Read Marianne Lalonde’s responses to the Better Streets Chicago Action Fund survey

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

The greatest transportation challenge facing Chicago right now is the decline in quality of the CTA since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Improving the quality of CTA will be dependent on staffing. The City of Chicago can partner with City Colleges of Chicago, UIC, and others to create job placement programs to better recruit a diverse group of people to work CTA jobs. Improving the number of CTA workers will in turn make service much more reliable. This will in turn increase ridership and result in a safer CTA. As staffing is brought back to pre-pandemic levels, CTA should also bring back civilian conductors which were eliminated in 1998 as a cost-cutting measure. Having an authority figure like the conductor walking back and forth between cars would be a major crime deterrent and the staffers would have the ability to contact police in case of an immediate safety threat, or connect unhoused individuals to social services. They would also be great for encouraging compliance with rules against littering and smoking on trains.

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?

My current work uses a hybrid system and when required to go into the office I take the red line to the Loop or the 136 express bus down Lake Shore Drive. Now as I am on hiatus and campaigning full time, I often walk to my campaign office from my home. I’m also an avid bike rider, weather permitting. These modes of transportation do correspond with my ideal methods of getting around as Chicago needs to do more to become a less car-centric city. Bike safety is near and dear to me as we have experienced tragic deaths in the 46th ward as a result of collisions between motor vehicles and cyclists. I am proposing measures to enhance bike safety in the 46th Ward and will advocate for more pedestrian and bike friendly streets throughout the city.

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

Initially I was hesitant about the electric scooter pilot in Chicago because I was concerned they would be abandoned on the sidewalk, forcing pedestrians to walk around them and compromising accessibility for those who are mobility impaired. However, after speaking with friends living on the South and West Sides, I have come to view electric bikes and scooters as a great equity tool. Since bus and CTA access is less frequent on the South Side, many of my friends choose to use electric divvy bikes to get to the Loop. While the need to expand CTA service to the South Side remains, electric bikes and scooters are providing a much needed bridge for transit access to underserved areas.

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?

Not only will having the city clear sidewalks of snow and ice be beneficial from an accessibility standpoint, it will also help control the material used to de-ice surfaces. Road salt is inexpensive to purchase, but also corrosive. This can damage infrastructure. The EPA estimates that the use of rock salt has cost $5 B in annual repairs to roads, bridges, and vehicles, and also leech into the ground, contaminating groundwater. Using a beet juice mixture, as Chicago does on roadways, also on sidewalks, may be able to extend the length of the pavement.

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?

Expanding CTA stations and services is a good step forward in amending the harms caused by interstate construction in poor neighborhoods. Such projects, like the Red Line Extension, will better connect South and West Side residents to jobs both within and outside the Loop, West Loop, and other business districts. As the CTA expands, there needs to be coordination between housing and economic development departments to ensure the neighborhoods that get more transit service are also revitalized. The city’s “Connected Communities Ordinance” passed in July 2022 strengthens affordability requirements and increases bicycle and pedestrian safety near transit. As alderperson, I would work to add more affordable family-sized housing within the 46th ward, especially near CTA stations. The renovation and reopening of the Lawrence red line station is an opportunity to add affordable, equitable transit oriented development to help maintain the diversity of our neighborhood.

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

Transportation plays a significant role in fighting climate change. Encouraging bicycle, pedestrian, and public transit will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the city should also plan for the transition to electric vehicles. I support infrastructure modifications including construction of additional electric vehicle charging stations throughout the city in order to accelerate the transition to an electric bus fleet.

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’ve served on the North DuSable Lake Shore Drive Study Task force since 2017 advocating for community feedback to be incorporated into the plans, but little action has been taken by the project team to make sure resident’s needs are met. The planned reconstruction of DuSable Lake Shore Drive involves many problematic changes, like tolling, the elimination of the trees in the median that currently serve to muffle engine noises for high rises along the drive, and the unnecessary addition of lanes that will add pavement where green space once was.

Some negative environmental impacts from the current plans in the 46th Ward include the expansion of pavement proximal to the Bill Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary; and some infill in the Belmont Harbor to support an expanded pavement footprint, both of which should be stopped.

While dedicated bus lanes are planned, which will encourage transit use, the plan is overall focused on making vehicles move faster down the drive versus creating safe bicycle and pedestrian access points to the park. I am supportive of adding additional, wheelchair accessible pathways to cross from the drive into the park at more frequent intervals than currently exist. With such a large undertaking, the plans absolutely must be revised in a way that prioritizes pedestrians, park users, and cyclists over vehicles.

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?

IDOT owns a lot of roadways in Chicago that are maintained by CDOT. However, these roadways are typically built to IDOT standards, not CDOT standards. IDOT’s roadway design has long centered around the dangerous objective of moving semi-trucks as quickly as possible through our cities. Recently, CDOT and IDOT came to an agreement that state roads don’t necessarily need to be designed around large vehicles like a semi-truck. Planners and engineers can now create safer streets for vehicles that typically use a city street like CTA buses and personal vehicles. This agreement is a significant step in the right direction and I will be sure that my office works hand in hand with the 46th ward’s respective state legislators to ensure that IDOT regulations are changed. Such infrastructure changes can result in more space that can be used for bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, and medians. In particular, there is a 2017 state law, all intersections in Illinois must accommodate the turn radius of a semi-truck, regardless of the “design vehicle” being used. This law must be repealed to create safer intersections.

