How 'bike boulevards' have changed cycling in one local town

By Evan Dawson,

Published April 28, 2026 at 4:18 PM EDT

Five smiling people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a man front left has a light brown beard and mustache and is wearing a blue baseball hat, a blue polo shirt, and khakis; a man front center has short dark hair and a black and grey mustache and beard and is wearing glasses, a t-shirt with an image of a bike on it; grey shorts, and black sneakers; a woman back left has short brown hair and is wearing a blue top; a man back center has short brown hair and is wearing glasses and a blue button-down shirt; a man at right as very short dark hair and is wearing a blue button-down shirt under a grey plaid suitcoat, jeans, blue socks, and brown shoes

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(foreground) Jesse Peers, Bryan Agnello, (background) Millie Sefranek, and Jeremy Moule with host Evan Dawson on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Megan Mack / WXXI News

A smiling woman with dark blonde hair, wearing glasses, a pearl necklace, and a blue and pink floral top

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Christine Merrill

Provided

A local town has taken steps to make its community safer for bicyclists of all ages.

As reported by WXXI’s Jeremy Moule, Henrietta has installed “bike boulevards.” The alternate routes parallel roads with heavy traffic, making them more comfortable for cyclists. The boulevards came to fruition after bike safety advocates pushed for the change.

This hour, our guests explain the project, the impact it has had, and what other towns can learn from Henrietta’s work.

Our guests:

Jeremy Moule, deputy editor for WXXI News
Millie Sefranek, member of the Henrietta Town Board
Christine Merrill, bicycle safety advocate
Jesse Peers, cycling manager for Reconnect Rochester
Bryan Agnello, Rochester cyclist

Note: To learn more about the "bike boulevards" concept, find information from Reconnect Rochester here.