Hello there, Reconnecters.

We have so much to tell you, we thought a section menu might be a help!

IN THIS ISSUE:
Candidate Survey Results
System Launches
Latest Blogs
Bike Events 'n Things
Advocacy Action
Online Shop

Where They Stand: 2021 Candidates for Rochester Mayor & City Council

In April, Reconnect Rochester surveyed all candidates for Rochester Mayor and City Council to learn where they stand on issues related to transportation and mobility. Questions were designed to learn about their opinions, ideas and vision for a well-connected and accessible community. We hope this information will help you make an informed decision when you head to the polls on June 22 and November 2!

View Results

System Launches

Over the next few weeks, the launch of two new systems will change our transportation landscape. The long-awaited Reimagine RTS system redesign will go into effect on May 17, bringing more robust, frequent bus service in the city and on-demand service in suburban mobility zones. By the end of May, bike share will be back -- this time with pedal bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters, and service extending into a handful of surrounding towns and suburbs.

Since e-scooters are new to the scene, Arian Horbovetz (Reconnect board member and author of The Urban Phoenix blog) put together this super neat how-to video to help get us ready for a safe ride. Arian, you're the best and coolest.

You can also check out HOPR's Rochester webpage to get acclimated.

To get familar with the new RTS system, watch this recording of a public information session and view more resources here.

Latest Blogs

A Climate Solutions Blind Spot

Evan Lowenstein of the Climate Solutions Accelerator writes about the need to see beyond the electric vehicle.

Big Houses & Long Commutes

The Urban Phoenix talks about how big houses and long commutes, not smart phones, have eroded the community.

A Rochester Transplant's Perspective

Guest blogger Dan Kamalic shares why, as an avid traveler and transplant, he thinks Rochester is a fantastic place to bike.

Bike Events 'n Things

20 MINUTES BY BIKE MAPS:
Last month, we kicked off a 20 Minutes by Bike blog series. We'll start with downtown ROC and work our way out. Listen to our group of bloggers talk about bikability on the Connections show with Evan Dawson last week!

ON-BIKE CLASS OFFERINGS
Get the confidence you need to enjoy cycling more by taking a 2.5-hour Smart Cycling class held at the Rochester Public Market! Classes are being offered on two upcoming dates: May 25 & July 7

EVENT RECORDING AVAILABLE
In case you missed it, watch the recording of our April 24 Bike Infrastructure Update with Darin Ramsay and Bob Williams.

ROCHESTER BIKE WEEK
Rochester Bike Week continues through May 16. There's still time to enjoy fun community events for all ages and abilities this week and weekend! Join the RCA on Friday for a Bike to Work Pit Stop in the morning (6:30-10am) and an evening Light Up the Night ride (meetup @ 7:45pm).

WOMEN'S FILM EVENT COMING UP
Save the evening of Wed June 9 for a screening of The Wind In Our Hair and other short films, in collaboration with Exercise Express and the Rochester Women's Bike Festival. You can email Jesse to let him know you're interested and want to receive details when they come out!

Want to stay up-to-date on all the news about Rochester's bike scene? Contact Jesse to receive the RCA's monthly highlights email and/or follow RCA on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Advocacy Action

Reconnect Rochester and the Rochester Cycling Alliance work day in and day out to advocate for the things we all care about, like a robust public transportation system, streets that are safe for everyone, and a community that's built to be multi-modal.

Besides the candidate survey you read about above, here's what else we've been up to lately on the advocacy front...

In March we went to Albany. In April & May we've been making the rounds to meet with our federal legislators. Among other things, we asked for Phase 2 funding to build the station that long-distance bus riders deserve and make the Louise M. Slaughter Station truly intermodal. Here's our team meeting with staff from Senator Gillibrand's office.

We worked with Rachel Barnhart to introduce Carrie Ray's 3-Foot Passing Law in the Monroe County Legislature. The law would help educate drivers and provide clarity on the minimum safe distance for a driver passing a bicyclist on our roadways. Watch Jesse's press conference comments here.

We submitted a letter expressing our support for RGRTA's funding application to provide more bus shelters for RTS riders.

We weighed in on the Genesee Transportation Council's 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan, urging our region to invest as much (or more) in active transportation infrastructure as we do in roads and highways.

We gave input on the revision of the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for streets and highways, which will have a huge impact on our built environment for years to come.

We continue to bring our multimodal lens to the Community Advisory Committees for the Inner Loop North Transformation Study and W. Main Multi-Modal Transportation & Placemaking Plan.

Stay tuned to our events calendar where we post public meeting opportunities, and follow us on social media for advocacy action YOU can take to support our shared cause.

Don't forget to visit Reconnect's online shop

All proceeds from our online shop go to support our mission.

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