How will Pittsburgh’s next Mayor improve biking and walking?
Biking and walking are not only quality of life issues, they are political issues. When you choose to get around by foot or by bike, you are addressing critically important issues: personal health, air quality, oil dependence, economics, infrastructure, and safety. If our streets are designed where biking and walking are dangerous, the outcomes affect us all no matter how you get around.
Nearly a quarter of Pittsburgh households have no access to a vehicle, so each election cycle, we want to make sure that Pittsburgh voters are confident that the candidates understand the issues of those that walk and bike for transportation.
This year, there are five declared candidates: the incumbent Mayor Peduto and three challengers, State Rep. Ed Gainey, Tony Moreno, and Mike Thompson are battling it out to win the Democratic primary on May 18, as well as William Parker, an Independent, who should be on the ballot in November.
We wanted to be sure to give these candidates an opportunity to talk directly to the voters on these issues, to better understand where they are coming from and make an informed decision for who to cast your vote for on the May 18 primary and November 2 elections.
We have posted the answers in the order in which they were received, and we’d like to offer a sincere “thank you” to the candidates for participating.
1. About a quarter of Pittsburgh households have no access to a car (this number is up to 50% in some neighborhoods), and are dependent on affordable transportation like biking, walking and transit. Please describe your transportation vision for Pittsburghers who don’t have access to a car, or want to get around by other modes of transportation.
We need a new Allegheny Chief Executive and new leadership at the Port Authority. A higher alcohol tax to fund public transit would be a good start. Something our next Allegheny County Chief Executive could do. The mayor is limited in his power to change the bus system. Certainly we need more and better bus shelters.
My vision would start with assisting those who want to obtain or restore their drivers license. If a single mother needs to drive back and forth from work to the daycare then home again, we should help her find a fuel efficient vehicle. For individual’s who are able to ride a bike to work, I would like to see a free bike sharing program put in place after gathering input from residents in our communities.
I believe that everyone in our city regardless of age, race, income, neighborhood, or ability should have one or more safe, affordable, and enjoyable ways of getting to work, school, parks, grocery stores, doctors offices, and other basic necessities without needing to rely on a car. I also believe we need to place a particular emphasis on ensuring that low-income residents and communities, where access to cars is the lowest, have robust non-car transportation options to ensure that lack of transportation is not a barrier to access to employment and educational opportunities or other critical services.
As Mayor, I have directed the 2070 Mobility Vision Plan to build a framework for the City of Pittsburgh as we grow together – making sure that all residents have the physical mobility they need to reach the economic mobility they seek. One of the core tenets of this plan is that all trips under one mile are easy and enjoyable to achieve by non-vehicle travel. Another relevant goal is making sure every resident can access fresh fruits and vegetables within a 20 minute trip from their home, without the use of a personal vehicle.
2. How do you plan to achieve this vision?
Mike Thompson
Push for a competent Allegheny County Chief Executive and a progressive Allegheny County Council so we can make this vision a reality.
William Parker
We have to advertise and promote the need for community input and advice, I want to hear from people who’ve never been heard before. Currently, there’s a “blitz” on abandoned vehicles and they’re being towed away from city streets. If owner’s don’t come to reclaim the vehicles we should consider if we can repair them and offer to those in need or recycle salvaged parts.
Ed Gainey
I’m committed to maintaining the City’s commitment to Vision Zero to eliminate transportation fatalities and serious injuries, and to centering equity in our transportation and housing investments to ensure that 1) neighborhoods with the greatest need receive mobility improvements that better connect residents to opportunities and 2) the supply of affordable housing is significantly expanded in areas that are already well served by transit. I’ll work to create safe pedestrian corridors for kids that connect schools and childcare providers to parks and school bus/transit stops; Tackle utility coordination to minimize disruption of our transportation systems caused by utility improvements and/or new development; and partner with the County and allies in Harrisburg to fight for fair funding for urban mass transit systems like the Port Authority.
Bill Peduto
We need to expand biking and pedestrian infrastructure throughout the City. As part of our Bike+ Plan, we are committing to increasing bike lanes throughout the city by 150 miles over the next eight years. Secondly, we need to ensure that our transportation goals and development goals are aligned so that communities have the resources they need to thrive.
Tony Moreno
Did not respond.
3. How can you work as Mayor to ensure that infrastructure funds to improve biking and walking get to the neighborhoods that are most in need and that have historically lacked investment in safe biking and walking infrastructure?
Mike Thompson
Set aside a reasonable percentage of infrastructure spending every time to go towards biking and walking infrastructure.
William Parker
We will keep track of our infrastructure improvements and transparently display the reconstructive process while allowing residents to engage from beginning to end with the help of technology.
Ed Gainey
As Mayor, I would apply a data-driven, equity-focused lens to allocating mobility investments, driving resources to communities where car access is lowest and getting to employment opportunities, schools, parks, and grocery stores is most difficult. At the same time, it’s also critical that we place a special focus on expanding the supply of affordable housing in transit- and mobility-infrastructure-rich neighborhoods to ensure that low income and historically marginalized communities are able to take advantage of our existing transportation infrastructure.
