Push for Safer Roads Brings Cyclists, Advocates to Parcel 5

Rochester cyclists and community members gathered Friday at Parcel 5 for a rally organized by Reconnect Rochester, calling on state and local officials to make roads safer for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Rally participant advocating to lower speeding limits on route 104 - Photo by Karen Ward-Wilder

The event began with a group ride from Genesee Valley Park to downtown. A long row of cyclists — including families with children — pedaled together toward Main Street, where the rally featured speakers from across Monroe County and New York State.

Reconnect Rochester Co-Executive Director Cody Donahue told the crowd the purpose of the rally was to press the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to prioritize safety on state-controlled roads. He pointed to Empire Boulevard and Fairport Nine Mile Point Road as examples of dangerous corridors, citing a local TV report showing more than 800 crashes on Empire Boulevard over the past five years.

“Monroe County and Rochester have adopted active transportation plans, but many key state roads still lack basic safety infrastructure,” Donahue said. “This is about asking state officials directly: What is New York doing to protect cyclists on its roads?”

Donahue also tied cycling to broader concerns about climate change, urging residents to leave their cars at home one or two days a week. He noted that 13 cyclists and pedestrians are killed in the region each year, up from 10 deaths five years ago.

Speakers included Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, Brighton Town Supervisor Bill Moehle, Rochester Deputy Mayor Michael Burns, and Rick Rodgers of the state Senate Transportation Committee staff. Donahue said Bello has been proactive in working with advocates to make roads safer.

In 2024, Reconnect Rochester released an engineering analysis of Empire Boulevard. The proposal recommended restriping lanes, creating buffer zones between cars and bikes, and installing flashing beacons at crosswalks to allow pedestrians to safely cross to Irondequoit Bay. Donahue said the plan remains under review.

Reconnect Rochester Policy and Advocacy Coordinator Henry Litsky emphasized the importance of classifying road projects correctly. Reconstruction projects, he said, should be treated differently from resurfacing efforts, which focus on extending roadway life but may miss opportunities to improve safety.

The rally also drew local cycling advocates, including members of the Major Taylor Cycling Club. Founder Pat Patton-Williams said she hopes to see safer streets citywide. Club member Lori Burch distributed literature urging New York to adopt “complete streets” policies, invest in safer infrastructure on Empire Boulevard, Monroe Avenue, and West Henrietta Road, and support multimodal projects such as the ROC Vision Zero redesign of Lake Avenue.

Cyclists Elliott and Florence Clemmons attended with the Major Taylor group. They said they hope NYSDOT recognizes that roads must be designed for multiple forms of transportation, especially in urban and village settings.

“Everyone deserves to be safe on our streets, roads, and bike paths,” Florence said.

Rallies like this one, advocates said, will continue until New York takes more decisive action to protect cyclists and pedestrians.

Photo gallery of Reconnect Rochester press event advocating for safer NY roads - photos by Karen Ward-Wilder, Minority Reporter