This month the city hosted multiple events to allow residents to learn about and comment on the next steps of the Vision Zero project; the potential rollout of automated traffic enforcement and the lowering of the city speed limit to 25mph (if approved by City Council). Vision Zero is the city’s initiative to reduce traffic fatalities to zero. They have also announced Phase 3 of the Bicycle Boulevard and Priority Pedestrian Safety Improvement project.

 

Rochester has the highest rate of severe car crashes and fatalities for similarly sized cities in New York State, and those crashes disproportionately affect our most underserved neighborhoods. This project looks to create a bicycle spine network, improve pedestrian safety, calm traffic, and possibly expand the use of automated traffic enforcement . Thank you to Councilmember Mitch Gruber leading the charge on this project and coming to hear direct community feedback this past month.

 

 

The city is also soliciting feedback on Phase 3 of their Bicycle Boulevard project. In our neighborhood, Linden and Cypress streets are the next up for targeted bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements. If you would like to comment on the project, use the  BikeBlvds and Ped Improvements survey from the city. Be sure to tag the map location of your concern before submitting. You can comment on any intersection or street, even if not part of the currently planned project, to assist the city in finding their next target locations for pedestrian safety improvements.