ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The City of Rochester has passed its active transportation plan.
The goal, in short, is to have more options for walking and biking, as well easier and safer transportation in the City of Rochester.
The City passed this plan in June. Richard Perrin, the Commissioner of Environmental Services for the City of Rochester, said the three goals of the plan are:
- Traffic safety
- Accessibility
- Transportation options
Those goals, Perrin said, are of course for everyone, but are particularly targeted for people of color, people with disabilities, people without a car, and people with low incomes.
The plan will be executed by a series of just under two dozen projects expanding walking areas, as well as work over five dozen miles of biking paths to make a “spine network.”
Perrin says having a more “active” transportation model for a “dense urban environment” will mean fewer traffic-related deaths and injuries, better environmental heath, and better individual health.
“Active transportation is absolutely critical to reducing diabetes, childhood obesity and a number of other health factors, that otherwise would continue to get worse because of sedentary lifestyle,” he said over Zoom.
According to their executive summary, over a dozen community groups were involved in working on this plan.
As for the first concrete steps, Perrin says the City applied for $14 million in federal money, and is awaiting on approval.
Monroe County also has a similar plan; Perrin says the two governments worked together to come with integrated plans. News 8 has reached out multiple times to the County for an interview, but has not received a response. You can see the county plan here.
