Ward 11 – Dona Brady Responses

Bike Cleveland Cleveland City Council Candidate Questionnaire

Candidate Name: Dona Brady
Council Ward 11 Candidate

Q. What roles do you think city council can play in making cities safe, accessible and friendly for biking?
A. I think the city should continue to install bike lanes. In addition, I think that both drivers and cyclists need to learn proper signaling and respectfulness. When I was a child, I was taught to stop at stop signs, ride with traffic and use my left arm as a turn signal. I don’t see that anymore.

Q. Funding for bikeways and other bicycle improvements and programs in Cleveland is currently derived from a mix of local, regional, and federal grants. Do you support an increase in dedicated funds in the City of Cleveland capital budget to install a safe, connected network of bike facilities?
A. Yes

Q. Do you have ideas for securing other funding for biking projects in Cleveland?
A. I think you should continue to lobby the state for set aside dollars when roads and sidewalks are being reconstructed.

Q. In January 2012 the City of Cleveland’s Complete and Green Streets Ordinance went into effect. The ordinance requires implementation of sustainable policies and guidelines in all construction projects within the public right of way. What will you do to ensure that the city incorporates Complete and Green Streets policies and practices into road projects within your ward? How will you measure success?
A. I will continue to be involved in the planning process for new road projects in my ward to include safe bike lanes.

Q. In what ways can enhanced bicycling facilities and opportunities benefit your ward and the city as a whole? Are there any specific projects that you’d like to see accomplished?
A. As in other countries, particularly in Europe, bicycling is a healthy and economical way for people to have individual transportation.

Q. Cities across the United States are installing protected bicycle lanes (a.k.a. cycletracks) to create a stress-free biking environment and to encourage “interested but concerned” people to ride a bike. Do you support the installation of bike infrastructure like buffered bike lanes, protected bike lanes, and bike boxes on Cleveland streets? YES/NO
A. Yes

Q. Are you in favor of Bike Boxes (i.e. former shipping containers converted to bike parking) being placed in a parking lane on city streets?
A. Yes

Q. In just about every neighborhood throughout the city, one of the top concerns is drivers driving too fast, aggressively, and not safely sharing the road with people on bikes. What ideas do you have to calm traffic and make our neighborhoods safer and more comfortable in which to ride a bike? Feel free to talk about particular problem spots in your ward.
A. I think both drivers and bicyclists need to be educated in safe driving/riding on the streets in Cleveland. I was recently stopped at a stop sign to make a right turn. As I began to turn a bicyclist passed me without stopping on my inside right turn. It was a very close call. He was not wearing a helmet and never stopped at the stop sign.

Q. According to the 2012 Census almost 28% of Clevelanders do not have access to a car, how would you go about re-examining road projects to take into account the transportation needs of all city residents, improve safety, and enhance the livability of Cleveland neighborhoods?
A. In addition to road projects, we need to examine some corridors where sidewalks are extremely wide and could accommodate designated bike lanes as I saw in Germany.

Q. What do you think is the number one risk to people on bikes both in your ward and the city as a whole? What have you done/will you do as an elected official to remedy it?
A. I think the number one risk is both drivers and bicycles not understanding the “rules of the road.” I believe we need more education for drivers and bicyclists.

See responses from all candidates at BikeCleveland.org/I-bike-I-vote