Somerville City Election - 2023 - Somerville Bike Safety

This fall, Somerville residents will choose between candidates for Mayor, at-large City Councilor, and four Ward Councilors (1, 3, 5, and 6). As always, municipal elections are important for issues of street safety. Our elected officials control the budget and the design, construction, and public process for street changes throughout the city.

How to vote

First, some info on how to vote in this election. If you are not registered, you can register to vote on the state’s website. If you have changed addresses, you can also check this information at the same link. Be sure to register to vote or change your voting address before the deadline, Oct 28, 2023.

If you aren’t sure if you are registered, you can also check your status on the state’s website.

You can vote early between Wednesday Nov 1 and Friday Nov 3rd at City Hall during the hours which City Hall is open, which vary day by day. See the City’s website for info when City Hall is open.

You can vote by mail, see the City’s website for more info. You must first submit an application to vote by mail, and then you will receive a ballot by mail, which needs to be returned by mail or at the drop box at City Hall. If you want to vote by mail, fill out an application ASAP. If you haven’t received your ballot in time for election day, you will need to vote in person.

You can also vote in person at your polling place. Find your polling place here.

Want to see what your ballot will look like? Sample ballots are now available on the City’s website.

Candidate responses

Somerville Bicycle Safety asked the candidates for all contested seats about important issues for people riding bicycles. Here’s how they responded. All responses have been copied verbatim from candidates’ responses.

Mayor – At-Large Councilors – Ward 1 – Ward 3 – Ward 5 – Ward 6 – Uncontested Wards

In addition, here are some other places to learn about candidates’ positions:

Somerville Media Center records candidate statements on its YouTube channel
Somerville YIMBY has released their own election questionnaire
The Somerville Alliance for Safe Streets asked candidates for statements on their commitment to road safety

Candidates for Mayor

In Somerville the Mayor determines when and where bike infrastructure is built and proposes the budget to support and maintain infrastructure, so the vote for Mayor is by far the most important vote you can make to support safe bike infrastructure. The incumbent is marked with *

