2020 District 5 City Council Questionnaire: Isaac Wang
What are your top 3 priorities for improving the biking experience in District 5 for residents and families?
1. Mobility hubs connected by bus-only lanes (Biking serves as the last mile solution in a sprawled district)
I do believe biking should be the dominant mode of transportation to solve the last mile problem for transit stations (mobility hubs). Given the location of District 5 and it’s distance from our major job centers (La Jolla, Kearny Mesa, and Downtown), I don’t believe biking can be the near term solution for travel to jobs.
I’ll discuss bike superhighways in point #2. But I do think we can reduce most of the 5-10 minute trips (local services, parks, libraries) by switching to bike.
We should be creating Class IV separated bikeways in the minor arterials and collector roads (Class III and Class IV road classifications).
Doing this would make traveling to transit stations much more feasible by bike. We also need to ensure bike storage at all transit stations.
With that being said, City Council makes decisions for entire city, not just their own district.
In denser districts like 3 + 9 + 7, we should take away lanes from cars and create much more extensive networks of Class IV bikeways in the arterials and collectors and even the neighborhood roads.
I will unequivocally vote yes on any protected bike lane or separated bikeway, even if it makes the city council member in that respective district unhappy. Don’t expect an urbanist in a blue city council district. Not everyone gets it.
2. Bike Superhighways (aka Bike Freeways)
I believe we need bike superhighways as a major transit priority and in the pipeline of projects.
We’re aware of how long these projects can take, and how terrible CalTrans is.
These projects needed to have been in the pipeline 20 years ago, but here we are.
I’m going to aggressively push for Bike Superhighways like no previous Councilmember ever has.
This doesn’t need any road widening! We need to take lanes away from cars, reallocate them to bicycles, and create physical separators.
These super highways need to connect both mobility hubs + dense residential areas to dense job centers.
In my ideal configuration, bike superhighways (if using highway lanes reallocated from cars) ought to be buffered by a physical barrier and a bus-only lane. Get me as far away from a car as possible.
||||| Travel Lanes ||||| Bus-only Lane ||||| Bike Superhighway |||||
Exit lanes might be a little tricky, but we’d need some bike traffic lights and use of shoulders.
There’s additional places where I’d like to see a ban on cars and a comprehensive bikeway network: Gaslamp, Little Italy, Park Blvd, Liberty Station, Point Loma
3. Creating disincentives for driving
Contrary to many elected officials and candidates who are cautious with their language to not upset drivers, I do believe we need a war on cars.
I’m very vocal about the war on cars. If we don’t reduce GHG emissions, our planet is going to suffer catastrophic consequences. This is scientific consensus.
We need to ensure there is no more free parking. We need congestion pricing. We need to reduce lanes. We need to aggressively shrink the footprint of cement in our cities.
We need an aggressive policy to convert parking lots and roads into something else. I believe the term is “Street Vacations”.
Question 2: San Diego’s Bicycle Master Plan needs updating and projects need prioritizing in order to create a complete bicycle network. A large number of street resurfacing projects need to be restriped with bicycle infrastructure. How would you propose to fund the full build-out of the bicycle network needed to achieve the Vision Zero goals and meet the Climate Action Plan mode share targets?
Answer: Any way possible
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
If we can find hundreds of millions for a stadium or convention center, we can find a way for anything.
It’s rarely a matter of not enough money, it’s a matter of priorities.
If I can re-divert funds from car infrastructure, I will.
If I have to use money from capital improvement funds.
If I have use money from the gas tax, I will.
If I have to raise taxes through a ballot measure, I will.
If I have to sell lottery tickets to create funds for bicycle infrastructure, I will.
Question 3: Transportation is the largest source of San Diego’s greenhouse gas emissions (55%). The City’s Climate Action Plan bicycle mode share goals are 6% of commuter trips by 2020 and 18% by 2035, from about 1% today. What steps will you take to make sure these goals are met or exceeded?
I think those goals are terrible and underwhelming.
The city with the best weather ought to have 25% cycling within 10 years, and 50% within 20 years.
This is doable, but you have to DESIGN for it and fight for it. I outlined in my top 3 priorities how to do it.
