Ward 12 – Anthony Brancatelli Responses

Bike Cleveland Cleveland City Council Candidate Questionnaire 

Candidate Name: Anthony Brancatelli
Council Ward 12 Candidate

Q. What roles do you think city council can play in making cities safe, accessible and friendly for biking?
A.  It is not a matter of whether City Council “can” play a role in making Cleveland safe, accessible and friendly for biking, we are making Cleveland safer.  We have sponsored and passed legislation for safe passing, bike lanes and funds earmarked to help the biking community.

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 would support legislation for bike licensing and dedicating those funds accordingly.

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. Most all local road projects go through Council committees, this will be the avenue best to ensure that these practices are incorporated into our projects.

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. Ward 12 has adopted a “Active Living” policy, biking and walking trails have become a significant part of our planning.

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. This will take more research and a cost/benefits analysis will need to be done as well as the practical implementation of such lanes given our built out environment.  I do encourage and support protective bike lanes.

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, where practical

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. We will continue to advocate for implementing the Complete and Green Streets ordinances.  In example, we are rebuilding Fleet Avenue and will incorporate bump outs to slow traffic and install bike lanes for safe riding.

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. The City of Cleveland continues to work with our RTA and other partners in creating more functional options for residents that are dependent on public transportation.  Further, I have funded Senior Transportation for all of Ward 12.

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. Bicyclists are the number one risk, in other words we need to continue to educate bikers the appropriate etiquette and safe riding practices.

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