How do you get around Somerville?
Katjana Ballantyne	For 15 years I don’t own a car by choice, instead I walk and use bicycles. Our family of four uses seven bicycles and two bicycle trailers. I also use public transportation (i.e. busses, subways, trains and ferries). On occasions when I cannot use a bicycle or public transit, I rent a car or use a rideshare service.
Billy Tauro	Walk, vehicle, Uber
Do you support an ordinance which requires protected bike lanes to be built at the time that a street on the bike network is repaved or reconstructed?
Katjana Ballantyne	Yes Yes, I have directed City staff to work with our City Council on a safe streets ordinance that includes (but is not limited to) this requirement. This type of ordinance will build on the great work my team performed in preparing Somerville’s first-ever Citywide Bike Network Plan Our Bicycle Network Plan proposes an 88-mile citywide network of connected protected bicycle lanes and low speed and low volume residential streets where people of all ages and abilities will be able to bike safely and comfortably. The goal is to increase biking as the primary mode of transportation for daily trips, aiming for 15% of Somerville residents traveling by bike by 2050.
Billy Tauro	Yes
Do you support adding quick-build protected bike lanes to Highland Avenue when it is repaved this fall?
Katjana Ballantyne	My priority is to fully reconstruct the street, focusing on the financing and engineering needed to build accessible sidewalks, traffic calming, bus priority elements and sidewalk-level bike lanes in both directions. A portion of Highland Avenue is scheduled for temporary paving in 2024, as advised this past year. Quick-build construction emphasizes movable and changeable materials. When compared to full-scale reconstruction, quick-build projects are faster and cheaper to implement, and they retain flexibility for future changes. However, despite their name, quick-build projects typically take an average of 12 months.
Billy Tauro	Choose not to answer Yes I’d like to sit down and reach a solution to add to protected bike lanes without eliminating any parking that will disrupt the lives of residence and will destroy the existence of mom and Pop shops in the area. I believe all parties concerned can sit down together and come up to her amicable solution.
The finalized Somerville Bike Network plan describes a priority map of roughly 30 miles of protected bike lanes which would be installed over the next 7 years. Do you support an ordinance to require the network to be built along this timeline?
Katjana Ballantyne	Yes, I have directed City staff to work with our City Council on a safe streets ordinance that includes (but is not limited to) this requirement. This type of ordinance will build on the great work my team performed in preparing Somerville’s first-ever Citywide Bike Network Plan.
Billy Tauro	Yes
Often street projects designed to improve safety and public transit infrastructure face opposition due to removing on-street parking or reducing the number of vehicle travel lanes. As Mayor, how will you be a strong advocate and leader for safe street projects amidst pushback?
Katjana Ballantyne	Yes, eight out of ten cars on Somerville streets are simply passing through, making our streets more congested, more polluted, and less safe. Since becoming Mayor in 2022 I’ve continued the redesign of our streets such as working with our legislators to achieve the current refiguring of what was a highly dangerous intersection of Alewife Brook Parkway and Powderhouse Boulevard, advocated and supported Holland St. construction project to add protected bike lanes, and proposing Washington St. project. In the past, some business owners were reluctant to lose a parking space to a bike share, bus lane or a dining corral. Now however, businesses and residents are seeing positive change are becoming more supportive as their experience begins to confirm the predictions of data and planning.
Billy Tauro	My belief in safe traveling is priority. Distancing bicycles from traffic vehicle lanes would be my approach. Making less of a hazard for traveling. The currently designed bicycle path is incomplete and making it more accessible in neighborhoods by designing and implementing more pathways for convenience of travel would be my main focus. There are areas throughout the city that taper off from a safe lane to full traffic. I do not agree with that type of a merger. I want to see well illuminated paths free of obstacle and hinderance. There is no real reason why our streets can’t be paved correctly. I want to see all ages able to always be protected by safer travel lanes for a more encouraging and protected lanes of travel.
How will you work with the state delegation to ensure that state owned roads are made safer for all users of the road?
Katjana Ballantyne	I already have an excellent working relationship with State Senator Pat Jehlen and State Reps. Christine Barber, Michael Connolly, and Erika Uyterhoeven. My Intergovernmental team and I meet and work continually to advocate for Somerville. Additionally I am working with the Governor, Lt. Governor, Mass. DOT Secretary to move our initiatives forward. A good example is the current work fixing the dangerous intersection of Powerhouse Blvd. and Alewife Brook Parkway. We are in regular communication over issues of common concern.
Billy Tauro	I would meet with them at a minimum of at lest once a month at the very least. If elected my office door will be open to all and they will have my and my full attention with no bureaucracy, lame, excuses, nor delays in moving forward.
As Mayor, how would you use the budget development and approval process to advance a commitment to safer streets?
Katjana Ballantyne	My record as Mayor shows that I have been able to partner with our City Council in the budget process to strengthen safe streets investments. In my first two budgets as Mayor, I successfully grew our staff in DPW, in the Parking Department and in the Engineering Division to support Vision Zero work. I will continue to work with City departments and the City Council to build on this progress in the years ahead
Billy Tauro	I would sit down with all parties, concerned, together hammer out concerns they find the solution that will work with all parties in agreement.
What can the City of Somerville do to help support efforts at the MBTA to restore an acceptable level of service? What can the City do to mitigate impacts on Somerville residents while efforts to fix public transit are happening?
Katjana Ballantyne	After many years of neglect by the Commonwealth, it is good to see that the Healey/Driscoll administration is prioritizing the desperately needed repair of the MBTA. We must look at transit as a public good like education. My record as Mayor shows that I have been willing to redesign City streets to help buses run on time, rebuild sidewalks and bus stops to improve accessibility, and invest in free transit for thousands of Somerville residents and workers. My staff are constantly partnering with the MBTA to improve service and reliability on our bus and rail systems. Two examples are; 1) the 2022 shutdown of the Orange Line, during which I directed City staff to install emergency bus lanes to help MBTA shuttles run efficiently while the Orange Line was out of service; 2) Free & subsidized T-passes – For our part, we are supporting our residents and municipal & public school employee through subsidized passes and free T-passes. This includes our year round Youth Pass Program, giving all SPS youth, grades 7 thru 12 free T- passes. In addition subsidizing MBTA passes to low-income households in Somerville.
Billy Tauro	I would meet with the committee to find remedies to create immediate solutions. Priorities in city government are made easy and completed in a timely manner with open connections. A plan of secondary issues can be, prior to incidents, worked out and ready to execute upon issues arising from sudden Interruption.
What steps should the City of Somerville take to increase the safety of people walking or using wheelchairs to get around our city?
Katjana Ballantyne	Friendly walking conditions must be implemented for those who want, can and need to walk. Those measures include having appropriate curb levels, firm surfaces, separating paths for pedestrians and cyclists, prioritizing those routes that give seniors safe walking access to shopping, and easy touch & sound signaling. Curb cuts for wheelchairs must be designed and maintained so that they do not accumulate trash or snow. My Administration has made great progress rebuilding sidewalks and curb ramps to improve safety and accessibility. I am proud of our recent sidewalk upgrades in East Somerville, Davis Square, and in Spring Hill. I will continue to manage and support our great City staff, and add staff (as I did on my first two budgets as Mayor) to deliver more safety and accessibility upgrades citywide, consistent with our Vision Zero plan and our ADA Transition Plan.
Billy Tauro	I would sit down and listen to all parties involved, mash it all up all together in my mind, and help create a solution to make all parties happy for a safer, better and more comfortable solution to any problems. I am a very good listener and
Are you satisfied with the results of the MBTA’s bus network redesign process as described in their final report? What is the role of the City of Somerville in making it easier and more comfortable to take the bus?
Katjana Ballantyne	I am proud of my successful advocacy in support of our residents to make the final Bun Network Redesign Plan much better for Somerville. My record as Mayor shows that I have been willing to redesign City streets to help buses run on time, rebuild sidewalks and bus stops to improve accessibility, and invest in free transit for thousands of Somerville residents and workers. In addition to restoring cuts to routes that residents rely upon, there must be an increase in the frequency of service to pre-pandemic levels. The long gaps between rides on some routes make them less attractive. If we make public transit reliable, more residents will use it knowing they can depend on it. I support adding dedicated bus lanes and ensuring that the West part of Somerville is connected to the East part of Somerville. And and ensuring our Economic Justice neighborhoods have reliable & efficient access to shopping areas; Market Basket and Twin City Plaza.
Billy Tauro	I have not yet, had an opportunity to read the final report, but, Somerville has always had decent bus travel for decades. The timeframes coincided with working schedules of the general public. Recently, their timeframe has skipped a beat or two and their on time schedule has had interruptions in proce@ire. Working with representing groups within the city, and MBTA officials to coordinate a more efficient plan would be in our best interests and I have the accessibility to pursue just that.

Candidates for City Councilor

City Councilors do not have direct control over bike infrastructure in Somerville. However, Councillors still have the ability to cut funds from the budget which can affect bike infrastructure, they can speak to the public as advocates and organize constituent feedback to the City, and they can pass ordinances. Incumbents are marked with *

Everyone registered in Somerville can vote for at-large Councilors. In addition, residents can vote for their ward Councilor. What ward am I in?

