Q: Provide an anecdote to illustrate how you would define livability.

Felix Arroyo: I believe in a future for Boston where everyone has opportunities to succeed, where we invest in all of our communities, where every child can receive a quality education, where we care for our elderly, where everyone can live in a safe neighborhood, and where we all have a say in the direction of our city. My vision is one where my car-free brother can safely travel with his son all around the city on his bike, where my sister and her family of five always live in walking distance of a park, and where we have cleaner air so that our children will not have to spend nights in the emergency room like I did as a child because of asthma. I believe improving all methods of transportation in our city, protecting and improving our green spaces, and implementing a long-term approach to addressing climate change will help create more sustainable and livable communities.

Q: Communities across the city have embraced smaller roadways and better, cheaper alternatives to large, expensive overpasses and underpasses. As mayor, would you support the City’s endorsement of the surface road for Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown, the state DCR’s endorsement of a surface road to replace the Casey Overpass in Forest Hills, and a surface road in lieu of the Bowker (Charlesgate) Overpass in the Back Bay? What else would you do to bring Boston’s roads back to a human scale?

Felix Arroyo: We have great opportunities with these projects to create beautiful, livable spaces as we have seen done in other cities all over the world. We need to be forward thinking in our city planning especially as we face rising fuel costs, climate change and health disparities in our city. I am personally impacted as a neighbor by the project to demolish the Casey Overpass and replace it with a surface option. I believe as a community, our focus should be on ensuring that this project moves forward in a way that improves the flow of traffic and people, best connects our communities, creates green space and also adequately accommodates for growth in our city. As is in the case in Forest Hills, I believe that development in Charlestown, Back Bay, and all of our neighborhoods should be led by a planning process and the community should lead planning

Q: Official community meetings have a tendency to be attended by the same small group of involved residents and advocates, who are usually older, whiter, and wealthier than the community as a whole. What are your ideas for how the City can engage communities in new ways, and make sure that diverse voices are being heard?

Felix Arroyo: As Mayor, I will work tirelessly to ensure all Boston’s residents have a voice at City Hall.Government work best when it works with you and not over you. Having an open, inclusive and transparent governing style is not only good governance, it is the only style we should accept. I believe that all Bostonians should have a say in the direction of our City and especially those most affected by the decisions at hand. The mayor’s power does not come from City Hall, but from the people he or she represents. We will work to ensure that all Bostonians feel as though they matter, that their voice matters and that the culture of City Halls reflects that belief. We will help foster that by offering multi-lingual and cultural competent services in every City department to meet the needs of residents who speak different languages and utilize social media and other creative outlets to help all communities stay informed and a part of the process.

Q: Boston has many traffic signals that do not work well for pedestrians. How will your administration work to make signal timing safer, easier and more convenient for walkers of all paces?

Felix Arroyo: As a community organizer, I practice “collaborative politics,” bringing people together so that everyone’s voice can be heard. By bringing together pedestrians, organizations that work to make our city more walk-friendly, and other transportation experts to address issues including signal timing, proper maintenance of sidewalks and crosswalks, and ADA compliance. Walkers must feel that pathways are safe and accessible to get around.

Q: Boston is always called a “walking city.” To protect and enhance this reputation, you will need to have a transportation commissioner and department who will make sure every City program and project works well for walkers. Would you consider creating a Boston Walks Director to champion the needs of walkers?

Felix Arroyo: Yes, I would have a person that is dedicated to ensuring that we not only keep our reputation as a “walking city,” but also work to be even better. The more we can encourage and facilitate walking in our city, the more we will promote our small businesses and boost our creative economy.

Q: Despite the recent transportation bill that will devote more funding to the MBTA, the T remains heavily indebted with a long maintenance backlog. What are your ideas for innovative funding solutions that could be explored to address the MBTA’s significant funding needs?

Felix Arroyo: The Governor’s proposal earlier this year would have been a long term, progressive solution to many of our transportation needs. I believe the legislature dropped the ball and should have passed a package that addressed our transportation needs without putting the burden on those that can least afford it. We cannot continue to ask MBTA users to pay more for less service. As Mayor, I will work with legislators and the Governor to implement a package that would raise funds in a progressive way to help fix our transportation long term.

Q: As mayor, what is your thought process when weighing competing road priorities, such as high-quality bike facilities, vehicular travel lanes, and parking?

Felix Arroyo: Bicycles have as much a right to the road as cars do and I believe that by improving our infrastructure, we can make our roads safer for everyone who uses them. Thanks in large part to the Boston Bikes program, bicycle ridership has more than doubled since 2007. We can continue to ride the momentum, towards a goal of a 10% mode share for cycling by 2020, by making more infrastructure improvements including cycletracks, and linking neighborhoods with the “Bike Network Plan.” Forward thinking street design in tandem with safety education efforts, data collection, and collaboration can make Boston a model bike city. We will expand the city’s successful community outreach programs as “Roll it Forward” and “Bike to Market,” helping young people in public schools ride safely on two wheels and offering free repairs at farmers markets in low-income neighborhoods.

Q: Will you fund the installation of high-quality bike facilities, such as physically separated bike lanes and bike-specific traffic signals? How?

Felix Arroyo: If we are serious about investing in Boston, we must be serious about investing in transportation. We have already seen the success of the Boston Bikes program and I believe in prioritizing funding to expand the Boston Bikes staffing and scope. My focus as Mayor will be to work with bicyclists across the city to continue to move forward with an agenda that will encourage and facilitate bicycling in our city.

Q: The MBTA system leaves large swaths of the city with limited public transportation options, on crowded buses that often run less frequently than riders would like. How would you work with communities in Boston to find out more about their transit needs? How will you work with the MBTA to ensure that those needs are met?

Felix Arroyo: We rely on four basic modes of transportation–the car, public transportation, biking, and walking–and we need to make sure that each of those choices is accessible to all of Boston’s residents in an equitable and safe way. Inequitable access to public transportation has left low-income neighborhoods and communities of color with longer, inconvenient and undependable commutes. We cannot allow a lack of feasible transportation options to prevent workers from taking available jobs. We must support investments in the MBTA so that we can expand access, provide better and more reliable service and extend the hours of operation. It is important that we implement reforms and make much-needed investments transportation in a fair and just way with a progressive revenue plan that does not place the hardship on those that can least afford it.

Q: What are your top priorities for updating Boston’s zoning code?

Felix Arroyo: The city’s complicated and outdated regulatory environment continues to present challenges to creating sustainable, transit-oriented development in Boston. Mayor Menino has taken steps to promote green building practices through the city’s zoning ordinances and the next Mayor must continue to integrate the city’s sustainability and GHG emissions goals into the ordinances, as well as making it easier for developers to construct sustainable neighborhoods.

Q: As mayor, how will you target transportation investments to address health disparities among Boston’s neighborhoods?

Felix Arroyo: Research has shown that communities of color and low-income neighborhoods, in Boston and statewide, shoulder a disproportionate share of environmental health burdens. I am a lifelong Bostonian and a lifelong asthmatic and unfortunately, this is all too common story in Boston. The safety and cleanliness of your environment should not be determined by your race, nationality or income level. Most of the harmful particulate matter that pollutes our air comes from construction vehicles and that is why I have introduced and support passing the Diesel Emission Reduction Ordinance (DERO). It will require construction vehicles to be replaced or retrofitted to significantly cut the harmful emissions from those vehicles into the air we breathe. I believe this can have a dramatic effect on the asthma epidemic in Boston and improve the health of our city while improving our environment and making sure that we give our children a better city than we have today.If we are serious about limiting our carbon footprint and making Boston a more sustainable city, we must become a city that will promote and prioritize all active and affordable forms of transportation so Bostonians can get around the city safely. All Bostonians? quality of life will be improved by safer, easier, more affordable, and more enjoyable commutes.

Q: Would you support a citywide occupancy goal for metered parking, rather than a citywide price? How would you win public support for these ideas?

Felix Arroyo: I believe in a city where everyone has a say in the direction of our city, especially those most affected by the decision at hand. An idea like this would require a process that involves each community coming together to discuss the issue and create buy in into the idea.

Q: As Mayor, how would you protect and enhance Boston’s parks and open spaces? Please be specific and include information about how you will improve multimodal access to parks.

Felix Arroyo: Boston is blessed to have a wealth of natural spaces, from the Charles River to the Emerald Necklace. These open spaces provide Boston’s residents with a place to play, relax, and escape the general congestion of city life. Protecting and improving these natural resources is essential to guaranteeing equitable environmental health for all of Boston’s residents. My vision includes one where a park is easily accessible to every resident and I believe we can achieve that by moving forward with the city’s Bike Network Plan, improving our public transportation, and making sure our streets are safe and accessible for all of our residents.

Q: Provide an anecdote to illustrate how you would define livability.

John Barros: I would definite livability from the perspective of children and families. To create a more livable City we need to improve the daily experience of a toddler, a 10-year old, or a 15 year old in getting to places like school, after school programs, parks, the library and healthcare. Our children and family’s transportation experience affect their health and safety, education, ability to engage with their community in positive ways, access resources and opportunities. Unfortunately, the ability for residents living in different neighborhoods vary widely and creates challenges to their access to Boston’s institutional assets and economic opportunities.

Q: Communities across the city have embraced smaller roadways and better, cheaper alternatives to large, expensive overpasses and underpasses. As mayor, would you support the City’s endorsement of the surface road for Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown, the state DCR’s endorsement of a surface road to replace the Casey Overpass in Forest Hills, and a surface road in lieu of the Bowker (Charlesgate) Overpass in the Back Bay? What else would you do to bring Boston’s roads back to a human scale?

John Barros: In general, I’d support more community-human scale roadways and NOT spend lots of money on over or underpasses. We can save money and rethink how these roadways can be incorporated back into the fabric of our neighborhoods. That said, each of the cases is different and need to be looked at based on its role in the transit system and the community that its in. Community planning process needs to be inclusive and comprehensive. I know the City’s Rutherford Ave plan and state’s Casey Overpass plan are already advanced in their process, but I have heard that the planning process could have been more engaging.

Q: Official community meetings have a tendency to be attended by the same small group of involved residents and advocates, who are usually older, whiter, and wealthier than the community as a whole. What are your ideas for how the City can engage communities in new ways, and make sure that diverse voices are being heard?

John Barros: As Mayor I will draw on my expertise and experience of doing successful inclusive community planning at DSNI to design strategies for a more engaging and comprehensive planning process at the City. I bring many lessons learned about how to engage diverse constituents. Some of the things I think are most important include:City needs to go to where the people are, not just assume folks will come to meetings.

