Advocacy

BikeSD Endorses Kevin Faulconer for Mayor

No one has greater influence over the safety and design of San Diego’s streets than its mayor.  Former Mayor Filner’s (very brief) tenure gave San Diegans a true taste of the power of the mayor’s office and its possibilities. Between Plaza de Panama, the city’s first open streets event, CicloSDias, and a quick (if not perfect) solution on Montezuma Road after a preventable traffic fatality, San Diegans began to get a sense of the sheer power behind the Mayor’s office and the mayor’s ability to  improve traffic safety in the city of San Diego.  Faulconer is definitely no Filner, both in his governing style nor in his rhetoric, but he is a proponent of safer streets.

San Diego’s streets are slowly, but surely, undergoing a transformation.  The city is becoming a safer and more pleasant place.  But much work still remains.

After careful consideration of both Faulconer’s and Ed Harris’ records, public statements and responses to our questionnaire*, we are endorsing Kevin Faulconer for mayor in San Diego’s primary election.  Mayor Faulconer’s has shown commitment to the following:

• Reducing vehicle miles traveled and sprawl.
• Implementing the Bike Advisory Committee’s six highest priority projects from the draft Strategic Implementation Plan.
• Training City staff on Complete Streets and Vision Zero planning and design.
• Accelerating community plan updates so that their mobility elements reflect best practices in multi-modal transportation and are consistent with recent planning documents such as the Climate Action Plan and Bike Master Plan.
• Annual monitoring of the Climate Action Plan to ensure achievement of the plan’s targets.
• Revising Council Policy 800-14 regarding Capital Improvement Project Prioritization to incorporate Climate Action Plan transit priority areas and environmental justice considerations such as CalEnviroScreen.
• Increasing mobility and economic opportunities for working families who cannot afford automobile ownership.
• And funding 80 cameras in transit priority areas to gather improved bicycle commute data.

These commitments all played a key role in our decision as it was not only consistent with our organizational mission, but also consistent with our Strategic Framework.

“Of all the Mayoral candidates, Kevin Faulconer has laid out the most ambitious vision to continue making San Diego’s city streets safe and accessible for everyone, regardless of mode of transportation,” said Jeff Kucharski, BikeSD’s board president.

BikeSD’s choice of Mayor Faulconer was not made without careful consideration of his chief rival in the primary race, Ed Harris. Clearly, Harris has given transportation and regional planning issue serious thought. However, Mayor Faulconer outlined a more complete and compelling vision for bicycling in San Diego.

In addition to making streets safer, Mayor Faulconer is committed to making them more accessible and equitable, especially in historically underserved neighborhoods.  With Faulconer’s commitment to ensure the successful implementation of the Downtown Mobility Plan and achievement of his Climate Action Plan goal of 6% bicycle mode share by 2020, San Diego will compete for the most bike-friendly U.S. city. “Mayor Faulconer clearly understands that a successful city of the future is one that embraces safe and complete streets,” said BikeSD board member and BikeSD’s Policy Committee chair, Kristin Blackson. “It’s fundamental to not only our region’s economic development, but also to a vibrant and great quality of life.”

*As mentioned earlier, mayoral candidate Lori Saldaña didn’t respond to our questionaire.

BikeSD will help elect its endorsed candidates with volunteer support.

BikeSD Inc, is a 501(c)(4) California corporation. Our Endorsement Policy is available for you to read here. Please consider becoming a member or renewing your support so that we can elect strong leaders that will implement our vision in office.

by BikeSD Staff

BikeSD Announces first 2016 Endorsements in San Diego City Council Races

Kyle Heiskala, Council District 1 (Open Seat)- Heiskala, current Council Representative for current D1 councilmember Sherri Lightner, is running for the open city council seat.  While a student at UCSD, Heiskala worked to improve bicycle facilities on campus.  He continued to advocate for our supporters’ interests while serving on the City of San Diego Bicycle Advisory committee.   In 2015, BikeSD endorsed Kyle for the Uptown planning group elections. This was a planning group that had been historically hostile and opposed to safe bicycle infrastructure more often than not. With Heiskala help, the group has now changed its tune and is now actively advocating to close the University Avenue gap that was voted on by SANDAG last June as part of the Uptown Bikeway project. Heiskala was instrumental in creating an educational subcommittee at Uptown Planners and educated the board on how and why bicycle infrastructure is key to safe streets - no matter how one gets around. Heiskala has been a dependable voice and a leader in advocating for safer streets. Heiskala’s years of advocating for bicyclists earned the endorsement of BikeSD board. To volunteer and help Heiskala win, please visit his campaign website.

