ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester ranks as one of the least bike-friendly mid-sized cities in the U.S., according to a 2025 study.
The study shows this is due to access. A majority of people can’t bike to the grocery store, school or work. Jesse Peers, the cycling manager for Reconnect Rochester, has made biking his main mode of transportation for more than a decade.
Peers knows Rochester isn’t the gold standard for cyclists but says the city and Monroe County have spent years making improvements.
“There was this giant concrete wall that kind of prevented Corn Hill neighbors from having access to the river and the Riverway trail,” Peers said. “That concrete wall came down. A grass berm was put here instead as part of the rock.”
“We’re starting to get that pay off in terms of the ability to get around leaving your car at home sometimes,” Peers said.
State data shows Rochester has more traffic-related deaths than Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany. Peers says speeding and lack of engineering solutions make Rochester dangerous.
“There are ways to engineer roads that are safer for all,” Peers said. “We know that when we design the road safely to accommodate slower speeds, everybody is safer.”
News10NBC’s Kristi Blake: “Is there a city that Reconnect Rochester looks at and thinks Rochester needs to be like that?”
Jesse Peers: “There are many many cities that are better for biking than Rochester. We look up to Pittsburgh a lot. We look up to Montreal, Chicago, New York, Cambridge, Massachusetts.”
David Bearden of Rochester bikes in the city. He bikes to work and bikes a lot just for fun.
Bearden says biking in Rochester is getting better but there’s still more to go.
“There’s still some issues just with especially like busy streets, cars not really paying attention to bikers,” Bearden said. “But overall it seems like it’s getting better over time.”
The city’s Vision Zero initiative for bikes includes more barrier-protected bike lanes, cycle tracks and shared bike lanes.
News10NBC Kristi Blake: “How many people does Reconnect Rochester connects with who are biking not necessarily because they just want to, but because it is a cost-efficient way to get around?”
Jesee Peers: “Oh, absolutely. Especially in these days of inflation and high gas prices, you can save so much money by giving transportation a shot on a bike, on a scooter.”
The People for Bikes study has increased its rating every year over the last six years. Reconnect Rochester is kicking off its Bike Week on Tuesday.
‘We’re starting to get that payoff’: Rochester cyclist says city making progress on bike infrastructure WHEC.com.
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