Frederick Ware-Newsome
Candidate for: Mayor
frednewsome@yahoo.com
newsomeformayor.com
Facebook: Fred Newsome
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.
The roles walking, biking and public transportation play in my visions is to create the program Baltimore’s Health Choice Program. This program is designed for all Baltimoreans to take part in making healthier choices while creating a clean environment. I would run commercials and ads to show how much longer we could live if we made good healthy choices today and cleaned up our air system to provide and produce good quality air. It’s a team effort.
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 biggest barrier to get citizens to use walking, biking or public transportation is time. If Baltimoreans do not use their car, the ride would be a lot longer getting to work. Therefore, I would have to put some good incentive plans in place and help citizens understand we are looking for a healthier Baltimore. We need all citizens to participate in Baltimore’s Healthy Choice Program.
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 I would continue the plans to provide additional bike lanes on a yearly basis. I have no specific area in mind, but all areas of Baltimore will be examined to make sure we are satisfying all citizens needs to create a more healthier and safer Baltimore.
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 will evaluate those areas where the most injuries are taking place and provide the appropriate measures to make sure these are areas and more safer. For example; high accident rates, I would lower the speed limits and possibly use more caution lights and signs.
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 plan to reduce emissions in Baltimore, but creating an outline for more fuel efficient and electric cars. Establishing an encouraging more bike riding to work and more bike lanes. Encourage employers to offer bonuses or incentives for their employees who ride bikes to work, such as gift cards or cash.
Do you walk for transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip walking?
No I do not walk for transportation. I sometimes walk just for exercise.
Do you use public transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip by public transportation?
No I drive, but I only use it for times when I do not want to drive and I want to ride the bus or light rail.
Do you ever ride a bicycle? Is it for transportation, recreation, or both? What was your last trip by bicycle?
No I do not ride a bicycle.
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. Parking
6. Personal Automobiles
7. Freight and Delivery
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
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
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.
Disagree
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.
Disagree
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.
Disagree
I would invest in automated enforcement cameras that will issue citations to private automobiles for being stopped or parked in bus lanes.
Disagree
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.
Disagree