Originally published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Recently, Aldermanic President Megan Green, on St. Louis Public Radio’s Politically Speaking, spoke on the need to address traffic safety during the upcoming aldermanic session. Trailnet, the regional nonprofit dedicated to safe streets for all, has several recommendations for Aldermen to consider.
First, the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds in Ordinance 71650 must include community engagement and safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The city cannot pave and stripe its way to safety for all; protective infrastructure changes must be made.
The aforementioned can be done by enacting new Complete Streets legislation. The City’s current Complete Streets guidelines were recently scored 30 out of 100 by Smart Growth America. A more rigorous complete streets policy, strictly adhered to by city officials, would increase safety for people walking, biking and driving.
Trailnet supports Board Bill#105 on automated enforcement and Board Bill#106 concerning surveillance and the establishment of a Neighborhood Traffic Safety Fund. We are, however, concerned with Board Bill #185 regarding surveillance. We recommend the establishment of a committee, made up of an equal number of residents and city officials, to create policies and monitor the implementation of all the bills.
Finally, keeping the public more informed on infrastructure changes and traffic safety is essential for a safer environment. Providing accessible updates on City infrastructure spending—perhaps on the City website—would promote transparency and allow the public to better understand how projects are progressing.
Trailnet stands ready to assist.
Sincerely,
Cindy Mense, Trailnet CEO
UPDATED: St. Louis Board of Aldermen Candidate Survey on Safe Streets
This questionnaire was created to educate City voters on the issues that our organizations consider central to our missions. These survey questions were constructed to collect Board of Aldermen candidates’ positions on issues related to safe streets, infrastructure funding, environmental impact and more. We received responses from nine of the 28 aldermanic candidates in the new 14 wards. See the list of respondents and their complete, unedited responses below:
Respondents
Ward 1
Anne Schweitzer
Ward 5
Helen Petty
Ward 6
Daniela Velazquez & Jennifer Florida
Ward 7
Alisha Sonnier
Ward 8
Cara Spencer
Ward 9
Michael Browning
Ward 10
Emmett L Coleman
Ward 12
Tashara T. Earl
Non-respondents: Anthony Kirchner (1); Tom Oldenburg, Phill Menendez (2); Shane Cohn (3); Bret Narayan, Joe Vaccaro (4); Joe Vollmer (5); J.P. Mitchom (7); Ken Ortmann (8); Tina Pihl (9); Shameem Clark Hubbard (10); Laura Keys, Carla Wright (11); Sharon Tyus (12); Pam Boyd, Norma Walker (13); Rasheen Aldridge, Ebony Washington (14)
Section 1
Questions in this section included pre-made answer choices, as well as an option for open response.
Question 1
Should the 1/2 cent sales tax for street and sidewalk infrastructure go directly to the city or continue to be distributed as “ward capital” to the alderpersons?
Anne Schweitzer (1)
The city needs an infrastructure plan, with the administration and alderpersons working together to fund it. That plan will likely take several revenue streams to accomplish. Ward capital alone is nowhere near enough for all the infrastructure needs of the city it is expected to cover.
Helen Petty (5)
Infrastructure issues should be approached holistically, city-wide
Daniela Velazquez (6)
Infrastructure issues should be approached holistically, city-wide
Jennifer Florida (6)
Infrastructure issues should be approached holistically, city-wide
Alisha Sonnier (7)
Infrastructure issues should be approached holistically, city-wide
Cara Spencer (8)
Ward Capital should be distributed by ward for neighborhood needs. We should NOT be relying on this funding for major infrastructure projects. We need a REAL street and infrastructure budget.
Michael Browning (9)
Infrastructure issues should be approached holistically, city-wide
Emmett L Coleman (10)
Infrastructure issues should be approached holistically, city-wide
Tashara T. Earl (12)
The money should be divided between alderpersons and the city
Question 2
What metric(s) should be used to determine equitable distribution of the 1/2 cent sales tax?
