Rochester residents are concerned about their safety on sidewalks and roads in the city, saying they see cars run red lights and fly down roads at estimated speeds of 70 miles an hour or more.
They and others are invited to share their thoughts in a citywide public meeting next week about a potential solution — automated traffic enforcement.
On Tuesday, April 28, Rochester will host its first public input meeting for ROC Vision Zero — a city program aimed at reducing driving speeds and ultimately traffic fatalities and injuries in the area.
In partnership with the Rochester City Council and other community stakeholders, residents are invited to give their input on the potential use of automated traffic enforcement and other tools. The first meeting will take place at 6 p.m. April 28 at Willie W. Lightfoot R-Center, 271 Flint St.
Members of the Rochester City Council and other community stakeholders on the project said they acknowledge concerns residents have regarding pedestrian safety and how traffic enforcement tools will impact the community.
“A lot of people that I’ve talked to, and a lot of my constituents also feel that traffic safety is really at a low point for us [Rochester] right now,” said Mitch Gruber, City Council Member and ROC Vision Zero Co-chair.
An analysis in the city’s Active Transportation Plan, which became 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.
And across New York, cities like Albany and Syracuse have implemented traffic enforcement tools, such as school zone speed cameras, to improve pedestrian safety.
”Now’s really a time to talk about driver accountability and how do we ensure that people are protected and safe on the streets from reckless driving?” said Cody Donahue, co-executive director of Reconnect Rochester. “What’s really important is that we approach this from an equity standpoint. This is about safety. It’s not about punishment, it’s about behavior change.”
‘We want parents to feel safe’: Rochester-area residents speak out
Mike Bulger, a staff member for the Healthi Kids Coalition, a Finger Lakes-area children’s health advocacy organization, has heard from parents who are hesitant to to let their kids walk and bike throughout the neighborhoods.
“We want kids to feel like they can bike to school or walk to the playground, and we want parents to feel safe,” said Bulger.
The coalition recently conducted a Play Perception Survey, receiving response from over 500 parents, caregivers and community members. According to their survey results, the number one concern for parents is speeding cars.
Sandy Mayer, a local pediatrician, lives in the East Avenue neighborhood, and has his own experiences with reckless drivers, particularly at night.
“I walk my dog at night, and I see cars go around 70, 80 miles an hour sometimes,” said Mayer. “And they get to a red light, and they’re going so fast they don’t have time to stop till they go through it.”
Mayer recalls seeing accidents near the corners of East Main Street and Scio Street, as well as Scio Street and University Avenue.
Mayer is also a ROC Vision Zero Task Force member, and sees more equity in potential plans for automated traffic enforcement tools. “It’s all new technology. I’ve seen it work. We’ve been to other cities, and it’s working in other cities, and it can work here in Rochester,” said Mayer.
Others may not be so supportive. Jay Beeber, Executive Director of policy for the National Motorists Association, recently told RochesterFirst.com/WROC that he worried automated traffic enforcement could “ticket a lot of people who aren’t doing anything particularly dangerous,” and won’t make roads much safer.
When are future ROC Vision Zero meetings?
Gruber, of City Council, is hoping to hear the full spectrum of thoughts from community members and stakeholders at the upcoming Roc Vision Zero meetings.
“We want folks with all different sorts of opinions,” said Gruber. “The people that think automated enforcement is a terrible idea, the people who have seen it from other cities and like it, I want everyone from those two poles and everyone in the middle to be able to come and have their voice heard.”
Feedback gathered will guide future policy decisions and enforcement strategies. The City has plans to host a community-wide survey following the series of public input meetings.
Here is when residents can attend future public meetings:
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Worried by speeding cars in Rochester? Weigh in on Roc Vision Zero
Reporting by Genae Shields, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