At-Large Candidates

How do you get around Somerville?
Willie Burnley Jr.	I maneuver throughout the city usually via my e-bike, since it helps me traverse our many hills with ease. I do not own a car and don’t drive, so I either travel through the city on bike, by walking, or even using the MBTA (buses or trains).
Will Mbah	I walk, take the bus, bike, and drive. Which one I choose depends on where I’m going, how fast I need to get there, and whether it’s just me or the whole family.
Kristen Strezo	I try to walk, bike, or use the MBTA as much as possible when getting around Somerville. Sometimes a car is necessary when I am with my kids but I try to utilize other transportation options as frequently as possible.
Jake Wilson	bike, car, public transit, and walking
Do you support an ordinance which requires protected bike lanes to be built at the time that a street on the bike network is repaved or reconstructed?
Willie Burnley Jr.	Yes I am hoping to sponsor this ordinance by the end of the month.
Will Mbah	Yes Repaving any particular street is a rare event, so we need to get as much benefit out of it as we can.
Kristen Strezo	Yes In this situation, I would need to see the specific ordinance to better understand the logistics of the plan and the subsequent impact on the community. It’s incredibly important when talking about these types of plans to understand what the community says and collect feedback. However, in general, I support the building of additional protected bike lanes and I think this seems like a really compelling idea.
Jake Wilson	Yes Assuming we come out of this bike network planning process with a good plan that makes sense from every perspective with truly protected (ideally grade-separated) bike lanes where they fit and are likely to be used by cyclists, then it’s logical to enshrine this commitment with an ordinance that requires this when that street is re-done. This is important because the new, safer design would then become the default option, and deviating from that would place the onus on those opposing this change to demonstrate to make the case against these street safety improvements.
Do you support adding quick-build protected bike lanes to Highland Avenue when it is repaved this fall?
Willie Burnley Jr.	Yes It would be a policy and fiscal failure of the highest order if the mayor did not take advantage of this opportunity to transform one of the most unsafe roads in the city.
Will Mbah	Yes The decision to install protected bike lands the full length of Highland Ave consumed a huge amount of community attention and energy last year. Waiting three (or more) years to start to implement it would be a mistake.
Kristen Strezo	Choose not to answer Similarly to above, I would need to see the specific logistics of this plan and make sure it is in the community’s best interest. I think we need to better utilize the Somerville Community Path extension and make sure we’ve exhausted other options. I always recognize the importance of protected bike lanes, especially during construction.
Jake Wilson	No I’m as frustrated as anyone by the unexpected pause on the Highland Avenue Redesign Project that has resulted in a nearly two-year delay to date. Opponents of safe streets improvements like to claim there is no public process around these changes, and in this case they would be correct if we were to simply remove parking and put in quick-build protected bike lanes when Highland Ave is resurfaced this fall (hopefully) or next year. Because of this unfortunate two-year pause on the redesign work, I don’t think the City has had the necessary level of engagement with businesses and local residents to get the parking situation correct at this point. So I’m concerned that a rushed removal of parking and a rollout of quick-build protected bike lanes would do long-term damage to our mission of making streets safer. Not only would it give opponents legitimate ammunition when alleging a lack of public process, but I’d be extremely concerned about it creating exactly the sort of parking fiasco and negative impacts on the community that opponents frequently predict when these debates happen. So as angry as I am about the project delays, I’m skeptical of a quick-build protected bike lane approach here. I’m focused on pressing for an immediate restart of the project and bringing an urgency to that work from the staffing, budgetary, and long-term strategic standpoints to make a good, redesigned Highland Ave a reality as quickly as possible. But I will say that if we do reach a point where City staff feel they’ve done sufficient outreach and have a good, workable plan for parking, I would support having a conversation about a head start on the work with quick-build solutions. It’s just absolutely critical in the short and long run that we get that parking piece right as part of this work.
The finalized Somerville Bike Network plan describes a priority map of roughly 30 miles of protected bike lanes which would be installed over the next 7 years. Do you support an ordinance to require the network to be built along this timeline?
Willie Burnley Jr.	Yes
Will Mbah	Yes Project timelines in ordinances are, for the most part, unenforceable. Passing unenforceable ordinances weakens the Council and creates confusion. This would be more appropriate as a resolution, or even a special committee who could track progress and understand any compromises or setbacks from unpleasant surprises like last summer’s emergency closure of the Winter Hill School.
Kristen Strezo	Yes
Jake Wilson	Yes We’ll need to increase funding for this in the City’s General Fund (our operating budget) in order to make this happen, but I support that.
Often street projects designed to improve safety and public transit infrastructure face opposition due to removing on-street parking or reducing the number of vehicle travel lanes. As Mayor/City Councilor, how will you be a strong advocate and leader for safe street projects amidst pushback?
Willie Burnley Jr.	This is an issue I’ve had to confront directly as the councilor who has been leading on the Safe Streete ordinance, particularly when I met with business owners in East Somerville and Union Sq to discuss the necessary impacts of protected bike lanes. At the time of our meetings, Stephen Conley had just died after being doored by a vehicle. My message was and will remain that these are changes to our public infrastructure are necessary for public safety and that I will always put people’s lives ahead of people’s comfort or profit. That is not to say I will ignore feedback on how to improve the results of the City’s work. In fact, I have actively sought it out and made space for it legislatively. I believe we can both let people’s voices be heard and prioritize the lives of our residents.
Will Mbah	We need clear goals and standards so people understand that there is a plan. Otherwise it can feel like groups of residents fighting for their own self interests, neighborhood by neighborhood. Citywide plans like the Bicycle Network, the Complete Streets Ordinance, and even the Design Guide developed by the Somerville Alliance for Safe Streets (SASS) are essential. As a councilor at-large I can help to focus the conversation by endorsing and tracking progress against those plans.
