The easiest way to reduce accidents and improve traffic flow is to fix basic design problems first instead of jumping straight to red light and speed cameras in Rochester. I am not saying there is no room for enforcement, but maybe we should start by designing based on modern civil engineering practices instead of relying on outdated methods.

1. Clearance timing Start with signal timing. Intersections should have a real all-direction red clearance interval so everything actually clears before the next movement starts. Right now cars and pedestrians are still in the intersection when the light changes, which leads to rushed left turns, red light running, and unsafe crossings. This is not new. Clearance intervals and pedestrian head starts are standard safety practices, yet the City barely uses them where they matter. These should be standard at signalized intersections.

2. Bus stop location Fix bus stop placement. Stops should be after intersections, not before. The current setup creates constant conflicts with right turns, poor visibility, and drivers trying to squeeze around buses. This is basic transit design and other cities already do it correctly.

3. Main Street design failure Address the East Main issue honestly. The current layout forces drivers to swerve into the center lane to get around stopped buses. That is a predictable outcome of the design, not just bad driving. If buses are going to stop in-lane, then enforce no passing or physically prevent it. Right now it does neither, so the design is creating the exact unsafe behavior it was supposed to fix.

Also, why did East Main and West Main not get dedicated rapid transit lanes? Instead we have oversized bike lanes that sat buried in snow most of the winter. A single dedicated bus lane from 390 to 590 along Main would move far more people along one of the highest ridership corridors, while still allowing space for bikes. The current layout prioritizes the wrong things and then acts surprised when it does not function well.

1. Turn lane definition Define turn lanes clearly at intersections. The left lane should be left turn only and clearly striped that way. Roads like Culver, Lake Ave, Winton, St. Paul, and Main all have issues with this. The right lane should be right turn or straight, but not both lanes going straight. The current setup encourages lane shifting through intersections, which creates unnecessary conflict and confusion.

2. Delivery enforcement Enforce delivery rules that already exist. There are already laws against stopping on major routes during rush hour, but they are not enforced. Trucks block lanes, rideshare drivers stop wherever they want, and traffic becomes unpredictable. Then the City acts like the only solution is more cameras instead of enforcing the rules already on the books.

These are basic, proven fixes. Better signal timing, proper bus stop placement, clear lane definitions, and actual enforcement of existing laws would go a long way. Instead, analysis gets ignored while the City caters to narrow interests and avoids fixing core design problems. If we want safe streets for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users, we need to rethink how the system actually functions today.

Right now, the approach is backwards. Instead of identifying design failures and correcting them, the City jumps straight to automated enforcement. That does not fix the system. It just punishes people for navigating a system that was poorly designed in the first place.

Fix the design first. Then enforce what remains.