1. Do you bike in New Mexico? Describe your experience biking for transportation and/or recreation.
I love biking with my 19-month-old daughter in her bike trailer. We explore local parks in Rio Rancho, enjoy picnics, and ride around the neighborhood for food truck nights. I'm also passionate about stationary biking and teach spin classes regularly.
2. Describe your vision of a healthy, safe, equitable transportation system for the Greater Albuquerque Region and the roles walking, biking, and public transportation play in that vision.
My vision for a healthy, safe, and equitable transportation system for the Greater Albuquerque Region includes a well-connected network that prioritizes walking, biking, and public transportation. This means developing safe pedestrian infrastructure, a comprehensive network of protected bike lanes, and reliable public transit services. We should ensure these modes are accessible and affordable for all residents, including those with disabilities and low-income individuals.
3. What are the biggest barriers to getting people to choose walking, biking, and public transit instead of personal vehicles for daily trips, and what would you do to address these impediments?
The biggest barriers to choosing walking, biking, and public transit over personal vehicles include a lack of infrastructure, convenience, and safety concerns. Many areas have insufficient sidewalks, bike lanes, and unreliable public transit, making alternative modes less appealing. To address these issues, we need to invest in better infrastructure, increase the frequency and reliability of public transit, and enhance safety measures. Additionally, reduce our crime rates, it just feels unsafe in some areas of ABQ to do any form of public transit.
4. New Mexico consistently has the deadliest streets of any state in the US, with approximately 400 people killed by vehicles each year while walking, biking, or driving, and another 12,000 people injured. What should New Mexico, and in particular the New Mexico Department of Transportation, do to improve traffic safety?
To improve traffic safety in New Mexico, the NMDOT should focus on redesigning dangerous roads and intersections, creating dedicated bike lanes and pedestrian paths, and enhancing street lighting. Strict enforcement of speed limits, DUI laws, and traffic violations is crucial. Public education campaigns and improved driver training can raise awareness about road safety.
5. The New Mexico DOT is currently pursuing a pair of projects related to Interstate 25, following the South I-25 Corridor Study that calls for the widening of Interstate 25 in Albuquerque from Sunport to the Big I, to 8 lanes from the current 6. Do you support urban freeway widenings, or how would you prefer NMDOT enhance transportation options in this corridor?
While expanding freeways can offer temporary congestion relief, I believe the NMDOT should focus on enhancing transportation options instead. Improving public transit, developing bike lanes and pedestrian paths, implementing smart traffic management systems, promoting carpooling, and encouraging mixed-use development can create a more sustainable, efficient, and equitable transportation system for the Albuquerque area.