Bill Peduto
In 2015, I started the Office of Equity to embed a lens of equity into every City Department. When we started this office, it was the fifth of its kind in the nation. We are using this office to help guide investment into neighborhoods that have been historically underfunded. For example, if you look at the list of parks being renovated, we’re focusing on those in low-income neighborhoods. We are doing the same thing with our biking infrastructure. Right now, we’re looking at ways to add biking infrastructure through Centre Ave in the Hill District as we invest in that crucial business corridor through our Avenues of Hope Initiative.
Tony Moreno
Did not respond.
4. Please explain how you would focus your Administration to help combat the harmful effects of Climate Change as it relates to transportation.
Mike Thompson
We need to change our city fleets to hybrid and then electrical vehicles. We need to have more charging stations put in. We need community charging stations for those who rent.
William Parker
The goal is to lessen our dependence on harmful fuels that are toxic and pollute our air. We can and we will work to shrink and eliminate our city’s carbon footprint, we have to.
Ed Gainey
My priorities would be 1) accelerating the electrification of the City’s vehicle fleet and pursuing more renewable sources for city facilities, including fleet charging facilities, to eliminate the City’s reliance on fossil fuels to power our vehicles, 2) deploying Capital Budget resources to better connect our neighborhoods to transit, including sidewalk improvements, bus stop improvements, protected bike infrastructure, street lighting, and bus bump outs, to both better serve residents without access to a car, and to make commuting by bike or transit a viable option for those who do have access to a car, 3) making transit faster and more convenient through dedicated bus infrastructure and signal prioritization, and 4) working in partnership with other transportation stakeholders like the Port Authority and Easy Ride to expand and enhance non-car transportation options.
Bill Peduto
We have been working to shift people from single occupancy vehicles to pedestrian walking, biking, public transit, and other modes of transportation. One way we can do this is by incentivizing transit oriented development. For example, we’re spearheading the Uptown EcoInnovation District Community plan. This is where our economic development, transportation, community-driven master plans, and sustainability plans all converge. As part of this plan, we’re working with the Port Authority to create Bus Rapid Transit through the corridor as well as pushing for it to be electrified. Finally, we should look at ways the Port Authority could increase ridership, be that through more frequent service or more routes.
We also need to make sure that people who continue to use single-occupancy vehicles transition to electric vehicles. We are making more charging stations available throughout the City. Additionally, we are transitioning our own fleet of vehicles to electric vehicles. We now have the largest electric vehicle fleet in Western Pennsylvania.
Tony Moreno
Did not respond.
5. With the potential of billions of dollars of Federal infrastructure funding being made available by the Biden Administration specifically for biking, walking, and transit, what ideas do you have that could tap into this funding source to improve biking and/or walking in Pittsburgh?
Mike Thompson
I think most of the infrastructure spending should go to keeping our sewage out of our rivers. We need to invest in water and sewage infrastructure. Long term we need rivers that are safe to swim in and not full of sewage.
William Parker
I would like to see a interactive way for residents to connect and share information while biking, walking, or traveling by transit. I believe there’s an opportunity to educate people on what’s possible so we all can pitch in to help. Together, we’ll enjoy a very accessible and smartly structured clean environment.
Ed Gainey
If passed by Congress, a Federal Infrastructure Bill will offer Pittsburgh a golden opportunity to address our long and growing backlog of infrastructure needs, and to do so in a way that meets the safety and accessibility needs of all users, with a particular focus on pedestrians, cyclists, and those with mobility impairments. Rebuilding sidewalks and curb reveals to make walking more enjoyable for pedestrians and more accessible for those using wheelchairs and strollers, expanding protected bicycle lanes, and implementing self-enforcing street designs that encourage motorists to drive more safely and that prioritize transit connections would by my top priority for federal infrastructure investment.
Bill Peduto
My administration has been working closely with not only Congressman Doyle and Senator Casey, but directly with Secretary Buttigieg’s team at the Department of Transportation to make sure that the transportation and infrastructure bills take a comprehensive look at modern infrastructure needs. This has included proposed earmarks for city steps and sidewalks along state roads. Without them, the implementation of Vision Zero and complete streets for existing critical corridors like North Avenue and our Avenues of Hope, will be slowed. We have prioritized all modes in our asks to the administration – and in our suggested rules and regulations.
Tony Moreno
Did not respond.
6. We all know there was a racial reckoning in 2020. How do you envision working toward safe streets for biking and walking while also reducing the dependence on armed officers to enforce traffic laws?
Mike Thompson
We should have traffic enforcement officers who are separate from the police. Let the parking authority police traffic. People with authority but without guns.
William Parker
First and foremost, equality and safety are extremely important to me. We have to look at the data and see how we can reduce our dependence on armed officers in different areas of the city. Business district’s attract more traffic than other neighborhoods, therefore public safety workers should be placed only in them to lower the congestion.
