2016 District 1 Candidate Jonathan Lyens

Candidate Facts

1JL Jonathan_LyensSAB_7523    Name: Jonathan Lyens
   Campaign Website: www.jonathanlyens.com

Candidate Questionnaire

All official candidates were contacted and given the opportunity to answer our Candidate Questionnaire. Any candidate responses edited for length and clarity have been marked as such.

1. Do you ride a bicycle in the city?

No

2. The City has established a goal to at least double the number of bike trips in the next 3 years. Do you support this goal?

Yes

If yes, what would you do as Supervisor to help the city realize it?

While I have a disability that prevents me from riding a bicycle as a mode of transportation, I believe passionately that we need a strong and vibrant multi-modal transportation system. Safe streets, designed for bicyclist and pedestrian safety, are key to reaching our goal of 8% of mode share by bicycle. Dedicated and protected bike lanes are part of the solution. I also support expanding the city’s bike share program. As Supervisor, I will fight to ensure adequate funding for the development and maintenance of roads that foster a safe and shared space between cyclists, pedestrians and others.

3. Our City has embraced and adopted Vision Zero, the goal to eliminate all fatalities and serious injuries on our streets by 2024. Do you support Vision Zero?

Yes

If “Yes,” the city has yet to make significant process since the introduction of Vision Zero in 2014. In fact, fatalities are on the rise. What would you do as Supervisor to help the city achieve Vision Zero?

As President of the FDR Democratic Club of SF, for seniors and people with disabilities, I am proud to lead an organization that is a founding member of the Vision Zero Coalition; and as Supervisor, I pledge to continue leading the way on pedestrian safety improvements. It is critical for the Board of Supervisors to provide adequate funding for pedestrian safety projects. As Supervisor, I will call regular public hearings on the implementation of pedestrian safety improvements, as well as our city’s status in reaching the goals laid out in Vision Zero. I pledge to have an open door policy for pedestrian/bicyclist safety advocates.

4. Research and data has shown that building high-quality protected bike infrastructure is the most effective way to increase the number of people who bike. Despite this, there remain very few streets and corridors in San Francisco with protected bike lanes. Do you support the significant expansion of protected bike infrastructure, recognizing that this is often achieved by reallocating space on our streets that may decrease on-street car parking or vehicle travel lanes?

Yes

If “Yes,” what is at least one street or corridor in your District that you think would most benefit from a protected bike facility and why?

Many streets in the Richmond district would be well served by a protected bike lane. One example is Arguello Boulevard. It’s a key point of access to Golden Gate Park and the Presidio, as well as a connector to major east/west arteries like Geary and Fulton. Because of its access to world renowned recreation, Arguello is a street often traversed by tourists, many of whom are experiencing urban biking for the first time. A positive, safe experience is something they will take home to their communities, enabling us to help shift others away from a car-centric mindset.

5. The SF Bicycle Coalition participated in the Mayor’s Transportation 2030 Task Force, which identified significant funding gaps for a safe, reliable transportation system. To continue building out the bike network, the original need until 2030 was $360 million, which has now increased to $660 million, by City estimates. Do you support increased allocation and funding for bike projects to at least match the percentage of San Franciscans who bike?

Yes 

6. The Department of Public Health has used data to develop the “high-injury network” to show the 12% of city streets where over 70% of the collisions occur. This map has also shown that low-income communities are disproportionately affected by traffic collisions. If Supervisor, what would you do to prevent collisions in your District at these known locations?

As a person with a disability, I have been advocating for increased pedestrian safety my entire life. I have seen firsthand the divisiveness between pedestrians, cyclists, seniors, people with disabilities and others. As Supervisor, I will work to bring these communities together to improve education and awareness of the needs of each of these communities. Further, I would ensure the funding required for the systematic analysis of each intersection identified in the “high-injury network”, as well as the recommended structural improvements.

7. Market Street is San Francisco’s most-biked street, with nearly 7,000 trips by bike counted here every day. The City is working on the Better Market Street project, which calls for limiting private automobiles, creating a continuous, protected bike lane for the full length of the project from the Embarcadero to Octavia Boulevard and significantly advancing transit and pedestrian-friendly street design. Do you support this plan?

Yes 

8. Data has shown that the five most dangerous behaviors are all driver-related offenses: speeding, failure to yield to pedestrians, improper right-hand turns, running red lights and failure to stop at stop signs. The San Francisco Police Department has committed to maintaining 50% of their traffic citations to “Focus on the Five,” a goal they have yet to meet citywide. Do you support Focus on the Five and smart, data-driven enforcement?

Yes 

9. As Supervisor, what will you do to ensure SFPD focuses enforcement on Focus on the Five or other known issues that make our streets unwelcome to bike on, such as double-parking in bike lanes, rather than ad hoc, complaint-driven enforcement?

I’m proud that the police officers of the Richmond District are leading the way on Focus on the Five. However, we can and must do more. I support basic structural changes that will allow us to increase our enforcement without requiring substantial increases in officer time, such as automated speed enforcement and more cameras on MUNI buses that issue citations on illegally parked cars. I also believe in public discussions, and as Supervisor I will call regular hearings on our progress meeting Vision Zero and Focus on the Five.

10. Bay Area Bike Share is in the middle of a game-changing, tenfold expansion of its system to become one of the densest bike share networks in the United States. Do you support the expansion and placement of bike share stations in your District, even if this may mean repurposing of on-street vehicle parking?

Yes 

District-Specific Questions

1. A recent tragedy occurred on June 22, where a person biking was hit and killed by a driver on JFK Drive near 30th Avenue, which is located in District 1. The SF Bicycle Coalition is advocating for protected bike lanes for the western half of JFK Drive to make Golden Gate Park a place for people rather than vehicle through traffic or on-street parking. As Supervisor, would you support our ask, and what would you do to prevent such crashes on JFK Drive?

Yes, I absolutely support your ask. As Supervisor, I would be proactive in creating protected bike lanes throughout Golden Gate Park. Our park should be designed for people, not cars.

2. In addition to improved infrastructure, we are advocating for an expansion of car-free, open streets space in Golden Gate Park, similar to Car-Free Sundays or Healthy Saturdays. As Supervisor, would you support this ask?

Yes 

3. We support a recommendation from the Ocean Beach Master Plan, which calls for a road diet of Great Highway, given the high levels of sand erosion. The result would be to repurpose two lanes of travel to become open streets for people biking and walking. Do you support this recommendation?

Yes 

Return to November 2016 Candidate Summaries
 

 

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