Rochester, NY Driving Tips
I read that commute times in Rochester average about 20 minutes, which is phenomenally short compared to many other cities. There are often a number of different ways to get from point A to point B and it's wise to have two or three different routes in your head so you can take evasive action shoul
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d a traffic problem occurs. Also, do not expect that the city is arranged in neat and orderly city blocks because it isn't and street patterns can be somewhat crazy. It would be helpful to you if you would become familiar with what streets are one-way only, or have one way sections on them.
Rochester, NY Buying Tips
My son-in-law manages a car dealership so I always buy my cars from his dealership. As far as I know most people use dealerships for new and used cars but I imagine there is a subset of people using newer alternatives. There are clusters of dealerships in Henrietta and Greece (suburbs of Rochester),
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so if you are trying out different types of cars you might try these locations. Don't forget Rochester has four seasons and you must consider how the care you are looking at will handle during the season of ice and snow. Features that improve winter handling will be a plus and increase your driving satisfaction.
Favorite Driving Memory
My favorite memory of driving in Rochester is driving to the hospital to have my first baby. It was warm for mid march and it was raining. I thought the street lights looked like stars and the road was made of glimmering jewels. I was excited and scared and nervous to be driving in this state. At th
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e same time it seemed like a magical drive toward an incredible treasure.
Favorite Road
East Avenue.
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My favorite stretch of road near and into Rochester is East Avenue from Pittsford into the city. The street is lined with very nice houses and as you proceed closer and closer to the city the houses get older and grander and there are some beautiful old trees as well. One of the houses on this stree
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t is the George Eastman House that has a grandeur and history that makes me admire it every time I pass. East Avenue is a very historic street in the city and worthy of driving on every day.
Rochester, NY Driving Tips
My advice to new drivers in Rochester is to be alert for sudden lane shifts. Lanes will end with literally no notice whatsoever, with the only indication you should move over being the highway concrete divider bending into your lane of travel.
Rochester, NY Buying Tips
West Henrietta road is very close to the city and is a road of almost only used car dealerships. It is a very big advantage negotiating here as you can always use the threat of shopping at their competitor, which is no more than a stone's throw away.
Favorite Driving Memory
I moved here after grueling government training in Oklahoma. It was great to be heading to my first apartment. After the 21 hour drive, I ended up on I-490 into the city of Rochester. It was about 6pm and the sun was setting. I saw the city skyline for the first time, after a two-day drive, with the
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crest of the setting sun rising over the tallest building in the city. At this point I realized, "I made it".
Favorite Road
I-490
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After curving through hills on the surrounding highways, you take the exit to this road heading straight into the city. You pass under a very old bridge that looks like it will collapse any second. As you round the bend you see a beautiful stretch of road, 8 lanes wide, straight into the city. With
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the skyline in sight and sunset/sunrise often exposing itself over the skyscrapers you gun it straight to the city.
Rochester, NY Driving Tips
The downtown area has been under renewal, and can be tricky maneuvering through the one way streets. But there are festivals for music and imaging (photos, movies etc.) that make the east end an attractive area. Also a drive through the lilacs in spring at Highland Park, smells as good as it looks
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. Rochester also has the Port of Rochester at Lake Ontario and is a popular place to visit in nice weather, Most roads lead to the Lake in the summer, being that it offers a nice ride along the shore, and good food.
Rochester, NY Buying Tips
SNOW. The most important thing to remember is that Rochester can get a lot of snow and ice. You really want to think of a car that handles well in adverse weather. I do not recommend the old larger rear wheel drives. They are hard to control on slick roads. Front wheel cars are much better.
Favorite Driving Memory
The many parks are just lovely as well as the neighborhoods with older homes and treed streets. The thing I like most is discovery and finding streets I have never been on, although after so many years, it gets harder to find these areas. My favorite memories are driving this time of year to find h
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omes decorated for the holidays. When my daughter was younger we would turn on the Christmas songs on the radio, and drive through neighborhoods looking for homes that had the most lights.
Favorite Road
Park Avenue
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Park Ave. is full of shops and cafes, the side streets are lined with older trees, flowering trees, and many large older homes. It gives a intimate small town flavor in the midst of the third largest city in New York State.