Meetings have to be part of a process where it’s clear what is being decided/planned and who has what authority. Nothing is more exasperating than asking people to participate, but not allowing their voice to have any influence on the process. We need to delegate more decision – making authority downward into neighborhood processes.

Access to information and analysis is critical for all, and affirmative efforts (i.e. translated materials and simultaneous translation) are needed to ensure that those with less English or formal education can access the information they need to participate.

The knowledge of local residents needs to be valued and gathered. Especially in transportation issues, people who are in a place every day will know many things that traffic consultants do not. Community-based data and research should be supported in community processes. Lots of us have done our own traffic/pedestrian/bike counts or identifying dangerous intersections before the body count is in.

Q: Boston has many traffic signals that do not work well for pedestrians. How will your administration work to make signal timing safer, easier and more convenient for walkers of all paces?

John Barros: First, consistent standards need to be in place that account for how long it takes for pedestrians to cross the street – not just a healthy young adult, but for young children, elderly, and disabled too. Then, we need to prioritize where to start implementing the retiming of traffic signals. Here, a top-down process of using the best data available on traffic accidents and injuries could be used, in tandem with a bottom-up process where resident complaints could help “crowd source” where attention should be paid. In some cases, infrastructure should be updated, so there will be resources involved.

Q: Boston is always called a “walking city.” To protect and enhance this reputation, you will need to have a transportation commissioner and department who will make sure every City program and project works well for walkers. Would you consider creating a Boston Walks Director to champion the needs of walkers?

John Barros: More people walk than any other form of transportation, so walking has to be a top priority for the City’s transportation department and commissioner. I would go beyond just having a Boston Walks Director, though I think that’s a good start. I, as Mayor, will be champions for walking and all the other transportation modes that we rely on, like transit and biking. We can set a tone, as well as an example, by walking, biking, and using transit whenever we can. I remember that Governor Dukakis rode the Green Line into work every day. That made a great impression.

Q: Despite the recent transportation bill that will devote more funding to the MBTA, the T remains heavily indebted with a long maintenance backlog. What are your ideas for innovative funding solutions that could be explored to address the MBTA’s significant funding needs?

John Barros: I support the efforts to increase the state gas tax and implement a more progressive income tax as ways to address the transportation funding gap. Besides state leadership, I will also encourage the federal government to prioritize funding for more efficient, green, 21st century transportation infrastructure. I would use my role as Mayor to advocate and work with MBTA at the state and federal levels.But there are also things that we can start trying in the City. The U-pass is just such an idea. As Mayor, I can work with our universities, hospitals, and other big institutions to offer a universal transit pass to their students and employees. These institutions would pay for these passes as a benefit for their people, but the result would be more funding for the T as well as more riders. Tufts UEP graduate students estimated that more than $100 million could potentially be generated for the MBTA from the region’s 250,000 college students. U-passes can become part of the transportation management plans that are required in major developments in the city.

Q: As mayor, what is your thought process when weighing competing road priorities, such as high-quality bike facilities, vehicular travel lanes, and parking?

John Barros: The time of thinking that roads are only for cars is over. Other top cities in the world are now showing that you can give more road space back to walkers, bikers, and transit riders, and the cities are better off for it, in terms of health, environment, and mobility. That said, we can’t just make wholesale changes overnight or without having a thorough and meaningful planning process. The progress we’ve already made in biking needs to continue. We can continue to pilot and demonstrate what works and then scale it to the rest of the City.

Q: Will you fund the installation of high-quality bike facilities, such as physically separated bike lanes and bike-specific traffic signals? How?

John Barros: Beyond allocating City funds, a portion of the capital budget for maintaining our road infrastructure and signals should be dedicated to bike infrastructure (and pedestrian). The parking permit fees that are charged (similar to Cambridge and Somerville) should be dedicated to these and other street improvements. Also, when new developments are being planned, these improvements could be included in community benefits and transportation management plans.

Q: The MBTA system leaves large swaths of the city with limited public transportation options, on crowded buses that often run less frequently than riders would like. How would you work with communities in Boston to find out more about their transit needs? How will you work with the MBTA to ensure that those needs are met?

John Barros: I would first keep an ear to the ground, by working with the groups co-sponsoring this session and groups like the T Riders Union and other groups representing transit-dependent riders. We could form a city transit advisory committee to help me develop a comprehensive transportation plan. Part of planning would be getting myself to use all parts of the system, ride the buses and all subways myself. Then, I’d have our transportation department develop a survey and engage riders to create a report card on transit access, crowding, and reliability for all the transit lines and buses in the city. This report card would then help to highlight city priorities and issues that would inform a city-wide planning process that would be conducted in partnership with the MBTA. I’d use this comprehensive plan to make clear Boston’s priorities, but then also roll up the sleeves and work with MBTA leadership and staff to develop solutions and ensure timely implementation and coordinate with the city’s transportation department. There’s a lot that can be done even without new infrastructure, such as programming more buses on a line, better managing traffic so buses can get through, and giving buses priority at traffic signals. But we’d also want to work on upgrading infrastructure where it’s needed, such as getting more frequent service to the new stations on the Fairmount Line.

Q: What are your top priorities for updating Boston’s zoning code?

John Barros: We need a community-driven process to do a comprehensive update of the code. Such a process should be part of comprehensive planning for the city. Comprehensive planning needs to start at the neighborhood level, where each neighborhood can develop its vision then plan, as we did in the Dudley neighborhood. These neighborhood visions and plans would then inform what becomes a city-wide plan. As I’ve said before, such a process needs to be guided by a new planning entity, that is not the same as the development agency. BRA currently does both.In this process, residents need to discuss and debate how zoning can lead to a more livable city and transportation system. That means they’ll have to discuss and understand the pros and cons of building more densely, all the ways that people get around and preparing for more people walking, biking, and riding transit. All people have the right to participate in these important discussions, and not all neighborhoods will come to the same conclusions. But we know it’s time for a 21st century vision of transportation and livability and that means reducing our overdependence on the automobile.

Q: As mayor, how will you target transportation investments to address health disparities among Boston’s neighborhoods?

John Barros: I support having health be part of all decision making, particularly in transportation. One way to do this is to do Health Impact Assessments for all projects, including transportation projects. This is a tool that is already being piloted in Massachusetts by Mass DPH and MAPC. For example, MAPC with BU and Harvard Schools of Public Health recently conducted an HIA on the health impacts of MBTA fare increases.Some specific things I’d support include:

• Reducing diesel pollution by passing the Diesel Emission Reduction Ordinance.
• Neighborhood plans for walkways and bikeways to get to school and access parks/recreational areas.

 

Q: Would you support a citywide occupancy goal for metered parking, rather than a citywide price? How would you win public support for these ideas?

John Barros: I think the goal is to have a parking system that supports the health, environment, and economy of our city. Using an occupancy goal instead of a set price for parking is an idea that ought to be tried out and demonstrated. Once we get some more experience with these tools, then we can decide whether a city-wide system makes sense. To get public support, I would emphasize that what we have now is not working in many places and that we should be willing to try a number of methods to see what works and under what conditions. Also, the cases of other cities using these tools effectively should help convince some.

Q: As Mayor, how would you protect and enhance Boston’s parks and open spaces? Please be specific and include information about how you will improve multimodal access to parks.

John Barros: Our parks and open spaces are a true treasure and a necessary component of a livable and healthy Boston. First priority is to make sure that these assets are maintained and remain safe and productive for our residents. That includes ensuring that people can get to these places safely. In some cases, that may involve enhancing the biking and walking infrastructure and the transit routes and schedules for accessing these parks. We should look into the possibility of establishing shuttle services that could be run by local entrepreneurs to get certain populations (elderly, youth) out to more distant parks and open space.

Q: Provide an anecdote to illustrate how you would define livability.

Charles Clemons: Livability – How planning and developing of communities are affected by transportation and its effects on the environment.

Q: Communities across the city have embraced smaller roadways and better, cheaper alternatives to large, expensive overpasses and underpasses. As mayor, would you support the City’s endorsement of the surface road for Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown, the state DCR’s endorsement of a surface road to replace the Casey Overpass in Forest Hills, and a surface road in lieu of the Bowker (Charlesgate) Overpass in the Back Bay? What else would you do to bring Boston’s roads back to a human scale?

Charles Clemons: I agree that overpasses are costly to maintain and are aesthetically unattractive. I support developing grade level upgrades.

Q: Official community meetings have a tendency to be attended by the same small group of involved residents and advocates, who are usually older, whiter, and wealthier than the community as a whole. What are your ideas for how the City can engage communities in new ways, and make sure that diverse voices are being heard?

Charles Clemons: Establish meetings in communities that reflect the demographics of those communities.

Q: Boston has many traffic signals that do not work well for pedestrians. How will your administration work to make signal timing safer, easier and more convenient for walkers of all paces?

Charles Clemons: Developing and maintaining signals that are audible and visual. Better timing to allow pedestrian clearance.

Q: Despite the recent transportation bill that will devote more funding to the MBTA, the T remains heavily indebted with a long maintenance backlog. What are your ideas for innovative funding solutions that could be explored to address the MBTA’s significant funding needs?

Charles Clemons: I will lobby the state legislature to unburden the MBTA from some of the liability of past MassDOT poor decision making.

Q: Will you fund the installation of high-quality bike facilities, such as physically separated bike lanes and bike-specific traffic signals? How?

Charles Clemons: I support cycling lanes; however, I also believe that sharing road means adhering to the laws that create safety for all users. I would increase funding to encourage cycling.

Q: The MBTA system leaves large swaths of the city with limited public transportation options, on crowded buses that often run less frequently than riders would like. How would you work with communities in Boston to find out more about their transit needs? How will you work with the MBTA to ensure that those needs are met?

Charles Clemons: I support evaluating transit needs specifically in areas of under utilization. I will partner with the MBTA to develop better scheduling.

Q: What are your top priorities for updating Boston’s zoning code?

Charles Clemons: Top priorities review and eliminate cumbersome and outdated zoning laws.

Q: As mayor, how will you target transportation investments to address health disparities among Boston’s neighborhoods?

Charles Clemons: I support door to door demand service increase and would increase funding in this area.

Q: Would you support a citywide occupancy goal for metered parking, rather than a citywide price? How would you win public support for these ideas?

Charles Clemons: Yes. Take to the communities for discussion and sale it.

