execute these ideas. I hope you will consider making a year-end contribution to Reconnect Rochester so that we can continue this important work together.

You can make a tax-deductible donation in any amount via PayPal or check. And we’ve also set up all new sponsorship levels with lots of awesome perks for your as our way of saying thanks. Perks include posters, t-shirts, books, and even a free dinner with us at the Owl House!

So as we close out 2013, we’d like to take a look back at the year, and invite you to help us keep moving in 2014…

September 5, 2013 by 7 Comments

A Better Bus Schedule for Rochester

If you’ve been following along, you know RTS has been trying to apply a little design for the betterment of our transit system. RGRTA is currently studying the idea of new bus stop signs. And they’ve already introduced a better bus pass.

But wait, there’s more! RGRTA recently asked for our help redesigning one of the most important transit tools of all; those big, bad, bus schedules…

July 10, 2013 by No Comments

ROC Transit Day 2013 Photos!

The numbers are in, and out of 950 free fare cards we gave out, 172 were used. That may not seem like a big number, but to us it represents 172 new transit users, on top of tens of thousands of Rochesterians who already choose to go car-free every day. Of course, we think Rochester can do better. And now we’ve got a number to beat next year.a

If you were one of those people who participated, thank you! We can’t explain how much fun we had. You’ll just have to check out the photos below. Special thanks goes to Rick U. at RocPX.com, all our sponsors and volunteers external link and all the people who sent in pics from their ROC Transit Day adventures…

June 12, 2013 by 2 Comments

1 Week and 300 Fare Cards Left To Give Away

ROC Transit Day external link is just a week away. About 85 local businesses and organizations have signed up to participate on June 20 – either encouraging their employees & members to leave their cars home, or by offering exclusive deals to transit riders .

Rex the Rhino is planning his bus ride as we speak. Music buskers are tuning up for their performances during the evening rush hour on Main Street. Murphy’s Law on East Avenue is priming the kegs for our happy hour celebration (RSVP here external link ). And our volunteers are wrapping up HUNDREDS of prizes to deliver to random transit riders.

June 2, 2013 by No Comments

Rochester is getting on board ROC Transit Day

A few short weeks ago I told you about ROC Transit Day 2013 external link . The idea is simple… pedestrians make for a vibrant city. The more people Rochester has walking the streets instead of driving, the stronger our community will be; and the stronger our local economy will be. ROC Transit Day is a holiday from our cars. It’s a day to celebrate local businesses. And it’s a day to cast a symbolic vote for a stronger transit system…

May 12, 2013 by 2 Comments

ROC Transit Day: Lose your car keys on June 20

A year and half ago I managed to convince RGRTA to try something new. I said, “let me give away free bus rides for one day.” I imagined most people would say “no thanks, the bus isn’t for me.” But I also knew my mom was right when she said, “try it, you might like it.” That year I think maybe 200 people participated and left their cars at home for the day.

What began as a fun little experiment, has turned into ROC Transit Day external link – a full blown Rochester holiday from our cars. This year ROC Transit Day will be on Thursday, June 20.

In this, its second year, the volunteers at Reconnect Rochester are giving away 1,000 special edition RTS fare cards – designed by yours truly. And we’re asking Rochester’s business community to get involved too…

January 19, 2013 by 5 Comments

Transportation Choices and the Impact on Our Community

Posted by: Mike Governale

Greetings. I’m Mike Governale, founder of Reconnect Rochester. I’m a graphic designer, originally from the NYC area and I now live in Rochester, NY. I have a deep fascination and love of cities – how they are formed over time and the way they continue to evolve.

Dense urban places have proven themselves, over tens of thousands of years, to be arguably the most sustainable form of human habitation. But over the past 70 years many cities—especially those in the U.S.—have lost this edge.

I write a blog, RochesterSubway.com external link , that explores Rochester, “America’s first boom-town,” and how it suburbanized itself to near extinction. The site looks at the amazing physical and social history of this place. And what it needs to do before it can become urban, sustainable, and relevant, once again.

Last November I gave a talk at TEDxRochester. The talk focuses on how our transportation choices impact land use, and ultimately the health and sustainability of our community. I think the presentation serves as a good introduction to who I am and why Reconnect Rochester is so important to me…

October 9, 2012 by No Comments

Enjoy a Beverage with Reconnect Rochester

Reconnect Rochester will be hosting an informal happy hour event with the Rochester Improvement Society external link .

