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

The greatest challenges are expanding public transit such as red line expansion to the far south side as a good start. We need to be building more transit oriented development that allows more people to walk and use transit in their neighborhoods. Also safety on public transit is a major issue that needs to be addressed. We need more security personell walking the trains and busy bus stations. Also cost for certain groups. I would like to see discounted or even free fare for youth who use public transit to get to and from school, and positive youth programs.

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?

Members of my family use a combination of all of the above. I think allowing for a combination of all of the above modes of transportation provides the best harmony in neighborhoods such as mine.

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

Hearing the stories of residents in my ward about using public transit and concerns about safety helped me realize how important it is. One issue I have personally experienced and heard from residents is the cleanliness issue. That needs to be addressed to improve riders' experiences but also attract people to start using it more.

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 think it is a good idea since Chicagoans walk and use public transit year round in every weather condition imaginable. Safe sidewalks also prevents people from taking risky walking maneuvers or jaywalking into moving traffic. Obsiously it’s an issue of cost as well, but maybe we could partner with organizations or find some co-sponsors for such a program.

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?

Mixed income developments combined with better pedestrian and bike access over expressways will make these once formidable barriers between neighborhoods more permeable. We need to make sure blocks adjacent to on either side of a highway are not dead zones but rather well planned mixed use developments. Also I think more highway signs that advertise local businesses off exits in the inner city (the same way there are such signs off suburban and rural highway exits) will integrate these communities with the larger consumer ecosystem. Car ownership should be accommodated to a degree, but a healthy and eco friendly community needs strong walkability and public transit options.

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

Car-centric communities create emissions and contribute greatly to climate change. Car ownership as a consumer’s choice should be accommodated to a degree, a healthy and eco friendly community also has strong walkability and public transit options.

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 as long as there is adequate access for the express buses that currently run on North DuSable Lake Shore Drive, the plans for rebuilding are sound. The Drive is still a viral highway link that reduces congestion on other city streets.

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 needs to be more accommodating to multimodal forms of transportation such as bike lanes and express bus lanes. The status quo model favors car centric development too much.

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?

Have legal experts look for loopholes to work around the parking meter deal or change the terms with the company. Metered parking spots for profit should not come at the expense of pedestrian, cyclist or transit access.

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?

Speed humps seem to be pretty effective, but one issue is that people then tend to speed up or run stop signs to make up for that “lost time.” We should consider a universal 25 mile an hour speed limit on most city streets such as what New York City has done. Also more speeding and stop sign enforcement at problem spots near schools and parks to send a message. The solution is not red light or speed cameras mostly designed for revenue. Also - we need more enforcement of texting-while-driving violations to start sending a message as well.

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?

Any such regulations have to be justified as a clear and present safety issue for residents. I think the issue is less regulation of private vehicle size and more just limiting how much the city makes accommodations for larger vehicles. While I respect personal vehicle freedom of choice the city is not obligated to accommodate beyond reason.

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

I do support the idea of such a fund. Pedestrian rights are human rights and a big part of that is the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. We de facto support dedicated funding streams for automobiles, so to do the same for pedestrians is only logical.

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

I think in highly dense areas it is something to be looked at. Other dense walkable transit oriented cities like New York City have implemented pedestrianized streets and I think we can do the same in Chicago. It can boost tourism revenue. There is one private example in Chicago already, the University of Chicago campus has pedestrianized streets that were former automobile access and it can be used as a model for the rest of the city.

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

I think it is essential that we return CTA train and bus frequency to as close to pre-pandemic levels as possible. Many are waiting longer during rush hour for buses and trains that are just as crowded as they were beore pandemic just with less frequency. Increasing frequency will make CTA rides more comfortable for commuters and in turn might increase ridership in the future.

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?

It needs to be a joint effort with Springfield. Make a deal that will also help smaller downstate transit agencies deal with their funding issues. Make transit as much of a unifying issue to the entire state as any other infrastructure issue.

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

I think it's a good idea. PACE already has them essentially serving suburban areas and even the edges of the city. I think select CTA buses should do the same down major streets such as Western Avenue. Bus Rapid Transit can help make crosstown trips (as opposed to downtown and back) on public transit more viable for residents.

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

Yes