Q: As Mayor, how would you protect and enhance Boston’s parks and open spaces? Please be specific and include information about how you will improve multimodal access to parks.

Charles Clemons: Parks are healthy environments for the people of cities and access to these parks is critical for collective celebration and family gatherings. I support the expansion of green space and parks in the city.

Q: Provide an anecdote to illustrate how you would define livability.

John Connolly: My son, Teddy, loves to go to the Southwest Corridor Park to watch the Orange Line trains rumble past. That’s a great place to think about what livability means. Residents along the Southwest Corridor have options — albeit still not perfect ones — to travel by transit, bike, and on foot, thanks to the hard work of community members over the years. To me, livability is about having that real freedom to choose how to get around. That’s why I led the effort in the City Council to provide $5 million in funding for the Hubway bike share program, which I believe we need to expand farther out from downtown. It’s why I support Complete Streets design, and I will prioritize cycle tracks and pedestrian improvements in the city’s capital budget. And as mayor, I will be a strong voice for funding our public transportation and keeping the MBTA accountable.

Q: Communities across the city have embraced smaller roadways and better, cheaper alternatives to large, expensive overpasses and underpasses. As mayor, would you support the City’s endorsement of the surface road for Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown, the state DCR’s endorsement of a surface road to replace the Casey Overpass in Forest Hills, and a surface road in lieu of the Bowker (Charlesgate) Overpass in the Back Bay? What else would you do to bring Boston’s roads back to a human scale?

John Connolly: In general, I think it’s great when we can take opportunities to knit communities back together. You don’t need to look any further than the North End, which is no longer physically isolated from the rest of downtown by the expressway, to see how much this can improve quality of life in a community. As our infrastructure ages, we need to reexamine our overpasses and underpasses and make changes wherever we can to improve the level of service for all modes, not just cars. I believe there are two critically important considerations as we go about this work. First, we need to make sure that when we make these changes, they are truly improvements for all road users. Second, whether it’s a city or state project, we need to make sure that we have robust, transparent community processes that give all community members the opportunity to get involved and make their voices heard.

Q: Official community meetings have a tendency to be attended by the same small group of involved residents and advocates, who are usually older, whiter, and wealthier than the community as a whole. What are your ideas for how the City can engage communities in new ways, and make sure that diverse voices are being heard?

John Connolly: The community process around transportation and development projects reflects my larger concern about a lack of transparency and accountability at City Hall. Right now, all too often, whether a project is approved depends on whom you know instead of the merits of your proposal. What we need is a transparent process that provides for meaningful community involvement.There is a role for technology in the community outreach process, such as providing better translation options and online notices for meetings. I’ve made my campaign platform available online in seven different languages, and I believe we need to do more of that in all our city communications, including our notices for community meetings. But posting a meeting notice online isn’t enough. As mayor, I will make sure that we are reaching out to the communities and getting the word out in multiple formats, including direct outreach with residents in the neighborhoods.

We also need to improve the experience at community meetings. Too often these meetings are dominated by presentations from city officials and project consultants, and community input is tightly controlled and pushed to the last few minutes. We need these meetings to be a true two-way street. We should also experiment with holding community meetings at different times or on weekends, so that residents who work the second or third shift are able to participate. And we should make it easy for those who cannot make it to a submit their thoughts online.

Q: Boston has many traffic signals that do not work well for pedestrians. How will your administration work to make signal timing safer, easier and more convenient for walkers of all paces?

John Connolly: Ultimately this is a safety issue. If pedestrians know they will have a dedicated walk phase — or that pushing a button will actually trigger a walk signal — they will be less likely to cross against traffic. As mayor, I will instruct the transportation department to review our signalized intersections and implement the appropriate signal solution for each situation. Signal times must be long enough for elderly pedestrians and pedestrians with disabilities to cross safely. We also need to recognize pedestrian patterns and change our streets to reflect and protect them. I recently signed onto a proposal to add a signalized crossing on the Cambridge Street overpass in Allston, at a point where many pedestrians are jaywalking to cross a busy arterial to get to a pedestrian bridge across the MassPike. This intervention would also serve an MBTA bus stop and help calm traffic on what is now a very high speed street.The measure of a successful intersection cannot just be the number of cars that can get through in a cycle. It must also include the safety and convenience of cyclists and pedestrians.

Q: Boston is always called a “walking city.” To protect and enhance this reputation, you will need to have a transportation commissioner and department who will make sure every City program and project works well for walkers. Would you consider creating a Boston Walks Director to champion the needs of walkers?

John Connolly: First off, I believe that Wendy Landman and WalkBoston are doing a fantastic job of promoting walking in our city. Our Transportation Management Associations are also encouraging employees to commute by foot, and we have great nonprofits like the Friends of the Freedom Trail that help promote our historic walks and tours. In terms of governance of the transportation department, the most important decision the next mayor can make is to hire a visionary commissioner who will put transit, cycling and walking on the same level as automobile traffic. If that commissioner tells me that we need a separate director for walking, then absolutely we will hire one. The same goes for our bike policy. I believe Nicole Friedman and Boston Bikes have done great work. Whenever we are undertaking a project, we need Complete Streets planning at the center.

Q: Despite the recent transportation bill that will devote more funding to the MBTA, the T remains heavily indebted with a long maintenance backlog. What are your ideas for innovative funding solutions that could be explored to address the MBTA’s significant funding needs?

John Connolly: I want to thank many of the groups that have organized this questionnaire for their hard work advocating for transportation revenue this past year. Your work helped convince our lawmakers to take up this important issue in the first place. As mayor, I would use the bully pulpit of the office to be a strong advocate for increased state funding for the MBTA. I would also look to make common cause with lawmakers and mayors from Gateway Cities, which have regional transit service, to create a coalition for transit across the Commonwealth.The T’s debt and maintenance backlog has forced the T to make the most of the infrastructure we have instead of pursuing expansions. Running Diesel Multiple Units on the Fairmount line and pursuing true Bus Rapid Transit from Logan Airport up to Chelsea and East Boston are smart moves given the fiscal climate. As mayor, I would push the T to expand this strategy, running subway-like service on other commuter lines within the city and looking for opportunities to implement true Bus Rapid Transit (off-bus payment, boarding at all doors, dedicated bus lanes that are truly off-limits to cars, and prioritizing buses at intersections). I would also prioritize late-night service, which would help workers in healthcare, public safety, hospitality, and other industries who don’t work weekday hours, and would provide residents with a safe, reliable, affordable way to get home after enjoying Boston’s culture and nightlife. It makes no sense not to provide this service now.

To pay for this, we are going to have to think differently about paying for the T. I believe that a UPass program, first proposed by advocates in 2012 and then again this year, is worth exploring. Similar programs elsewhere have require voluntary buy-in from universities, and as mayor I would work to bring our institutions of higher learning to the table and make the case for their participation. Finally, I believe we need to be much more aggressive in pursuing public private partnerships to fund transit. New Balance is funding the construction and operation of a new commuter rail station in Allston-Brighton. I believe we should be pursuing more partnerships of this kind, especially for major projects like the expansion of South Station, which involves a significant real estate opportunity.

Q: As mayor, what is your thought process when weighing competing road priorities, such as high-quality bike facilities, vehicular travel lanes, and parking?

John Connolly: As part of my campaign, I have gone on bike rides with activists from neighborhoods across our city: Allston-Brighton, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, the South End, and South Boston. The number one request these cyclists have made to me is to increase the number of cycle tracks. Studies have shown that these separated facilities are the single best thing we can do to improve the rate of casual cycling in a city, especially among women and children. I support the Boston Bike Network plan that has been developed by Boston Bikes and Toole Design Group, but I believe that when we create new bike facilities, they must be high-quality. Sharrows can confuse drivers and provide little protection, and bike lanes that force cyclists into the ‘door zone’ alongside parked cars can be more dangerous than helpful. Whatever bike facilities we do create must be continuous: bike lanes that disappear at busy intersections, where cyclists need them most, are not doing the job.Obviously, space is at a premium on our city streets, but interventions like the Western Avenue cycle track — moving the parking lane out to serve as a buffer between bikes and traffic — can be done without much cost or loss of parking. We need to find more instances like that, including rethinking the design of entire roads as they come up for reconstruction to find more space for bikes. We should also pilot the use of separate bike signals that reflect the very real differences between bikes and automobiles and give cyclists some added protection at intersections. And yes, there may be instances where we will remove parking in order to better accommodate cyclists.

Regarding bike parking, Boston is lagging behind our neighboring communities installing bike corrals, which can house a dozen or more bikes in a single automobile parking space. In a city where space is at a premium, these are a no brainer. When we reform our zoning code, we should do so in such a way as to require indoor bike parking in large office and residential buildings. New York city has an ordinance that requires landlords to respond to tenants’ requests for bike parking or to get a waiver from the city. While I would prefer a more comprehensive, code-based solution, a similar ordinance here in Boston would help in the short term.

Q: Will you fund the installation of high-quality bike facilities, such as physically separated bike lanes and bike-specific traffic signals? How?

John Connolly: Compared to public transit, bike facilities have a low initial cost and an excellent return on investment, in terms of reducing traffic congestion, improving public health and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Studies in other cities like Portland, New York and Seattle have shown that bike infrastructure has a positive economic effect for local businesses as well. In the face of this evidence, the question is not how can we afford to install bike facilities but how can we afford not to.As mayor, I would apply our complete streets guidelines to all street projects: if a city street is being redone, it will be redone with bike facilities. And to pay for it, I’ll instruct my transportation department to aggressively pursue grant opportunities, both from the federal government and from private sources like Bikes Belong and the Rockefeller Foundation. And just as we ask developers to contribute to roads and transit to serve their projects, we should be doing the same with bicycle facilities.

Q: The MBTA system leaves large swaths of the city with limited public transportation options, on crowded buses that often run less frequently than riders would like. How would you work with communities in Boston to find out more about their transit needs? How will you work with the MBTA to ensure that those needs are met?

