Narrative Questions
Describe your vision of a healthy, safe, equitable transportation system for the Baltimore Region and the roles walking, biking, and public transportation play in that vision.
As delegate, I will work to ensure that we truly have a regional transportation system that safely incorporates multiple modalities. As it stands, the Baltimore region has a highly inefficient and inequitable transportation system ran by multiple governments that often are not on the same page. Unfortunately, under resourced communities and communities of color have inadequate transportation options available to them. I envision a system that connects communities to opportunity, including investing in an east-west rapid transit connection, similar to the Red Line; and investing in bike infrastructure and roadway projects that make our streets safer for non-drivers. I believe that we should have a transportation system that does not prioritize cars over people. Instead our transportation system should ensure that all of our citizens are able to partake in their preferred method of getting around safely and efficiently.
The fastest and most economical way to address climate change, improve public health, and create equal access to opportunity is to reduce dependence on private automobiles. What are the biggest barriers to getting people to choose walking, biking, and public transit instead of personal vehicles for daily trips, and what would you do to address these impediments?
The biggest barrier that prevents people in the Baltimore region from moving away from their reliance on automobiles is the region’s public transportation system. As it stands, the system does not have enough connectivity between buses, light rail, heavy rail, and commuter rail. In addition, buses are often late and/or do not reach all communities. In addition, our state has not properly invested in transit-oriented development, making it even more difficult to eat, work, play, and/or shop using public transportation. As a lifelong Baltimorean, I understand how little faith many people have in using the transit system to get them to work in a timely manner. However, as a delegate I would prioritize mass transit and other infrastructure projects that make it easier to move around the region without a car.
Maryland and its jurisdictions continue to spend money on road and highway widening despite overwhelming evidence that it actually increases traffic and congestion through induced demand. Justification for widening is often that it will improve road safety, which is also discredited. What is your position on Maryland and its jurisdictions spending money this way, and would you support a moratorium on road and highway widening?
I believe that transportation spending in the Baltimore region should prioritize mass transit projects, traffic calming and rebuilding/replacing aging bridges.
Describe your understanding for the need of a Baltimore Regional Transportation Authority. Do you support creation of a regional authority, and if so, how would you legislate or guide the state’s role in creating and sustaining it?
Yes, I support a regional transportation authority. Baltimore is one of the few major metropolitan areas without a regional transit authority. The goal of the transportation authority should be to improve bus and rail service within Baltimore city and its surrounding counties, with a particular focus on improving transit in some of our most underserved areas. As it stands, there is little cooperation between various governments in the region, which is a barrier to creating an efficient and equitable system. The state should oversee the transition of the MTA’s operations in the region to this new authority and should ensure that the authority is adequately funded.
Since the 1990’s federal surface transportation authorization laws have set the rules and formulas for federal transportation funding flowing to states. Two of the largest categories, the Surface Transportation Block Grant program and the National Highway Performance Program, can be used for many forms of surface transportation including highways, transit, bike, pedestrian, and ADA infrastructure. However, state departments of transportation, MDOT included, have used them almost exclusively for highway projects and much of its new capacity. That has resulted in growth in traffic volumes, travel times, and carbon pollution. In your view, why have those trends continued?
These trends have continued due to inadequate spending on public transit. Instead, much of our transportation spending has been focused on suburban transportation projects. To the extent possible, I support increasing state investments in bike infrastructure, traffic calming, and mass transit projects. As the state begins to take on more of these types of projects, the state should have the flexibility to utilize surface transportation funds to help cover the costs.
How do you typically commute to work or run errands? Describe the last trips you made by walking, biking, and public transit.
As a downtown resident, I walk around my neighborhood every day, whether to get a quick bite to eat with friends, or to pick up my dry cleaning. It is one of my favorite things about living downtown. I work from home on most days, however, when I commute to our office in DC, I will drive but enjoy taking the MARC train when I can (which I did while working for U.S. Senators in Washington, DC)
Agree/Disagree Questions
Maryland and its jurisdictions should be required to “fix-it-first,” funding deferred maintenance of bridges and roads and safety retrofits like road diets, sidewalks, ADA compliance, and other infrastructure prioritizing vulnerable road users before spending on new roads and infrastructure.
As a Delegate, I will objectively review legislation and consider the viewpoints of all stakeholders
Maryland should adopt a funding rubric for all transportation investment that follows a modal hierarchy prioritizing pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders over personal automobile use, and mandates that these investments prioritize racial and economic equity.
As a Delegate, I will objectively review legislation and consider the viewpoints of all stakeholders
Highway User Revenues continue to decrease as cars become more efficient, and semi-autonomous driving technology is allowing more comfortable long distance commutes. To address this, Maryland should introduce an income-based Vehicle Miles Traveled tax.
As a Delegate, I will objectively review legislation and consider the viewpoints of all stakeholders
Maryland should require and fund all-ages-and abilities bicycle infrastructure in retrofits of existing roads and construction of new roads, including fully separated infrastructure or side paths/trails on collector roads, arterial roads, state highways, and interstates.
As a Delegate, I will objectively review legislation and consider the viewpoints of all stakeholders
There has been a dramatic increase in car crashes that injure and kill people walking and biking, who are then frequently sued by a driver’s insurance. Maryland should move from contributory negligence to a strict liability model for crashes involving vulnerable road users.
As a Delegate, I will objectively review legislation and consider the viewpoints of all stakeholders
Paired with a requirement for income-based fines, Maryland should authorize jurisdictions to utilize additional types of automated enforcement like bus lane cameras and stop sign cameras, remove geographic restrictions, and allow a reduced threshold for triggering speed cameras.
As a Delegate, I will objectively review legislation and consider the viewpoints of all stakeholders
Maryland should allow local jurisdictions to lower their own speed limits based on roadway typology instead of based on expensive engineering studies for each road segment, and should set a statewide upper urban speed limit of 25 miles per hour.
As a Delegate, I will objectively review legislation and consider the viewpoints of all stakeholders
Maryland should require employers provide “Parking Cash Out,” valuing the cost of parking subsidized or paid for by employers and allowing employees the option of taking that benefit as a cash payout in the amount of the parking subsidy instead.
As a Delegate, I will objectively review legislation and consider the viewpoints of all stakeholders
Maryland should require jurisdictions to eliminate parking minimums and institute parking maximums in new development, as well as require the cost of parking be unbundled from rent, giving individuals the choice to rent without paying for parking.
As a Delegate, I will objectively review legislation and consider the viewpoints of all stakeholders
It’s widely accepted that single family zoning advances racial and economic segregation. Maryland should ban single family zoning at the state level, allowing both single family and multifamily residences to be built in all zoning areas.
As a Delegate, I will objectively review legislation and consider the viewpoints of all stakeholders