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Transcript of MPLS Bicycle Coalition Candidate Survey
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7/30/2019 MPLS Bicycle Coalition Candidate Survey
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MPLSBicycleCoalition
CandidateSurvey
ChrisLautenschlager
Ward12
1.Doyouuseabicycleinthecity?Ifso,forwhatpurposes(commuting,recreation,
errands)andhowoften?Pleaseindicatehowyoumostcommonlycommutetowork.
Yes,IhaveregularlybikedthroughouttheTwinCitiessinceIfirstmovedhereat17.
Twentyyearslater,theremaybemanymorebikelanesandotherinfrastructurein
place,butIremaincomfortablebikingwithorwithoutanyofit.
Asanewparent,myopportunitiestoridehavebeensomewhatlimitedrecently;trips
withabiketrailerhave,fornow,madeanyjourneyabitshorter.Myfamilyisfortunate
enoughtolivewithin50yardsofthebikeandpedestrianpathsthatrunalongsideMinnehahaCreek.Today,abulkofmyrecreationalbikingisguidedbythewhimsofmy
now2-year-olddaughter,whosepointingfingertellsmegolefttotheFalls,ortogo
righttoLakeHiawatha.
ForthepasteightyearsIhaveconsistentlycommutedbybikeorbytrain.In2005Ibiked
everydayfrommyapartmentinLowryHillEasttomyjobatTarget(backinthedays
whereonecouldgetcitedforbikingdownNicolletMall);whenImovedtomycurrent
neighborhoodIbikedtwiceaweekandtooktheLRTontheotherdays.Currently,I
workfromhomeandampleasedtoreportIhavenoregularcommute.
2.Describepastaccomplishmentsthathavesupportedbicyclinginyourcommunity.
Althoughthemajorityofmysupportforbicyclinginitiativeshasbeenfinancialbacking
overthepastfewyears,Ihavetangiblycontributedtothebicyclingcommunityinafew
otherways.
IbrieflyservedontheGreenwayImprovementsCommitteeattheMidtownGreenway
Coalition(MGC),andattendedsomeoftheearliestdesignpresentationsoftheBKV
GroupsandGrecoRealEstateDevelopmentsplanforaresidentialprojectat2900
LyndaleAvenueSouth(currentlyknownastheLimeBuilding).AlthoughIaminstrongly
infavorofdevelopmentalongourtransitcorridors,IsharedandexpressedsomeoftheinitialconcernsthattheMGChadovertheshadowstudiespresentedbeforeus.Iam
satisfiedwithsomeofthedesignaccommodationsthatweremade,butammoreover
pleasedthatthedevelopmenthasmovedahead.
Inearly2012IworkedontheMinneapolisPark&RecreationBoardsLakeNokomis
concessionproject.Thegoalwastofindavendorthatcouldproperlyservethe
communitybutnotinterferewiththepedestrianandbicyclepathsthatencircleLake
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Nokomis.Ourcommitteeworkedtoensurethatnotonlythepathswouldremain
intact,butthatincreasedfoottrafficcrossingthebikepathenroutetothenewbusiness
wouldbeminimized.Ourselection,Sandcastle,willopeninJune2013.
Iplanonbeinginvolvedinupcomingdiscussionsforthecycletrackthatshouldbe
implementedonMinnehahaAvenue,forthefuturebikewaydown21stAvenueSouth,andwanttopushforbikefriendlyimprovementsonthe28
thAvenueSouthresurfacing
project.
3.Wouldyousupportanetworkof30milesof"protectedbikeways"?
Yes,absolutely.Ifullysupportbuildingandmaintaininganetworkofcycletracks,or
protectedbikelanes.
IcouldeasilybumpthenumberupbeyondthirtymilesandsuggestthatMinneapolis
shouldstrivefor40,50,oreven100milesofcycletracks,butthenIwouldsoundlikeabombasticcandidatetryingtooutdoeveryoneelse.Thefocusshouldbeoncarefully
plannedandexecutedcycletracksthatprivilegequalityoverquantity.Idbemore
proudof25milesofquality-protectedbikewaysthan30or35miles,if25%ofthelatter
wouldbepoorlyexecutedorunderutilizedoverthelongterm.
4.Wouldyousupportspendingmore,thesameamount,orlessonbuildingand
maintainingbicycleinfrastructure?
Yes,Iwouldabsolutelysupportmoreinvestmentsinourbicyclinginfrastructure.