John Connolly: As the main beneficiary of the T, the City of Boston has a moral obligation to make sure that all residents are well-served. This is all the more important since new legislation anticipates regular fare hikes of no more than 5 percent. If residents are going to be paying more to ride, we need to make sure the service is serving all of them well. The two Northeastern studies cited in the briefing book highlight the disparities we are confronting. As mayor I would work with research institutions in our city to generate data for the T to consider in its biannual service planning. It’s not enough simply to count who is currently riding the T. We also need to understand what obstacles may be preventing non-riders from getting on board.As mayor, I will make sure the city is making the most of opportunities like the Fairmount line. I will prioritize true transit oriented development and make sure that we have housing that is affordable for local residents near transit oriented developments. As I said above, I believe that DMUs could provide the potential for subway-like service on Fairmount, and we should explore expanding that strategy to other commuter lines to provide that level of service to more of the city. We also need to prioritize buses. The MBTA is currently making changes to improve service on its most used bus routes. Technology allows us to track buses in real time and give them priority at intersections. As mayor I would look to deploy this technology widely so as to give residents dependent on bus service the best possible experience. The T is also planning to extend the Silver Line past Logan Airport to East Boston and Chelsea on a dedicated busway. This will help a community currently underserved by transit.

And while I plan to be a forceful advocate for more transportation funding, I will also be a vocal watchdog of the MBTA, to make sure it is following through on its planning. Boston pays by far the largest city assessment to the T. We have an obligation to make sure we are getting our money’s worth for all our residents.

Q: What are your top priorities for updating Boston’s zoning code?

John Connolly: For starters, the Boston Redevelopment Authority is in need of significant reforms to make it more transparent and accountable. We have to end the conflict of interest between planning and development. We need a process where the community has real input, where we are focused on the economic future of Boston, and where we drive development from a plan, not the other way around. And we need to stop the practice of zoning by variance — if the exception becomes the rule, then the rule needs changing.One of the biggest challenges we face in Boston is the high cost of housing. We need a housing plan that will prioritize a holistic approach aimed at increasing affordable housing and middle-market housing in Boston. We need to give young artists, young professionals, and young families a path from rental to ownership and from one bedroom to two-to-three bedroom units. We need to make a priority of transit-oriented development that includes housing, retail, and commercial space, so that housing is accessible to stores, jobs and educational opportunities. Reducing parking requirements in appropriate places and with community buy-in could be a key strategy for lowering construction costs and creating a true middle-market for housing in Boston.

Q: As mayor, how will you target transportation investments to address health disparities among Boston’s neighborhoods?

John Connolly: Public and active transportation have a positive impact on public health in so many ways. By reducing air pollution and providing opportunities for physical activity, investments in the right kinds of transportation can actually save us money in the long run. In 2012, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council calculated that the environmental and health consequences of proposed fare hikes and service cuts on the T would end up costing the state between $272 and $386 million, far more than the $161 million the T was looking to save. Those environmental and health savings are one reason why, as mayor, I will support the Diesel Emissions Reduction Ordinance and enforce anti-idling laws. By taking the steps I outlined above to further transit equity, we can ensure that public transportation reaches deeper into our neighborhoods. As we plan our bike network, we must make sure that every neighborhood has safe routes to parks, health clinics, and healthy food options. Bike groups have been pairing with farmer’s markets in our neighborhoods; I would encourage more of those sorts of partnerships. Our neighborhood health centers are also a valuable tool in disseminating information about the health benefits of an active lifestyle. As we fill in our urban fabric with transit oriented developments, we should site our health centers near transit nodes for easy, car-free access. And as we prepare Boston for the impacts of climate change, we need to make sure we are thinking about the impacts on our neighborhoods — not just the impacts of a major storm event, but also the ongoing impacts of heat on vulnerable populations in the city.

Q: Would you support a citywide occupancy goal for metered parking, rather than a citywide price? How would you win public support for these ideas?

John Connolly: As your briefing guide rightly points out, parking is a hot-button issue in the city. Given the cost of building more structured parking, this is not a problem we can build our way out of. It demands more innovative solutions, and the ideas outlined in the briefing materials are an excellent start.At the same time, we have to work hard to engage Bostonians in a discussion about parking. I very much like the idea of a pilot district. I believe that this is an issue where our neighborhoods can serve as laboratories of innovation. Working with our Main Streets and neighborhood organizations, we can try out some of these new concepts (an occupancy goal, more metered parking, changes to residential parking) in order to work out logistical challenges, collect data and make a case to the rest of the city. We also need to make sure that changes to parking are accompanied by improvements to transit, biking and walking in the area, so that we are giving residents viable alternatives to driving. And we need to see parking policy not as punitive to those who drive but as making parking easier to find and more convenient.

Q: As Mayor, how would you protect and enhance Boston’s parks and open spaces? Please be specific and include information about how you will improve multimodal access to parks.

John Connolly: As a parent of three young children, I am a frequent user of Boston’s open space and parks. Meg and I bring our kids to play at Billings Field and the Arnold Arboretum. My vision for Boston’s parks includes activities to draw people into our parks, like movies, concerts and youth programs. But if we want to increase use of our parks, we need to make sure that young people and families can get there safely on foot or by bike. That’s why in my time on the City Council I have worked to ensure safe access to our open spaces, including advocating for a crosswalk to access Jamaica Pond. We also need to make it easier for residents to hold events in our parks. That’s why I want to make the parks permitting system more user-friendly, starting with the creation of an interactive online map of city parks and creation of a real-time, online calendar showing dates of availability for hosting events.We need to make sure that our parks are well-lit, well maintained and inviting, especially if we are going to be bringing more pedestrians and cyclists into them. Where possible, we should have separate bicycle and pedestrian facilities, especially for parks that are along major commuting routes. Our open space is an important resource as we plan a bike networks for commuters and recreational riders alike. As we continue to expand Hubway into our neighborhoods, we should locate stations near or in parks to promote exploration and travel beyond our busy streets. Our master planning for open space should encompass transportation and vice versa.

Q: Provide an anecdote to illustrate how you would define livability.

Charlotte Golar Richie: Liveability means different things to different people. One anecdote cannot fully capture the meaning of the term. Boston is a liveable city in many ways – you see it everyday as people use public assets such as the Esplanade, the Greenway, South Boston’s Castle Island and East Boston’s Piers Park. Liveability is also expressed in the access our citizens have to quality and affordable neighborhood health care. And increasingly, liveability is expressed in the improvements to mobility expressed by the hubway bicycle program. My challenge as mayor is to make these opportunities available and affordable to all of our citizens.

Q: Communities across the city have embraced smaller roadways and better, cheaper alternatives to large, expensive overpasses and underpasses. As mayor, would you support the City’s endorsement of the surface road for Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown, the state DCR’s endorsement of a surface road to replace the Casey Overpass in Forest Hills, and a surface road in lieu of the Bowker (Charlesgate) Overpass in the Back Bay? What else would you do to bring Boston’s roads back to a human scale?

Charlotte Golar Richie: I generally support these initiatives, and I definitely support a shift away from supporting vehicular convenience rather than making significant improvements to public transportation. Boston’s roadway system is, if anything overbuilt. We need to begin an era of unprecedented focus on other modes of transportation. I will take advice from community activists and transportation experts about the impacts on mobility and the environment. We cannot take action that may help and have a negative impact elsewhere. Our transportation network has to work as a system, and as mayor I will take into account how specific actions will impact mobility.

Q: Official community meetings have a tendency to be attended by the same small group of involved residents and advocates, who are usually older, whiter, and wealthier than the community as a whole. What are your ideas for how the City can engage communities in new ways, and make sure that diverse voices are being heard?

Charlotte Golar Richie: The city needs to explore and leverage the power of technology to bring city hall directly to citizens. Kevin White introduced the idea of Little City Halls in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, we need to create virtual little city halls using smart phone apps, interactive web sites, social media and other techniques. For those citizens who may not have access to technology, we will find ways to ensure that city hall comes to neighborhoods at all times of day to places where there is easy access.

Q: Boston has many traffic signals that do not work well for pedestrians. How will your administration work to make signal timing safer, easier and more convenient for walkers of all paces?

Charlotte Golar Richie: This is another area where technology is critical. I will work to make every street corner in Boston smart by introducing technology to ensure that signalization works well for pedestrians, and also works well to ensure that the light is always green when a bus or emergency vehicle is approaching.

Q: Boston is always called a “walking city.” To protect and enhance this reputation, you will need to have a transportation commissioner and department who will make sure every City program and project works well for walkers. Would you consider creating a Boston Walks Director to champion the needs of walkers?

Charlotte Golar Richie: Yes

Q: Despite the recent transportation bill that will devote more funding to the MBTA, the T remains heavily indebted with a long maintenance backlog. What are your ideas for innovative funding solutions that could be explored to address the MBTA’s significant funding needs?

Charlotte Golar Richie: Boston will be a testing ground for a VMT program that charges vehicles using the interstate and state highway system in Boston (not our local roads) by the mile, and charges them more during rush hour. The congestion fee would be dedicated to transit. This will require State House approval, but I will be a strong advocate for this type of innovative approach.

Q: As mayor, what is your thought process when weighing competing road priorities, such as high-quality bike facilities, vehicular travel lanes, and parking?

Charlotte Golar Richie: New York City has been a model for how to introduce alternative modes of transportation in a congested downtown. I want Boston to learn from that example and to lead by finding ways to reinvent how we envision and utilizes the streetscape. I will bring transportation and urban design experts together in the same room to find solutions.

Q: Will you fund the installation of high-quality bike facilities, such as physically separated bike lanes and bike-specific traffic signals? How?

Charlotte Golar Richie: We need to find new revenue for transportation purposes. Parking assessments on non-residential parking, based on carbon impacts can be dedicated to alternative modes like transit, bike and pedestrian. Another funding source will be from the development community, where the focus is placed less on expensive parking subsidies and more on alternative modes.

Q: The MBTA system leaves large swaths of the city with limited public transportation options, on crowded buses that often run less frequently than riders would like. How would you work with communities in Boston to find out more about their transit needs? How will you work with the MBTA to ensure that those needs are met?

Charlotte Golar Richie: I will ensure that my transportation policy advisors are in frequent communication with transit, bike and ped advocates, and that we develop a green mobility agenda for Boston. Such an agenda will recognize that the paradigm of the auto-centric past is and must be over, to make way for a more modally equitable future. Finally, I will meet with the MassDOT Board and Secretary on a regular basis to advocate for the city’s mobility needs. And I will form alliances with other mayors in order to develop an urban mobility and social justice agenda for the Greater Boston area.

Q: What are your top priorities for updating Boston’s zoning code?

Charlotte Golar Richie: Boston’s zoning code needs to encourage development that embraces density and diversity of use. A great city is a tapestry of differences that come together responsibly and creatively. As Mayor I will lead an effort to reimagine Boston and its neighborhoods as a model of 21st Century urban design and planning. I want the zoning code to express the creative side of Boston, and improve the quality of life for all city residents.

