1. 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.

   I envision cars, bikes and pedestrians having equal and safe access to the roads. I envision a more safe, accessible and convenient public transportation system so that less people have to drive. That will reduce emissions and help the environment.

2. 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?

   There are some impediments. There are not enough bike protected lanes. Many people do not feel safe riding their bikes to work. Many people do not bike or walk to work because they live far away from their jobs. In addition, in some areas, there are no sidewalks for pedestrians. I would do everything in my power to ensure that Ryan Dorsey’s Complete Streets Act is fully implemented and funded.

3. 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?

   I support the Separated Bike Lane Network plan. I would push to ensure that the plan receives adequate funding every year. I would prioritize the creation of protected bike lanes on York Road. I would have to thoroughly review studies to determine which specific areas to prioritize throughout the city.

4. 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?

   I would support legislation providing for protected bike lanes, more clearly marked all pedestrian walkways, pedestrian traffic light buttons, bicycle helmet requirements for all bikers, increased use of speed cameras, reduced speed limits, more speedbumps in residential areas, and more efficient public transportation.

5. 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?

   I would support legislation improving public transportation and incentivizing carpooling thereby reducing carbon emissions. In addition, I would support stronger regulation of vehicle emissions.

6. Do you walk for transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip walking?

   Every year, during the weekend before and during Memorial Day Weekend, I walk all day while monitoring the police and businesses in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for the NAACP’s Operation Bike Week. In addition, as a police candidate, I walk around various neighborhoods in the District all day, every weekend. My last trip was this weekend.

7. Do you use public transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip by public transportation?

   Yes, I use the MARC train to travel to D.C. for business meetings. When I am in D.C., I regularly use the Metro subway. Occasionally, I use the bus and lightrail to travel to the airport for business travel. My last public transportation was a couple of months ago.However a few years ago, my car had major problems and I had to travel by bus to and from work everyday for months. The experience helped me gain a better understanding of the challenges in public transportation such as failure to adhere to bus schedules, lack of adequate to protect riders from inclement weather.

8. Do you ever ride a bicycle? Is it for transportation, recreation, or both? What was your last trip by bicycle?

   Yes, I ride a bicycle for recreation and exercise. My last trip was around the Montebello Park.

9. 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. Bicycles and Scooters
   3. Personal Automobiles
   4. Ride Hailing Services (Taxi, Uber, Lyft)
   5. Walking & devices that aid people with a disability
   6. Freight and Delivery
   7. Parking

   
   Agree or disagree?
   

10. I support removing parking on a street if it would improve safety and increase mobility of people using that street.

    Agree

11. 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
    Unfortunately, minimum parking requirements create unnecessary, unused space.

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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.

    Disagree

21. I would invest in automated enforcement cameras that will issue citations to private automobiles for being stopped or parked in bus lanes.

    Agree

22. 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

23. 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: 4th District

1. Dedicated bus lanes are proven to increase service reliability and speed. MTA Maryland’s BaltimoreLink Red bus route is one of the busiest in the city. I support dedicated bus lanes on Greenmount Avenue and York Road, even if it means removing some parking.

Agree