Yetwhenweinvestininfrastructure,weneedtorememberthatnotallbicyclistshavethesameinterests,habits,orskills.Ifullysupportcycletracks,butIalsobelievein
diversifyingourinvestmentsoverabroadrangeofinfrastructurethatcanaccommodate
awidevarietyofriders.
Thiscityhassomeveryadvancedbicyclistswhoridefearlessly,forthembicyclingisnot
simplyaformofexerciseorarecreationalactivity:itisamodeoftransportation.These
ridershavelittleneedforcycletracks,bollards,orbikeboulevards,buttheywould
appreciatebeingabletotakeashowerandchangingintotheirworkclothesbefore
steppingintotheirworkplace.Weneedtoinvestinthesesortsoffacilities,orprovide
incentivesforbusinessestocreatethem.
Thereareridersontheoppositeendofthespectrum,fromseniorstochildrenand
everyoneinbetweenwhoarentracingbetweenPointsAandB;peoplewhowantto
bikebutdontwanttofeelpressuredbyvehiculartraffic.Theseridersaredrawnto
bicycleboulevards(liketheRiverLake),theMidtownGreenway,ortheGrandRounds.
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Andtherearetheindividualsinbetween,thosewhoneedtogetdowntown,Uptown,or
acrosstownandwantasenseofsecuritywhiletheyride.Therecentimprovementsto
ParkandPortlandAvenueswheretrafficlaneshavebeenreducedfrom3to2,anda
bufferedbikelanehasbeenaddedhavebeenhighlyregarded.Theselatterindividuals
wouldliketrafficcalmingmeasuresputinplace:lanereductions,curbbumpouts,
bollards,sharrows,stripedbikelanes,paintedbikeboxes,andmorebikefriendlyintersectioncrossings.Andyes,theydeservecycletracks.Therearegreatopportunities
forsomeofthisinfrastructurealongsomeofourmajorcorridors:downtowns
WashingtonAvenue,MinnehahaandBlaisdellAvenuesinsouthMinneapolis,andIrving
AvenueinnorthMinneapolis.
5.Minneapolisroadwaysareusedbylotsofdifferenttypesofusers.Pleasesharehow
youprioritizethefollowingroadusers:bicyclists,pedestrians,cardrivers,transit,and
freight.
IbelievethatasaCityCouncilmembermyjobistonotsimplyprioritizeonegroupofusersoveranother,myjobistoensurethatourstreets,intersections,sidewalks,
crosswalks,andbikeinfrastructureworkforeveryone.Iharbornodoubtthatroad
designandoveralltransportationinitiativeshaveclearlyworkedinthefavorof4+
wheeledvehiclesattheexpenseofeveryoneelseforgenerations.Thereclearly
needstobeabetterbalancecreatedbetweenallmodesoftransportation,becausewe
allhavetherighttosafelygettowhereweneedtogo.
Wealsoallhaveresponsibilitieswhenusingourroadways.Alongwiththeincreased
emphasisondiversifyingourmodesoftransportationshouldbeanincreasedpushto
educateallusersofourroadwaysonhowtomakethenetworksafeforeveryone.I
believeinstrongereducationinitiativesthatcanhelpdriversunderstandwhatapaintedsharrowmeans,tohelpdisembarkingLRTpassengerstounderstandthatitsnotexactly
safetodartacrossHiawathaAvenueatrushhourfromanypointalongthecorridor,and
helpbicyclistsgettheideathatitiswrongtobikethewrongwaydownaone-way
street.
6.TheBicycleAdvisoryCommittee(BAC)isagroupofcitizensandagencystaffthat
reviewpoliciesandprojectsrelatedtobicycling.TheBACiscomprisedofstafffrom
severalMinneapolisdepartmentsandpartneragencies,aswellas16citizen
representatives-13wardrepresentativesappointedbytheirrespectiveCouncil
Members,and3at-largeappointmentsmadebytheParkBoard.Underwhatcircumstanceswouldyoubewillingtovoteagainstoroverrulearecommendation
madebytheBicycleAdvisoryCommittee?
TheBACisregardedasahighlyeffectivegroupthathasmaintainedacoherent,sensible
purposeandstrategy.Thatbeingsaid,Iwouldvoteagainstanyrecommendationthat
somehowviolatedtherightsofhomeownersortenants,orifitwouldnegativelyimpact
localbusinesses.
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7.TheCityofMinneapolisisdevelopingaCompleteStreetspolicy.Whatshouldan
effectiveCompleteStreetspolicyaccomplish?