Anne Schweitzer (1)
The 1/2 cent sales tax is split with half going to ward capital funds, and the other half going to parks, recreation centers, citywide capital improvements, and to police department capital improvements. I believe funds going directly to each ward should be split equally, but would be open to a conversation about increasing the percentage that goes to the other categories. All of this relies on the city having an infrastructure plan in place.
Helen Petty (5)
Poverty, by census tracts; Number of street miles contained in the wardI think we need to look at the current state of roads and sidewalks in any given area, the historic disinvestment, and frequency of use by cars/large trucks etc
Daniela Velazquez (6)
Number of vacant lots and abandoned buildings; Number of street miles contained in the ward
Jennifer Florida (6)
Citywide Needs assessment. Strategy of leveraging grants. Schefule maintence.
Alisha Sonnier (7)
Poverty, by census tracts; # of vacant lots and abandoned buildings; # of street miles contained in the ward; current conditions of roads and conditions of the housing should be considered
Cara Spencer (8)
None of these approaches is ideal. The 1/2 cent sales tax should be distributed by population in my opinion. But again, this is PENNIES compared to what our communities need. and we need a real infrastructure budget, a 10 year investment plan that is developed by a needs based approach. This ad hoc approach to infrastructure is failing our communities.
Michael Browning (9)
Ward capital shouldn’t be the funding mechanism for infrastructure. It is not enough money and it puts decisions in the hands of political actors and non-experts. Most of ward capital is currently used on infrastructure. I am in favor of a small amount distributed equitably among the wards based off of a combination of metrics, but only if the city takes infrastructure out of the purview of alderpeople and their ward capital budgets.
Emmett L Coleman (10)
Poverty, by census tracts; Homeowners vs. renter percentage; Number of vacant lots and abandoned buildings; Number of street miles contained in the ward
Tashara T. Earl (12)
Poverty, by census tracts; Number of vacant lots and abandoned buildings
Question 3
Should the City embark on a Vision Zero “No traffic fatalities” approach to street and sidewalk maintenance and improvements?
Anne Schweitzer (1)
Yes, there should be a No fatalities approach, and I will prioritize achieving this goal
Helen Petty (5)
Yes, there should be a No fatalities approach, and I will prioritize achieving this goal
Daniela Velazquez (6)
Yes, there should be a No fatalities approach, and I will prioritize achieving this goal
Jennifer Florida (6)
Yes, there should be a No fatalities approach, and I will prioritize achieving this goal
Alisha Sonnier (7)
Yes, there should be a No fatalities approach, and I will prioritize achieving this goal
Cara Spencer (8)
Yes, there should be a No fatalities approach, and I will prioritize achieving this goal
Michael Browning (9)
Yes, there should be a No fatalities approach, and I will prioritize achieving this goal
Emmett L Coleman (10)
Yes, there should be a No fatalities approach, and I will prioritize achieving this goal
Tashara T. Earl (12)
Yes, there should be a No fatalities approach, and I will prioritize achieving this goal
Question 4
Should the city use funds to support better pedestrian and bike infrastructure and education?
Anne Schweitzer (1)
We need to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety
Helen Petty (5)
We need to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety
Daniela Velazquez (6)
We need to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety
Jennifer Florida (6)
We need to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety
Alisha Sonnier (7)
We need to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety
Cara Spencer (8)
We need to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety
Michael Browning (9)
We need to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety
Emmett L Coleman (10)
We need to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety
Tashara T. Earl (12)
We need to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety
Question 5
Should the city increase automated traffic enforcement in light of the continued decrease in police officers?
Anne Schweitzer (1)
I support automated traffic enforcement and officer involvement in traffic enforcement.
Helen Petty (5)
Yes, but it must be equitably enforced
Daniela Velazquez (6)
Automated traffic enforcement is unconstitutional in the city.
Jennifer Florida (6)
Yes, but it must be equitably enforced
Alisha Sonnier (7)
This is something that needs to be a community conversation. We have to be extremely sensitive to community feelings on surveillance and we need to do a deep dive of the data on if automatic traffic enforcement actually increases people’s compliance with traffic rules/laws.