I think every city council staff needs an urban planner / designer on the team.
If you really wanted to increase mode-share, you have to create disincentives for driving as I mentioned in #3 above.
Every able-bodied City or County employee should be required to commute by transit or bike or walking. Or get rid of parking garages for city and county.
That will dramatically increase the sense of urgency to improve infrastructure for cycling and bus.
I will aggressively push for disincentives for driving. And I KNOW you know I will.
4) Safe bike lanes often face opposition due to slower road speeds or reduced street parking. How would you work with the community to address concerns without compromising safety or delaying bike infrastructure in the name of consensus?
We can significantly increase parking in a neighborhood by using angled parking instead of parallel. It gets a road diet in there and automatically serves as a traffic calming measure.
Slower road speeds is the point. I want it slower, because cars kill 30,000 people a year.
If they complain about a loss of parking, pair it with enough angled parking in nearby streets to compensate. If you have to walk a little, deal with it.
We may have to add some drop off zones for disabled folks; that’s always a legitimate concern.
But if you’re able bodied and can walk, you get zero sympathy from me.
Question 5: Please share a memorable experience(s) you have of bicycling.
Vienna, Austria
I rode down a mountain and cycled along a river surrounded by restaurants and public orchestras and people enjoying public spaces.
Do I want America to look like Europe? Hell yes.
There is nothing edifying about designing our cities for cars and having our cities look like cement jungles with gigantic billboards and strip malls.
Cities are best enjoyed and explored by bike. You can see much more than walking, but not have to be in a stupid car.
Urban design is key to all of this. Support a city council member who gets it.
BikeSD 2018 Election Endorsements
BikeSD sent questionnaires regarding positions and priorities on bicycle infrastructure and other bicycle issues to all candidates running for City Council. Neither candidates for District 2 and District 6, and Antonio Martinez from District 8 did not return our questionnaire. The following candidates are endorsed by BikeSD.
Nathan Fletcher for County Supervisor Read our full endorsement post here.
Monica Montgomery for City Council District 4 will advocate for funding of bicycle infrastructure and traffic calming projects to improve safety for all users of the street. She will fight for a comprehensive local and regional bikeway network. Her community connections in D4 are strong and her understanding of the importance of bicycle infrastructure will help increase bicycle mode share. “Monica Montgomery grew up in City Council District Four. A true policy wonk, she is the perfect combination of knowledge and passion. A native San Diegan, Monica’s legal career has been dedicated to the improvement and uplifting of the city of San Diego as a whole and the city’s Fourth City Council District.”
READ MONTGOMERY'S QUESTIONNAIRE
Vivian Moreno for City Council District 8 The South Bay community representative answered our questionnaire and indicated that the "Council must actively prioritize CAP related infrastructure projects within the budget. Building high priority bike infrastructure projects is the only way the City will meet the 2020 goal of 6%." District 8 which includes Barrio Logan, Greater Logan Heights, San Ysidro and Otay Mesa neighborhoods has great potential to be bicycle friendly. Moreno will continue the work of her former employer, Councilman David Alvarez, who was frequently seen on a bicycle around the district.
Vivian Moreno believes that "electricity-powered bicycles are the future, especially in mountainous regions such as ours. E-bikes can provide the necessary assistance to go uphill, even for those who suffer from poor conditioning. That is why I want to explore the possibility of adding more e-bikes within the City, and building the necessary infrastructure such as docking stations to ensure the bikes can service the community."
Why vote?
Every politician will claim to love and like and support all sorts of things. But there is nothing they love more than staying in office and being in power. And their power is only checked by you – when you vote and when you vote with purpose to keep them accountable and vote on policies that make a positive difference to your community. This gives them less room to wiggle away from commitments promised to the communities they serve. So for every time you have posted a rant or read a frustration on social media or wanted and demanded change – this is where it makes a difference: VOTE. If you can’t vote or have already voted, tell your friends and family to vote too. Bicycling makes our neighborhoods better for everyone. Including the haters. So VOTE. As an advocacy organization, our strength only comes from you. So again: VOTE.
