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

Crime on public transportation and rising commute time are the greatest transportation challenges we are currently facing. Due to a perception that CTA is no longer a safe mode of travel, residents are hesitant to use public service. With more people avoiding CTA, personal vehicle travel has increased. We need to address safety for CTA employees and riders to address congestion. I propose the following:

1. Promote security for system operators and passengers by increasing dedicated CPD officers patrolling strategic El stations and bus routes.

2. Ensure that the RTA implements a provision in the Federal infrastructure bill that requires collecting accurate dates about transit workforce assaults, to help the Federal Transit Administration report its Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan process to include workers’ voices and incorporate measures to reduce the risk of assault in every transit system, and to update its national safety plan to address the risk of assault and public health concerns.

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, and my family, use multiple modes of travel to get around Chicago.

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

As highlighted in question #1, violence on CTA is a ;problem. I, myself, was attached on the Armitage/ Sheffield platform. If we want to move away from private vehicle transportation, we need to ensure that other modes are safe.

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?

Chicago doesn’t have the financial capacity to provide snow/ice removal services for all of the sidewalks in the city. Current ordinances regarding snow/ice removal should be enforced, especially on City owned and CPS properties. I would be open to assistance for residents over 60 years and those who provide medical proof of inability to clear their 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?

The recent infrastructure act allocated $1B for removal of old highway systems. While not a significant amount of funding, Chicago should explore applying for funds. Because Chicago is a logistics center, much of the highway system is used fo interstate commerce and needs to remain. Elevated roads, like the Skyway, have greater potential for removal.

According to Joan Fitzgerald, Northeastern University, combining highway removal with significant investments to improve bus networks that serve these neighborhoods would improve access to jobs,housing and healthy food and could open land for green spaces,

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

Chicago is a transportation hub for the country. We have significant rail and diesel truck traffic. Transportation accounts for 27% of all GHG emissions.

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?

The reality is that North DuSable Lake Shore Drive is the City’s eastside highway to access downtown. That said, changing the nature of the roadway to improve access to the lakefront and creating grade separations will make pedestrians and cyclists safer. Eliminating the light at Chicago Avenue will reduce congestion as would the proposal to include a fifth lane for buses only.

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?

The barrier to transit investments if the far-box recovery ration. The CTA one of the highest ratio in the nation. I discuss this issue later in the questionnaire.

I believe the lack of protected bike lanes (PBL’s) on State roads in Chicago is less as barrier posed by the ICOT and rather an issue of poor planning and lack of community outreach. If Chicago wants to increase the number of PLB’s, we need to do a better job of addressing community concerns about removal of parking and traffic congestion and have better designs for PBLs.

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?

The parking meter deal requires 30,000 metered parking spaces. Reneging on the deal would result in a lawsuit and the Council’s options are limited. Some PBLs have moved off the curb to allow for metered, curb parking to the right of the BPL and could be expanded throughout some commercial areas. The Council could also move metered parking to side streets along commercial to remove meters on roads designated for bike lanes.

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?

The parking meter deal requires 30,000 metered parking spaces. Reneging on the deal would result in a lawsuit and the Council’s options are limited. Some PBLs have moved off the curb to allow for metered, curb parking to the right of the BPL and could be expanded throughout some commercial areas. The Council could also move metered parking to side streets along commercial to remove meters on roads designated for bike lanes.

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 do not believe this is the prerogative of theCity and should be addressed at the State or Federal level.

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

Pedestrian and bike infrastructure needs to be designed in harmony with Chicago’s overall transportation infrastructure. I don’t believe a separate fund for bike and pedestrian infrastructure will solve Chicago’s overall transportation infrastructure challenges. Separating funding could lead to adverse impacts, such as separating planning functions and further creating a piecemeal transportation network.

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

There are successful examples of pedestrian only streets, both in the US and around the world. However, as is the case for most proposals to revise Chicago’s transportation infrastructure, designs are overlaid on existing roadways without consulting the overall needs of the communities impacted.

Pedestrian-only streets need to work for the overall community, and not negatively impact commercial enterprises. Pedestrian-only areas work when are discrete districts, such as the Distillery District in Toronto, or an outdoor mall situation. Also, to allow seniors and young children to enjoy pedestrian-only spaces, they should remain pedestrian-only.

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

When a CTA buys is off-schedule it is due to either lack of drivers of congestion. To increase the number of CTA drivers, employees need to feel safe performing their routes. Transit police need to return to the system. Congestion is a complex issue with Chicago’s streets crowded with cyclists, for-hire vehicles, truck traffic and private vehicles. We need to increase ridership on CTA to reduce overall congestion.

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?

CTA has one of the highest farebox recovery burdens in the country due to state legislation, at 50%. During the height of the COVID pandemic, ridership was down over 65%, on average which created far ranging issues including budget shortfalls and a real sense of insecurity on the system. I would propose in the Council that the RTA and City of Chicago lobby the State of Illinois to lower the farebox recovery ratio and identify an alternate revenue stream to better align the CTA’s ratio with other transit agencies. If Governor Pritzker is committed to addressing climate change, a robust transit system in Chicago will be part of any plan.

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

If designed properly, with community input, I believe BRT could be effective in Chicago. If, as is often the case, it is overlaid on existing infrastructure, with limited upgrades, BRT will only increase congestion.

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

Yes