Cara Spencer (8)
Automated traffic enforcement is not ideal but we need traffic enforcement period. And if this is the only option given our current policing, we should explore this option. We should exercise caution, but we need to explore any and all ways of making our streets safer for all.
Michael Browning (9)
Yes, but it must be equitably enforced
Emmett L Coleman (10)
Yes, but it must be equitably enforced
Tashara T. Earl (12)
Yes, but it must be equitably enforced
Question 6
Should the city increase traffic enforcement through non police or courtroom tactics?
Anne Schweitzer (1)
Warning letters to car owners; Warning letters to Insurance companies; Residents can report concerns to their Neighborhood Improvement Specialist. They often help with issues like this in the neighborhood.
Helen Petty (5)
Warning letters to car owners; Warning letters to Insurance companies
Daniela Velazquez (6)
Warning letters to Insurance companies
Jennifer Florida (6)
Warning letters to car owners
Alisha Sonnier (7)
Warning letters to car owners
Cara Spencer (8)
Warning letters to car owners; Warning letters to Insurance companies; Yes, but these are not going to get us very far. Persons who routinely drive 80 miles an hour down residential streets are not going to be deterred by a letter. and often these drivers are uninsured. We need real traffic enforcement.
Michael Browning (9)
Warning letters to car owners; Warning letters to Insurance companies; Civilian personnel can be used as extra eyes and ears on the road, and respond to low-risk situations like traffic collisions to fill out reports, instead of diverting one of the city’s few traffic officers to do these routine tasks.
Emmett L Coleman (10)
No, the city should not use these strategies, I believe that simply sending letters to car owners is wasteful and the majority of people will ignore them. There is no way to even determine if car owners have current car insurance outside of police enforcement. There has to be some sort of enforcement to be effective, even if there are warnings provided to drivers. I think having cameras at intersections and along bike routes can help solve our hit-and-run crisis to assist the police in catching drivers who take off after an accident.
Tashara T. Earl (12)
Warning letters to car owners; Warning letters to Insurance companies
Question 7
Should the city allow residents to assist with (submit photos of) simple infractions of non-moving motor vehicles such as blocking sidewalks with cars for review and possible mail ticketing?
Anne Schweitzer (1)
Yes. This can already occur through reporting to CSB, police, and the traffic division.
Helen Petty (5)
Yes
Daniela Velazquez (6)
No
Jennifer Florida (6)
Yes
Alisha Sonnier (7)
Yes
Cara Spencer (8)
possibly. i would have to see how this has worked in other cities. I would not wnat this to be an approach that results in targeted enforcement.
Michael Browning (9)
Yes
Emmett L Coleman (10)
We currently have a system in place where residents can take photos and file complaints with the Citizens Service Bureau(CSB) or contact our designated Neighborhood Improvement Specialist(NIS) to solve most non-moving motor vehicle infractions. I plan to go the extra mile to further communicate and collaborate with the NIS and CSB to obtain estimated timelines on resolving issues, relaying those timelines to residents to keep them updated on the status of their requests, and to collaborate with the city department employees and housing inspectors to ensure the issues are completed within a timely manner.
Tashara T. Earl (12)
Yes
Question 8
In the past few months, what different modes have you used to get around the city?
Should the City fund a media campaign against destructive driving and speeding?
Anne Schweitzer (1)
Yes. I believe the city plays a role in educating the public on this issue.
Helen Petty (5)
Yes, this is essential to safety efforts, especially if it can be targeted
Daniela Velazquez (6)
As part of a larger public education program about safer streets initiatives across the city.
Jennifer Florida (6)
Yes, this is essential to safety efforts, especially if it can be targeted
Alisha Sonnier (7)
Yes, this is essential to safety efforts, especially if it can be targeted
Cara Spencer (8)
Yes, this is essential to safety efforts, especially if it can be targeted
Michael Browning (9)
Education is an important component of traffic safety, but I would need to see more details on the media campaign to evaluate if it is worth the investment.
