What types of transportation do you use during an average week, and how has this shaped your view of transportation policy?

Like the vast majority of residents in the 6th District, I spend most of my week behind the wheel of a car.

I do not drive because I love traffic on I-80 or construction on 159th Street. I drive because our current infrastructure in the South Suburbs often makes it the only viable option for a working professional. My personal transportation choices are a direct reflection of the "transit deserts

What are some transportation challenges in your district?

Our transit network is often disjointed. We have a "hub-and-spoke" system designed to get people to downtown Chicago, but it fails people trying to get from a home in South Holland to a job in Tinley Park.

Stopped freight trains cut off our communities, delay emergency response vehicles (ambulances and fire trucks), and cause massive traffic backups on major arteries. Limited bus frequency and lack of sidewalks make public transit an unviable option for many seniors and workers without cars.

Cook County residents often find their local roadways fall under multiple different jurisdictions and standards. How do you view the County’s role in ensuring consistent, safe, and accessible transportation for constituents?

As a Commissioner, I view Cook County not just as a road owner, but as the strategic unifier of the region. We are the "middle sibling" of government—positioned perfectly between the massive bureaucracy of the State (IDOT) and our local municipalities. Here is how I will use the County’s role to fix the jurisdictional mess and ensure a safer, consistent transportation network:

1. The "No Wrong Door" Policy When a resident sees a dangerous pothole or a flooded intersection, they don't care if it's a State Route, a County Highway, or a Village Street—they just want it fixed.

The Problem: Too often, residents call an office only to be told, "That’s not us, call IDOT," or "That’s the Village."

My Solution: My office will operate on a "No Wrong Door" policy. If you report a road issue to me, we will not pass the buck. My staff will determine the jurisdiction and advocate directly to the responsible agency (whether it's IDOT or a local Public Works department) on your behalf, tracking the ticket until it is closed.

2. Streamlining Maintenance with Intergovernmental Agreements (IGAs) It makes zero fiscal sense for a County snowplow to lift its blade and drive over a mile of unplowed State road just to get to the next County section.

The Problem: Rigid boundaries waste tax dollars and leave patches of dangerous roadway during storms.

My Solution: I will push to expand Intergovernmental Agreements (IGAs). If the County has equipment nearby, the State or Municipality should pay us to maintain that stretch, and vice versa. We need to prioritize efficiency and safety over turf wars.

What can Cook County do to stabilize and expand access to bikeshare programs that span municipalities?

Cook County's role should be to act as a strategic coordinator to achieve regional goals that no single suburb can accomplish alone. In the 6th District, bikeshare is not a luxury—it’s a key piece of our overall transportation equity and economic development strategy. Here is my three-point plan for how Cook County can stabilize and expand access to seamless, multi-municipal bikeshare:

1. Establish a Southland Bikeshare Authority and Funding Pool

Individual suburbs cannot bear the startup costs or the ongoing operational subsidies for a bikeshare system large enough to be useful.

The Problem: A bikeshare system that only works within the borders of one town (e.g., just Homewood) is almost useless to a commuter who lives there but works in Flossmoor or catches a train in Tinley Park.

The County’s Role: We must use the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (DoTH) to create a Southland Bikeshare Authority. This body would pool resources and serve as the single contracting entity for vendors, thereby achieving massive economies of scale.

Stabilizing Funds: I would direct a dedicated portion of our "Invest in Cook" grant funds—or potentially leverage our federal ARPA funds—to provide a base-level operating subsidy for this regional bikeshare authority. This stabilizes the system by preventing individual municipalities from pulling out due to high annual costs.

2. Prioritize "Last Mile" Connectivity to Transit Hubs

The primary purpose of bikeshare in the Southland is to solve the "last mile" challenge, making Metra and Pace more appealing to commuters.

The Problem: A person who lives a 15-minute bike ride from the Metra station, but a 40-minute walk, is going to drive and add to parking congestion.

The County’s Role: Our expansion strategy must be data-driven and transit-focused. I will push to make bikeshare station installation a top priority for Metra and Pace stations across the 6th District, from the 80th Avenue station in Tinley Park to the Homewood and Flossmoor stations. We should not fund any bikeshare expansion unless it can demonstrate a clear and direct connection to public transit.

Technology Standardization: The County must mandate that any subsidized bikeshare system use a technology (preferably dockless or hybrid) that allows bikes to be picked up at one municipal border and dropped off at another without penalty or friction, ensuring a truly seamless user experience.

3. Tie Bikeshare to Safe Infrastructure Mandates

A bikeshare program can only succeed if people feel safe riding the bikes. The Problem: In many parts of the 6th District, the bike lanes are incomplete, or riders are forced onto busy County roads with no shoulder.

The County’s Role: When we approve a bikeshare subsidy for a municipality, that community must demonstrate how it will meet our "Complete Streets" policy goals. This means:

Connecting Gaps: Requiring municipalities to use local matching funds to complete the missing links in the regional trail system (like connecting the Cal-Sag Trail to local Metra stations).

Safety Over Speed: Using County jurisdiction to implement traffic-calming measures on connecting feeder roads, making it safer for new riders to leave the main trail and access the stations.

By acting as the coordinator and funding stabilizer, Cook County can ensure our residents have an affordable, healthy, and convenient transportation option that actually crosses the lines on a map—just like our lives do.

