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 a reliable, robust, and affordable multi-modal transit system that integrates rail, bus, bike, and pedestrian infrastructure to move Baltimoreans to jobs and opportunities across the region. Historically, the city and state have focused transportation priorities around vehicles and failed to create a robust and equitable system that connects the communities that have the greatest need to reliable options.

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?

   The biggest barriers to getting people to choose walking, biking, or public transit instead of vehicles are accessibility and reliability. Unfortunately, you must have a car if you want to ensure access to the jobs, and opportunities in the Baltimore region. The only way to change this dynamic is to expand our public transportation system to improve access no matter where you live in the city, and to make sure that it runs frequently and reliably enough to renew trust in its ability to meet the needs of our region.

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 recommendations of the planning commission and would advocate for funding and support legislation geared toward fulfilling the 17 miles of bike lanes per year goal.

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?

   Speeding and reckless driving is common in part because our current transportation system is designed to move vehicles as quickly as possible to and from their destinations with little regard for pedestrian and bike traffic. As we expand our public transit options and more people travel by foot i beleive we will begin to see drivers’ behavior change. Additionally, with the improvement and expansion of public transit and bike infrastructure, the city will need to install traffic calming mechanisms like protected bike lanes, limited lanes of traffic, and the paving or repaving of sidewalks to make pedestrian traffic safer.

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?

   The most effective way to reduce vehicle emissions is to properly design our neighborhoods for pedestrian traffic, and prioritize public transit and pedestrian traffic. If we expand public transit and make sure that it is reliable, safe, and can fulfill the everyday needs of residents and visitors we can reduce our city’s reliance on vehicles for transportation.

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

   Yes, to nearby meetings and appointments, and for exercise.

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

   No

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

   Yes. I rode my bicycle for for daily commute to work, but reverted to driving once I had children. My last trip by bike was two months ago for Bike Party.

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. Ride Hailing Services (Taxi, Uber, Lyft)
   3. Walking & devices that aid people with a disability
   4. Bicycles and Scooters
   5. Freight and Delivery
   6. Personal Automobiles
   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
    Instead, we should explore transit options that can handle the expected increase in demand for transit and pedestrian traffic.

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.

    Neither agree nor disagree
    I support this idea, but would need more context on what this would mean to small businesses before making it a requirement

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.

    Disagree

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