Election 2014: Scott Peters on Transportation

index As mentioned earlier, mail ballots will be delivered all around San Diego County. In a month, San Diegans will vote on a variety of issues and for a variety of candidates. Below is a profile of one of the candidates that hopes to keep his congressional seat, Scott Peters.

Scott Peters represents the shaded area shown in the map below. Since Peters was elected to office, he signed letter to Transportation Secretary supporting non-motorized safety performance measure and was a co-sponsor of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act (HR 3494).

On October 24, 2014, our board member, Nicole Burgess will be hosting a meet and greet with Congressman Scott Peters at her home starting at 5:30. Save the date as more details will be posted on our calendar.

Below are Peters responses to our questionnaire:

Please answer the following questions as completely as you can. You may also add a statement or reference to your overall policy about bicycling and multi-modal transportation in general.
1. What have you learned since being elected to office in 2012, as far as challenges in increasing funding to support, enhance and increase bicycling? See 2010 response here, question #4.

The crisis-to-crisis budgeting is the biggest hurdle.  It is difficult to get traction on new and expanded policies to promote bicycling in an environment where the inability to reach a budget agreement resulted in a government shutdown last year.  I have supported efforts to use bicycling metrics in any analysis of our national transportation networks so that any future planning recognizes the cost-effectiveness of investments in bicycle infrastructure for transportation.

2. Getting on to committees to influence policy is critical for change. Now that you’ve been on the congressional bike caucus since being elected, are you interested in serving on the Transportation Committee? If yes, please indicate your proposal on how you intend to make that happen. Please also describe challenges that you foresee, if any.

I currently serve on the House Armed Services Committee which, given my district’s seven military installations and the strategic importance of the military to our regional economy, is a vehicle for protecting and advancing San Diego’s interests. I am not seeking a position on the Transportation Committee but I would be honored to serve on it. I will continue to advocate for alternative (non-car) modes of transportation as an important means for creating more livable communities and addressing climate change.

3. Based on your experiences to date while in office, how do you envision building a coalition for smart, sustainable and fiscally sensible investments around multi-modal transportation?

Reaching members also requires building relationships across the political spectrum and this is something I’ve been doing since getting elected. In Washington, the Congressional Bike Caucus is a good foundation for building a broader base of support. To compel members to action, they need to understand the benefits to their own districts. That’s why I continue to support local efforts in San Diego, where our region’s renewed commitment to bicycling as a component of our transportation infrastructure can serve as a model for other areas.

4. What is the role of bicycling as a tool for economic development?

Bicycling provides access to local businesses and communities that people might have avoided because of parking or accessibility. Recent studies have shown that bike-friendly areas experience an increase in both consumer traffic and sales, especially those that have bike racks out front.

There are also economic health benefits. An avid cyclist is often a healthy cyclist, and is therefore less susceptible to illness and serious future health concerns. The economic byproduct is less money spent at the pharmacy or the doctor’s office, and an increase of spending at San Diego small businesses.

5. Do you envision building a coalition of business interests to support, increase and reprioritize transportation funding toward communities that are environmentally friendly and less reliable on the automobile? What would you say is the biggest barrier to making that happen today?

Yes, I envision a coalition of business interests supporting, increasing and reprioritizing transportation funding towards non-car methods and I know that I can be a leader in bringing the varied interests together to make it happen. As I mentioned in 2012, I co-founded the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute to explore ways to travel from point A-to-B with the smallest impact on our natural environment as possible. These methods, especially cycling, are increasing in popularity and feasibility, and business is taking notice. I am respected by both environmental leaders and business owners, because they know I have a record of bringing both sides together and recognizing that the two are not independent of one another. Through my role as the Chair of the SEEC Climate Change Task Force, I have stressed to Congress the importance of combatting climate change now. A major part of this solution is decreasing our dependence on cars and better planning for our cities and communities.

The biggest barriers to transportation funding are sequestration, the notion among some conservatives that austerity promotes growth, and the lack of a long-term infrastructure plan that accounts for the cost-effectiveness of bicycling infrastructure investments. Unfortunately, too many members of Congress view spending a zero sum equation when history shows that infrastructure investments spur economic growth.

6. How would you respond to critics who claim that investing in bicycling, walking and transit is eliminating choice to drive or instituting car-unfriendly policies?

Providing commuters with increased options does not eliminate an individual’s freedom to drive.  As cities become denser and more congested, we have to invest in smart growth policies that make it easier to get around, prevent sprawl and crawl, and are good for the environment.  Growing communities with various transportation options in mind and expanding options in existing denser areas promotes economic vitality and quality of life for its residents.

7. What will you do to build a broad base of support within San Diego’s biotech industry to support transportation choices that aren’t reliant on the automobile, but instead promote and encourage health, safe, and economically strong communities?

I have been working that issue since I was first elected to the City Council in 2000, and I have the support of all of the leaders in alternative transportation in our county. At the federal level, I support legislation and policies that promote increased transportation options that will benefit San Diego.  I am a cosponsor of the New Opportunities for Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure Financing Act of 2014, which establishes a pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure credit assistance pilot program.  Furthermore, in order to promote the adoption of bicycle transportation, users have to feel safe.  That’s why I am also a cosponsor of the Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Act and the Safe Streets Act of 2013.  Promoting mass transit and supporting programs that help communities implement these programs at the local level is also a priority.  For example, The North County Transit District (NCTD) relies on federal grants to further the implementation of safety improvements of its COASTER commuter rail line.  That’s why I am a cosponsor of the Commuter Rail Passenger Safety Act that makes loans and loan guarantees available for implementing positive train control systems (PTC).