7/30/2019 MPLS Bicycle Coalition Candidate Survey

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MPLSBicycleCoalition

CandidateSurvey

ChrisLautenschlager

Ward12

1.Doyouuseabicycleinthecity?Ifso,forwhatpurposes(commuting,recreation,

errands)andhowoften?Pleaseindicatehowyoumostcommonlycommutetowork.

Yes,IhaveregularlybikedthroughouttheTwinCitiessinceIfirstmovedhereat17.

Twentyyearslater,theremaybemanymorebikelanesandotherinfrastructurein

place,butIremaincomfortablebikingwithorwithoutanyofit.

Asanewparent,myopportunitiestoridehavebeensomewhatlimitedrecently;trips

withabiketrailerhave,fornow,madeanyjourneyabitshorter.Myfamilyisfortunate

enoughtolivewithin50yardsofthebikeandpedestrianpathsthatrunalongsideMinnehahaCreek.Today,abulkofmyrecreationalbikingisguidedbythewhimsofmy

now2-year-olddaughter,whosepointingfingertellsmegolefttotheFalls,ortogo

righttoLakeHiawatha.

ForthepasteightyearsIhaveconsistentlycommutedbybikeorbytrain.In2005Ibiked

everydayfrommyapartmentinLowryHillEasttomyjobatTarget(backinthedays

whereonecouldgetcitedforbikingdownNicolletMall);whenImovedtomycurrent

neighborhoodIbikedtwiceaweekandtooktheLRTontheotherdays.Currently,I

workfromhomeandampleasedtoreportIhavenoregularcommute.

2.Describepastaccomplishmentsthathavesupportedbicyclinginyourcommunity.

Althoughthemajorityofmysupportforbicyclinginitiativeshasbeenfinancialbacking

overthepastfewyears,Ihavetangiblycontributedtothebicyclingcommunityinafew

otherways.

IbrieflyservedontheGreenwayImprovementsCommitteeattheMidtownGreenway

Coalition(MGC),andattendedsomeoftheearliestdesignpresentationsoftheBKV

GroupsandGrecoRealEstateDevelopmentsplanforaresidentialprojectat2900

LyndaleAvenueSouth(currentlyknownastheLimeBuilding).AlthoughIaminstrongly

infavorofdevelopmentalongourtransitcorridors,IsharedandexpressedsomeoftheinitialconcernsthattheMGChadovertheshadowstudiespresentedbeforeus.Iam

satisfiedwithsomeofthedesignaccommodationsthatweremade,butammoreover

pleasedthatthedevelopmenthasmovedahead.

Inearly2012IworkedontheMinneapolisPark&RecreationBoardsLakeNokomis

concessionproject.Thegoalwastofindavendorthatcouldproperlyservethe

communitybutnotinterferewiththepedestrianandbicyclepathsthatencircleLake

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Nokomis.Ourcommitteeworkedtoensurethatnotonlythepathswouldremain

intact,butthatincreasedfoottrafficcrossingthebikepathenroutetothenewbusiness

wouldbeminimized.Ourselection,Sandcastle,willopeninJune2013.

Iplanonbeinginvolvedinupcomingdiscussionsforthecycletrackthatshouldbe

implementedonMinnehahaAvenue,forthefuturebikewaydown21stAvenueSouth,andwanttopushforbikefriendlyimprovementsonthe28

thAvenueSouthresurfacing

project.

3.Wouldyousupportanetworkof30milesof"protectedbikeways"?

Yes,absolutely.Ifullysupportbuildingandmaintaininganetworkofcycletracks,or

protectedbikelanes.

IcouldeasilybumpthenumberupbeyondthirtymilesandsuggestthatMinneapolis

shouldstrivefor40,50,oreven100milesofcycletracks,butthenIwouldsoundlikeabombasticcandidatetryingtooutdoeveryoneelse.Thefocusshouldbeoncarefully

plannedandexecutedcycletracksthatprivilegequalityoverquantity.Idbemore

proudof25milesofquality-protectedbikewaysthan30or35miles,if25%ofthelatter

wouldbepoorlyexecutedorunderutilizedoverthelongterm.

4.Wouldyousupportspendingmore,thesameamount,orlessonbuildingand

maintainingbicycleinfrastructure?

Yes,Iwouldabsolutelysupportmoreinvestmentsinourbicyclinginfrastructure.