Anthony Bernal, Council District 3 (Open Seat) –Bernal, Director of Business and Community Projects in current Councilmember Todd Gloria's office, is running for the open Council seat being vacated by Todd Gloria. Bernal's responses to BikeSD’s questions show an understanding of the importance of bicycle infrastructure and his strong support for the Downtown Mobility Plan earned the endorsement of the BikeSD board. One of the reasons the BikeSD board declined to endorse Bernal’s rival, Christopher Ward, was because of Ward’s history of voting on Uptown Planners as it related to both SANDAG and the Uptown Bikeway project and not having offered an explanation for his voting record while on Uptown Planners. Regarding the SANDAG's uptown plan through Hillcrest, our board was concerned with Chris Ward's voting record on the Uptown Planners commitee . In March of 2015, Ward voted with the anti-bike majority on 4 motions (Detailed here).  To volunteer and help Bernal win, please visit his campaign website.

Mark Kersey, Council District 5 (Incumbent) - Having completed four years as a city councilman, Mark Kersey has done something truly laud-worthy - elevated the importance of infrastructure and investing in it as a city-wide issue. He was a strong supporter of Vision Zero, the city’s commitment to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries, and the city’s Bicycle Master Plan. Councilmember Kersey has been a consistent voice for safer, calmer streets and been a consistent advocate for increased travel options while enabling businesses to support the same. To volunteer and help Councilmember Kersey keep his seat, please visit his campaign website.

Justin DeCesare, Council District 7 (Challenger), - DeCesare, local businessman and real estate broker,  is running against incumbent council member Scott Sherman.  DeCesare responses endorsing protected bike lanes and support of the City’s implementation of Vision Zero, earned DeCesare BikeSD’s endorsement.  To volunteer and help DeCesare win, please visit his campaign website.

Ricardo Flores, Council District 9 (Open Seat) - Flores as Chief of Staff to current councilmember, Marti Emerald, was instrumental in brokering an agreement with the College Area Committee that would ensure that College Avenue would become safe with the addition of bike lanes. He was instrumental in working with the community that was adamant that the city stick with the overdue-for-an-update Community Plan that called for College Avenue to be widened. Flores has demonstrated his ability to work with all stakeholders and be responsive. District 9 has some of the most underserved communities in San Diego with stark differences in income within the district. A willingness and commitment to work with all groups is key to ensuring that projects get built in this often neglected council district and Flores’ history of demonstrating that key ability earned BikeSD’s endorsement. To volunteer and help Flores win, please visit his campaign website.

BikeSD will help elect its endorsed candidates with volunteer support.

BikeSD Inc, is a 501(c)(4) California corporation. Our Endorsement Policy is available for you to read here. Please consider becoming a member or renewing your support so that we can elect strong leaders that will implement our vision in office.

by BikeSD Staff

2016 Election: Anthony Bernal on Issues that Matter to BikeSD Supporters in District 3

As you may know, it's election season again. Our board sent questionaires to candidates running for city council and we will be posting their responses here. First up, Anthony Bernal who is running to replace Councilmember Todd Gloria who currently represents District 3.

1) How do you envision the growth of cycling in San Diego - be it for transportation, recreation, or otherwise? Do you see cycling as a community builder?

I think the growth of cycling begins with the expansion of our bicycle infrastructure throughout the City of San Diego. Part of the reason why I believe that more people do not choose to use a bike when determining how to get around our city is because people are often challenged with the lack of bike infrastructure (bike racks, bike lanes, etc.) and the danger associated with riding a bike minus sufficient bike infrastructure. As a representative of an urban district like District Three and a resident of Downtown myself, I see the desperate need for bike infrastructure that will encourage residents and visitors to go-by-bike and I believe the next City Councilmember for District Three should be a leader in this endeavor. This is a role I am happy to accept and will work with the Mayor to ensure we are taking steps in alignment with our Climate Action Plan goals that introduces more bike infrastructure to District Three. Further, I would work with our partners at SANDAG to investigate additional progress we can make with their support.

2) What steps must be taken to ensure the success of San Diego’s “Vision Zero” goals?

First and foremost we need to make sure the public right of ways are designed to meet mobility needs. When (not if) we get to zero pedestrian deaths in the public right of way, we will know all modes of transportation are respected and accounted for in the design of our public right of way. Pedestrians need to have clear lines of sight when crossing the street, which may include the design of bulb outs. Additionally, slowing vehicle speeds is a high priority for all modes of transportation.

I’m the only candidate in this race who has the actual experience of implementing a Vision Zero street design along 25th Street in Golden Hill. These improvements were a community driven initiative that I helped become a reality. I’m proud of this accomplishment and I’ll continue the progress by incorporating mode share design in new projects.