Emmett L Coleman (10)
Yes, this is essential to safety efforts, especially if it can be targeted
Tashara T. Earl (12)
Yes, this is essential to safety efforts, especially if it can be targeted
Section 2
Questions in this section are exclusively open response.
Question 10
2022 saw 18 pedestrian and 2 cyclist fatalities, and 171 pedestrian and 48 cyclist injuries. What is your vision for solving this problem?
Anne Schweitzer (1)
I believe in the Vision Zero approach to build systems that prioritize safety first and foremost, bringing together transportation professionals, policymakers, and all stakeholders to work towards this goal together. That means knowing the data, and using that to guide decision making. The city budget needs to reflect the priorities of the community through community engagement and prioritizing areas that need the most attention and investment. The city must set a date to achieve this goal, and I’m hopeful this can be a priority of the Board of Aldermen in the upcoming session.
Helen Petty (5)
The use of technology to enforce traffic laws, increasing use of public transportation, stiffer repercussions for traffic violence, mandatory driver training programs for repeat offenders, and public education campaigns.
Daniela Velazquez (6)
The first step is making our streets safer by lowering the speed limit on high-traffic streets. At the same time, we need to invest in pedestrian enhancements on busy streets holistically and across the city.
Jennifer Florida (6)
2 fatalities occurred on S Grand, I legislated S Grand Great Street Scape initiative to improve safety and placemaking. Enforcement plays a role in safety.
Alisha Sonnier (7)
I support a city wide infrastructure plan for our streets, and a comprehensive approach to traffic violence. This comprehensive plan needs to include a complete reconfiguration of our streets. I support this reconfiguration including the addition of protected bike lanes. We can make our streets pedestrian-friendly by extending curbs, building pedestrian islands, and creating green spaces around heavily-traveled roads.
Cara Spencer (8)
We need to implement Vision Zero NOW. we need to say enough is enough. We need a REAL infrastructure budget and a 10 year investment plan. We need to use the funds that are generated on the streets (parking fees) to make our streets safer for all.
Michael Browning (9)
This numbers are horrifying, and likely an undercount. It is absolutely a policy choice to continue to let this happen. To address, we should move infrastructure planning and funding back to a central city department with the directive to connect existing pedestrian and bicycle networks. St. Louis’ future is walkable, and we need more leaders who prioritize people over cars and car infrastructure.
Emmett L Coleman (10)
I plan to reduce the number of pedestrian and cyclist injuries and deaths by sponsoring legislation for stricter pedestrian protections locally while also working with state lawmakers to do the same statewide. I will also facilitate the installation of traffic-calming measures within the new 10th Ward that would include more pedestrian and cyclist protections such as protected bike lanes, crosswalks, and curb extensions while fighting for these improvements citywide.
Tashara T. Earl (12)
I lost a family member cycling due to a drunk driver on Mardi Gras in 2019. I truly believe we must address this issue from all angles starting with enforcing drivers education for all new drivers. Parent with poor habits teaching teens how to drive creates irresponsible drivers. We should review the legalities of the red light cameras to fine the vehicle of the car and not the driver. We should install more bike lane visibility and safety infrastructure to better protect our pedestrian and cyclists. In addition, add more signage to the streets to bring more awareness to cycling in the city.
Question 11
In order to decrease carbon emissions, what would you do to increase the usage of public transportation or biking to work?
Anne Schweitzer (1)
In the last few months, I’ve started commuting to work by MetroBus and encourage others to do the same. I support the North South MetroLink expansion and public information campaigns that encourage public transportation. I try to share my own experiences with public transit on social media. I support increased and improved biking infrastructure and more enforcement of traffic laws that are supposed to protect pedestrians, including, but not limited to, speed limits, parking or traveling in bike lanes, or parking motorcycles on sidewalks.
Helen Petty (5)
In order to increase the use of public transportation we need to expand the routes and make it more efficient and reliable. By looking at solutions like bus rapid transit lanes and the expansion of metro link we can make public transportation more useful for more people. Similarly, we can increase the use of biking to work by making it safer. Protected bike lanes city wide, narrowing arterials, and traffic calming measures can all be useful.