Yetwhenweinvestininfrastructure,weneedtorememberthatnotallbicyclistshavethesameinterests,habits,orskills.Ifullysupportcycletracks,butIalsobelievein

diversifyingourinvestmentsoverabroadrangeofinfrastructurethatcanaccommodate

awidevarietyofriders.

Thiscityhassomeveryadvancedbicyclistswhoridefearlessly,forthembicyclingisnot

simplyaformofexerciseorarecreationalactivity:itisamodeoftransportation.These

ridershavelittleneedforcycletracks,bollards,orbikeboulevards,buttheywould

appreciatebeingabletotakeashowerandchangingintotheirworkclothesbefore

steppingintotheirworkplace.Weneedtoinvestinthesesortsoffacilities,orprovide

incentivesforbusinessestocreatethem.

Thereareridersontheoppositeendofthespectrum,fromseniorstochildrenand

everyoneinbetweenwhoarentracingbetweenPointsAandB;peoplewhowantto

bikebutdontwanttofeelpressuredbyvehiculartraffic.Theseridersaredrawnto

bicycleboulevards(liketheRiverLake),theMidtownGreenway,ortheGrandRounds.

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Andtherearetheindividualsinbetween,thosewhoneedtogetdowntown,Uptown,or

acrosstownandwantasenseofsecuritywhiletheyride.Therecentimprovementsto

ParkandPortlandAvenueswheretrafficlaneshavebeenreducedfrom3to2,anda

bufferedbikelanehasbeenaddedhavebeenhighlyregarded.Theselatterindividuals

wouldliketrafficcalmingmeasuresputinplace:lanereductions,curbbumpouts,

bollards,sharrows,stripedbikelanes,paintedbikeboxes,andmorebikefriendlyintersectioncrossings.Andyes,theydeservecycletracks.Therearegreatopportunities

forsomeofthisinfrastructurealongsomeofourmajorcorridors:downtowns

WashingtonAvenue,MinnehahaandBlaisdellAvenuesinsouthMinneapolis,andIrving

AvenueinnorthMinneapolis.

5.Minneapolisroadwaysareusedbylotsofdifferenttypesofusers.Pleasesharehow

youprioritizethefollowingroadusers:bicyclists,pedestrians,cardrivers,transit,and

freight.

IbelievethatasaCityCouncilmembermyjobistonotsimplyprioritizeonegroupofusersoveranother,myjobistoensurethatourstreets,intersections,sidewalks,

crosswalks,andbikeinfrastructureworkforeveryone.Iharbornodoubtthatroad

designandoveralltransportationinitiativeshaveclearlyworkedinthefavorof4+

wheeledvehiclesattheexpenseofeveryoneelseforgenerations.Thereclearly

needstobeabetterbalancecreatedbetweenallmodesoftransportation,becausewe

allhavetherighttosafelygettowhereweneedtogo.

Wealsoallhaveresponsibilitieswhenusingourroadways.Alongwiththeincreased

emphasisondiversifyingourmodesoftransportationshouldbeanincreasedpushto

educateallusersofourroadwaysonhowtomakethenetworksafeforeveryone.I

believeinstrongereducationinitiativesthatcanhelpdriversunderstandwhatapaintedsharrowmeans,tohelpdisembarkingLRTpassengerstounderstandthatitsnotexactly

safetodartacrossHiawathaAvenueatrushhourfromanypointalongthecorridor,and

helpbicyclistsgettheideathatitiswrongtobikethewrongwaydownaone-way

street.

6.TheBicycleAdvisoryCommittee(BAC)isagroupofcitizensandagencystaffthat

reviewpoliciesandprojectsrelatedtobicycling.TheBACiscomprisedofstafffrom

severalMinneapolisdepartmentsandpartneragencies,aswellas16citizen

representatives-13wardrepresentativesappointedbytheirrespectiveCouncil

Members,and3at-largeappointmentsmadebytheParkBoard.Underwhatcircumstanceswouldyoubewillingtovoteagainstoroverrulearecommendation

madebytheBicycleAdvisoryCommittee?

TheBACisregardedasahighlyeffectivegroupthathasmaintainedacoherent,sensible

purposeandstrategy.Thatbeingsaid,Iwouldvoteagainstanyrecommendationthat

somehowviolatedtherightsofhomeownersortenants,orifitwouldnegativelyimpact

localbusinesses.

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7.TheCityofMinneapolisisdevelopingaCompleteStreetspolicy.Whatshouldan

effectiveCompleteStreetspolicyaccomplish?

