Candidate for: City Comptroller
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Describe your vision of a healthy, safe, equitable transportation system for Baltimore City and the roles walking, biking, and public transportation play in that vision.
Baltimore should be a City where access to mobility options is not a barrier for anyone. We need a complete network of safe bike lanes, upgraded pedestrian infrastructure, and public transit that will show up and get you to your destination on time. In the current system we have, driving is too often the only realistic option, and our streets are dangerous for vulnerable road users. As a candidate for Comptroller, and as the future fiscal and policy watchdog of the City, I'll be well positioned to point out that a transportation system that supports all modes is much better for access to jobs and for businesses located here in Baltimore City, as well as safer and healthier for all of our communities.
The fastest and most economical way to address climate change, improve public health, and create equal access to opportunity is to design a city that reduces dependence on private automobiles. What are the biggest barriers to getting people to choose walking, biking, or public transit instead of personal vehicles, and what would you do to address these impediments?
Safety, reliability, and proximity. Research shows that people won't walk or bike if the route is dangerous or inhospitable. This describes far too much of Baltimore City. If the distance is too far, that's also a barrier. We need equitable patterns of investment, and a greater density of neighborhood businesses and amenities so that we're reducing the distances between people and where they need to go. For transit, reliability is a major barrier, as well as travel time. It's hard to use a public bus that doesn't show up, and if the trip will be 60 or 90 minutes, people will look for another option if one is available. As Comptroller, I see myself in an advocacy role on the importance of having a multimodal transportation system. I'd explore creating a performance audit for our transportation system, so that we're having a more public conversation about the mobility outcomes people are living with.
In 2017, the Planning Commission approved the Separated Bike Lane Network plan that connects 85% of Baltimore’s neighborhoods by creating safe, protected places to ride a bike. Do you agree with the plan’s recommendations, and if so, what would you do to ensure that we fulfill the plan’s promise to build a minimum of 17 miles of bike lanes per year? Are there specific areas of the city where you would prioritize implementation?
Yes, the separate bike lane plan is a low-cost, high-impact investment in better mobility for all of our communities. I fully support the equity mandate of my colleague Councilman Dorsey's Complete Streets legislation as well as Council President Scott's Equity Assessment Program, which I believe will require careful prioritization of investments of all kinds, including transportation. As Comptroller I'll monitor the implementation of major legislation like Complete Streets or the Equity Assessment Program, to measure what kinds of results we're getting compared to what was intended or promised.
Approximately 50 people are killed on city streets each year while walking, biking, or driving, with another 9,000 people injured. What is your plan to reduce the number of Baltimoreans injured and killed in traffic every year?
We should be identifying the intersections and corridors that are the most dangerous, and making a comprehensive plan to reduce the harm from traffic violence. This is an example of a hard metric that could be monitored and reported on by the Comptroller's office, in partnership with BCDOT, Health, BPD, and other agencies.
Approximately 800 Baltimoreans die early every year from preventable diseases related to carbon emissions, more than double the city’s murder rate. Thousands more are hospitalized each year as these emissions trigger asthma and other respiratory diseases. There is a strong correlation between hospitalization and proximity to major car commuter routes. What is your plan to reduce carbon emissions from automobiles in order to decrease the number of Baltimoreans hurt by and dying from emissions-related diseases?
Clearly we must better prioritize sustainable transportation modes so that more people use them, and we reduce emissions and pollution from personal automobiles.
Do you walk for transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip walking?
I often walk in my neighborhood or in downtown Baltimore for transportation. My last walking trip was from my house to Full Tilt brewery for trivia night!
Do you use public transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip by public transportation?
I don't use public transportation as much as I would like. Campaigning for citywide office has made this a challenge, and also draws attention to how much work there is to be done improving public transit reliability and travel time! I believe my last transit trip was after Baltimore Pride, when I took the Circulator to my parking garage.
Do you ever ride a bicycle? Is it for transportation, recreation, or both? What was your last trip by bicycle?
I learned how to ride a bike in December 2015, and that was the last time I've ridden!
Baltimore’s urban areas have limited space on streets. In order to increase safety and improve mobility, some modes of transportation must be prioritized over others to make the most of this limited space. Please rank how you would prioritize different modes of transportation on city streets, using numbers 1 through 7:
1. Walking & devices that aid people with a disability
2. Bicycles & Scooters
3. Public Transportation
4. Ride Hailing Services (Taxi, Uber, Lyft)
5. Freight and Delivery
6. Personal Automobiles
7. Parking
Agree or disagree?I support removing parking on a street if it would improve safety and increase mobility of people using that street.
Agree
Minimum parking requirements are shown to increase housing costs while limiting potential density and making neighborhoods less walkable. I support following the lead of other cities that have removed minimum parking requirements from new development.
Agree
Some cities require employers that subsidize parking also offer an option for employees to receive that subsidy as a cash payment. I support a mandate that employers offer parking cashout so that employees can choose to pocket that money, use it for alternative transportation, or continue using that cash to pay for parking.
Agree
We need more bike parking in front of City Hall! I understand that the Board of Estimates could take action to implement parking cash out for municipal employees. As Comptroller I would support BOE action on this.Increasing density in areas of opportunity is proven to help individuals escape poverty. I support taller, denser, or larger buildings in areas they are now prohibited by zoning.
Agree
Transit oriented development can expand access to areas of opportunity by locating housing and retail along high frequency transit. Current zoning code only identifies these zones along subway and light rail routes. I support expanded Transit Oriented Development zoning to include areas within a quarter mile of high-frequency bus routes.
Agree
It is now widely accepted that Single Family Residential Zoning was historically created to maintain racial segregation. I support removing Single Family Residential Zoning categories, allowing both single family and multi family residences to be built in all residential zoning areas.
Agree
My Local Progress colleague in Minneapolis, Council President Lisa Bender, championed legislation to do this, and I'm monitoring the results with great interest.I support allowing existing residences to be split into apartments in all zoning categories without having to pass legislation for each conversion, increasing density in neighborhoods that were traditionally single family homes.
Agree
At 20mph, 90% of pedestrians survive being hit by a car. At 40mph, only 10% survive. I support enforcing a maximum speed limit of 25 mph on arterial streets, and 20 mph on local streets.
Agree
Allowing turns on red is a contributing factor in increased pedestrian injury and death. I support banning turns on red at all intersections that allow pedestrian crossing.
Agree
Automated Speed and Red Light Enforcement Cameras are widely proven to reduce fatal collisions. I support using these cameras on any street, not just near schools and construction sites.
Agree
The Automated Speed Enforcement Camera current threshold is 12 miles per hour. I support cameras being able to issue citations for those traveling 5 miles per hour or more over the speed limit.
Agree
I would invest in automated enforcement cameras that will issue citations to private automobiles for being stopped or parked in bus lanes.
Agree
Dedicated bus lanes and bus boarding islands are proven to dramatically improve bus reliability and boarding times. I support removing parking or travel lanes to create bus lanes and boarding islands to improve bus performance.
Agree
The city adopted the Greenway Trails Network plan that will connect existing trails such as Gwynns Falls Trail and Herring Run Trail to create a 35-mile trail loop that connects 80% of Baltimore’s neighborhoods to greenspace and recreational trails. I support the construction of these trail connections, even if it requires using grass medians or taking road space or parking space away from private automobiles.
Agree