Another project that I hope will begin in the near future is the North Park University Avenue Mobility Plan. This project is over a decade in the making. Once again, I’m the only candidate who has sat in design meetings, worked with City staff and SANDAG staff to make sure these projects take all modes of transportation into account. As a daily primary pedestrian and your next City Councilmember, I will lead us to Vision Zero. I’ve been there since the beginning and you can count on me to be with you long after we achieve our goal.

3) Given the myriad of competing interests in D3 neighborhoods, how will you handle individuals and groups, alike, whose interests and actions run counter to the City’s transportation and street design goals as laid out in the Climate Action Plan, and Vision Zero initiative?

Part of the job of being an elected City Councilmember is to listen to all sides of a particular issue and then render a decision that will be best for the majority of residents in our district. As a City, we have committed ourselves to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions through our ambitious Climate Action Plan that was formally adopted by the City Council this past year. Having said that, in situations where there are competing interests, I will gladly make myself open and available to hearing all perspectives and then making the decision that gets us closer to achieving our climate action goals and is in the best interest of D3 residents. I’m the only candidate in this race with the experience working with the vast majority of interest groups.

4) Multiple studies have shown that increased bicycle accessibility, is good for local businesses - and that this even holds true when on-street parking is reduced. How can the information gap between advocates and businesses be bridged to advance our common interests of safe, thriving neighborhoods? Further, at which point do you say to those who refuse to engage as responsible and reasonable partners in the community’s progress, that the cycle of arguments must end so we may act for the common good?

I think we have an opportunity to bridge that gap at this critical time with the community plans being updated in Uptown and North Park. I think it’s critical we advocate for a parking garage and bike infrastructure to be included in the Public Facilities Financing Plan and parking meter revenue going forward. This is an opportunity to engage residents, developers, and commercial tenants in the future. I have no problem going against what people think is the norm. That is why I’m running for City Council. I’m that bold voice you will need at City Hall. Once a variety of voices have voiced their concern, I believe it is my duty to take bold action. Our communities will only thrive if we look at them holistically.

5) What (if any) plans and decisions, with respect to increasing cycling accessibility, have been made in the past by government agencies and elected officials that you disagree with? Did you make public that disagreement? And do you see an opportunity, if elected, to reverse it?

I have concerns about SANDAG’s recent proposed Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and its shortcomings in terms of the City of San Diego achieving its Climate Action Plan goals. I do see opportunities for us to make more traction when the RTP is evaluated again in the next four years. I will tirelessly advocate for SANDAG to consider and implement the goals set forth in the Plan. I will encourage my colleagues in other jurisdictions to adopt similarly ambitious Climate Actions Plans that will ensure regional support of mass transit and active transportation. I made my disagreement with the SANDAG Plan through Hillcrest public on a Voice of San Diego podcast back in June 2015.

I hope to advocate for the full implementation through Hillcrest as a Councilmember.

6) Will you support the implementation of the Downtown Mobility Plan designed by CivicSD, including budgetary requirements for its completion and success?

Yes. If we can’t commit 100% to the Downtown Mobility Plan, then we are destined to fail our residents and small business owners. Once again, I’m the only candidate for City Council who has helped lead our neighborhoods through this process and I have the unique experience that can see this project through completion.

7) If you have one, share a favorite cycling memory - and let us know how it shapes your desire to see safe streets in San Diego for all residents, across generations?

There are so many, but one of my favorites was when I was four years old and my mother would take me to preschool on a bike because she didn’t have a car. If she hadn’t taken me to preschool on that bike, I would not have had that education. That perspective will always be with me as I make decisions for our residents and communities.

Also, I have enjoyed participating in Bike-to-Work Day alongside my boss, Councilmember Todd Gloria, and several other elected officials as well as numerous community members. I always appreciated seeing civic leaders and residents riding down the street in unison to not only get to work and promote biking as a viable transportation mode, but also recommitting ourselves to lessening our environmental footprint and investing in more bicycle infrastructure. It was definitely more fun that driving to work in a car.

8) Finally - If elected, will you commit to meeting with BikeSD representatives on a regular basis to continue the dialog around improving all D3 neighborhoods, and making San Diego the world’s greatest city for cycling?

Absolutely, I value the perspective of BikeSD and I know there is much more for me to learn, so I would certainly rely on the expertise of this organization to help develop transportation modes that are worthy of a world-class city like San Diego.

BikeSD Inc, is a 501(c)(4) California corporation. Our Endorsement Policy is available for you to read here. Please consider becoming a member or renewing your support so that we can elect strong leaders that will implement our vision in office.

by BikeSD Staff