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

The greatest challenges transportation challenges facing Chicago has been the lack of proactivity and strategic investment in public infrastructure like CTA L train to reflect he sprawl and commute of Chicagoans in the city, protected bike lanes, filling vacancies, proper apps that can help Chicagoans track trains and buses, and lowering the cost of CTA fare.  

The investment in infrastructure can be done through capital grant process at the state and federal level along with allocation of TIFs. To fill the vacancies, once elected I will work with CTA to to coordinate jobs fairs throughout the 15th ward.  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?

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?

I have many friends that use bikes as means of transportation. Majority of them have stories of close encounters with vehicles. I believe in combination of the all forms of transportation we have to make sure our sidewalks are clean and ADA friendly, our transit system has access points that reflect its modern need, and bike lanes that truly protect people. Once we invest in transit and bikes we can reduce congestion and road rage for drivers. 

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

In my over sixteen years living in Chicago, I have only owned a car for the past four. In the summers, I still try to bike short distances but am often deterred due to lack of safe bike lanes and air quality concerns along Ashland and 46th st where visible dirt is frequently in the air. Our struggles for accessible transportation go hand in hand with our struggle for clean air and equitable infrastructure no matter your zipcode. I am committed to bringing these issues to light so that we have a holistic conversation on transportation equity and are inclusive of every voice.

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?

Plow the sidewalks!

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?

In the 15th ward we have the opportunity to turn our gerrymandered ward into a unifying force. From Canaryville to West Englewood, neighbors are demanding investment in community driven development with more walkable grocery stores. From Back of the Yards to Gage Park, neighbors are demanding more free gathering spaces for young people and adults. As Alderwoman, I want to have candid community conversations with all of our six neighborhoods where we come to realize we have a lot more in common than we think. I want to join my neighbors who are already sharing their backyards with one another and help them make that yard even bigger and more welcoming using the public resources available to them at their Aldermanic Office.

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

Chicago's transportation plays a major role in the collective greenhouse gas emissions of Chicago. If Chicago's transit system would be invested in and affordable, heck free, more people would be incentivized to use it. If sidewalks are clean, maintained, and if sidewalk construction takes into account alternative ADA friendly walk paths, people would be more incentivized to use sidewalks. Lastly, if bike lanes were constructed with the intent to protect people more people would be more willing to ride bikes. If people are incentivized because of quality and cost we can reduce Chicago's collective greenhouse gasses and improve our overall environmental health.

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 support the better street rendered proposal of the redefined lake front.

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?

I believe IDOT has and can do more marvelous investments in Illinois's transportation systems. What is missing is a thorough and holistic transportation agenda in which city council places forward and work with the state as partners to make the safe streets design standards and transit investments happen.

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 believe we have to examine the deal in order to find or strategize how the city can take back the meters. It is a revenue loss to the city and complicates the city's process from infrastructure projects.

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?

There is a little talked-about cause of speeding and its busy-ness pure and simple. We live in a capitalist society that has us racing from one task to another and has our individual attention split in various directions. I truly believe that the fight to economic justice has ripple effects across our society including that of slowing us down. Economic stability lessens the need for multiple jobs, which lessens the need to own a car, which minimizes tasks on an average day, generally keeping our lives at a more even pace. Until that fight is won, we can pursue calming infrastructure like raised crosswalks, added greenery that can remain visible in our harshest winters, and investing in shared streets that connect neighborhoods in their regions without the need for a vehicle.

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 will have to review the ordinance and look into specifics but I generally agree that there should be regulations especially on oversized vehicles that put pedestrians’ or bikers’ lives at risk.

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

I support establishing a dedicated funding stream for safe universal pedestrian and bike infrastructure as long as it does not increase the burden on working families.

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

I support it depending on where the street is and the use of the street. I am an advocate for the inclusion of Black and brown people of color from poor and working class backgrounds in any conversation about transportation infrastructure. Infrastructure does not impact us all the same and the Southwest side has not been prioritized in major infrastructure conversations of the past. I want to make sure all voices are taken seriously from the start. 

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

The administration has admitted to having a staffing problem they need to overcome swiftly and efficiently. There isn’t a lack of labor force in the city of Chicago but there is clearly an issue in the administrative processes of hiring new employees and adapting to modern society’s need for public transportation. We need to own up to exactly what those issues are or risk seeing CTA degrade and subsequently fall into a trap of privatization. We can’t let that happen. 

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?

I am going to lean on my colleagues for a collaborative investigation into what decisions led to the deficit in the first place. My understanding is that CTA is currently taking some measures to address this including decreasing fares to encourage more ridership and systems upgrades, but they now have to make a bold move to step away from diesel buses and go electric for the sake of long term savings. While this is just the start, I again want to join colleagues in City Council for a collaborative plan in investing our public transit with a more sustainable budget. 

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

I believe in this idea and would want to make sure it is developed with equity for the southwest and southside in mind. 

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

Yes.