Kristen Strezo	There are a lot of precautions necessary when envisioning and fighting for safe streets. It’s important to first recognize that Somerville needs to remain an accessible city. Some people need a car to safely get around the city. That said, we need to encourage others, if they’re able, to turn to other modes of transportation as much as possible so that we can clear vehicle congestion in our streets. Additionally, our loading zones for businesses may need to be moved so they’re not negatively impacting traffic patterns and consumers can get in and out of businesses safely. We also need to continue making more safe and separate bike paths in Somerville. Pushing for protected bike lanes and encouraging the use of bicycles is one important step in decreasing the use of solo driving. However, we must ensure that our vulnerable residents that depend on driving can still get around our city and park when need be.
Jake Wilson	I can understand pushback on changes to our curb use and travel lanes. Most people like their routines and hate change, and owning a small business is stressful enough under the best of circumstances, let alone coming out of a global pandemic with a tight labor market. I actually really enjoy longer conversations with folks who are opposed to these sorts of changes, as it provides an opportunity for them to be heard, while giving me the chance to ask questions and bring up some points that might not have occurred to them. I’ve noticed this approach tends to work well. It might not turn an opponent of bicycle infrastructure into a supporter, but I’m often able to reduce their level of alarm to where they’re no longer upset, but perhaps merely skeptical. I’ve found that most folks are more receptive to these changes when there is a concerted effort to revamp parking to tailor it to the needs of the community, including local businesses. For example Highland Avenue has a lot of unmetered two-hour parking (with no limit for resident parking permits), and I’ve made the case successfully to a number of concerned constituents that a switch to metered parking with time limits tailored to the habits of business patrons during the day — even when paired with a reduction in parking — can be a net positive for everyone. I’ve also urged the cyclist community to resist the urge to boycott businesses expressing opposition to new bike infrastructure, as these business owners likely are operating under a misperception about how their customers are getting to them. Any boycott — especially of a business with new bike infrastructure already in place in front of it — is actually likely to backfire due to the business owner interpreting any loss of revenue from a boycott as instead resulting from changes to the street. Finally, I’ve had a good response when pointing out that cars and bikes aren’t the best mix from both safety and efficiency points of view, so whatever we can do to safely separate them benefits both drivers and cyclists. As a councilor, I’ve either sponsored or signed on to every single safe streets-related item that has come before the council during my time on the body. I’ve promoted the bike network plan and support the cyclist safety ordinance in the works. I have children who are just discovering the joy of biking and I want them to be able to safely explore and get around their city on their bikes.
How will you work with the state delegation to ensure that state owned roads are made safer for all users of the road?
Willie Burnley Jr.	I will collaborate with our state representatives and state Senator to keep up to date about the proposed changes to our state-owned roads and properly direct community feedback to MassDOT.
Will Mbah	It takes a lot to move a state agency. The positive changes that MassDoT made to improve the “Corridor of Death” at Mystic and McGrath took an alliance that included city staff, local activists, neighbors, Councilors, and the State and even Federal delegation. MassDCR has been slower to respond to similar concerns at the Alewife Brook Parkway. I will continue to work directly with local activists and city staff, as well as the state delegation, to be sure that our “ask” is clear, unanimous, and aligned with neighboring cities.
Kristen Strezo	I will work with the state delegation in any way possible to protect our community. I will continue to put pressure on our created timelines to ensure any proposed policies are implemented as soon as possible. Additionally, we must create realistic detour paths for pedestrians and cyclists when there is construction. We need to increase signage across streets, as well as prioritize replacing damaged traffic infrastructure to ensure our roads are safe for everyone.
Jake Wilson	I live near the “Corridor of Death” and attended the Rally for Highway Justice in 2021. I’ve attended MassDOT meetings arranged by our state delegation on Routes 28 and 38. I’m also a member of the Route 16 Traffic Calming Coalition and am active in that advocacy work through our state delegation to get the Department of Conversation and Recreation to address the many serious problems with Route 16. I’ve frequently brought constituent questions and concerns about street safety to the relevant member(s) of our state delegation, and have engaged with them on issues like the Community Path Extension delays. I’m also pushing for Somerville to be bold and take advantage of what I view as a grey area to push forward with automated enforcement to reduce reckless and unsafe driving. And as one of the co-sponsors of the recent “Idaho Stop” resolution on the council, I’m pushing for this to be legalized at the state level so we don’t have to resort to deprioritized enforcement here locally.
As City Councilor, how would you use the budget development and approval process to advance a commitment to safer streets?
Willie Burnley Jr.	Unfortunately, as a councilor, despite my efforts, I cannot allocate funding during the budget process. I can only make cuts. Having said that, I have use this period to put the Administration on notice about a number of important issues and have won concessions for affordable housing funding and a Brailler for residents. I would be willing to pressure the Administration to add to the capital funds, Engineering, and Mobility if I thought it was necessary to get to certain infrastructure milestones. However, I don’t believe I will have to twist any arms to get the City to move on those goals.
Will Mbah	By the time the Mayor presents a budget proposal, the council’s powers are quite limited. As a Councilor, I will work with staff behind the scenes throughout the year to make sure that they understand the priorities I am hearing from the community, and also to be sure that I understand their compromises and concerns.
Kristen Strezo	Safe streets involve children and their safe passage to school and school programs. We need more crossing guards to ensure we can protect our kids. Additionally, we need to increase the stock of benches across the community so seniors and other affected residents can walk throughout Somerville and pause if they need to. I will also continue ensuring we can plow sidewalks so residents don’t have to use the street during harsh winter and that our sidewalks are even and accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.
