Washcycle Election Coverage

I contacted all the major candidates in several competitive races in D.C. and Maryland to ask them one question about their cycling policy.

What would you do as (office) to increase cycling as a form of transportation in (your jurisdiction)?

Not that I think this issue is the most important (or even top 5) one facing these candidates, but this is a cycling blog. I'm placing their responses here, without comment. I'm not going to endorse any candidate because I'm simply not qualified, but hopefully this added information will help those still undecided. And just because I'm not commenting, that doesn't mean you shouldn't - but I'd like to keep the discussion on the subject at hand (and will ride a little harder on the comment deletion tool than I normally do).

I waited too long to do this for the Virginia primaries, but plan to include all candidates for the November election. I also failed to contact the city-council at large candidates, which now I wish I had.

Candidates who failed to respond include both Democratic candidates in the Prince George's County Executive race and the Maryland Senate race. Though if a candidate didn't respond that could have been my fault (I'm new to this)

Responses are listed in random order. Michael Brown responded, but has since pulled out of the DC Mayor's race, so his response is not included.

Montgomery County Executive

Steve Silverman:

           I have always been a strong supporter of bikeways and mass transit that help get people out of their cars.   Bikeways provide a healthy and environmental alternative to driving as well as a wonderful outlet for recreation with friends and family.  I am proud to have worked with leaders of the biking community in Montgomery County and organizations like the Washington Area Bicyclist Association to substantially increase funding for new bike trails and bikeways and to better maintain the ones we have!   

           I was pleased to play a leading role in getting several bikeway projects approved in our most recent County budget.   Over the next few years, cyclists will have more places to ride in Montgomery County, including an improved MacArthur Blvd. bike path and Capital Crescent Trail, Metropolitan Branch Trail, Matthew Henson Trail, Shady Grove Access Trail, Silver Spring Green Trail, Rock Creek Trail Bridge over Veirs Mill Road, as well as a bike path adjacent to the new Montrose Parkway.   As County Executive, I will make sure these projects get built on time and on budget.

           We also need to make sure that our downtowns and smart growth communities are pedestrian and transit friendly places, not highway speedways.   Good land use planning and street and sidewalk design will make that vision a reality.

           Finally, I will fight for key transit priorities like the Inner Purple Line that will have with a high quality hiker biker trail running alongside it between Bethesda and Silver Spring, linking to the Metropolitan Branch Trail.   Traffic congestion is our County's number one quality of life issue.  The key to tackling that congestion is getting more people out of their cars.   Biking to work or for recreation is a triple play: good for traffic relief,  good for the environment, and good for our health!

Ike Leggett: - no response

Washington D.C Mayor

Linda Cropp:

Linda Cropp wants the District to do a better job of accommodating both the commuting and recreational needs of bicyclists, and the safety of bicyclists is a priority for Linda Cropp as Mayor.

Linda Cropp will work to increase the number and quality of designated bike lanes and bike trails not only along major thoroughfares, but also in the neighborhoods, and make certain there are functional and distinctive signs along the way.  Her appointments to Metro will push for greater accommodation of cyclists on our public transportation system, and she will encourage private sector employers to provide more places to park and secure bikes. Also, Linda Cropp will encourage cycling among District government employees and increase the number of bicycle racks around government buildings, as she did the with Wilson building.

Chairman Cropp believes promoting safe bicycling is a cost-effective way to reduce traffic congestion, improve personal and environmental health, and make a positive contribution to the livability of the District of Columbia. Yet while the city's dense development, interconnected street grid, and gentle topography make the DC extremely conducive to bicycling, many obstacles remain to be overcome before it can truly be considered part of the city's transportation fabric.  Linda Cropp will work to overcome these obstacles to make cycling a more viable option of transportation in the District.

Marie Johns:

Undertake Street Redesigns Automobile-dominated roads should be redeveloped into boulevards, avenues and streets that accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders.  This would improve safety, usability, and attractiveness.

A Bicycle-friendly City

--Benefits for District employees who take metro should be available to cyclists as well.   
--Complete the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) to connect Union Station with Silver Spring by following the Red Line. 
--The Rock Creek Trail has not been repaved since it was completed and needs to be updated. 

Additionally, with expansion of bike lanes and paths, cyclists will be held accountable to traffic laws like all other commuters.

Rock Creek Traffic I would like to see a pilot program to limit automobile traffic on Upper Beach Drive on weekdays.  We will use that program to determine once-and-for-all the impact and feasibility of limiting traffic on a permanent basis.

Adrian Fenty:

My campaign has brought me to every major intersection in the City.  I see bicyclists "sharing" the road with aggressive drivers, many of whom are from Virginia and Maryland.  Frankly, I've seen some pretty scary moments where drivers were careless, on cell phones or apparently unaware of the rights of bicyclists.