Q: As mayor, how will you target transportation investments to address health disparities among Boston’s neighborhoods?

Charlotte Golar Richie: My administration will take a hard look at the impacts of air pollution on residents who live adjacent to significant transportation systems. East Boston, for example, suffers daily from the impact of people driving through it to the tunnels, and driving to and from the airport. This is exacerbated in East Boston, South Boston and the South End by airplane pollution. And there is the daily pollution caused by heavy traffic. These impacts are felt in the neighborhoods with increases in childhood asthma, and cardio and pulmonary problems. We need to find ways to decongest city streets. Having smart traffic signalization system, and taking steps to encourage modal shift, are two ways to accomplish this.

Q: Would you support a citywide occupancy goal for metered parking, rather than a citywide price? How would you win public support for these ideas?

Charlotte Golar Richie: I support a new approach to parking in Boston, including assessing the efficiency of an occupancy goal. I also support that assessing non-residential parking for its carbon impacts can be one effective way to generate net new revenue for alternative modes, and can encourage modal shift.

Q: As Mayor, how would you protect and enhance Boston’s parks and open spaces? Please be specific and include information about how you will improve multimodal access to parks.

Charlotte Golar Richie: Parks and other spaces need to be viewed as mobility hubs. As Mayor, I will make these mobility hubs vibrant places where people can access a variety of choices – bike, pedicab, transit. I will work with the state to adopt a safe streets approach to pathways leading to and from these mobility hubs. This will encourage easier access to our important public assets.

Q: Provide an anecdote to illustrate how you would define livability.

Mike Ross: I am fortunate enough to live in an extremely livable community, Mission Hill, one that helps to identify for me what the definition of that word truly is. I have access to numerous forms of public transportation like a bike share hub at the bottom of my street, the Green Line on Huntington Avenue, the Orange Line at the other end of Tremont Street next to Columbus Avenue, the bus; the options for getting around the city are limitless. There are community staples–a community health center, a grocery store that provides fresh and healthy food options as well as affordable restaurants are all within walking distance. This is a community that is thriving due in a large part to it’s livability and every neighborhood deserves to have this equal access and opportunity.

Q: Communities across the city have embraced smaller roadways and better, cheaper alternatives to large, expensive overpasses and underpasses. As mayor, would you support the City’s endorsement of the surface road for Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown, the state DCR’s endorsement of a surface road to replace the Casey Overpass in Forest Hills, and a surface road in lieu of the Bowker (Charlesgate) Overpass in the Back Bay? What else would you do to bring Boston’s roads back to a human scale?

Mike Ross: I have been a strong advocate for many years of alternatives to overpasses where they can be used. I believe that overpasses create dead, underused space within neighborhoods and creates divisions between them. In my own City Council district, I have worked with the Friends of the Charlesgate for many years in their fight to remove the Bowker Overpass on the Kenmore/Back Bay line. I personally worked to set up meetings with MassDOT to advance these neighbors plan to remove the crumbling, unsafe overpass and to replace it with a surface-level road.Residents of Forest Hills and surrounding communities have invested a significant amount of time and energy into debating the options for the Casey Overpass. The resolution of that planning process is the proposal to remove the Casey Overpass and replace it with surface roads. While I understand that there are many residents who would like to replace the crumbling structure that now stands with a new overpass, I support the results of the community planning process to replace the overpass with surface streets. As Mayor, I would work closely with all stakeholders to advance a smart street design for the area that was focused on multi-modal uses of the roads, appropriately managed MBTA bus routes, and aggressively sought to mitigate congestion. The potential to re-knit the community by following the community plan to remove the overpass is tremendous and I look forward to strengthening the Forest Hills community

Q: Official community meetings have a tendency to be attended by the same small group of involved residents and advocates, who are usually older, whiter, and wealthier than the community as a whole. What are your ideas for how the City can engage communities in new ways, and make sure that diverse voices are being heard?

Mike Ross: My entire campaign has been built around the idea of engaging citizens of Boston of all ages and from different areas around the city through modern technologies like twitter, facebook and instagram as well as more traditional methods like print media, phone banking and door knocking. As Mayor, I would apply similar principles to work towards engaging a larger segment of our population. Instead of just emailing and putting a BRA notice in the Herald and local papers I would also work on a way to better incorporate social media into meeting distribution so that we can have a more diverse and varied population attending.

Q: Boston has many traffic signals that do not work well for pedestrians. How will your administration work to make signal timing safer, easier and more convenient for walkers of all paces?

Mike Ross: A walkable city is a livable city and the multi-modal focus of my transportation plans include improving pedestrian access and safety on every street in Boston. As the City Councilor that represents the two of the most heavily walked neighborhoods of the city-Back Bay and Beacon Hill- I am experienced with the specific issues of improving pedestrian crossings and signal timing. As Mayor, I will hire a Transportation Commissioner who is committed to improving our street infrastructure using “complete streets” principles and investing in smart technologies that better manage both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Today, very few traffic lights are coordinated, synchronized, or planned. And too few intersections are designed with pedestrian bump-outs that naturally shorten the distance pedestrians have to cross the street. I will invest in a smart traffic grid to make signal timing easier and safer for walkers and drivers, and allow smart street design to flourish across the city.

Q: Boston is always called a “walking city.” To protect and enhance this reputation, you will need to have a transportation commissioner and department who will make sure every City program and project works well for walkers. Would you consider creating a Boston Walks Director to champion the needs of walkers?

Mike Ross: It would certainly be something I would look into. As the representative of the downtown neighborhoods I have seen firsthand the complications caused by different modes of transportation and having the walkers perspective would be helpful in many instances.To move the people and commerce of our global city we need to investing in enhanced street infrastructure for multi-modal forms of transportation–most especially walkers in every neighborhood. As Mayor, the first thing I would do to address this set of issues would be to hire a transportation commissioner with a background in cycling, a commitment to multi-modal transportation and “complete streets” design principles, and an understanding of how to leverage networking technologies in our street system to significantly ease car traffic. As part of their commitment to multi-modal transportation, my commissioner will have an natural inclination to improve the state of walking in Boston. Even still, I would certainly be open to creating a Boston Walks Director within the transportation department.

Q: Despite the recent transportation bill that will devote more funding to the MBTA, the T remains heavily indebted with a long maintenance backlog. What are your ideas for innovative funding solutions that could be explored to address the MBTA’s significant funding needs?

Mike Ross: For Boston to meet its full potential as a global hub for business and innovation, and as a truly sustainable and livable city, we need an equally world-class transit system. The next Mayor of Boston must take on the issue of public transportation. As Mayor, I will make the MBTA my priority by serving as a strong advocate for improved, expanded, and fully funded MBTA service that helps Boston and our region stay connected and grow. I will lead the fight to improve and expand T service, but I won’t do it alone. The MBTA is a regional transit system that is the backbone of our regional economy. It’s time that mayors, state representatives and senators from across the metro region come together to fight for a strong, robust, and fully funded MBTA system that serves our regional economy and workforce. I will partner with our neighboring cities to form an Urban Caucus to advocate for financing that increases capacity on the MBTA and improves service in all communities.To fund this service expansion, I will work with our area universities to implement the U-Pass program, which lets those institutions purchase MBTA passes for every one of their students at discounted rates. The U-Pass program has the potential to generate close to $50 million in revenue for the MBTA, more than covering the estimated $10 million cost of renewed and expanded late night service. Through smart policies and collaborative partnerships we can make this work, and as Mayor, I will make sure we do.

Q: As mayor, what is your thought process when weighing competing road priorities, such as high-quality bike facilities, vehicular travel lanes, and parking?

Mike Ross: We must first plan, then build. Every roadway is different. For example, my district is one of the most difficult to install bike lanes in due to the narrow, often congested roadways. I’ve taken the approach that all roadways deserve a comprehensive discussion, with the community on priorities for their neighborhood. This worked very successfully on Commonwealth Ave when the bike lanes were proposed there. All stakeholders were engaged in a comprehensive conversation and all had different and competing priorities, but at the end of the day the bike lane itself turned out even better for having had such a thorough and thoughtful conversation. It’s a process that I would see to replicate throughout the city to help balance competing interests.

Q: Will you fund the installation of high-quality bike facilities, such as physically separated bike lanes and bike-specific traffic signals? How?

Mike Ross: As Mayor, I will hire a transportation commissioner with a background in cycling, a commitment to multi-modal transportation and “complete streets” design principles, and an understanding of how to leverage networking technologies in our street system to significantly better manage both cars and bikes on the road. By appointing a head of department fully dedicated to the inclusion of cyclists on our city’s streets I will be in turn committing to including cycling infrastructure into all road design and investment. Under my administration, support and investment in biking programs and infrastructure will be a key component of the Transportation Department budget.

Q: The MBTA system leaves large swaths of the city with limited public transportation options, on crowded buses that often run less frequently than riders would like. How would you work with communities in Boston to find out more about their transit needs? How will you work with the MBTA to ensure that those needs are met?

Mike Ross: I strongly believe that the best ideas come from our neighborhoods and would apply this same principle to finding out what transportation needs are necessary to equalize access in every community. I would engage with community groups, small businesses and transit advocates to ensure that we are advocating for the resources that are most essential towards citywide transportation equity. I’ve also committed to building ten-thousand additional units of housing as part of my mayoral platform to help ensure that as these transportation improvements are being made that we are increasing the housing stock to help keep neighborhoods affordable by meeting the ever-increasing demand. Over the course of my career I have worked many times on everything from instituting the Night Owl bus service, which would be one of my first priorities to bring back upon becoming Mayor, to having a Green Line station renamed to be more in character with the neighborhood.

Q: What are your top priorities for updating Boston’s zoning code?

Mike Ross: As Mayor, I will improve and modernize zoning and permitting processes in order to facilitate more transit-oriented development in Boston to promote greater transit ridership and create more sustainable and livable communities. A successful public transit system is dependent on riders’ access to transit stops. Promoting mixed-use housing and commercial development in close proximity to T stops and transit hubs makes taking the T an easy option for residents. It’s also a sustainable way to develop our neighborhoods and jumpstart business districts near T stops.Transit-oriented development has the potential to spark new growth and development that will strengthen neighborhoods across Boston. As Mayor, I will work with the community to plan first, then build, so that new growth meets the vision of the residents who live there. I will also encourage up-zoning to support greater height and density of development, and requirements to include car-sharing parking spaces and dedicated bicycling parking for residential and commercial developments.