What role can the County play in bringing funding sources and revenue streams to county transportation projects?

The role of a Cook County Commissioner in bringing funding to transportation projects is not just about approving a budget—it’s about strategic advocacy, leveraging county funds, and technical leadership to maximize every dollar spent in the 6th District.

If elected, I will treat my position as the chief financial advocate for our roads, bridges, and public transit.

1. Direct Control: Allocating County Funds Strategically

A Commissioner's most direct power lies in how we manage the County’s own financial resources.

Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) Oversight: The County receives a dedicated portion of the state and county Motor Fuel Tax revenue. Commissioners are responsible for adopting resolutions that appropriate and direct these MFT funds. I will ensure our MFT dollars are explicitly prioritized for the 6th District's needs: bridge repair, critical resurfacing projects in towns like Tinley Park and Phoenix, and essential winter maintenance.

Expanding the "Invest in Cook" Program: This County grant program is the single best tool we have to fund local projects. The Board of Commissioners approves the annual funding for this program. I would advocate for:

Increased Funding: Push to increase the total dollars available for the program.

Equity Focus: Ensure the scoring criteria heavily favors areas of high economic need in the Southland, helping communities that lack the local matching funds required by state/federal grants.

Technical Assistance: Use County staff expertise to offer technical assistance and grant-writing support to our local governments, making their applications for this and other funds competitive.

2. Aggressive Advocacy: Securing Outside Revenue

The largest transportation projects—like rail grade separations or major highway interchanges—require federal and state revenue. My role is to be a relentless advocate and partner.

Federal & State Earmarks: The Commissioner must actively lobby our Congressional and General Assembly delegations to secure Congressionally Directed Spending (earmarks). These are dedicated funds for specific projects. I will not wait for grant applications to open; I will meet with legislators and pitch projects like the Justice I-294 interchange improvements and new pedestrian bridges to get them on the federal docket early.

Federal Grant Matching: Many federal grants (like those from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) require a local match. The County can be the critical matching partner for local municipalities. By committing County MFT or bond money to serve as the local match, we unlock ten times the amount of federal funding for projects in the 6th District.

Regional Planning Integration: I will work directly with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and the RTA to ensure the Southland's priorities are elevated in the regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which dictates where federal transit and road formula dollars are spent.

Cook County has a history of innovating access to public services, including public transit – such as the Fair Transit South Cook pilot. As commissioner, what are ways you envision the County innovating on transportation?

This is an excellent question. The Fair Transit South Cook pilot, which we championed in the Southland, proved that when we address the barriers of cost and frequency, ridership and equity improve. That pilot has now successfully transitioned into the wider Access Pilot Program, proving Cook County is an effective change agent.

As Commissioner, my vision for innovation moves beyond simple fare reduction and focuses on using technology and strategic partnerships to deliver better service, reliability, and regional seamlessness.

Here are three ways I envision the County continuing to innovate our transportation system:

1. The Regional Seamlessness Fund: Funding the "One-Card" Future The next great innovation for our residents must be breaking down the final wall between transit agencies: the payment system and the transfer penalty.

The Innovation: Cook County should create a dedicated fund to underwrite the technology and interagency agreements necessary for a truly seamless, regional payment system. This means one card or one app that automatically applies all eligible discounts (like the Access fare) and allows for free or steeply discounted transfers between Metra, Pace, and the CTA.

The County’s Role: We have the political weight and the financial capacity to bring the RTA, Metra, and Pace to the table and force integration. The County should fund the gap to ensure our residents can travel from a Metra station in Homewood, transfer to a Pace bus, and then transfer to the CTA Red Line without being penalized three times. This eliminates the "bureaucratic fare penalty" for Southland commuters.

2. On-Demand Microtransit Pilots to Eliminate "Transit Deserts" Traditional, fixed-route bus service is inefficient in the sprawling, lower-density areas of the 6th District. We must embrace flexible, app-based mobility.

The Innovation: I propose Cook County launch and subsidize on-demand microtransit pilot zones in parts of our district that suffer from poor weekend or late-night bus service. This service would function like a rideshare, but utilize smaller, shared Pace-operated vehicles, dynamically routing them to pick up multiple passengers going the same way.

The County’s Role: We would provide the initial capital (potentially using Federal Highway Administration innovation grants) and technical support to partner with Pace, specifically targeting the "last-mile" connection between Metra stations and large employment centers that are currently out of reach for a fixed route. This is how we provide accessible, efficient public transit without running empty buses down every street.

3. Intelligent Infrastructure for Bus Priority and Flow Our congestion issues are often exacerbated by outdated, static infrastructure. We need to use data and technology to make our existing roadways smarter.

The Innovation: We should prioritize the integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) on County-owned arterials that carry heavy Pace traffic, such as portions of 159th Street or Halsted Street. This includes a major effort to modernize traffic signals with Bus Signal Priority (BSP).

The County’s Role: As the owner of the roads, the County has the power to install technology that senses an approaching Pace bus and slightly adjusts the traffic signal timing to keep it moving. This simple innovation makes bus service faster and more reliable, which is key to increasing ridership and reducing single-occupancy vehicle traffic throughout the Southland.

These are the kind of smart, system-wide innovations that only Cook County has the power to implement, and they are essential to building the equitable and efficient future our residents deserve.