My administration will work with bicyclists to increase safety and the ease of bicycling.  I believe there has to be consistable education of DC drivers, but particularly of Maryland and Virginia drivers who must understand that bicyclists have road rights in the District.  My administration will enforce our laws and increase the security of bicyclists.

And his policy director added, "It also should be noted that Adrian is an avid cyclist himself."

Vincent Orange: no response

Washington DC City Council Chairman

Vincent Gray:
Since its inception, I have been a strong supporter of the Great Streets Initiative, an initiative not only to improve the roads of major thoroughfares for mass transit transportation, but also to improve the sidewalks and develop bike trails, thereby offering safe alternative modes of travel.  In particular, I have ensured the development of and closely followed the completion timeline of the Great Streets Initiatives for the Nannie Helen Burroughs and Division Avenues Corridor, Minnesota Avenue, Benning Road, and Pennsylvania Avenue, all of which are to include expanded and improved sidewalks, and bike trails.  The first appointment I made as a Councilmember was someone to serve on the District’s bicycling advisory committee as a way to promote this form of transportation.  And, I have strongly supported deployment of police officers on bicycles as a clean, safe, effective and energy-efficient neighborhood friendly method of transportation.

To encourage safe bicycling and walking, as Chair, I will continue to ensure the development of and closely follow the completion timelines for all seven Great Streets Initiatives.  In addition, I will work with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to ensure education, publication, and enforcement of public safety guidelines for bicyclers. However, I also will support and promote more dedicated bicycle laws, especially in areas characterized by heavy vehicular traffic.  And, I will intensify bicycle safety education.  There are numerous bikers (especially messengers) who ride recklessly, endangering themselves and others, and raising questions unnecessarily about the safety of bicycling as a growing method of transportation in the city.

Kathy Patterson: No response

Comments

[Jack Cochrane]

I just posted my voting recommendations for Montgomery County cyclists on www.mobike.org.
- Jack / MoBike

[Chris]

The comments from the DC mayoral candidates are fascinating to me, less for what they actually say and more for style. Fenty's is big-picture, non-specific, and ultimately doesn't say anything; Cropp's is sort of policy-wonkish and shows that she (or an aide) knows what's going on; and Marie Johns is the most specific and ultimately probably makes the most sense even though she's got no chance of winning. In so many ways, this reflects the election as a whole!
This isn't a reason to vote for the man, but I'd add that there was a lot of chatter on the D-20 listserv earlier in the summer hinting that Fenty would try and bring a major race -- like the CSC Invitational in Arlington -- to DC. Don't know if that was based on anything he said or merely because of his (and his family's) participation in cycling and running.

[Contrarian]

I find Marie John's comment incredibly condescending: "Additionally, with expansion of bike lanes and paths, cyclists will be held accountable to traffic laws like all other commuters." Right, like the only lawless road users now are cyclists. If all road users were held accountable, we wouldn't need bike lanes and paths.

Adrian Fenty gets it. We don't need facilities in DC -- we have excellent facilities. They're called roads. What we do have is a police department that doesn't consider law enforcement it's core mission. This is classic Fenty -- he's attuned to the quality of life issues that matter to people. It's also consistent with his campaign pledge to remove police chief Charles Ramsey and replace him if elected.

[Chris]

Well, there you have it -- two different ways of viewing the same words. I'm not going to get into who's right and who's wrong because, frankly, it really doesn't make much difference at this point.

I'll give you this much -- I do enjoy the idea of blaming commuters from Maryland and Virginia! :)

[none]

Fenty may be a cyclist from a cycling family, but has hindered improvement to bicycling in DC during his time on the city council. He was against the closure of Klingle Road, initially fought the Met Branch Trail through his Ward and has consistently blocked weekday closures of Beach Drive. It is easy to blame MD and VA commuters for our traffic woes, but to systematicaly block efforts to offer new, alternative recreational and transporation corridors to area cyclists is not good leadership.

[gwadzilla]

funny...
I think that the Linda Cropp answer was better than the Fenty answer

but... I somehow think that Fenty would be more likely to do something about this issue

or so I hope
as I voted for him
and
I intend to approach him to discuss this and similar such ideas

(MD election results are scrolling on the television screen)

Fenty's parents own a running store in Adams Morgan
Fenty's brother rides bikes for a road cycling team sponsored by City Bikes

just a little trivia tossed in there

[Steven Hauser]

Bicycle routes are typically start nowhere, end suddenly type affairs, without any navigation aides to find where to go. A comprehensive route system is needed as well as the signs to make it usable.
Most of these pols look like they are clueless.