Q: As mayor, how will you target transportation investments to address health disparities among Boston’s neighborhoods?

Mike Ross: Access to alternative modes of transportation, especially those with distinct health benefits such as biking and walking, helps to greatly incentivize and increase exercise. As mayor, I would work to continue to improve accessibility to all of our city’s residents to biking programs like hubway, create safe walking routes and improve access to convenient public transportation in order to dis-incentivize car use. I would also work to bring resources, such as grocery stores and restaurants, into our city’s neighborhoods that currently lack them so that people without access to alternative transportation feel the need to get in their car to get a bite to eat. Equal access to multi-modal transportation will help to continue to bridge the health disparities within Boston’s neighborhoods and would a priority of my administration.

Q: Would you support a citywide occupancy goal for metered parking, rather than a citywide price? How would you win public support for these ideas?

Mike Ross: Parking is a perennial problem in Boston. The best way to address this issue is to provide strong transportation alternatives to encourage people to drive less and reduce car ownership. My transportation plan for Boston strongly highlights investments in public transit, better cycling infrastructure, expanded car-sharing networks, and zoning reforms to encourage transit oriented development. I also support changes to zoning that reduces the minimum required number of parking spaces that new developments must include in their plans. This policy reflects the reality that fewer and fewer people are choosing to own cars.However, we still must deal with the cars that are on the road today. As Mayor, I would support transitioning all two-hour street parking in the city to meters to put a real price on parking and work through a community planning process to address the challenges of neighborhoods with more residential permits than actual parking spaces.

I would support parking benefit districts as one way to make this change in a way that maximizes benefits to business districts. Parking benefit districts dedicate a portion of the revenues generated from newly installed parking meters to local improvements that promote walking, cycling and transit use, such as improved sidewalks, curb ramps, lights and bicycle lanes. Additionally, it can be used to encourage drivers to consider other ways to reach their destination without driving and parking. Cities like Austin, Texas are currently utilizing this innovative model. I would also lead the implementation of mobile apps that identify open parking spaces for drivers to reduce time spent driving in search of spaces, resulting in less congestion and carbon emissions from circling vehicles.

Q: As Mayor, how would you protect and enhance Boston’s parks and open spaces? Please be specific and include information about how you will improve multimodal access to parks.

Mike Ross: I believe that Boston must open its parks up to more multi-modal users, specifically, allowing greater access to cyclists who want to ride their bikes to our many great parks and open spaces. As Mayor, I would create an expansive network of dedicated bike lanes that connect every one of our neighborhoods to each other via safe routes for cyclists of all backgrounds. That network would include a specific route to connect the Rose Kennedy Greenway all the way out to Franklin Park along the Emerald Necklace in order to give more people access to the full breadth of Olmstead’s park system. But I would also direct my transportation commissioner to pay close attention to connecting all of our city’s parks and open spaces in all neighborhoods with a dedicated lane and look to cite future Hubway stations adjacent to parks.I am also in favor of opening up trails and sidewalks that run through our parks to bikes. It simply makes sense to allow those people who travel to a park by bike to ride through them. We can do this in a way that is safe for both bikers and pedestrians, through signage, street markings, and even widening paths to make room for bikes.

Q: What is your vision for transportation in Boston, under your leadership?

Bill Walczak: While the principles outlined in their blueprint are both consistent with my views and achievable, I believe they don’t go far enough. The biggest change needed is that the next Mayor of Boston work with the Governor and mayors/leaders of Greater Boston municipalities on COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL planning for Greater Boston. We cannot plan transportation without including housing, economic development, and open space planning for Greater Boston as a whole. The next Mayor must advocate that state government tie its’ funding in the areas of transit, highway, housing, economic development and open space to comprehensive regional plans that maximize transit oriented development, build on the inherent strengths, and are responsive to the specific needs of the entire Greater Boston region. Regionalism and regional planning are needed to ensure that Boston, as a city, and Greater Boston, as a region, continue our role as leaders and innovators. As Mayor, I will be the leader and innovator who makes regionalism a reality.

Q: Provide an anecdote to illustrate how you would define livability.

Bill Walczak: It begins with a sunny Saturday walk to Savin Hill Park with my wife and two kids. Savin Hill Park abuts my house and offers spectacular views of the Boston Harbor and the Blue Hills. It’s a little green oasis in the heart of Dorchester where my kids climbed on large rock outcroppings and my wife and I played tennis. Later in the day I walked to Savin Hill Avenue to shop for dinner at the local supermarket. After dinner with our neighbors, we settled the kids in for the night with a babysitter who lived two doors away and my wife, our dinner guests and I walked to the Savin Hill MBTA station and headed downtown for a concert. For me, livability means good neighbors; a safe, clean walkable neighborhood with good parks, recreation facilities and shops; and a quality transportation system that connects you not only to work but to art, culture and the rest of the world. It’s why I chose to live in Boston.I am committed to ensuring that all Boston neighborhoods are livable. Shortly after my wife and I were married and had moved into an apartment near Codman Square which, at the time, was reeling from abandonment and arson, violence and drugs. Recognizing the importance of combatting the sense of hopelessness that pervaded the neighborhood, I became a leader in the civic association and offered ideas on how to deal with the many issues facing the community. We began by organizing community residents around the creation of a strategic plan for the neighborhood.

The strategic planning process involved hundreds of residents and resulted in a 40 page document which called on the community to work with government, nonprofits and local businesses to build a new Codman Square area that would be stronger, healthier, and more livable. Because of the broad community buy-in, we were able to secure funding to build a community health center as an anchor institution. We also organized block groups and crime watches and camped out at Roberts Park to drive the drug dealers out. We collaborated on the development of new youth programs, the creation of a strong Neighborhood Council to monitor progress and, over time, we added financial literacy, adult education, public health, and youth entrepreneurship programs. More recently, we incorporated a charter school to provide young people an opportunity to explore health careers as an alternative to street crime. This strategic planning process has been updated every decade since the initial one in 1989.

Q: Communities across the city have embraced smaller roadways and better, cheaper alternatives to large, expensive overpasses and underpasses. As mayor, would you support the City’s endorsement of the surface road for Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown, the state DCR’s endorsement of a surface road to replace the Casey Overpass in Forest Hills, and a surface road in lieu of the Bowker (Charlesgate) Overpass in the Back Bay? What else would you do to bring Boston’s roads back to a human scale?

Bill Walczak: I believe each of these roadways was built in the 1950s at a time when for many the American Dream of upward mobility meant, among other things, moving out of crumbling cities to well-manicured suburbs. This move was, literally, driven by an infatuation with the automobile – and it was largely supported by federal transportation policies that favored highway construction under the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways. It was a different time with different priorities.I support the decisions to replace these outdated roadways with surface roads. We no longer need roads designed to help people flee the city. And we no longer need roads that divide neighborhoods. For the first time in many years, Boston’s population is growing. People are moving back in from the suburbs. And what we need at this point in the City’s history are roads that bind neighborhoods together.

That said, I understand why these decisions are so controversial. And while I trust transportation engineers’ analyses that show these changes will not lead to the kind of congestion and gridlock that many fear, I understand why residents of those neighborhoods would be skeptical.

They have every right to be skeptical because of the way planning has been done – or, more accurately, not done – over the past several decades. The last comprehensive review of Boston’s zoning code was done in the 1980s and the last comprehensive transportation plan was done in 2000. Real estate development and transportation decisions have been done in such a piecemeal fashion over the past decades that one can hardly blame people for doubting the wisdom behind them. These three transportation decisions should have been made as part of a comprehensive planning process that engaged residents in developing an integrated transportation, housing, open space/environmental and commercial master plan to guide the decisions about Boston’s future growth.

Q: Official community meetings have a tendency to be attended by the same small group of involved residents and advocates, who are usually older, whiter, and wealthier than the community as a whole. What are your ideas for how the City can engage communities in new ways, and make sure that diverse voices are being heard?

Bill Walczak: I would follow the same approach that I spearheaded in Codman Square which involved engaging hundreds of low income, minority and immigrant neighborhood residents in the creation of a strategic plan for the community. We did so by holding traditional monthly community meetings, but also by holding meetings in church basements after Sunday services and going to barber shops and nail salons and other locations where people gathered and engaging them in discussing their vision for Codman Square. This process, one of the first times a community organized itself to determine its own future, became the basis of the City’s effort to do so in many other neighborhoods in a program called Healthy Boston.As Mayor, I would formalize this process by making sure that the neighborhood liaisons hired by the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services are selected based on their history of advocating for their community. I want to bring activists and agitators into City government to make it work for people living in our neighborhoods. I would charge ONS Neighborhood Liaisons with working with BRA and BTD planners to hold community meetings in locations and at times that meet the schedules of neighborhood residents such as church basements after Sunday services.

And, as I indicated above, I would also reach out to elected/appointed officials in surrounding communities to agree on ways to engage residents from our respective communities in a regional planning process.

Q: Boston has many traffic signals that do not work well for pedestrians. How will your administration work to make signal timing safer, easier and more convenient for walkers of all paces?

Bill Walczak: I would investigate using micro-radar used to count both bicyclists and pedestrians to generate the data we need to migrate away from the automobile and toward alternate modes of transportation.I’ve also been following the work being done in Pittsburgh with Carnegie Mellon on a new adaptive traffic signal control technology that combines concepts from the fields of artificial intelligence and traffic theory to allow traffic signals to communicate with one another and collaboratively adapt to actual traffic conditions in real time. Among other things, this technology promises to dramatically reduce harmful vehicle emissions and frustratingly long travel times through urban neighborhoods. And it has the potential to make existing traffic systems work far more efficiently without having to widen roads or eliminate street parking in a way that works for automobiles, bikes and walkers. That work is in the pilot phase in Pittsburgh, but I would move quickly to import it to Boston, once it’s been perfected.

Q: Boston is always called a “walking city.” To protect and enhance this reputation, you will need to have a transportation commissioner and department who will make sure every City program and project works well for walkers. Would you consider creating a Boston Walks Director to champion the needs of walkers?

Bill Walczak: As a public health professional, I recognize the value in promoting walking and biking for health and environmental reasons. So, while I would consider creating a Boston Walks Director, I would be equally inclined to establish as one of the fundamental principles used to guide future city and regional master planning processes a commitment to maintaining Boston as a walkable city, which would ensure that any planned development or transportation change would have to weigh the impact of that change on Boston’s walkability.

