What do you believe are the greatest transportation challenges facing the City of Chicago right now?

Congestion, CTA Accessibility, Safe streets (in alphabetical order)

Congestion - Reduce the reliance on automobiles by improving safety surrounding alternative forms of transportation, and increasing access to alternative transportation forms.

CTA Accessibility - improve CTA reliability (re-evaluate hardward and software to track buses and trains, (more focus on timeliness - even if it means decreasing frequency), safety (through personnel increases on train-cars and buses, including uniformed police officers, in high crime areas). Cleanliness (strive to clean and inspect every bus and every train car before leaving on every route, and at a minimum on a daily basis).

Safe Streets - promote protected bike lanes, impediments to protect pedestrians from vehicles, raised cross-walks, increased visibility, more traffic calming barriers.

Do you or members of your family regularly use sidewalks, bike, take transit, drive, or a combination of any/all to get around? Does this correspond with your preferred/ideal modes of getting around? If not, what barriers do you and your family face in using your preferred mode of transportation?

Combination, but much less public transit - primarily because I am no longer commuting downtown on a regular basis.

Can you share a personal experience that changed your opinion about a transportation related policy matter?

I was taking my kids to school on our family cargo bike, driving down a one-way side-street with no bike lane, and was verbally accosted by a driver who appeared upset that I we didn't move out of his way, who then attempted to cut us off with his car. My kids were direct witnesses and continued to ask me if we would ever see this person again. Although drivers have been rude in the past, this was the first time I've experienced it with my small children. I think we absolutely need to have more protected bike lanes throughout our city. If we build them, we may be able to convince more people that biking is a safe alternative to driving.

Chicago is a snowy city, and even one stretch of uncleared sidewalk can make it impassable – particularly for folks with disabilities, the elderly, and parents with young children. What is your position on implementing a universal city-wide sidewalk snow/ice removal service?

I am not in favor of this proposal. I don't think plowing sidewalks is a valued use of limited city finances.

It is now widely recognized and understood that interstate highways were used to physically divide urban communities from one another – often along racial and class lines. How do you propose we overcome these divisions to restore the urban fabric of Chicago and reconnect our segregated neighborhoods?

I think the more we move away from driving focused transportation, and more towards trains, buses and other modes, the less we might depend on inner-city expressways.

What role do you believe transportation plays in Chicago’s collective greenhouse gas emissions, climate responsibility, and overall environmental health?

I think it contributes to poor air quality and negative health of the residents of our city.

What is your position on the Illinois Department of Transportation’s current proposals for rebuilding North DuSable Lake Shore Drive? Do you believe the proposed designs will reduce congestion, improve transit access and make pedestrians and cyclists safer? How do you think the current proposals will impact access to the lakefront?

I think it contributes to poor air quality and negative health of the residents of our city.

What barriers do you believe the Illinois Department of Transportation presents to Chicago pursuing better safe streets design standards and transit investments? How do you plan to work with City Council, the Governor, and State legislators to overcome these barriers?

Since IDOT is a state funded, state run agency, the collaboration and the bureaucracy alone could create a barrier to efficient progress and implementation.

The 99-year parking meter deal enacted by former Mayor Richard M. Daley has been a barrier to enacting safe street designs by privatizing large portions of Chicago’s streets. What is your plan to address this?

I thought it was 75 years? I think we should look at all options, including potentially re-negotiating in good faith and/or pursuing legal action to challenge the contract (if legally advisable).

Studies show us that speed and distracted driving kill. What do you think are the most effective ways to reduce driver speed and increase safe driving behavior?

Improve infrastructure that limits the ability to speed, including roundabouts, curb-bump outs, pedestrian barriers, bike barriers, etc.

What is your position on the City passing ordinances that attempt to regulate the size, weight, and/or safety features of personal and private vehicles?

I would need more specifics on this, as I am unaware the city is attempting to do so.

What is your position on establishing a dedicated funding stream for safe and universal pedestrian and bike infrastructure in Chicago?

That would be great, even if we could allocate a small fraction of what is spent on re-paving and resurfacing urban roads, it might make a huge difference.

What is your position on creating select pedestrian-only streets?

It should be done in a way that is part of a overall plan for improved transportation and safety. That is, we can't just pick a few streets here and there and change them from roads to plaza, without thought as to how the area will respond and the roads and foundation adjacent to those streets. It should be done with a long-term plan in-place.

What policy solutions would you implement to ensure CTA buses operate on schedule, frequently, and quickly?

What it takes to improve performance.

Considering the role the CTA, Metra, and Pace play in providing public transportation within the city, what are your plans to address the impending fiscal cliff – a deficit of over $700 million – that the agencies will be facing in 2025?

If we can improve ridership and access, and we can demonstrate the reliability, safety and economics of utilizing public transit, then I don't think the future fiscal shortfall is necessarily a foregone conclusion.

What is your position on establishing a network of Bus Rapid Transit lines in Chicago?

On the right routes, I think it can work well.

Will you commit to securing the funding necessary to implement CTA's plan to become 100% accessible according to ADA standards? (yes/no)

Yes