ThenoteworthyaccomplishmentofanyeffectiveCompleteStreetspolicyissimple:
ClarityofPurpose.
ACompleteStreetspolicywouldreflectthedirectionthatthiscitywouldliketogowith
someprecision,ratherthanperpetuatethemultiple,often-inconsistentdirectionsithas
beentakingforyears.Itwouldreflectthegoalsofthecity,thestandardsthatitexpects,
andwouldexistasatestamentofwhatourresidentsultimatelydeserve:asafe,
carefullycoordinatedmulti-modaltransportationnetwork.
8.WhatdoyouhopetohaveaccomplishedtomakeMinneapolisabettercityfor
bicyclingby2017,ifyouareelected?
TohaveapprovedofaCompleteStreetspolicy,seeingmanyofitsobjectives
realizedandworkingtowardstheimplementationofothers.
Tohaveavastnetworkofwell-utilizedcycletracks,solongasweprivilegequalityoverquantity.
TohavebetterprotectionsinplacealongourGreenways.ForMidtown,makingitsafebothdayandnight,forRiverLake,makingitsafetocrossHiawatha
Avenue.
TohavebetterbikingoptionsinbothNorthandNortheastMinneapolis. Tohaveamoreeffectiveeducationinitiativeinplace,onethatteacheseveryone
(regardlessoftravelmode)aboutrules,roadmarkings,andresponsibilities.
Iwouldlikemorepeopletonotimmediatelythinkofacarwhentheyneedtorunanerranduptheblock,butwealsoneedtomakesuretheconditionsfor
themtobikearesafenomatterwheretheyare.
9.Whatisonestreetinyourwardinneedofbicycleinfrastructure?Whattypeofbike
infrastructuredoyouthinkwouldbemostappropriateonit?
InstallingacycletrackonMinnehahaAvenueisanobviousneedthathasbeenwidely
discussed.Ithinkanoverlookedroadwayinthetwelfthwardis28thAvenueSouth,from
East38thStreetinthenorth,downtoEastMinnehahaParkwayinthesouth.
Muchofthisstretchwillberesurfacedatsomepointin2013,butImdisappointedthat
noconsiderationofbikeinfrastructurehasbeengivenuptothispoint.Ibelievethat
infrastructurealongthisroadwayisneededinordertocalmtraffic(especiallynear
RooseveltHighSchoolandalongLakeHiawathaPark),andtobetterrecognizethepath
fromthe38thStreetLRTandtheRiverLakeGreenwaydowntotheGrandRounds.
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Ontopofthisimprovement,Iwouldliketoseethecurbsbumpedoutwherethe
MinnehahaCreekbicycleandpedestrianpathcrosses28thAvenueSouth.Despitethe
user-actuatedambercautionlightthere,vehiclesstilloftendisregardpedestriansand
bicyclists.Ibelievethatacurbbumpout,potentiallywithbollardsandbetter-painted
roadmarkings,wouldnotonlycalmtraffic,butalsodecreasethedistancethatbicyclistsandpedestrianswouldhavetocrosstheroad.
10.Whatarethebenefitsofbicyclinginyourward/thecityofMinneapolis?
ForthecityofMinneapolisthebenefitsofbicyclingareobvious:itimprovesour
personalhealth,positivelyimpactsourpocketbook,anditprotectsourenvironment.
Wereducegreenhousegasemissionsbynotonlywalkingmoreorusingmoremass
transit,butbybikingmoreonbothlongandshorttrips.Dollarsnormallyspent
maintainingmotorvehiclescaninsteadbemoreeffectivelyspentelsewherewhenwe
increaseourbicyclingmodeshare.
WithoutdoubtIbelievethetwelfthwardhasthemostuniquebicyclingopportunities
foundanywhereinthecity.Itsnotouraccessibletrailsorpaths(theGrandRounds,the
pathsalongMinnehahaCreek,theRiverLake,ortheHiawathaLRTTrail)thatIm
referringtohere;Imspeakingoftheactualdestinationsthemselves.Iwouldarguethat
nootherpartofthisbuiltcityhasmoreaccesstoournaturalworldthanthetwelfth
warddoes:fromLakeHiawatha,toMinnehahaCreek,theMississippiGorgeRegional
Park,MinnehahaParkanditsFalls,allthewaydowntoFortSnellingStateParkoracross
therivertoCrosbyFarmPark.