Tonight was the City Council’s final public hearing and vote on whether or not to release a portion of Mortimer Street (in the heart of downtown Rochester) to the transit authority to build a 26-bay bus terminal. I used the opportunity not to denounce the bus terminal but more so to point out that the City of Rochester has no transportation plan. Also to sharpen my public speaking skills, which, after tonight I realize can only get better. I stumbled, I was shakey, I lost my place several times, and my mouth was so dry my tongue kept making this annoying clicking sound with every syllable. But, I delivered my message and that’s what counts. Anyway, here is the text of my statement:
Let me be clear, I am not against a bus terminal, I am FOR a transportation plan. Tonight you are voting on a very costly and isolated transit project with a questionable future because our city has no plan. It is up to you address this missing puzzle piece.
GTC and RGRTA serve 7 counties. The specific interests of this city are not—and cannot—be priority #1 for them. But you are not at the mercy of the regional MPO when it comes to transportation planning in the City of Rochester. There is no law that says the City of Rochester cannot have a transportation plan or transportation advisory board. You have at least 20 City boards & commissions to help advise you — and not a single one focuses on transportation, transit, or neighborhood connectedness. This is why we lost federal T.I.G.E.R. money this year and why we will continue to lose out if you do not act.
Rochester needs a transportation advisory board.
- This body should consist of representatives from the City as well as Rochester’s immediate ring of suburbs
- This body must work to develop a long range plan – one that includes pedestrians, bikes, buses, rail transit, AND transit oriented development
- This body must represent our community but also work closely with GTC/RGRTA, the county, state, and USDOT to ensure that the City’s plan is carried out
Tonight I am not asking for a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote on the bus terminal — I’m asking for you to do something great. Do something that will place Rochester in the same circle as Austin TX, Portland, Denver, Charlotte and Seattle. Beginning tomorrow, push for a plan that clearly defines how all forms of transportation fit into the City’s master plan. Without this important tool you’re voting with your eyes closed.
You have many people who are willing to set everything aside to discuss a transportation oriented plan for Rochester. My group Reconnect Rochester, the Rochester Community Design Center, Rochester Cycling Alliance, Rochester Rail Transit Committee, Louis Slaughter, the USDOT, and on and on and on.
I know you understand this most urgent need. Transit is not a luxury item. Transit is not buses only. Transit is not isolated. Transit is woven into the fabric of every great city.
Council later voted to release the land to RGRTA. The vote was 7 to 2 opposed.
Tags: bus station, bus terminal, Genesee Transportation Council, Mortimer Street, New York, Rochester, Rochester City Council, Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA), Rochester NY
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Paul 
Joe D. 
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Mike, you were excellent!
9-2=RGRTA Rules=We Lose=Duffy tells me the RGRTA is too powerful for him & city council.
http://www.harrydavis2010.com/node/295
The problem with this stupid city is it is stupid. “Well, were’re not perfect.” some will say. I say, “You don’t even have a clue how to TRY to be perfect!”
D&C, that means YOU! Idiots. Tell Tony DiMarzo and his Warner tenants to skip out on the multi-million Warner building, residentail development in downtown to make way for a bus barn? This city, well, I left in the 80’s cause of this foolishness & I should have stayed away.
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“Rochester City Council Should Vote Yes to keep Transit moving”
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100615/OPINION04/6150301/1…
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Rochester City Council voted 7-2 to abandon Mortimer Street for the bus barn. I spoke with Beth Osborn today, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy for Livability projects in DC. Ms. Osborn had attempted to arrange a conference call today with all ROC city council members to show them how they can support President Obama and build an inter-modal transit station in Rochester. This conversation did not occur because Senator Chuck Schumer, who holds the purse strings to the $52million for Mortimer, made sure Ms. Osborn would not have her free speech and talk to Rochester’s “leaders.”
My 7 years of hanging around Rochester politicians and knowing the current crop very well leads me to surmise that City Council President Lovely Warren called her mentor, NYS Assembly Member David Gantt, Mr. Transportation in Albany, and told him of the attempted conversation. Gantt said “NO!” and Gantt called Senator Schumer who told DOT & Ms. Osborn this conversation would stop.
Again, Ms. Osborn told me three times today she was afraid of being fired from her DOT job because of her attempt to tell Rochester of it’s transportation alternatives. After the meetinmg tonight, Bonnie & I had a conversation with Mayor Duffy who essentially told us that the RGRTA is too powerful. It is an Authority and the Mayor of Rochester and City Council do not have the power to stop them from doing what they want. Again, three times Deputy Secretary Osborn told me she was afraid of being fire from her position.
Oh, and Duffy told me “Tony DiMarzo & I are friends and we will continue to be friends!” WTF does that have anything to do with anything??
I say, “Is that how friends treat friends?”
http://www.harrydavis2010.com/node/291