Come hang out with us on Wednesday, October 24th from 5:30 to 7:30 at Abilene Bar & Lounge external link (153 Liberty Pole Way ). If you get there early enough, the first round will be on us!

Reconnect Rochester supports the expansion of transit services including pedestrian, bike, bus and rail facilities, into a truly multimodal transportation network. Our volunteers work hard to support Rochester’s existing public transit system, shape regional policies to enhance it, and reconnect our community in ways that improve personal mobility, urban vitality, environmental sustainability, and economic development.

If you’ve been following us over the past two years and like what we do, come out, meet us for a drink, and hear what we’ve been up to.

Please RSVP on Facebook external link

PS: After the happy hour, at 8pm Sammy Naquin and Big Easy Zydeco external link will be playing at Abeline ($8 cover). And how can anyone not like zydeco?

August 28, 2012 by No Comments

Greentopia Time!

Posted by: Mike Governale
Reconnect Rochester loves September. The weather is typically gorgeous making it the perfect alternative transportation time of year! And now, with Greentopia external link coming up (September 10-16) it’s feeling like holiday time for us.

Maybe you saw how we celebrated at Greentopia last year? How about a giant recyclable flying saucer external link ? Heck yes. Now THAT’S a party.

September 14, 2011 by No Comments

Getting Ready for Greentopia

The Greentopia Festival external link is getting ready to kick off this weekend. Check out the photo above, snapped earlier today on Commercial Street. Ain’t that something?!

The two-day, interactive fest in historic High Falls will reveal what the region is doing to help the environment – and envision a greener Rochester of the future. The volunteers at Reconnect Rochester are VERY excited to have a booth at this brand new event to help promote the green movement and alternate forms of transportation.

I won’t give away the surprise, but we’ll be featuring an out-of-this-world exhibit highlighting some “green” benefits of transit you probably never knew.

Announcing the FIRST EVER
“Critical Mass Transit Day!”

Reconnect Rochester is using this weekend’s event to get the word out about the first ever “Critical Mass Transit Day”—taking place on the 3rd Thursday of October (10/20/2011) and every month thereafter.

Similar to the cycling version of Critical Mass external link where cyclists take to the streets on human-powered modes of transport, Critical Mass Transit will be a celebration of greener, more social forms of transportation. The rules are simple: on the 3rd Thursday of every month, leave your car at home and walk, bike, or roller skate to the nearest bus stop. Take the bus to work (or where ever it is you go during the day) and then take it back home at the end of the day.

Get Your FREE Ride…

To make things a little more interesting, we’ve teamed up with the Transit Authority to offer you a FREE day on RTS. You heard me right… The first Critical Mass Transit Day can be absolutely FREE for you… No strings. All you have to do is visit our booth at the Greentopia Festival and say hello.

So come visit us Saturday or Sunday in the High Falls overlook area (where Browns Race and Commercial Street meet) and get green with us.

June 19, 2011 by 1 Comment

Reconnect Rochester Speaks with MCC Faculty

This past weekend the Department of Chemistry and Geosciences at Monroe Community College (MCC) held its annual Professional Development Field trip for faculty members. This year’s theme was “Seeking a Greener Rochester” and Reconnect Rochester was invited to give a brief history lesson on Rochester’s transit history and a perspective on the future.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous this Saturday as we all gathered outside on the Court Street bridge. This was a fitting location as the very spot where the Genesee River, Erie Canal, the old subway, two extinct railroads and Interstate 490 all meet. And the story we told went something like this…

April 17, 2011 by No Comments

Celebrate Earth Day with Reconnect Rochester and the Sierra Club

This Thursday evening Reconnect Rochester will be at the Sierra Club’s 13th Annual Environmental Forum, “Sustainable Production: Rochester’s Cutting Edge”. Come out and see us at our table and hear two nationally recognized leaders on sustainable production and manufacturing. Happy Earth Day!

March 22, 2011 by No Comments

U.S. Congressional Transportation Tour Coming to Rochester

House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chair John Mica will visit Rochester and Cortland on Thursday as part of the field hearings and listening sessions external link being held around the country by the Committee on the next federal transportation bill.

