Rochester Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Commission Meeting – September 15, 2026

Note: The agenda and minutes list the meeting date as September 14, 2026, but the provided timestamp indicates September 15, 2026. This summary follows the timestamp date.

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Commission met to receive updates on the Willow Creek Trail project and the Q2 2026 Multimodal Count Program. Public comment was heard. The commission approved the consent agenda (August 10, 2026 minutes) and set the next meeting for October 12, 2026. No action items were voted on beyond routine approvals.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Barry Skolnick spoke about two issues: 1) He requested an update on enforcement of Lime scooter regulations, noting he has raised the issue for six years and has heard no progress. He also asked if city staff are allowing Lime to restrict low-wage drivership. 2) He commented on the Q2 2026 Multimodal Count report, stating the data is presented in a form that makes it difficult to connect to specific goals and decision-making. He requested clearer explanations of the purpose of each data component.

Discussion Items

• Willow Creek Trail Project Update (Item 7.A)
  Deputy Public Works Director Dillon Dombrovski presented a feasibility study for a 2.5-mile trail from 28th Street SE to Game Haven Regional Park, crossing Highway 52 via an existing bridge underpass. The project is funded by a $3.6 million state bonding allocation. Two alternatives for a segment through a floodplain/wetland area were evaluated: Alternative 1 (along an existing levee berm) and Alternative 2 (through wooded wetland requiring boardwalk). City Council initially selected Alternative 1, but the mayor vetoed the decision. Council failed to override the veto (needed a 5/7 vote), so Alternative 2 is proceeding. Alternative 2 is over $1 million more expensive to construct and has roughly five times the annual maintenance cost of a standard bituminous path. Commissioners asked about wildlife displacement, environmental impacts, and long-term maintenance. A pedestrian bridge over County Road 47 (55 mph) was discussed as a future need, estimated at $2.4–4 million. The commission asked how they could support grant applications; staff indicated letters of support from the commission would be helpful. The main trail is expected to be constructed by 2028.
• Q2 2026 Multimodal Count Program Report and Counter Siting Follow-Up (Item 7.B)
  Mode Shift Coordinator Matt Lynch presented the first validated quarterly data from the city’s permanent counters. Key context: counters measure passages (not people or trips), data is validated to remove errors, and reporting is quarterly until a full year of data is available in spring 2027. Significant findings: Nearly half of all counts came from one downtown counter at 2nd Street and First Avenue, boosted by Thursday’s Downtown events. Paths had higher weekday usage than any street site, and seasonal decline was gradual (not a cliff). Counter siting: Based on August commission feedback to place a counter in a low-utilization area, staff selected 11th Avenue Northwest (city street, four lanes, adjacent to a school, no existing facility). The counter will help establish a baseline for future facility improvements. Lynch also outlined how count data will inform model calibration (using StreetLight and Replica), though that work is not yet underway. Commissioners provided feedback on the report format: they appreciated breakdowns by mode (pedestrian, cyclist, scooter), hourly and daily profiles, monthly comparisons, and event annotations. A suggestion was made to present data with and without outlier events.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: Consent agenda including minutes of August 10, 2026 (unanimous).
• Approved: Agenda as presented (unanimous).
• Adjourned: Motion by Sarah Stevens, seconded by Dave F Pesch (unanimous).
• Directive/Next Steps: Staff will continue design of Willow Creek Trail under Alternative 2, pursue grant funding for the pedestrian bridge and spur connections, and bring a letter of support for the commission to sign. The Q2 Count Program will move toward annual reporting; staff will incorporate commissioner feedback on report format. The next permanent counter will be sited on 11th Avenue Northwest.
• Next Meeting: October 12, 2026 at City Hall Room 104.