Reconnect Rochester

Eliminating parking minimums and easing restrictions on ADUs are straightforward and feasible methods to help address the housing crisis. It could also be a great way to continue our trajectory towards higher density, transit oriented development, and walkable communities. It's smarter land use!
Thanks to Strong Towns, Community Design Center of Rochester - CDCR, and Democrat and Chronicle for highlighting this issue.

Small housing changes could ease Rochester crunch A nonprofit says smaller, local changes like duplex conversions and backyard units could help ease Rochester’s housing shortage.

It was a pleasure to co-present with Stantec at the New York State Association of Transportation Engineers Conference at RIT! We used the Complete Streets Makeover initiative as an example of a quick build safety project that directly solicits community input to address high risk intersections.

As the adage says: Whether you're a cyclist, a pedestrian, a bus rider, or a driver, we all want the same thing...fewer drivers.

Did you know?

One bus can take up to 40 cars off the road, cutting down on emissions and improving air quality! It’s why public transit is the smart choice.🚦

Walk audits are a great starting point for safe streets! If you can, please attend one of these audits this week.

Help make Rochester's streets safer and more accessible for everyone!

We invite residents to join a series of walking audits to help identify safety concerns, accessibility challenges, and opportunities for improvement on streets throughout the city.

Learn more: cityofrochester.gov/SS4A

RTS "managed to hit 88% of their timeliness goals, the highest completion rate of the four RTAs."

Rochester, Finger Lakes region busing services lead the way in upstate New York According to a new report, RGRTA and Regional Transit Service hit 88% of their timeliness goals, the highest completion rate in upstate.

Way to go Monroe County Vision Zero! As ROC Vision Zero continues to implement policies to bring our traffic deaths in the city down to zero we are thrilled to see Monroe County join in.

Partnerships and collaboration themes in Bello's 2026 State of the County speech The Monroe County executive also announced the county is launching forcused effort to make roadways safer.

The curb extension murals at Broad & Fitzhugh are looking FANTASTIC after a paint refresh from Chloe Smith Illustration and Lauren Jimerson. We're gearing up for our next two Downtown SmART Streets installations this summer and we're looking for volunteers! Want to help out? Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfS3ilrR24PSNJQf_bqbanVBc2yu6rtRwEp7k7aZUFRPdrMNg/viewform?mc_cid=50456070a4&mc_eid=c257cf77ed

Glad to hear that we may avoid significant service cuts but we are concerned about the long term picture for RTS's budget crisis. We will engage with RTS to hold them accountable for service while continuing our statewide advocacy through New Yorkers for Transportation Equity to push for additional funding.

Cuts to upstate bus, rail service unlikely with state funding bump Lawmakers approved a 7% increase in operating funds for the agencies. That’s far less than the 15% increase sought.

"Nearly 4 in 10 Americans surveyed by Lending Tree, or 39%, said a car is a luxury they cannot afford...Despite affordability challenges, the majority of survey respondents, or 61%, said they personally owned or leased a car."
This is why offering viable alternatives to driving is so important!

Car ownership costs are causing financial strain for Americans Car ownership is becoming a luxury for many Americans as rising costs for vehicles and insurance outpace income growth.