Mike Ross, Mayoral Candidate Talks Transportation
Written by Boston Biker on Aug 19Released onto his website several days ago Mike Ross, who is running for Mayor (along with half the city), released the following about his plans for cycling infrastructure: (Read the entire thing here, and here)
Make Boston the #1 city in America for cyclists
As Boston continues to grow and thrive, our transportation network must include a wide range of options that provide a safe, affordable, convenient, and sustainable alternatives to driving. Biking is an essential component of that network and I am committed to making Boston the Number One city in America for cyclists. To achieve that, residents of all ages and backgrounds need to feel safe and secure while biking in Boston. Mayor Menino helped improve the state of biking in Boston, and I will build on that work in the following ways:
A Commitment to Expanding Boston’s Bike Infrastructure
- Prioritize funding for bike programs in the city budget and seek a transportation commissioner with a background in cycling and a commitment to multi-modal transportation and “complete streets” design principles.
- Build a network of dedicated, separated cycle tracks that connects every neighborhood to each other.
- Continue to add miles of bike lanes to city streets across all neighborhoods.
- Plan for connected bike routes between city parks.
- Increase wayfinding signs for bikers in all parts of the city.
- Increase the number of curbside bike racks, bike shelters, and bike corrals.
Address Boston’s Most Dangerous Intersections
- Establish a Problem Intersection Task Force to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians at key intersections across city.
- This multi-agency, community-connected effort will work to identify simple street improvements that can be implemented ahead of comprehensive “complete street” redesign efforts. Sometimes all that is needed is to move a bus stop 50 feet or install a turning signal to make a dangerous intersection safer.
Increase Education and Awareness For Cyclists and Drivers
- Partner with universities to teach and promote bike safety to incoming students.
- Leverage community partners to teach bike safety in Boston Public Schools.
- Promote bike safety and awareness to drivers, especially MBTA bus drivers, truck drivers, and city employees.
- Strive to create a culture of mutual respect and responsibility among cyclists and drivers.
Expand and Extend Hubway
-
Support the expansion of the Hubway station network to all neighborhoods, especially those underserved by public transit.
-
Extend the Hubway season year-round.
-
Continue to support subsidized memberships for low-income residents to encourage transit equity.
Now I can’t rightly say I have done enough research to see what all the many many other candidates are saying about bicycle infrastructure, but from reading this plan I can’t find much I don’t like. It is a basic level headed approach that combines a lot of tried and true strategies.
I don’t know enough about Mike Ross to tell you if you should vote for him, but I can totally get behind his bicycle transportation plans.
If you are a mayoral candidate, or work for one, or just like one, send me a link to your candidates bike plan and I will highlight it on the site. Whats that? You don’t have a bike plan…maybe its time to get one!
What do you think of this plan? Leave your thoughts below.
Add to Reddit. Tags: bike plan, mayoral candidate, mike ross
Posted in advocacy, infrastructure | 8 Comments »
8 Responses
to “Mike Ross, Mayoral Candidate Talks Transportation”
2 Trackback(s)
- Aug 20, 2013: Boston Biker » Blog Archive » Ride With Mayoral Candidate John Connolly
- Sep 4, 2013: Boston Biker » Blog Archive » Mayoral Candidate Transportation Forum
Sorry, comments for this entry are closed at this time.
By mouthbreather on Aug 19, 2013 | Reply
I think aside from Ross, Connolly and Arroyo are probably the other two who are mostly likely going to be the most aggressive in terms of bike infrastructure. Consalvo seems to have come around but appears he’d rather just to defer to recommendations of cycling advocates.
The other candidates seem to think we mostly just need to focus on safety – i.e. helmets and education.
By Rebecca on Aug 19, 2013 | Reply
I would recommend sending a group of city planners to the Netherlands to see what they are doing for cyclists. After 30 years of continually updating their bicycling and people infrastructure there is a lot that we can learn from them.
By Joshua Decosta on Aug 19, 2013 | Reply
Being a Mission Hill resident/BCU volunteer and meeting Mike Ross and hearing him speak first hand at several mayor forums. I don’t believe he is sincere with his claims. for example: at the greenfest forum he bragged about how he had gone carless for a week. This screams to me a disconnect between his own constituents (who are mostly students using bicycle transportation) and a lack of sincerity. Why does he feel the need to bring up the idea that going car free for a week is even hard? why not really go car free for most of your campaign to show that you understand the plight of the people who can’t afford a vehicle in the city or those who choose a lighter footprint and ride a bicycle.
the last point I would make is he didn’t even show up for a public hearing on bicycle infrastructure within his district (hemmingway). I don’t believe him when he says he cares.
By William Furr on Aug 19, 2013 | Reply
Thanks Joshua. I’m more interested in how sincere the candidates appear to be than the details of their proposals. Ross also totally punts on the funding question. Cycletracks are where we need to go, but funding and planning are huge question marks for those.
By harveyparadox on Sep 12, 2013 | Reply
Jeez, Joshua, you really think the majority of Mission Hill is students? So much for having a sense of reality.
By L on Sep 21, 2013 | Reply
Mike Ross is the real deal. He didn’t just jump on the cycling bandwagon when he started running for mayor (like some of the candidates). Ten years ago he led the push to create the position of Boston Bikes Director, which helped make cycling safety a priority in our city and get Hubway started.
Joshua, I have to disagree on several points. First of all, I believe the one week Mike Ross went without a car is one week longer than any of the other candidates for mayor tried it. Running for mayor of Boston is incredibly demanding; the candidates often appear at 10 meetings/forums/events a day scattered all over the city, which would be very hard to do without a car. Yes, many residents of the city don’t have a car for various reasons and manage quite well, but most of our schedules aren’t nearly as crazy as that. The fact that he did go without a car on the campaign trail shows that he understands that cars aren’t the only way to get around, and I’m sure during that week he gained additional insight into the benefits and complications of various forms of transportation.
It is not fair to judge a person based on attendance at one meeting. Maybe he had an important previous commitment. Maybe he was sick. Maybe somebody from his staff attended the meeting in his place. Elected officials can’t be at every meeting themselves, but that is one of the things their staff are for. Maybe it is an issue he has worked on for years and he missed one meeting; that wouldn’t mean he didn’t care about the issue.
Finally, Joshua, Mike Ross represents 1/9 of the city, and it is a very diverse district. I don’t think his constituents are mostly students using bicycle transportation.