Daniela Velazquez (6)
First, we need to make our streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists. To increase the use of public transportation, prioritizing projects that focus on developing regional transportation, such as a North-South MetroLink, establishing a Bus Rapid Transit option and creating residential development projects near public transit. As a Board, we should pair our planning of public transit with investments in affordable housing, walkable neighborhoods, greenways and other holistic initiatives.
Jennifer Florida (6)
I expanded safe cycling..Bike St. Louis, contunue thse efforts. I supporting transit. Let’s increase ridership by improved access and reliable service.
Alisha Sonnier (7)
I am in support of using ARPA funds or the funds from the RAMS settlement to expand and make our public transit system more appealing, universally accessible, and to make transit time 60 minutes or less between any two points in Saint Louis. Privately owned vehicles should not be the only form of reliable transportation, this being the case only adds to inequities and makes our city inaccessible
Cara Spencer (8)
make our roads safer for non vehicular traffic and seriously look at at bus rapid transit and economically feasible ways of expanding public transit options.
Michael Browning (9)
When you see a statistic like “36% of pedestrian crashes and 45% of pedestrian fatalities occur within 200 feet of a MetroBus stop in St. Louis city,” it becomes clear that using public transportation is not safe. We also know that it is not convenient. Improving the safety of infrastructure directly around bus and metro stops should be a priority. We also cannot expect people to take the bus if it takes 4 times longer than it takes to drive to their destination. Increasing the number of buses for major routes, hiring more drivers with better pay and benefits, and using technology to make it easy to use the bus are all good starts to making public transportation more convenient to use. We can also encourage new developments and employers to provide secure bike parking on site, as well as provide repair stations near common destinations. But at the end of the day, people won’t bike to work if they don’t feel safe on the roads, so it comes down to infrastructure and maintenance. Does St. Louis have a bike lane sweeper? It absolutely should.
Emmett L Coleman (10)
I am self-employed so I do not have to commute to work. I do, however, own only hybrid vehicles right now to reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption. As an alderperson, I look to use public transit to commute to city hall. I plan to facilitate the installation of traffic-calming measures within the new 10th Ward, which would include more protected bike lanes, more highly-visible and protected ADA approved crosswalks, and road signage. I also plan to facilitate the installation of electric vehicle charging stations along commercial corridors within the new 10th Ward as well as enforce the installation of electric vehicle charging stations as part of any new mixed use development within the new ward to encourage more electrical vehicle usage in the city.
Tashara T. Earl (12)
I would highlight the benefits of taking public transportation and biking to work. In addition express how this helps our society’s air quality for our overall health. I would encourage the city to offer free public transportation to encourage more citizens to ride public transportation.
Trailnet was invited to be a part of the signing of the St. Louis Safer Streets Bill on March 1. Here’s what that means, why we’re excited, and what more needs to be done.
On Wednesday morning, March 1, 2023, City of St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones signed the St. Louis Safer Streets Bill (also referred to as Board Bill 120) into law.
This is a huge win. It marks the City’s largest-ever investment into street safety and infrastructure, and Trailnet was invited to be a part of the ceremony.
We couldn’t have done this without support from our members and community.
Together, we have fought for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users over the last three decades. We laid the groundwork for change by shifting the conversation, focusing on systems, and gradually building public support. We sounded the alarm about traffic violence with the Crash Report. We built relationships with decision makers and met with elected officials.
The work isn’t over, though. Now, the funding must be carefully applied, on a comprehensive scale, to the problems it hopes to solve.
As Trailnet CEO Cindy Mense said in her remarks to the press, “While improving infrastructure is crucial, it will not, on its own, deter reckless drivers or put an end to the plague of traffic violence…. Trailnet and our partners stand ready to work with the administration in pursuing a vision of zero traffic injuries and fatalities on our streets.”
Together, we will continue to fight for Streets for All.