Jake Wilson	I’ve made increased funding for safer streets and hiring additional staff for the Mobility Division individual budget priorities of mine. As chair of the Finance Committee, I engineered a new process for identifying the council’s top shared budget priorities and conveying these to the Mayor, and successfully championed safe streets quick-build and long-term improvements as a shared budget priority for the council. During the budget review process, I’ve led a Finance Committee that has asked questions of how we might increase staff capacity for safe streets improvements. We also pushed back forcefully on the delays to the Highland Avenue Redesign Project and called for that to be restarted without additional delay.
What can the City of Somerville do to help support efforts at the MBTA to restore an acceptable level of service? What can the City do to mitigate impacts on Somerville residents while efforts to fix public transit are happening?
Willie Burnley Jr.	The City should take a leading role in directing our residents on the most impactful channels through which they can provide feedback to the MBTA. During the MBTA Redesign, for example, I put forward an order that the City should create downloadable flyers that residents could print out and post around Somerville. The people can put the City in a position to do more. However, we also have to be prepared to move beyond MBTA of the time comes. I’ve proposed along with Councilor Wilson that Somerville should create microtransit routes that run North-to-South where we have hill-sized gaps in our MBTA service.
Will Mbah	The city has limited capacity to directly impact the MBTA. It is suffering from years of neglect, and it will likely take years of work to get back to consistent service. In the interim, we can increase access to bluebikes, build safer infrastructure, provide shuttle service, and generally work around the gaps.
Kristen Strezo	During times of construction, we need better detour routes and more information on construction so the community can stay prepared and updated. We need a better communication campaign that involves physical signs on our streets. Additionally, the City can fight for more buses both within Somerville and buses can bring residents to Medford. I often hear from my community that residents would benefit from more buses with more accessible routes and I want to follow through on these concerns. To do so, we need the MBTA to be more responsive. I’m willing to show up, apply pressure, and do as much as I can to make sure these plans are followed through on.
Jake Wilson	As a public transit fan, it’s demoralizing to see the service closures, unreliability, and slow zones that plague the MBTA. I’m hopeful the MBTA’s new general manager and new board composition with local municipality representation result in better management for the beleaguered T. I don’t want to tempt the fates, but it certainly feels like things can’t get any worse. I acknowledge that going back and doing the necessary infrastructure maintenance, repair, and replacement work that has been deferred for too long is not going to be painless. So the City should continue to work with our state delegation to advocate for mitigations like shuttle service and increased bus service when subway service in our city is impacted by this infrastructure work. Accordingly, I spread awareness of the September 12 public meeting held by MassDOT regarding the upcoming three-week closure of the D Line between Union Square and Lechmere and I’ll continue doing this when future meetings like that are happening in the future.
What steps should the City of Somerville take to increase the safety of people walking or using wheelchairs to get around our city?
Willie Burnley Jr.	We need to ensure that our sidewalks and crosswalks are ADA accessible. When streets are majorly renovated, so too should the sidewalks be if they are in poor condition. Separations between cyclists and pedestrians will also improve safety for all.
Will Mbah	The city has at least two advisory groups who I would want to hear from on this – the Commission for Persons With Disabilities, and the Pedestrian and Transit Advisory Committee. I would also like to see the city’s Vision Zero dashboard kept up to date and more closely coordinated with the state’s crash reporting portal. My guess is that building infrastructure to slow down drivers and separate them from vulnerable road users is still the right path, but the first step in helping anybody is usually to listen to them, so that’s where we should start.
Kristen Strezo	Somerville needs more ramps to make our community truly accessible. The City should also prioritize evening out our sidewalks to ensure the safest possible path for walkers or wheelchair users. Ensuring our sidewalks are even, cleared, and salted during the winter is a huge step in fighting for safe streets.
Jake Wilson	The City needs to meet our moral and legal obligations to folks with accessibility needs, and a big part of that is sidewalks, curb ramps, and crosswalks that are safe and passable. Making sure we follow ADA specifications when installing new infrastructure and bringing our existing infrastructure into compliance are obvious requirements here. I’ve called for us to re-route sidewalks into the street by creating new curb bump-outs around trees whose roots are making sidewalks unpassable for those using mobility devices. And I’ve brought constituent concerns to City staff about trash and recycling receptacles left blocking sidewalks after pickup by our curbside collection contractor. We’ve seen some improvements in that area, and I’m continuing to monitor this.
Are you satisfied with the results of the MBTA’s bus network redesign process as described in their final report? What is the role of the City of Somerville in making it easier and more comfortable to take the bus?
Willie Burnley Jr.	I think the results were greatly improved by the massive participation of Somerville residents, but I won’t be satisfied until everyone feels confident that public transit is speedy, accessible, and reliable.
Will Mbah	The final plan is a huge improvement over the first draft. Some critical point to point connections within Somerville, particularly North/South routes are still underserved. The city should continue to explore relationships with local services who could bridge gaps that the MBTA doesn’t see as a regional priority.
Kristen Strezo	I am satisfied with the MBTA’s response to previous concerns coming from Somerville residents but we must encourage them to do more. We need more stops, more buses, and for the CIty of Somerville to make public transportation as accessible as possible through both our bus stops and the buses themselves. I will continue fighting for these things and hope the City can align with these priorities to further put pressure on the MBTA in regard to the wants and needs of our residents.
Jake Wilson	I’m mostly satisfied. It’s certainly a marked improvement from the original version that was released to widespread alarm here. I appreciated that the revised plan recognized the degree to which MBTA bus riders use the service to get around our city, rather than the original proposal’s focus on trips into and out of Boston. I’m a proponent of fare-free buses and decreased headways to make taking the bus an attractive prospect. I’ll continue supporting bus priority infrastructure in the city wherever it makes sense — and enforcement of existing bus lane restrictions — as a carrot to the MBTA to increase bus service here in Somerville.