Q: Despite the recent transportation bill that will devote more funding to the MBTA, the T remains heavily indebted with a long maintenance backlog. What are your ideas for innovative funding solutions that could be explored to address the MBTA’s significant funding needs?

Bill Walczak: The upcoming 2014 federal transportation authorization represents a once-in-a- generation opportunity to create the safe, clean and smart transportation system needed to support today’s economy and move our country forward. Two bills that have been put forward deserve support and would benefit from being combined; one would increase the investment in public transit and restore some flexibility in how federal funds can be used; the other would enable large transit agencies to use federal formula transportation funds for operating assistance if a state or local government also increases its level of support for the transit system. This latter bill would also allow transit systems to use federal funds for operating expenses that would achieve energy savings or greenhouse gas reductions through expanded service. As Mayor, I would work with our local Congressional delegation and with the U.S. Conference of Mayors to lobby other members of Congress to support the funding changes called for in these bills.

Q: As mayor, what is your thought process when weighing competing road priorities, such as high-quality bike facilities, vehicular travel lanes, and parking?

Bill Walczak: I am an avid bicyclist, and I understand both how wonderful and dangerous it is to ride in Boston. We need to encourage cycling to reduce traffic congestion and our carbon footprint and to promote a healthy alternative to driving, but we must start by making it safe. Helmets are important, and we need to give bikers more clearly designated and more heavily protected lanes that stretch into every neighborhood. We must also educate cyclists and drivers about the rules of the road, and place signs at difficult intersections to remind everyone to ride and drive safely.In addition, as stated above under “Walking,” I would pursue technological improvements such as smart traffic signals that allow traffic signals to communicate with one another and collaboratively adapt to actual traffic conditions in real time. Among other things, this technology has the potential to make existing traffic systems work far more efficiently without having to widen roads or eliminate street parking in a way that works for automobiles, bikes and walkers.

Q: Will you fund the installation of high-quality bike facilities, such as physically separated bike lanes and bike-specific traffic signals? How?

Bill Walczak: In addition to installing smart traffic signals, as Mayor, I would enthusiastically implement the Boston Bike Network Plan and would make sure that bike lanes are incorporated into every street, road or intersection that undergoes any kind of improvement. I would also work with surrounding communities to create a seamless network of bike trails between neighborhoods and jurisdictions. I would also support the ambitious goal of having biking account for 30 to 50 percent of all trips in Boston by 2043.

Q: The MBTA system leaves large swaths of the city with limited public transportation options, on crowded buses that often run less frequently than riders would like. How would you work with communities in Boston to find out more about their transit needs? How will you work with the MBTA to ensure that those needs are met?

Bill Walczak: I would find out about communities’ transit needs through the comprehensive, regional master planning process that I’ve called for.I know from personal experience how difficult it is to work with the MBTA. I worked long and hard with my Dorchester neighbors to push the T to construct a new platform on the JFK/UMass Station in the 1980s. As mayor, I would be prepared to advocate strongly with the state to secure lower fares for people who live on the Fairmount line. As mayor, I certainly will support working with the MBTA and fighting with the state if necessary around the issue of how to create fair fares.

Q: What are your top priorities for updating Boston’s zoning code?

Bill Walczak: As Mayor, I would undertake a complete review of the current outdated zoning code as part of a citywide and regional master planning process.

Q: As mayor, how will you target transportation investments to address health disparities among Boston’s neighborhoods?

Bill Walczak: As a public health professional, I would use data to determine where to focus transportation and other investments and would rely on mapping to target areas of greatest need. To ensure that all city policies and plans are viewed through a public health lens, I will incorporate “Health Impact Analyses” into all master planning processes.

Q: Would you support a citywide occupancy goal for metered parking, rather than a citywide price? How would you win public support for these ideas?

Bill Walczak: I would begin by establishing a citywide system for residential permits and making information about the availability of residential parking permits available on the City’s website.I would a cost-benefit analysis of charging performance-based prices for curb parking throughout the city’s commercial district as well as an analysis of the impact of returning the revenue to the metered districts to pay for added public services.

Q: As Mayor, how would you protect and enhance Boston’s parks and open spaces? Please be specific and include information about how you will improve multimodal access to parks.

Bill Walczak: I would encourage more bike riding to parks by improving and expanding bike lanes, as described above, and by installing bike racks at parks and playgrounds and increasing the number of Hubway stations at parks and playgrounds and across the city.

Q: Provide an anecdote to illustrate how you would define livability.

Marty Walsh: To me, livability means the ability to leave your house and have things to do outside. In my neighborhood in Savin Hill, I can go out and walk down my street feeling safe knowing that a few minutes away I have a park or coffee shop to go to or a T station that can take me into town. Livability means access to things that make life enjoyable, like amenities, recreation and transportation, among others. This city has so much to offer and we need to make all of those offerings accessible to everyone.

Q: Communities across the city have embraced smaller roadways and better, cheaper alternatives to large, expensive overpasses and underpasses. As mayor, would you support the City’s endorsement of the surface road for Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown, the state DCR’s endorsement of a surface road to replace the Casey Overpass in Forest Hills, and a surface road in lieu of the Bowker (Charlesgate) Overpass in the Back Bay? What else would you do to bring Boston’s roads back to a human scale?

Marty Walsh: Community engagement and planning are vital to what is going to happen in the three mentioned situations. First of all, I plan to do a feasibility study of all of these projects and see what results they will generate. In regards to the Casey Overpass, after talking to neighbors in Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, Hyde Park and Roslindale, I am personally against tearing down the overpass. However, more community input is needed for a decision to be made. All of these decisions need to be looked into more, and as Mayor I will work with the communities most affected and make sure their voices are heard at the negotiation table.

Q: Official community meetings have a tendency to be attended by the same small group of involved residents and advocates, who are usually older, whiter, and wealthier than the community as a whole. What are your ideas for how the City can engage communities in new ways, and make sure that diverse voices are being heard?

Marty Walsh: My Administration plans to get more citizens involved with all community matters. I plan to establish a program through the Boston Public Health Commission that will bring information to people’s doors. We’re good at getting information into homes when we campaign for offices, but I want to carry that on once elected. In the same way a canvasser for a campaign goes door-to-door, I will have workers visit houses with information about city services, programs, and community events. We are considering a new Chief Information Officer position. This office would be tasked with developing a communications plan across departments, rather than each department dealing with its own publicity. We will make the City website easier to use. I’ve heard time and time again on the campaign trail that people want to get out and help their communities. However, they do not know how to do so. As mayor, I will make sure everyone who wants to help make this city better knows exactly how to get involved.

Q: Boston has many traffic signals that do not work well for pedestrians. How will your administration work to make signal timing safer, easier and more convenient for walkers of all paces?

Marty Walsh: Optimizing the timing of the city’s traffic signals is critical to ensuring public safety, equity for seniors and disabled people, and a city that facilitates movement and commerce. By building input from area residents and workforce into our planning process, we can best adapt our streets to those who travel them most. We should also examine existing data around traffic incidents and traffic density or delay. We can and should encourage a grassroots process for determining neighborhood needs. “Walk audits” performed by advocates are a good mechanism for getting concrete details about the safety, spacing, and timing of our street intersections and traffic signals, among other details. Boston’s transportation planning should not only incorporate, but actively solicit this level of feedback. In addition to holding regular community meetings around planning, and scheduled walks, we can market and develop the city’s digital tools to ensure that transportation input is easy, detailed, documented, and sufficient. Boston’s next mayor can build a safer city where residents feel comfortable in their own communities. Meeting the needs of walkers throughout all areas of the city is important for many reasons. We need to make sure pedestrians are safe everywhere. Boston’s Complete Streets is doing great work around making the streets safe for everyone.

Q: Boston is always called a “walking city.” To protect and enhance this reputation, you will need to have a transportation commissioner and department who will make sure every City program and project works well for walkers. Would you consider creating a Boston Walks Director to champion the needs of walkers?

Marty Walsh: I think a Boston Walks Director is a good idea. However, that person will need to focus on the whole city and not just Downtown. It is a big task but I believe pedestrians will have a much easier time under my Administration.

Q: Despite the recent transportation bill that will devote more funding to the MBTA, the T remains heavily indebted with a long maintenance backlog. What are your ideas for innovative funding solutions that could be explored to address the MBTA’s significant funding needs?

Marty Walsh: The City of Boston can only influence the MBTA, as it is a state agency. However, having been a state representative for 16 years, I am the best candidate to work with my colleagues on Beacon Hill to make sure Boston gets its priorities funded.

Q: As mayor, what is your thought process when weighing competing road priorities, such as high-quality bike facilities, vehicular travel lanes, and parking?

Marty Walsh: First, communities need to be part of the entire process of transportation planning. Getting local buy-in for transportation planning is essential, and the easiest way to do that is by beginning with neighborhood needs and visions. As we move toward more walkable, bikeable, and livable communities, the City should come prepared to advocate for the benefits of newer development trends aimed for public health and equity, like Complete Streets design, bicycle amenities, and dedicated bus lanes. Transportation access should empower access to food, greenspace, health care, houses of worship, and educational/cultural engagement. We can and should work to reduce the number of cars on the street and control the amount of space we dedicate to parking while recognizing that certain facilities, from neighborhood churches and small businesses to major hospitals, do need space for vehicles. This also ensures transit equity for our seniors and disabled people. We need bottom-up input to get the most creative, equitable, and feasible solutions. We need leadership from the top that reflects the vision of transportation for our health and prosperity that our communities are calling for.

Q: Will you fund the installation of high-quality bike facilities, such as physically separated bike lanes and bike-specific traffic signals? How?

Marty Walsh: In order to find funding I would look into any and all federal money available for increasing bike use. I would also work with private institutions and businesses to invest in bike facilities. Biking has been shown to be good for local economies and it is great for the health and environment of our city.

Q: The MBTA system leaves large swaths of the city with limited public transportation options, on crowded buses that often run less frequently than riders would like. How would you work with communities in Boston to find out more about their transit needs? How will you work with the MBTA to ensure that those needs are met?

Marty Walsh: I would work with the MBTA to explore dedicated bus lanes on high-density, underserved routes and work to implement an Urban Ring service. I would also work to reach out, listen to, and incorporate the ideas of Bostonians in all transportation planning. This can be accomplished through annual neighborhood meetings with the Mayor and regular communication with residents through Little City Halls. I would also add targeted outreach to non-English speakers and communities of color to make sure all Bostonians are being heard. I would also make it easy for people to comment on transit problems through platforms like Citizen’s Connect, mobile apps, and other technological means. Things get done when people’s voices are heard, and as mayor I will make sure the MBTA runs as efficiently as possible.