Don’t know where to vote? Find your polling place here. Ask for a provisional ballot if you are turned away at the ballot. BikeSD Inc, is a registered 501(c)(4)
2018 District 8 City Council Questionnaire: Vivian Moreno
Q: Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions (55%) in San Diego. The City’s Climate Action Plan bicycle mode share goals are 6% of commuter trips by 2020 and 18% by 2035, from 1% today. How will you ensure these mode share goals are achieved?
A: The answer is simple. The Council must actively prioritize CAP related infrastructure projects within the budget. Building high priority bike infrastructure projects is the only way the City will meet the 2020 goal of 6%. The funding exists- it just needs to be allocated to projects that will help achieve CAP goals. Additionally, the City needs to plan for where the mode share increases will come from. Right now, as the City approves Community Plan Updates, the updates brought forward thus far have not included measures that meet that 6% goal. The discouraging thing is that some of these plans- North Park, Uptown- were areas where the goal is achievable because they are close to centers of employment and are walkable neighborhoods. If the City does not intend on meeting CAP goals within each community plan update, then they need to release a citywide strategy that shows where the increases in biking, walking and public transit will be. I intend to push for that as a City Councilmember.
Q: The City of San Diego’s Bicycle Master Plan has been repeatedly delayed. How would you secure funding and ensure build-out?
A: The funding of the items above is really a matter of Council priority. During the annual budget process, the City Council actively chooses to fund or not fund many projects and programs. Ultimately, the City Council has the final say in adopting the annual budget. Standing firm with my colleagues on the Council that increased park space or bike infrastructure projects are built is the only way to accomplish this. This means that we cannot allow items to remain in the budget that are needless or simply vanity projects of the current administration. For instance, in the FY18 budget- which saw cuts to some areas- included $5M for a special election that will not take place. This funding could have built parks, repaired walkways, or helped clean up contaminated areas that flow into our storm drains. Working collaboratively with my colleagues and the Mayor, I aim to build coalitions that can withstand the effects of petty politics and put funding critical infrastructure needs above funding special interest desires.
Q: Safe bike lanes are often opposed by residents due to slower road speeds or reduced street parking. How would you work with the community to address concerns - without compromising safety or delaying bike infrastructure in the name of consensus?
A: There must be increased density in areas that have public transportation or are close to areas of employment. If people are able to live where using public transportation is convenient they will use it. If people feel safe using their bike to travel in their community- they will travel that way instead of getting in a car to go a few miles. We can’t expect that most people will go out of their way to do these things, but if we, as decision makers in the City, provide the construction of needed infrastructure and utilize land use planning with foresight, people will begin to get out of their cars and use alternative modes of transportation.
Q: What are your top 3 priorities for improving the biking experience in your Council District for residents and families?
A: Ensure existing bike lanes are maintained
I have been monitoring the SANDAG Regional Bike Map over the past few years, and I am encouraged by the amount of bike lanes being added to our infrastructure. Now we have to ensure these roads are maintained, and well advertised so both residents and visitors can take full advantage.
Exploring E-bikes, and adding infrastructure to support more electrical bikes
I believe electricity-powered bicycles are the future, especially in mountainous regions such as ours. E-bikes can provide the necessary assistance to go uphill, even for those who suffer from poor conditioning. That is why I want to explore the possibility of adding more e-bikes within the City, and building the necessary infrastructure such as docking stations to ensure the bikes can service the community.
Provide more bike lanes whenever City roads are constructed or expanded
Traffic continues to grow as our City population increases. As we build new roads, and increase capacity of our existing ones, we need to future-proof our streets by adding bike lanes that can help mitigate some of those traffic increases. One of those streets is Dairy Mart road, which I want to expand from two lanes to four.
Q: Please share a memorable experience(s) you have of bicycling.
My favorite experience within the City is the ride from Coronado, down the Silver Strand and arriving for well-earned fresh glass of horchata once we reach the taco shops on Saturn Boulevard.
2018 District 4 City Council Questionnaire: Monica Montgomery
Q: Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions (55%) in San Diego. The City’s Climate Action Plan bicycle mode share goals are 6% of commuter trips by 2020 and 18% by 2035, from 1% today. How will you ensure these mode share goals are achieved?
