Rochester residents are sharing their thoughts on the city’s efforts to improve traffic safety.
Plans for ROC Vision Zero — a city program aimed at reducing driving speeds and ultimately traffic fatalities and injuries in the area — are still in the design phase.
An analysis in the city’s Active Transportation Plan, a resource for ROC Vision Zero, found that Rochester has the highest traffic fatality rate per capita out of cities in the Finger Lakes Region.
Cities like Albany and Syracuse have implemented traffic enforcement tools, such as school zone speed cameras, to improve pedestrian safety.
The City of Rochester previously attempted to implement automated traffic enforcement after launching its red-light camera program in October 2010. The program sparked outrage and community conversation about the program’s effectiveness and disproportionate impact on some of the city’s predominantly Black neighborhoods; it was cancelled in late 2016.
Now, automated traffic enforcement may return with more input from community voices. In partnership with the Rochester City Council and other local stakeholders, residents have been invited to give their input on the potential use of automated traffic enforcement at a series of citywide public meetings.
Residents share their thoughts on plans for ROC Vision Zero
Xavier Major, a Rochester resident and member of the project’s advisory board, shared his personal experience with reckless drivers. “When I was a kid, I was actually hit by a car, so I know what it feels like to be hit by a car and feel like you’re gonna die,” Major said. “Thank God I survived, but it also saddened me so much when I see the news about the reckless driving and victims that are either injured very seriously or don’t survive being hit by a car. That alone was enough for me to join this committee.”
Currently, residents’ biggest concerns are their safety on sidewalks and roads throughout the downtown area. Residents often recall seeing cars run red lights and fly down roads at speeds over the residential limit.
Members of the project’s advisory board and residents in attendance made suggestions on bringing back traffic cameras that will issue fines for speeding; however, other residents have concerns around data and privacy.
Many residents raised concerns about the usage of AI in traffic enforcement and suggested human review boards before tickets are issued.
There were disagreements amongst attendees on what would be the most effective deterrent for reckless drivers. Some want to see higher fines to deter speeding, while others are concerned about how high fines will impact low income individuals.
Co-Executive Director of Reconnect Rochester Mary Staropoli, who lives and works in the community, believes drivers should be held accountable for endangering the pedestrians with reckless driving. “Money and fines is something people respond to,” Staropoli said.
President of the Plymouth-Exchange Community Association Dorian Hall suggested more education, and the installation of more roundabouts and speed bumps in areas with high amounts of pedestrian traffic. “I don’t think just ticketing folks are going to stop a habit or cause folks to stop running through lights,” Hall said.
Luis Aponte, president of the Josanna Neighborhood Association, thinks this could potentially harm the majority of the community. “I think if you see people that speed or drive drunk or do anything of that sort, it’s going to be the same people that speed and drive drunk,” Aponte said. “A camera is not going to make them change their driving habits.”
Aponte suggests that if traffic cameras will be implemented, areas with schools should be prioritized.
After the residents had the opportunity to participate in a roundtable discussion, they were invited to fill out a post-session survey.
Comments from the meeting and surveys given out at the public meetings will be taken into consideration as design plans are developed.
Visit cityofrochester.gov/departments/bureau-equipment-services/roc-vision-zero to learn more.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester residents split on traffic cameras in Vision Zero plan
Reporting by Genae Shields, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