Ward Councilors

Somerville has seven ward councilors. Wards 1, 3, 5, and 6 have contested ward elections this year. You can only vote in the election for your ward. Find your ward

Ward 1

How do you get around Somerville?
Matthew Ryan Hunt	Walk and the MBTA
Matt McLaughlin	Bike is my primary mode of transportation and recreation.
Do you support an ordinance which requires protected bike lanes to be built at the time that a street on the bike network is repaved or reconstructed?
Matthew Ryan Hunt	Choose not to answer
Matt McLaughlin	Choose not to answer I support bike lanes and they should be considered at the time of repaving and reconstruction. I would have to see specific language before I committed to any ordinance.
Do you support adding quick-build protected bike lanes to Highland Avenue when it is repaved this fall?
Matthew Ryan Hunt	Choose not to answer
Matt McLaughlin	Yes Short answer yes. Long answer, I rely on the guidance of Ward 3 City Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen who is a champion of addressing Highland Ave issues as a whole.
The finalized Somerville Bike Network plan describes a priority map of roughly 30 miles of protected bike lanes which would be installed over the next 7 years. Do you support an ordinance to require the network to be built along this timeline?
Matthew Ryan Hunt	Yes
Matt McLaughlin	Choose not to answer I don’t know how an ordnance would ensure projects are built on any timeline. In my experience ordinances are often unenforced and construction always takes longer than expected. Would there be penalties for not meeting the timeline? Who is penalized? Will the city penalize itself? I do support the Bike Network plan and am happy the city is fast tracking projects on Glen Street and Tufts Street this year.
Often street projects designed to improve safety and public transit infrastructure face opposition due to removing on-street parking or reducing the number of vehicle travel lanes. As Mayor/City Councilor, how will you be a strong advocate and leader for safe street projects amidst pushback?
Matthew Ryan Hunt	People feel marginalized and unheard in city projects. More needs to be done to communicate locally with stakeholders throughout the process to keep people on board. Nobody is anti-safety but people who are not consulted when it comes to major changes in their area are understandably hostile.
Matt McLaughlin	As an active cyclists and native of Somerville I know too well the conflicts that arise in neighborhoods around bike and pedestrian safety. I try to be practical and innovative when addressing neighborhood concerns. There are situations where parking and pedestrian safety can be preserved. I love parking protected bike lanes like the one I advocated for on Washington Street. I am also a big supporter of Neighborways which provides low cost ways to make streets safer. I supported extending the bus lane along Broadway into East Somerville and justified it to detractors as a way to make the street safer. When I meet people passionately opposed to bike lanes I try to argue that bike lanes help drivers as well by getting fewer cars on the street and getting bikes onto their own lanes.
How will you work with the state delegation to ensure that state owned roads are made safer for all users of the road?
Matthew Ryan Hunt	East Somerville is especially affected by the dangers of jurisdictional overlap. McGrath Highway and the onramp to I-93 continue to present dangers to locals even with the recent mitigation efforts. More needs to be done in concert with state politicians and state agencies to create safe solutions to getting around.
Matt McLaughlin	I work very closely with State Rep. Mike Connolly to address state streets. We successfully advocated for a bike lane and bus lane on Washington Street in East Somerville. we got traffic calming measures on McGrath Highway and Mystic Ave where there have been several pedestrian fatalities. I am impatiently awaiting the completion of the Kensington Connecter, which will create a safer route between East Somerville and Assembly Row through state roads. In the long term I support grounding McGrath Highway and installing bike lanes and reducing cut through traffic. Ward 1 is an island surrounded by state roads. Addressing these neglected, dangerous streets is a top priority for me.
As City Councilor, how would you use the budget development and approval process to advance a commitment to safer streets?
Matthew Ryan Hunt	Infrastructure projects need to built around that commitment to safer streets. This includes a strong consultation period with neighbors and road users of all types before a project can go forward.
Matt McLaughlin	The City Council cannot add to the budget, but all of the initiatives I previously mentioned were funded in part due to my advocacy and the advocacy of the community.
What can the City of Somerville do to help support efforts at the MBTA to restore an acceptable level of service? What can the City do to mitigate impacts on Somerville residents while efforts to fix public transit are happening?
Matthew Ryan Hunt	The city needs to work closely with the MBTA in a time of flux to make sure our residence are fully served by this public service. The city should think creatively about transportation alternatives to continue to serve the people of Somerville.
Matt McLaughlin	I supported the mayor’s initiative to provide free T passes to residents. I’ve consistently fought against T service cuts, particularly in Ward 1. We have thus far prevented serious cuts from happening, but what we really need is more buses. Rather than punishing Somerville for making investments in the GLX and bus lanes, the state should reward us with more buses to prove that American cities can have quality, consistent buses.
What steps should the City of Somerville take to increase the safety of people walking or using wheelchairs to get around our city?
Matthew Ryan Hunt	Our streetscape especially in East Somerville is actively hostile to wheelchair users and pedestrians. Basic maintenance has been ignored for years. These are the MOST vulnerable of road users and they should be prioritized.
Matt McLaughlin	I take ADA compliance very seriously in Ward 1. I am regularly asking for curb cuts and ADA accessible sidewalks. I advocated to ensure all sidewalks on the newly renovated Pearl Street include curb cuts. Regarding walking, I refer to my previously mentioned efforts to address state roads that are by far the worst and most dangerous offenders in the city.
Are you satisfied with the results of the MBTA’s bus network redesign process as described in their final report? What is the role of the City of Somerville in making it easier and more comfortable to take the bus?
Matthew Ryan Hunt	No. There is still significant work to be done to advocate for communities here in Somerville who are underserved by the current transit map.
Matt McLaughlin	I am not satisfied, although I am glad we averted a serious crisis in bus line cuts. I believe the state should make a dramatic investment in bus infrastructure to connect neighborhoods not directly serviced by train. Getting more buses, trains, bikes and pedestrians will ultimately serve everyone.