Q: What are your top priorities for updating Boston’s zoning code?

Marty Walsh: I plan to make zoning and permitting in Boston much easier for everyone, from citizens putting an addition on their house, to big developers building a skyscraper. My Administration will make it simple and straightforward. I plan on carrying through the urban agriculture process, including safe and secure rooftop agriculture planning, and adapting to the risks spurred by global climate change, like rising sea levels and extreme weather events. I would also like to incentivize greening the city through new zoning overlays near transit. For example, developers could be eligible for more height if they add open space or stormwater retention. We have the opportunity to create a new, greener Boston, and zoning should not be something that stands in the way.

Q: As mayor, how will you target transportation investments to address health disparities among Boston’s neighborhoods?

Marty Walsh: The Boston Public Health Commission has routinely published excellent data on health disparities. Neighborhoods with high rates of asthma, obesity and diabetes–notably Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan–are typically also underserved by public transit. Continued investment in transportation for these areas, including bus, rail and bike amenities, and Greenway trails, will be a boon to public health. All of Boston deserves great transportation access, health of the entire city will benefit by linking our neighborhoods. For example, bike lanes and increased Hubway availability in South Boston would not only provide a major convenience for those making trips from Dorchester or Mattapan to downtown in addition to Southie residents. All of this contributes to increased physical fitness, and in many cases, air quality improvements as we reduce the number of cars on the road. Planning for better transportation will also incorporate better access to food, school, and centers of commerce, and will be coordinated with neighborhood development processes. It is crucial to keep low-cost housing options and workforce development plans in step with transportation and the wishes of the community. I would also work to reduce costs on The Ride, so that our elderly and disabled residents will no longer have to face disproportionate fare increases.

Q: Would you support a citywide occupancy goal for metered parking, rather than a citywide price? How would you win public support for these ideas?

Marty Walsh: I think the city is used to the citywide price we have. However, if the community comes together for a citywide occupancy goal, I would be open to the idea.

Q: As Mayor, how would you protect and enhance Boston’s parks and open spaces? Please be specific and include information about how you will improve multimodal access to parks.

Marty Walsh: I would work to expand access to transportation, especially Hubway services in our underserved neighborhoods, so that a ride to the park is convenient for all residents. I also plan to make an assessment of all of the city’s land and create parks out of empty lots in areas without greenspace so people can get out and be active. The parks in Boston are one of our best qualities, and I will do whatever I can to make sure they are being used by our residents.

Q: Provide an anecdote to illustrate how you would define livability.

Charles Yancy: Livability is a measure of the ability of community residents to live in a healthy and safe community, one that provides safe and suitable transportation choices to all citizens, whether by walking, bicycling, transit, or driving.

Q: Communities across the city have embraced smaller roadways and better, cheaper alternatives to large, expensive overpasses and underpasses. As mayor, would you support the City’s endorsement of the surface road for Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown, the state DCR’s endorsement of a surface road to replace the Casey Overpass in Forest Hills, and a surface road in lieu of the Bowker (Charlesgate) Overpass in the Back Bay? What else would you do to bring Boston’s roads back to a human scale?

Charles Yancy: Consequently, if eliminating overpasses and underpasses improves community livability, and survives a strong community process, then I will certainly support the city’s endorsement of surface roads in Charlestown, Forest Hills, and in the Back Bay.

Q: Official community meetings have a tendency to be attended by the same small group of involved residents and advocates, who are usually older, whiter, and wealthier than the community as a whole. What are your ideas for how the City can engage communities in new ways, and make sure that diverse voices are being heard?

Charles Yancy: Clearly community process is jeopardized when there is limited community participation, particularly when most decisions impacting the community are dominated by a small group of people. But there are several approaches for conquering such undemocratic processes and increasing the community’s participation in determining policies that affect them. The leadership of existing or new neighborhood associations should personally ask members of the community to participate in their organization’s various projects. The associations should also promote communication among diverse populations and offer programs to nurture and encourage new leadership. In fact, an association’s membership should reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of the community it serves. Neighborhood associations should also provide a forum for community residents to freely share their concerns, ideas, concepts, and suggestions. Local schools and churches could embolden long-term community participation by providing civic education and requiring community involvement of students and parishioners. Schools, libraries, government, and the media can also play a significant role in informing the public about opportunities to participate in the community’s decision making process, particularly on solving issues and problems impacting the community.

Q: Boston is always called a “walking city.” To protect and enhance this reputation, you will need to have a transportation commissioner and department who will make sure every City program and project works well for walkers. Would you consider creating a Boston Walks Director to champion the needs of walkers?

Charles Yancy: I believe creating a Boston Walks Director, to oversee public safety of Boston’s pedestrians, is a logical approach to producing a safer city. Nationally, about 4,000 pedestrians are killed and another 59,000 pedestrians are injured every year. To decrease pedestrian fatalities in the City of Boston, we will need a team of professionals who can analyze pedestrian crash trends and identify potential safety hazards such as blocked pathways, insufficient signage and pedestrian lighting, and narrow sidewalks or sidewalks with uneven surfaces. The team could also overhaul traffic signals to improve pedestrian safety. I also believe Boston should crack down on dangerous automobile drivers by aggressively enforcing traffic laws and significantly increasing traffic fines. The city could also establish a hot line for pedestrians to report possible problems. Finally, pedestrians, themselves, must be restrained from unsafe behaviors such as ignoring traffic signals, crossing the road without looking, and crossing at an unsafe location.

Q: Despite the recent transportation bill that will devote more funding to the MBTA, the T remains heavily indebted with a long maintenance backlog. What are your ideas for innovative funding solutions that could be explored to address the MBTA’s significant funding needs?

Charles Yancy: Massachusetts transportation officials this year backed a $1.8 billion budget for the MBTA that partly helped avoid steep fare hikes. The MBTA’s huge debt prevents the transit system from financing safer and reliable services. One of the most reliable methods of raising capital and closing the current funding gap remains increasing ridership across the entire system. Other proposals to balance the MBTA’s budget have included finding new sources of revenue through open-road tolling, the reapportionment of sales tax proceeds, or levying a regional tax on T riders. I disagree with any proposals that cut services to narrow the funding gap because the reduction of services comes at the expense of commuters. In fact, 37 percent of people working in Boston use the MBTA to get to work.

Q: As mayor, what is your thought process when weighing competing road priorities, such as high-quality bike facilities, vehicular travel lanes, and parking?

Charles Yancy: As Mayor, I would seek to improve bicycle safety by enforcing traffic laws, increasing fines for traffic violations, and by adding physical barriers that separate bicycles from automobiles. I would seek funding for high-quality bike facilities from the federal government, corporate advertisers, and the city’s budget.

Q: The MBTA system leaves large swaths of the city with limited public transportation options, on crowded buses that often run less frequently than riders would like. How would you work with communities in Boston to find out more about their transit needs? How will you work with the MBTA to ensure that those needs are met?

Charles Yancy: Guaranteeing transit equity for MBTA riders will be a key goal of my administration. I am very familiar with the MBTA’s transit equity problem and, as Mayor; plan to pursue solutions immediately to provide equitable services to all riders. MBTA/RTA service cuts or fare increases impacts residents in the City of Boston. As Mayor, I would like to see significant improvements to the system’s infrastructure and work to keep fares affordable for all Boston residents.

Q: What are your top priorities for updating Boston’s zoning code?

Charles Yancy: I have see many positive reasons for changing the City’s zoning code, including for the acceptance of the city’s urban farming pilot program, for the reduction of the number of students who can legally share an apartment, and most recently, for the adaptation to climate change and for reducing the risks of harm caused by climate change.

Q: As mayor, how will you target transportation investments to address health disparities among Boston’s neighborhoods?

Charles Yancy: The majority of residents who will go without basic health care include millions of undocumented immigrants, as well as millions of U.S. residents who make too much money to qualify for assistance but who are unable to afford coverage. I believe the government should provide health care for all U.S. residents – legal or not, and increase the cap for tax credits to help middle-class Americans buy coverage. I also believe all residents of Boston should be entitled to high-quality health care regardless of their ability to pay. I believe policy, like President Obama’s Health Care Bill, will ultimately help to reduce racial and class disparities in access to health care. I am also encouraged by heightened community awareness of prevention and wellness. As Mayor, I would continue to work to improve access and health care affordability for all residents of the City of Boston.

Q: Would you support a citywide occupancy goal for metered parking, rather than a citywide price? How would you win public support for these ideas?

Charles Yancy: I am supportive of the Performance-Based Parking Pricing Program because it ensures access to business districts with on-street paid parking, and it provides visitors and shoppers with the benefits of faster, easier, and more convenient on-street parking.

Q: As Mayor, how would you protect and enhance Boston’s parks and open spaces? Please be specific and include information about how you will improve multimodal access to parks.

Charles Yancy: Although I have attended events at nearly every park in the City of Boston, I most frequently visit Franklin Park, Almont Park, and Harambee Park (formerly Franklin Field) in my district. Most of Boston’s parks are very well-maintained. However, I have received complaints in the past for various reasons, including litter, noisy events, nonfunctioning lights, and lack of bathroom facilities. As Mayor, I will guarantee all Boston parks are equally well-maintained. I will also work to make sure park abutters and those using parks are both satisfied. I will also make sure there are plenty of accessories available to improve uses of parks such as benches, toilets, proper lighting, trash disposals, and possibly extended hours of use. Improving public safety in a park is essential to encouraging its use. I would work with the Boston Police Department to ensure continuous police presence at all city parks, and I would consider the installation of video cameras to help deter misconduct. I would work with the Parks Commission and the Department of Conservation and Recreation to create a ‘Parks Publicity Campaign,’ encouraging Boston residents to consider using local parks for their functions. I would encourage use of parks and open space for events geared toward young people, particularly events regarding employment and educational opportunities. I would love to see employment fairs and college recruitment events held in our parks. I would also encourage use of parks for entertainment such as outdoor concerts, theatrical performances, and a variety of sports events. I strongly oppose any municipal or private development on parkland, play areas, and sports fields in the City of Boston and am in full support of the Public Input Bill (H. 739), which would require public notice and input before for significant physical alterations to state parks and other public natural resource lands could take place, and the Old Growth Forest Bill (H. 797) would require an inventory of forests on state lands, identify old growth forest reserves, and develop plans for the management and protection of the reserves.