What do you believe are the greatest transportation challenges facing the City of Chicago right now?

In Chicago, but particularly in the 5th Ward, community members have voiced concerns over CTA’s waiting times (reliability), safety, and the lack of accessibility to public transportation routes. All commuters of Chicago deserve to have access to quality and accessible transit services regardless of the neighborhood they live in. The public transit system in my ward and throughout Chicago should be identical and accessible. I envision a transit system that practices transparent communication and collaborates with passengers and transit workers daily resembling a service that is reliable, readily accessible, efficient, ADA-compliant, and safe. That said, as alderman, I will work with CTA, the Chicago Department of Transportation, city officials, and community members to analyze, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the preventable hurdles that are negatively impacting public transit ridership and performance. I will prioritize my efforts by conducting transparent and accessible community-focused forums regarding Chicago’s public transportation systems. Our efforts in improving Chicago’s public transportation performance and ridership must result in collective solutions that prioritize the well-being and satisfaction of transportation frontline workers and passengers — with a focus on increasing reliability, transparency, accessibility, quality, and environmentally conscious public transportation.

Do you or members of your family regularly use sidewalks, bike, take transit, drive, or a combination of any/all to get around? Does this correspond with your preferred/ideal modes of getting around? If not, what barriers do you and your family face in using your preferred mode of transportation?

Due to the lack of access, reliability, and accessibility to public routes of transportation such as walkable sidewalks, bike lanes, and CTA and metra routes, many members of my family primarily rely on driving or carpooling. Although my family members would prefer to use public transportation as it is a cost-effective option, we find that the modes of public transportation in our community are either not accessible, of quality, or lack reliability.

Can you share a personal experience that changed your opinion about a transportation related policy matter?

Years ago, I had an internship interview with then Former State Senator Barack Obama's office. Unfortunately, due to the lack of reliability of public transportation, I was over two hours late for the interview because the #4 Cottage Grove bus was severely delayed. The lack of reliability that Chicagoans experience with public transportation routes is not a new phenomenon. Our efforts in improving public transportation performance and ridership must result in collective solutions that prioritize the well-being and satisfaction of public transportation frontline workers and commuters with a focus on increasing reliability, transparency, accessibility, and expanding to environmentally safe and quality public transportation routes throughout the city.

Chicago is a snowy city, and even one stretch of uncleared sidewalk can make it impassable – particularly for folks with disabilities, the elderly, and parents with young children. What is your position on implementing a universal city-wide sidewalk snow/ice removal service?

[no response]

It is now widely recognized and understood that interstate highways were used to physically divide urban communities from one another – often along racial and class lines. How do you propose we overcome these divisions to restore the urban fabric of Chicago and reconnect our segregated neighborhoods?

As a long-time resident of the 5th Ward, I have witnessed the negative effects of transportation disinvestment which has operated through forms of redlining. Such techniques of redlining have limited the presence of public transportation on the South Side which has prevented many from traveling beyond their communities. There isn’t one solution that will suddenly diminish the generational impact of racism and classism vis-à-vis the physical landscape of Chicago and its public transportation systems. However, we can start by increasing transportation investment in Black and brown neighborhoods to increase access to quality public transportation routes.

What role do you believe transportation plays in Chicago’s collective greenhouse gas emissions, climate responsibility, and overall environmental health?

Rather someone is taking the bus or driving a car, their mode of transportation is impacting Chicago’s overall environmental health. We must be willing to increase and improve public electric-powered modes of transportation and encourage alternate modes of transportation beyond cars. In order to decrease the city’s overall negative contribution to the environment, I will support transportation improvements and designs that prioritize community members, frontline transportation workers, and the environment.

What is your position on the Illinois Department of Transportation’s current proposals for rebuilding North DuSable Lake Shore Drive? Do you believe the proposed designs will reduce congestion, improve transit access and make pedestrians and cyclists safer? How do you think the current proposals will impact access to the lakefront?

I don’t support it.

What barriers do you believe the Illinois Department of Transportation presents to Chicago pursuing better safe streets design standards and transit investments? How do you plan to work with City Council, the Governor, and State legislators to overcome these barriers?

Locally, many of the current public transportation shortcomings could potentially be resolved by addressing the labor shortage. Passengers play a critical role in the existence of public transportation, but we cannot forget about the public transportation frontline workforce. IDOT must work with companies, such as CTA, to implement a plan that is considerate of the workers while creating an environment that will attract future frontline transportation workers and retain the current workforce.

The 99-year parking meter deal enacted by former Mayor Richard M. Daley has been a barrier to enacting safe street designs by privatizing large portions of Chicago’s streets. What is your plan to address this?

The bear of having to pay an ever-increasing fee for street parking in Chicago seems inescapable. However, the reality of the situation does not have to last forever. Yes, former Mayor Richard M. Daley signed a 99-year parking meter deal but we must collectively find alternative plans if the city is serious about addressing our gas emissions level. As a long-time community organizer, working with community members will always be an important aspect of any plan, but we must work with city officials as well. Through community organizing and policy implementation, we can come up with solutions to increase pedestrian- and bike-friendly streets. By designating less populated streets to relocate meters, we will be able to redesign streets with the environment and non-car forms of transportation in mind. Of course, I am willing to work with city officials and community members to find ways to mitigate the negative impact of the 99-year parking meter deal.

Studies show us that speed and distracted driving kill. What do you think are the most effective ways to reduce driver speed and increase safe driving behavior?

In general, I support speed reduction initiatives that are universal throughout the city and not neighborhood specific. I would like to say that radar speed signs are generally effective.

What is your position on the City passing ordinances that attempt to regulate the size, weight, and/or safety features of personal and private vehicles?

No

What is your position on establishing a dedicated funding stream for safe and universal pedestrian and bike infrastructure in Chicago?

I support establishing a dedicated funding stream for safe and universal pedestrian and bike infrastructure in Chicago. People, whichever way they decide to travel, should be able to feel and know that the city is invested both morally and economically in their desired mode of transportation.

What is your position on creating select pedestrian-only streets?

I'm open to it.

What policy solutions would you implement to ensure CTA buses operate on schedule, frequently, and quickly?

We all know that the CTA will not become perfect overnight. However, I will collaborate on efforts and policies that prioritize CTA frontline workers and commuters. The CTA has to implement methods that will increase reliability regarding the movement of CTA vehicles, particularly through live trackers and schedules that are accessible on smartphones and adjacent to CTA transit routes. Additionally, the CTA must also be willing to invest in and improve their working conditions if their overall performance level is expected to increase. Frontline CTA workers are just as important as passengers and they must be treated with respect and work in fair working environments. Lastly, CTA and Chicago must equally invest in transit lines throughout Chicago regardless of the neighborhood. Chicagoans and visitors deserve to have access to reliable, transparent, receptive, and quality transit services in every Chicago neighborhood.

Considering the role the CTA, Metra, and Pace play in providing public transportation within the city, what are your plans to address the impending fiscal cliff – a deficit of over $700 million – that the agencies will be facing in 2025?

I will support efforts that are created through a collective effort that strives to increase the budget for public transportation with the well-being of commuters and public transportation frontline workers in mind. We deserve to have the option to access public modes of transportation that practice transparent communication and collaborate with passengers and public transportation workers daily resembling a service that is reliable, readily accessible, efficient, ADA compliant, and safe.

What is your position on establishing a network of Bus Rapid Transit lines in Chicago?

In support

Will you commit to securing the funding necessary to implement CTA's plan to become 100% accessible according to ADA standards? (yes/no)

Yes