Ed Gainey
According to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police’s 2020 Annual Statistical Report, Black Pittsburghers account for 47% of traffic stops and 75% of traffic stop arrests, despite making up only 23% of the City’s population. In order to address the over-policing of Communities of Color while still keeping our streets safe for pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and others not traveling by car, we need new methods of enforcing traffic violations that do not depend on traffic stops. In the immediate term, transitioning enforcement for some traffic violations to tickets issued by mail after the fact rather than via a traffic stop at the time of the incident, as BPEP has recently called for, is a practical solution that should be pursued. Over the longer term the most effective strategies to reduce the need for traffic stops is to adopt self-enforcing street designs that prevent drivers from engaging in activities that provide grounds for a traffic stop such as speeding and U-turns. Maintaining and deepening our commitment to Vision Zero offers a dual benefit of making our streets safer for all users while also producing street designs that reduce our reliance on police for traffic enforcement.
Bill Peduto
This is part of our Vision Zero plan. Dangerous intersections need infrastructure improvements, and many of the ones in our Black neighborhoods have been overlooked. We need to prioritize these intersections for these needed investments.
Tony Moreno
Did not respond.
7. One of the most powerful tools a city has related to improving quality of life is its zoning code. Some changes have been made recently to its code (e.g. RIV, curb cuts/parking). What role does Zoning play in making sure Pittsburgh is affordable and less car dependent, and what changes would your administration focus on to achieve this goal?
Mike Thompson
We have to make sure zoning doesn’t require parking. Building should be allowed without parking requirements.
William Parker
Zoning plays a huge role on making Pittsburgh more affordable. When we look across the grid and view the distance between commercial and residential properties we have to identify the mobility deterrents throughout our districts. A trip to the grocery store or salon doesn’t always require a car. We will work hard to push out more incentives to residents who opt-in to use other healthier commuting alternatives.
Ed Gainey
The zoning code is the most powerful tool in the city’s toolbox, and offers us an enormous opportunity to advance the objectives of making our city more affordable, accessible, and sustainable. If elected Mayor, I would work with Council to implement citywide inclusionary zoning to mandate that all residential housing projects include dedicated affordable units, with a particular emphasis on building new affordable units in transit corridors. Eliminating parking requirements in densely developed areas that are well served by transit, pedestrian, and bike infrastructure would reduce the cost of constructing those projects, freeing up additional resources to support affordability.
Bill Peduto
We need to focus on density, especially in areas that have ready access to transit options. Building near transit means people do not require single-occupancy vehicles. I directed the Department of City Planning to begin to review parking minimums for development projects and we have started to legislate both these reductions and the reduction/elimination of new street frontage curb cuts in dense areas.
Tony Moreno
Did not respond.
8. Why do you think people who care about street safety and/or bicycling and walking issues should vote for you?
Mike Thompson
Unlike the other candidates I don’t take developer money. My campaign is by the people and for the people. I will stop all tax breaks to developers and keep that money to improve city services and make walking and biking better in Pittsburgh.
William Parker
I would like voters to know that I’m an avid cyclist and have been since a kid. Growing up on the city’s NorthSide I was fortunate enough to venture out and view a lot of our great attractions. I want others to explore the NorthShore, Point Park, Downtown etc…without being concerned with parking. Also, I want all people to feel safe even in parts of the city they’ve never been to before. I want to see more people of color jogging in ShadySide and Squirrel Hill; on the contrary, more white people jogging in Homewood and Larimer.
Thank you BikePGH for inviting me to participate and respond to your questionnaire.
Ed Gainey
As a city we’ve made great strides in recent years in improving mobility, safety, and accessibility, but like on so many other issues, the progress hasn’t been evenly distributed, and many of our neighborhoods have been left behind. If elected Mayor, I’ll continue to push forward on initiatives and policy solutions that make moving through our city safer, more affordable, and more enjoyable, but with a deeper focus on meeting the transportation needs of those Pittsburghers with the greatest need, and who are currently being left the furthest behind.
Bill Peduto
Mobility issues have been a priority of my administration. When I entered office, I recognized that the Department of Public Works did not have the tools necessary to re-imagine mobility in the 21st Century. That’s why I created the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI), so that they could be the ones crafting the plans to build neighborhoods for all. We’ve expanded the bicycle network, launched a Complete Streets policy, and committed to Vision Zero. On the local level, we have introduced traffic calming, created the Neighborways program, launched a Safe Routes to School program, and invested millions of dollars in bike infrastructure, pedestrian safety enhancements, filling critical sidewalk gaps, the city steps and more. Statewide, we have pushed for parking protected bike lanes and PennDOT to adopt a stronger complete streets approach. Federally, we are lobbying at the highest levels to get policy changes necessary to make federal investments focus on all modes of transportation, equity, and focused on the future of transportation.
Tony Moreno
Did not respond.
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