Candidate for: City Council, 7th District
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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.
My vision of transportation in Baltimore City is where every resident has equitable access to multiple modes of transportation that is public and affordable. Our transit should reduce our impact on the environment and improve the air quality of our City. Of course, it should be clean, reliable and maximize public use. I am firm believer in transit-oriented development which ensures that low-income communities are served by a variety of transportation alternatives. I am disappointed in the cancellation of the Red Line which would have connected many to job opportunities and reduced the need for personal automobiles. If elected, I will work to incentivize development that promotes connecting neighbors, safe passage for pedestrians and bike riders.
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 residents choosing walking, biking and public transport in Baltimore, is that our policy making encourages and re-enforces the usage of personal cars, expressways, highways and congested thoroughfares instead of prioritizing safe streets and access to transit for those who need it most.
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 agree with the plan's recommendation and would support continued implementation of the network to connect many of my district's neighborhoods, especially Reservoir Hill, Remington, Hampden and neighborhoods west and south of Druid Hill Park.
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 believe the City should increase traffic calming measures such as speed bumps, traffic circles, streetscaping and green barriers.
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?
If elected, I would push our Departments of Planning and Transportation to establish inclusive planning practices that promote increased access to education, employment, food, healthcare, and major entertainment/retail sites in marginalized neighborhoods The City should construct buffer zones to reduce adverse health effects and risks of environmental exposure to air pollution, noise pollution and heat.
Do you walk for transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip walking?
I do walk for transportation, I often walk downtown, to Charles Village, Mt. Vernon, Station North, and Bolton Hill during the work week. On weekends, my family does neighborhood walks in Ashburton.
Do you use public transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip by public transportation?
I do use public transportation for major events such as Ravens and O's games. For work purposes, I use transit for commuting downtown for meetings.
Do you ever ride a bicycle? Is it for transportation, recreation, or both? What was your last trip by bicycle?
I do ride a bike for recreation when I can, but I often prefer to walk or use public transit.
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. Ride Hailing Services (Taxi, Uber, Lyft)
5. Personal Automobiles
6. Freight and Delivery
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.
Neither agree nor disagree
I agree, but I would seek public input to ensure community needs are met.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.
Neither agree nor disagree
I agree with increasing our density but it must be done public input and ensure historic neighborhoods are not adversely impacted should any change be proposed.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
We have to be deliberate in undoing the systemic effects of racial segregation. This must also include actions to ensure economically diverse neighborhoods as well.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
Again, I agree with increasing our density. However, we have to ensure that single-family neighborhoods maintain a public process for conversions. There should be oversight and deliberate due process for the public.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.
No answer
District-Specific Questions: 7th District
The Gwynns Falls Parkway was designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm, and the original plans called for a median running recreational trail to connect Gwynns Falls Park and Leakin Park to Druid Hill Park. The Baltimore Greenway Trails Network Plan calls for bringing this vision to reality by constructing a recreational trail on the Gwynns Falls Parkway corridor as part of a larger 35-mile trail loop. I support designing and constructing this portion of the Greenway Trails Network Plan on Gwynns Falls Parkway.
Neither agree nor disagree
I would need more information.The Big Jump is a temporary walking and biking path along Druid Park Lake Drive, connecting Auchentoroly, Reservoir Hill, and Remington for the first time for people who lack access to a car. The Access Project for Druid Hill (TAP Druid Hill), builds upon The Big Jump by calling for a corridor analysis and redesign of Druid Park Drive, Reisterstown Road, Auchentoroly Terrace, and Druid Park Lake Drive. I support efforts to maintain a safe, all-ages walking and biking path along Druid Park Lake Drive as well as expanding neighborhood access to Druid Hill Park through a corridor analysis and redesign of the above streets, even if it means slowing down cars, taking away travel lanes, or removing significant portions of roadway altogether.
Agree
I strongly believe this corridor needs these traffic calming measures. I often see persons’ cars running onto green spaces or into barriers during my commute. I fear seeing someone hit by a car turning onto the Mt. Royal Terrace turn.