Ward 3

How do you get around Somerville?
Ben Ewen Campen	The main way I get around daily is biking. For the past year, I’ve switched from a regular bike to an e-bike to drop off my kid at day care on Highland Ave, then to commute to my day-job, and back home – it’s also what I use for groceries, errands, trips to the playground, etc. I also own a car and walk a lot.
John Fitzpatrick	No answer submitted
Do you support an ordinance which requires protected bike lanes to be built at the time that a street on the bike network is repaved or reconstructed?
Ben Ewen Campen	Yes I have been a leading advocate for the creation of the Bike Network Plan since my early years on the City Council, and have consistently been working towards a binding ordinance to bring this network to life. We cannot have one-off community fights about each and every piece of life-saving infrastructure: we need a city-wide plan, and a binding way to implement it.
John Fitzpatrick	No answer submitted
Do you support adding quick-build protected bike lanes to Highland Avenue when it is repaved this fall?
Ben Ewen Campen	Yes As someone who bikes with a toddler on Highland Ave on a daily basis, I will support any and all bike safety infrastructure that can be added to Highland. But, I strongly believe that a quick-build is a much, much worse option than a fully reconstructed Highland Ave because the latter will allow us to address many long-standing issues with Highland that wouldn’t be possible with a simple quick-build. I am frankly apoplectic that the Administration has squandered the last several years of major Highland Ave construction without so much as advancing design documents that could be completed following the sewer work currently under way, and have helped lead efforts to encourage the Administration to re-think the mistaken decision to delay this work until 2027.
John Fitzpatrick	No answer submitted
The finalized Somerville Bike Network plan describes a priority map of roughly 30 miles of protected bike lanes which would be installed over the next 7 years. Do you support an ordinance to require the network to be built along this timeline?
Ben Ewen Campen	Yes
John Fitzpatrick	No answer submitted
Often street projects designed to improve safety and public transit infrastructure face opposition due to removing on-street parking or reducing the number of vehicle travel lanes. As Mayor/City Councilor, how will you be a strong advocate and leader for safe street projects amidst pushback?
Ben Ewen Campen	Since being elected to the City Council in 2017, I have taken many opportunity to advocate for street safety infrastructure, even when there is pushback. It is very important to me that I always work to treat all constituents with respect, to listen to their concerns and try to find ways to address the underlying issues, while never sacrificing life-saving infrastructure. A few examples from the past few years, all of which have had pushback but which I have continued to champion because I believe these will save lives, make our streets more pleasant and safe, and reduce fossil fuel combustion: I have led the advocacy to install protected bike lanes on Highland Ave., to pass the Spring Hill Sewer Streetscapes plan as designed and supported by the community, which will include fully protected bike lanes on Central between Summer & Highland, among other improvements; I’ve advocated for the new bike lane on Bow St., and for every Bus Lane that has been installed in the City, including the first one on Broadway. I also have supported many installations of bike parking, curb bump-outs, speed humps, and more.
John Fitzpatrick	No answer submitted
How will you work with the state delegation to ensure that state owned roads are made safer for all users of the road?
Ben Ewen Campen	In my experience, the reality is that our street safety efforts at the State House are really only effective when our City speaks with one voice – when the community, the City Council, the Mayor, and the delegation are all focused on a specific set of asks. SASS’s efforts on the “Corridor of Death” are a great example of this, or the current work on the Alewife Brook Parkway. I believe it is critical that, when we need to influence State decision making, we build a strong, focused coalition to get the job done.
John Fitzpatrick	No answer submitted
As City Councilor, how would you use the budget development and approval process to advance a commitment to safer streets?
Ben Ewen Campen	I have worked with colleagues and safe streets advocates to successfully push for additional staff and resources for the Mobility, Engineering, Vision Zero, etc. on nearly every year since I’ve been elected. These efforts have been most effective when they are targeted and specific, which often requires close collaboration with groups such as SASS, PTAC, Mystic River Task Force etc.
John Fitzpatrick	No answer submitted
What can the City of Somerville do to help support efforts at the MBTA to restore an acceptable level of service? What can the City do to mitigate impacts on Somerville residents while efforts to fix public transit are happening?
Ben Ewen Campen	I believe that Somerville has been a stand-out amongst MA communities for our early advocacy and adoption of dedicated bus lanes, floating bus stops, and advocacy around improved bus service, even when there is sometimes community pushback on these initiatives. That said, as any bus rider knows we are still very, very far from where we need to be. I strongly support improved signal prioritization, bus prioritization efforts in all street redesign projects, and continued work with our State House delegation to improve MBTA bus service.
John Fitzpatrick	No answer submitted
What steps should the City of Somerville take to increase the safety of people walking or using wheelchairs to get around our city?
Ben Ewen Campen	This is an area where there is so much critical work to be done that it can sometimes feel hard to even know where to start – so, so, so many of our sidewalks and streets are not usable for people in wheelchairs. Given this stark reality, we need to continue investing heavily in prioritized redesign projects to focus on the most effective work first, we need to work to improve communication between our Engineering/Capital Projects Department and local experts on ADA compliance and the issues facing people in wheelchairs, and we need to more pro-actively involve these experts in our public process over the design of privately-developed but important public spaces being constructed in places like Union Square, Boynton Yards, Assembly, Brickbottom, etc.
John Fitzpatrick	No answer submitted
Are you satisfied with the results of the MBTA’s bus network redesign process as described in their final report? What is the role of the City of Somerville in making it easier and more comfortable to take the bus?
Ben Ewen Campen	I am very glad that some of the worst Somerville issues with the first draft Better Bus Network were dramatically improved in response to an outpouring of advocacy from Somerville. While I am overall very happy to see many of the significant service improvements, including many new high-frequency lines that will be enormous improvements for Somerville residents, there remain serious drawbacks as well – for example, in Ward 3, the 85 bus line that currently begins at the corner of Avon & Central will soon become a significantly longer walk for Spring Hill residents. I have been working directly with our City’s Mobility Staff in efforts to address these issues, most of which are not anticipated to go into effect for several years.
John Fitzpatrick	No answer submitted