While the hearings are open to the public, testimony is via invitation only. Members of the public will be allowed to bring written testimony to share with staff at the hearing, or mail in their testimony directly to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. The Rochester hearing was originally scheduled for February; local advocates held their own transportation town hall external link to get more inclusive input, and delivered it to Rep. Mica.

Rochester Field Hearing (co-hosted by Rep. Tom Reed)

Thursday, March 24, 9-11am
Rochester International Airport [map external link ]
Rochester, NY

March 4, 2011 by No Comments

Candidates Square Off on Rochester’s Future

Mayoral hopefuls Thomas Richards (Democrat), Alex White (Green Party), and William A. Johnson Jr. (Independence and Working Families)

This past Tuesday evening Reconnect Rochester co-sponsored a Mayoral forum on issues related to land use, neighborhood urban planning, transportation, development and revitalization. Bill Johnson, Tom Richards, and Alex White went toe to toe and Rachel Barnhart (WHAM 13 News) moderated.

In all, well over 200 people turned out and submitted questions ranging from planning to poverty. The event was the first extended, in-depth forum of Rochester’s mayoral campaign and was covered by several local news outlets including YNN, WROC, and the D&C.

Now, in the famous words of sportscaster Warner Wolf, “Let’s go to the video tape!” And let us know what you think of the candidates’ responses in the comments section.

February 21, 2011 by No Comments

Mayoral Candidates to Discuss Rochester’s Future

While Rochester searches for its next mayor to take office and begin the arduous task of planning the City’s future, Reconnect Rochester is taking the issues to the candidates and the candidates to the people.

February 12, 2011 by 4 Comments

Transportation Equity Town Hall – February 17th

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITE TO ATTEND… A Transportation Equity Town Hall with the New York State Transportation Equity Alliance, Reconnect Rochester, and Empire State Future on February 17th from 6 to 8 PM in the Kate Gleason Auditorium at the Rochester Central Library.

New Yorkers’ transportation needs are changing, but our transportation policies are stuck in the past. Come join New York State Transportation Equity Alliance for a forum on how federal and state transportation policy impacts New York. Learn how we can shape these federal and state policies to create faster, cleaner, safer, healthier and more equitable transportation choices for all New Yorkers.

Rep. John Mica, Chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a Field Hearing in Rochester on February 18, 2011 regarding reauthorization of The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient ransportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), enacted August 10, 2005. SAFETEA-LU authorized $286.4 billion for Federal surface transportation programs for highways, transit, and bicycles and pedestrians for the 5-year period, 2005-2009. The latest continuing resolution for extending funding will expire on March 3, 2011.

Don’t miss these TWO huge events…

Transportation Equity Town Hall

Presentation and Roundtable with members of:
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
UPROSE
Empire State Future
WE ACT for Environmental Justice

February 17th, 2011
Rochester Central Library external link
Kate Gleason Auditorium
115 South Avenue
6-8 PM

(RSVP to the Facebook Event external link and tell a friend!)

AND…

POSTPONED: U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure
Field Hearing in Rochester

Chairman Rep. John Mica (R-FL) & members:
Tom Reed (R-NY)
Richard Hanna (R-NY)

February 18th, 2011
Greater Rochester International Airport external link
3-5pm

Check updates at:
http://NYSTEA.net external link
and
http://ReconnectRochester.org/take_action.php

For Information & RSVP:
Ya-Ting Liu
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
(212) 268-7474
yating@tstc.org

June 28, 2010 by 2 Comments

Beyond the Motor City… In Case You Missed it at the Dryden

Tonight’s screening of Beyond the Motor City at the Dryden Theater was, in my opinion, a phenomenal event for Rochester. After the film, seven panelists discussed local transportation issues and took questions on the subject from the nearly full audience. Of course, in the allotted timeframe we were only able to scratch the surface, but this is a conversation that we will carry on in the months, and years ahead. If you’re not already, now would be a good time to make sure you’re following Reconnect Rochester on Facebook external link . And, in case you missed tonight’s event, here is Beyond the Motor City in its entirety. Enjoy…

Beyond the Motor City from Film Sprout on Vimeo.