ThenoteworthyaccomplishmentofanyeffectiveCompleteStreetspolicyissimple:

ClarityofPurpose.

ACompleteStreetspolicywouldreflectthedirectionthatthiscitywouldliketogowith

someprecision,ratherthanperpetuatethemultiple,often-inconsistentdirectionsithas

beentakingforyears.Itwouldreflectthegoalsofthecity,thestandardsthatitexpects,

andwouldexistasatestamentofwhatourresidentsultimatelydeserve:asafe,

carefullycoordinatedmulti-modaltransportationnetwork.

8.WhatdoyouhopetohaveaccomplishedtomakeMinneapolisabettercityfor

bicyclingby2017,ifyouareelected?

TohaveapprovedofaCompleteStreetspolicy,seeingmanyofitsobjectives

realizedandworkingtowardstheimplementationofothers.

Tohaveavastnetworkofwell-utilizedcycletracks,solongasweprivilegequalityoverquantity.

TohavebetterprotectionsinplacealongourGreenways.ForMidtown,makingitsafebothdayandnight,forRiverLake,makingitsafetocrossHiawatha

Avenue.

TohavebetterbikingoptionsinbothNorthandNortheastMinneapolis. Tohaveamoreeffectiveeducationinitiativeinplace,onethatteacheseveryone

(regardlessoftravelmode)aboutrules,roadmarkings,andresponsibilities.

Iwouldlikemorepeopletonotimmediatelythinkofacarwhentheyneedtorunanerranduptheblock,butwealsoneedtomakesuretheconditionsfor

themtobikearesafenomatterwheretheyare.

9.Whatisonestreetinyourwardinneedofbicycleinfrastructure?Whattypeofbike

infrastructuredoyouthinkwouldbemostappropriateonit?

InstallingacycletrackonMinnehahaAvenueisanobviousneedthathasbeenwidely

discussed.Ithinkanoverlookedroadwayinthetwelfthwardis28thAvenueSouth,from

East38thStreetinthenorth,downtoEastMinnehahaParkwayinthesouth.

Muchofthisstretchwillberesurfacedatsomepointin2013,butImdisappointedthat

noconsiderationofbikeinfrastructurehasbeengivenuptothispoint.Ibelievethat

infrastructurealongthisroadwayisneededinordertocalmtraffic(especiallynear

RooseveltHighSchoolandalongLakeHiawathaPark),andtobetterrecognizethepath

fromthe38thStreetLRTandtheRiverLakeGreenwaydowntotheGrandRounds.

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Ontopofthisimprovement,Iwouldliketoseethecurbsbumpedoutwherethe

MinnehahaCreekbicycleandpedestrianpathcrosses28thAvenueSouth.Despitethe

user-actuatedambercautionlightthere,vehiclesstilloftendisregardpedestriansand

bicyclists.Ibelievethatacurbbumpout,potentiallywithbollardsandbetter-painted

roadmarkings,wouldnotonlycalmtraffic,butalsodecreasethedistancethatbicyclistsandpedestrianswouldhavetocrosstheroad.

10.Whatarethebenefitsofbicyclinginyourward/thecityofMinneapolis?

ForthecityofMinneapolisthebenefitsofbicyclingareobvious:itimprovesour

personalhealth,positivelyimpactsourpocketbook,anditprotectsourenvironment.

Wereducegreenhousegasemissionsbynotonlywalkingmoreorusingmoremass

transit,butbybikingmoreonbothlongandshorttrips.Dollarsnormallyspent

maintainingmotorvehiclescaninsteadbemoreeffectivelyspentelsewherewhenwe

increaseourbicyclingmodeshare.

WithoutdoubtIbelievethetwelfthwardhasthemostuniquebicyclingopportunities

foundanywhereinthecity.Itsnotouraccessibletrailsorpaths(theGrandRounds,the

pathsalongMinnehahaCreek,theRiverLake,ortheHiawathaLRTTrail)thatIm

referringtohere;Imspeakingoftheactualdestinationsthemselves.Iwouldarguethat

nootherpartofthisbuiltcityhasmoreaccesstoournaturalworldthanthetwelfth

warddoes:fromLakeHiawatha,toMinnehahaCreek,theMississippiGorgeRegional

Park,MinnehahaParkanditsFalls,allthewaydowntoFortSnellingStateParkoracross

therivertoCrosbyFarmPark.