A:
- First, support projected bike projects (many projects never get approved in the approval process, or get derailed by politicians and special interests).
- Second, advocate for more bike paths in district 4, and get community input on where bike lanes are most needed.
- Invest in bike infrastructure near transit to fill the first and last mile gap.
- Make sure that district 4 gets the funding for infrastructure it needs. Biking infrastructure is often associated with higher income communities where biking is seen as leisure. In communities like south east, many of the residents rely on active transport for everyday commuting. It is important that they also have access to safe transportation.
Q: The City of San Diego’s Bicycle Master Plan has been repeatedly delayed. How would you secure funding and ensure build-out?
A: The Master Plan needs to be a higher priority. It may be possible to take parts of the plan and pair projects with other projects that already have funding. Either way, we can look to other funding sources, such as SANDAG, to advocate for additional funding.
Q: Safe bike lanes are often opposed by residents due to slower road speeds or reduced street parking. How would you work with the community to address concerns - without compromising safety or delaying bike infrastructure in the name of consensus?
A: Since I was born and raised in the community, I have the relationships to come to consensus. Bike paths and traffic calming are in the best interest of all residents. They make our streets safer to navigate for everyone 8 to 80, not just those that are fortunate enough to drive cars. We will continue to educate community members about the importance of bike safety. Biking infrastructure is also good for all residents, not just the ones that bike. Streets that are safe for bikes, are also safer for pedestrians and cars.
Q: What are your top 3 priorities for improving the biking experience in your Council District for residents and families?
A:
- Advocate for funding to complete bike projects in the areas that are the most dangerous for pedestrians and bikers.
- Support trail connectivity through the Chollas Creek to Bayshore Bikeway Path Project, which affects the residents of District 4.
- Build on a comprehensive local and regional bikeway network.
Q: Please share a memorable experience(s) you have of bicycling.
A: I love biking at the beach. My dear friend and former roommate was moving out of the state of California and talked me into renting a bike and riding at mission beach. We had a lot of fun, and I found it very relaxing.
2018 District 4 City Council Questionnaire: Myrtle Cole
Q: Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions (55%) in San Diego. The City’s Climate Action Plan bicycle mode share goals are 6% of commuter trips by 2020 and 18% by 2035, from 1% today. How will you ensure these mode share goals are achieved?
A: As the Council President and member of the SANDAG Board I have worked with my colleagues to ensure that the Imperial Avenue Bikeway Project continues to move forward with community input. This project is part of the $200 million Regional Bike Plan Early Action Program. It will help create safer streets for people who walk, bike, drive, and take transit in the Southeastern San Diego Community. The 3-mile bikeway will provide improvements along Imperial Avenue between 17th Street and 47th Street. Potential project features include high visibility crosswalks, curb extensions, raised crosswalks, separated and buffered bike lanes and shared lane markings. These walking and biking enhancements will improve safety for all roadway users.
Q: The City of San Diego’s Bicycle Master Plan has been repeatedly delayed. How would you secure funding and ensure build-out?
A: In July the Council unanimously approved a Strategic Implementation Plan for the Bicycle Master Plan. In addition to seeking grants and other funding that doesn’t come from the General Fund, I support the Council making funding for the Bicycle Master Plan a high priority and will include it in my list of high priority items for the budget.
Q: Safe bike lanes are often opposed by residents due to slower road speeds or reduced street parking. How would you work with the community to address concerns - without compromising safety or delaying bike infrastructure in the name of consensus?
A: Working with the community, the Southeastern San Diego Community Plan and the Encanto Neighborhood Community has found consensus on a shared vision for more pedestrian and bike friendly neighborhoods that will make walking and biking more convenient. This is reflected in the Imperial Avenue Bikeway Project.
Q: What are your top 3 priorities for improving the biking experience in your Council District for residents and families?
A: Slowing traffic down in neighborhood streets, installing sidewalks and traffic calming devices, improving the safety of our intersections, and ensuring the Imperial Bikeway Project is constructed.
Q: Please share a memorable experience(s) you have of bicycling.
A: One of my fondest memories related to biking is being allowed to help paint the first green bike lanes in my district in 2013 along University Avenue.