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?

This deal has been awful for the city as it funnels what should be public revenue over to private interests. Some good workarounds regarding the contract involve creating an office of parking management that could shift locations of metered parking from main streets to nearby side streets. This would help with expanding more pedestrian- and bike-friendly projects. This approach was also used on Argyle Street in Uptown when some of the parking needed to be eliminated to create a pedestrian-friendly “shared street.” This method could enable the pedestrianization of significant streets like Clark and portions of Broadway in Lakeview East. The city could also attempt to renegotiate a reduction in the required number of metered parking spaces stated in the contract by changing the formula used to calculate the system’s value or using new methods to charge rates. This includes options like valuing the system by other metrics (like the value of curb space and not spots), employing variable-price parking (having rates change based on demand), or using other revenue entirely like fees charged to use parking spots for delivery services.

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?

Reducing speed limits and using speed cameras for enforcement are good ways to reduce driver speed. These proposals will help to make our streets safer for cyclists and in turn encourage the use of bikes. Investing in traffic calming tools such as bump-outs, chicanes, speed humps, and traffic circles will also contribute to keeping cyclists and pedestrians safe.

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 am supportive of such an ordinance. In particular, vehicles that are over 3,000 pounds such as SUVs and pick-up trucks, should be required to have direct visibility of pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users from the drivers position since many accidents happen due to blind spots. However, much of the regulation on vehicles is left up to the federal government. A tangible way for the city to regulate car use is via car-free zones which can enhance walkability and prioritize public transportation.

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

I am supportive of dedicated funding streams for safe pedestrian and bike infrastructure in Chicago. Providing revenue for such projects would help the city reduce its negative climate impact and save lives. CDOT data shows that cyclists reported more than 1,700 crashes in 2022, many caused by cars and leading to hospitalization. Ten bike riders were killed in crashes last year. It would also make economic sense as it would help with economic development and small business foot traffic. Relying on limited, local discretionary funds and inconsistent, highly competitive state and federal grants to fund protected lanes is not sustainable. Implementing a LaSalle Street Tax, the corporate head tax, and extending the Real Estate Transfer Tax from real estate transactions in the City of Chicago are all ways we can fund such projects.

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

I absolutely support such an initiative. Street space should be prioritized for people, not cars. These transformations allow for a range of activities that promote economic development, support schools, and provide new ways for Chicagoans to enjoy cultural programming and build community. More room for more people means more sales for the small businesses that line that area and in turn more tax revenue for the city. We can choose to make streets less car-centric, which will help reduce the amount of driving and the demand for road space for cars.

In the 46th ward, I would push to make Leland, which is a city-designated greenway, a permanent pedestrian- and bike-centric street, as it was in the pandemic.

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

I think two key ways we can provide better CTA bus operation are via transit signal priority, and median and curbside bus lanes. Transit signal priority allows an approaching bus to send a request to the traffic signal to modify light timing (for example, extending the green light for a few seconds). This tool can be programmed in a number of ways and is often triggered only when buses are behind schedule. This would be a significant way to keep bus traffic flowing smoothly. Median and curbside bus lanes can be short or long lengths of a street and can be reserved for buses at all times of day or just during specified times, such as rush hour. Cities like San Francisco have implemented such lanes and have seen significant travel-time savings. These measures, concurrent with improving CTA staffing levels, would all immensely help the flow of Chicago bus traffic.

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?

Some ways we can explore paying down the deficit are using TIF surplus and earmarking specific progressive revenues to pay off debts, such as the cannabis tax, the head tax, or a LaSalle Street tax. Revenue from the new Bally’s Casino can also help to pay down the deficit. Some of the strategies detailed in RTA’s Transit is the Answer plan will require coordination between the city government and Springfield like increasing the RTA sales tax and reforming Illinois’ unreasonable fare recovery ratio. Extending the Real Estate Transfer Tax from real estate transactions in the City of Chicago to the entire RTA service area would also help immensely in paying down the deficit. Above all, cutting service and raising fares are not viable strategies.

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

I fully support establishing a network of Bus Rapid Transit lines in Chicago. BRT has tremendous benefits, from cost-effectively utilizing existing road infrastructure, to triggering development around its stations, to improving quality-of-life, creating jobs, and generating needed tax revenues. A flourishing BRT network in Chicago could complement and connect to existing rapid transit, making the entire system more attractive as a travel option, while at the same time spurring new construction, redevelopment and economic development throughout the region. Cities like Pittsburgh and Eugene have implemented BRT with great results and Chicago can do the same, particularly along Western Avenue and Ashland Avenue.

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

Yes