Candidate for: City Council, 1st District
zeke@zekecohen.com | zekecohen.com
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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.
We need to invest in efficient, affordable, and widely accessible public transit. I supported the Red Line train before its cancellation, and continue to support a transit option connecting East and West Baltimore. Streets must be safe for pedestrians and cyclists, which means enforcing speed limits with cameras, installing traffic calming mechanisms, and protecting access to sidewalks and bike lanes.
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?
The greatest impediment to increased reliance on nonautomobile transit is the lack of comprehensive and reliable public transportation options. As Chair of the Education and Youth Committee, I’m disturbed by the MTA’s insufficient safety measures and profound failure to get our kids to school on time. I will continue collaborating with state legislators to improve MTA service delivery, and I will advocate for a municipal bus system that will increase efficacy for MTA commuters and students alike. We can promote walking and cycling by making it safer and easier; this will be accomplished in the short term by traffic calming initiatives, but ultimately by reducing the number of cars on our streets.
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?
We need to increase connectedness and accessibility of bike lanes throughout the city, and I support the plan's recommendations. Its approach to first connecting existing, low stress lanes is sensible; we will need to ensure its aims are comprehensive enough to provide equitable access for neighborhoods on the borders of the city. In my district, communities on the East side are set to be among the last to receive additional facilities connecting to downtown. In conjunction with the implementation of Councilmember Dorsey's Complete Streets legislation, this work will increase safety, practicality, and efficiency of cycling for transportation.
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 need traffic calming measures and speed limit enforcement. My office has worked closely with DOT to address dangerous intersections, such as the former "crash corner" on Bank & Washington Street. We are working on implementing traffic calming measures on other busy roads. Nearly 10% of the constituent concerns my office receives are related to either traffic or parking, and my office has resolved more than 247 such requests. This reflects an urgent need to continue traffic calming while promoting access to alternative transit options.
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?
The climate crisis is a public health crisis, and I am committed to reducing emissions and making Baltimore a leader in sustainble practices. Following the president’s ill advised decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement in 2017, I passed a resolution upholding its commitments in Baltimore, including investments in electric buses and mass transit such as the cancelled Red Line. The resolution was made possible by a coalition of more than 15 advocacy groups, many of whom I continue to collaborate with to gain insights into next steps. It has also informed legislation like the Clean Air Act, which I co-sponsored. I intend to continue advocating for greater access to multi-modal transit with the long term goal of reduced reliance on private automobiles.
Do you walk for transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip walking?
Yes. I regularly walk to meetings from my home in Brewer's Hill. I enjoy checking in with community members while on walks, and it's a relaxing alternative to driving. All neighborhoods must have well-maintained sidewalks and up-to-code curb cuts. My office has resolved more than 250 requests related to street, alley, and sidewalk safety, and I intend to continue our record of responsiveness.
Do you use public transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip by public transportation?
Although I don't regularly use the bus system, I am deeply invested in ensuring its efficiency and safety, especially for the students who rely on MTA services to get to and from school. My first fight after being elected was organizing a Bake Sale for Buses to restore full hours to students using bus passes. While we were able to restore access for students, MTA service remains insufficient. I will continue to work with state legislators to improve service delivery and advocate for more comprehensive, connected public transit options.
Do you ever ride a bicycle? Is it for transportation, recreation, or both? What was your last trip by bicycle?
I don't often ride a bicycle, but many of my constituents do. It's crucial that cycling is a safe, viable alternative to driving. I have fought to protect bike lanes, such as the one on Potomac Street, and I support enforcing speed limits with cameras and limiting right-hand turns on red to reduce accidents.
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. Public Transportation
2. Walking & devices that aid people with a disability
3. Bicycles and Scooters
4. Freight and Delivery
5. Parking
6. Personal Automobiles
7. Ride Hailing Services (Taxi, Uber, Lyft)
Agree or disagree?I support removing parking on a street if it would improve safety and increase mobility of people using that street.
Agree
Safety is the highest priority, and I support measures such as the Complete Streets legislation to ensure greater safety and mobility. It is also critical that we improve access to public transportation so that parking becomes less necessary.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.
Neither agree nor disagree
I would support eliminating minimum parking requirements on a case-by-case basis, especially where other modes of transit are accessible. The ongoing issue of limited parking speaks to the need to invest in public transportation.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
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.
Neither agree nor disagree
Increased density, coupled with legislation to require affordable housing, is critical to Baltimore's growth. I would like to see advocates from the biking community work with affordable housing advocates and the City Council to identify legislation to make this possible.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
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.
Neither agree nor disagree
We need to be thoughtful about where and in which cases we allow multi-apartment properties. In alignment with Councilmember Henry's Rental Licensing legislation, rentals must be up to code and licensed to ensure tenant wellbeing. Preventing exploitative or unsafe renting situations is a high priority.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
District-Specific Questions: 1st District
Baltimore was recently awarded a Maryland Bikeways grant to design an all-ages separated bike lane on Wolfe or Washington Street, part of the 2017 Separated Lane Network Addendum plan connecting Southeast Baltimore to Johns Hopkins Hospital, the all-ages separated lane on Monument Street, and eventual facilities on St. Lo Drive and Harford Road. I support building an all ages separated bike lane on Wolfe or Washington Street, even if it means relocating or removing some parking.
Agree
I agree with building a separated bike lane connecting SE neighborhoods to Johns Hopkins Hospital. We must involve community input to ensure this project has minimal impact on parking access for residents of the high density areas along Wolfe and Washington St.