Ward 5

How do you get around Somerville?
Jack Perenick	I am a true Somerville hybrid commuter. Growing up I almost exclusively traveled Somerville by foot and by bike, my mother did not have a car in the city, and my family rarely drove commuting to work and around the area mostly via public transit. When I became my disabled grandmother’s primary caretaker a few years ago, we got a car to keep at our apartment in Magoun Square. For my own personal travel within the city, I am largely a bike, bus, and foot commuter. I live near one of the new Green line stations and now almost exclusively use that for travel into Boston. About two years ago I decided to invest in an electric bike for city travel and have been amazed with the added range that created for rides of longer distance and more intense climbs. I do also drive in the city, usually for grocery trips, dry cleaning, longer distance trips, or to anything in Assembly. For trips with my grandmother, or with my partner who has hip dysplasia, we frequently drive and use accessible parking spaces. I also make a lot of drop-off trips where I myself am not getting around the city but facilitating others. One thing I deeply appreciate about living in Somerville is that I do not need to drive to access most of the establishments I need or want to take advantage of. If elected, promoting more neighborhoods and squares in our city as conducive 15 minute cities (or perhaps “~10 minute neighborhoods”) with essential urban services and entertainment easily and safely accessible would be a top priority.
Naima Sait	I worked at the high school for years. I either walked or took public transportation. Since the bike path extension opened, we have been doing more biking than driving.
Do you support an ordinance which requires protected bike lanes to be built at the time that a street on the bike network is repaved or reconstructed?
Jack Perenick	Yes Yes I do. While I hope that this item will be introduced by councilors before the end of this term, I commit to offering such an ordinance has not completed all of its stages this year. The bike network plan is not a completely perfect document, but if we are putting in the effort to develop such plans we need to ensure they are actually put into practice. This policy has been very effective in Cambridge and has not overburdened their DPW or delayed other road work detrimentally.
Naima Sait	Yes The City has published a Bike Network Plan indicating which streets shall have one-way or two-way protected bike lanes. when the opportunity to do so presents itself, the city should do it.
Do you support adding quick-build protected bike lanes to Highland Avenue when it is repaved this fall?
Jack Perenick	Yes We urgently need to make Highland safer and one of the easiest ways to do this is to add bike lanes. We also have needed parking reform on Highland for a long time as well, moving in the direction that Davis and Ball Squares have, with parking in front of business that is designed for short duration parking and pick-up/drop-off rather than for long duration personal vehicle storage. My largest concern about how we undertake this project without causing parking to overflow onto side streets leaving those living off Highland without permit parking. I would like to see a final plan for the street which adds protected lanes in both directors and retains parking on at least one side of the street. We also should consider adding bike boxes at a few of the major intersections.
Naima Sait	Yes Many people are biking unsafely on Highland. It’s an issue that needs to be addressed. However, I would like to learn more about the temporary design as it unfolds.
The finalized Somerville Bike Network plan describes a priority map of roughly 30 miles of protected bike lanes which would be installed over the next 7 years. Do you support an ordinance to require the network to be built along this timeline?
Jack Perenick	Yes
Naima Sait	Yes Somerville’s commitment to safer infrastructure needs to be more decisive. Yes, we have seen some progress, but it has come too slowly and often implemented as half-measures. This is part of a larger problem of insufficient investment in Somerville’s infrastructure and slow-moving projects that lack coordination which are meant to address issues such as flooding, municipal buildings in disrepair, and street safety.
Often street projects designed to improve safety and public transit infrastructure face opposition due to removing on-street parking or reducing the number of vehicle travel lanes. As Mayor/City Councilor, how will you be a strong advocate and leader for safe street projects amidst pushback?
Jack Perenick	Firstly, I acknowledge this process for what it is, a compromise designed to decide what the best uses of our public spaces are. This is what our municipal government and community engagement process is designed to do, and it is within our capability to do this to broad satisfaction. In general, Somerville is in the process most other cities are in—we are designed for a lot of cars and vehicular transportation. We rightly recognized this a number of years ago and have begun building infrastructure (like protected bike lanes, parking protected bike lanes, and public ways (like the Community Path that are pedestrian and cyclist only.)) More in line with both how the city was already commuting and how we know it will be in the future. We should also continue to make intersections safer by adjusting for longer walk cycles, increasing the use of mini-rotaries, and ensuring intersections are daylight. We also need to uphold our commitment to Vision Zero, we need to make sure that people can go about our city without fear of injury or death—it is essential and completing the infrastructure projects which the city is now and must continue to is the way to get there. We should acknowledge as a part of this process that this is not a one-sided issue. There is valid public good that comes from curb space being allocated to pick-up/drop-off, duration limited parking, and loading zones. There is also, and will continue to be a need for vehicular storage and street parking—it just shouldn’t be in busy public squares where the space would be better allocated. My approach to this policy area is not to ignore the reality that residents continue to need permit parking but to help mediate the process of balancing those demands with decisions about allocating public spaces. We should also remember that the allocation of curb space, public space, is an evolving process that changes as the city changes and grows. Decisions about parking may continue to need to be revisited as conditions and demand change. An important part of being a facilitator of public meetings and discussions around community decisions is not to ignore any concerns from residents or local businesses. I would take the tactic of working with those with concerns to make modifications where possible (and without impairing the plan) and to help explain the goals and data that supports redesign decisions.
Naima Sait	We won’t reduce our dependence on cars without making substantial changes to our infrastructure and the services we offer. We need to prioritize protected bike lanes over convenient parking, while being very mindful not to ignore the important needs of the elderly and those with mobility impairments. Walkable neighborhoods are better for residents AND businesses. The opposition to the redesign from businesses can be addressed by changing our current parking regulations. Currently, they are favoring the neighboring residents instead of the businesses. We can encourage residents to live car-free by offering free transit passes and Blue Bike subscriptions to all residents (or at least car-free residents!). It is worth noting that one of the reasons we have a traffic and parking problem is because many of the people who work in Somerville cannot afford to live here. Somerville should be a community where residents can live and work. We should put our growing prosperity to work for all of us, including long-term residents who want to stay in their home, and new young people and immigrants wishing to settle down here.
How will you work with the state delegation to ensure that state owned roads are made safer for all users of the road?
Jack Perenick	A lot of my experience in state politics has been in coalition building. I am committed to helping Representatives Barber, Connolly, and Uyterhoeven and Senator Jehlen facilitate public engagement and advocate for state funding and policy cooperation on the McGrath Highway, Interstate 93, the Alewife Brook Parkway and Route 38 (Mystic Ave.) As a Councilor, I would also be committed to building a coalition of other municipal elected officials who are in urban municipalities with state owned roads. Some of our municipal friends such as Cambridge have learned a lot about city regulating under a complex and often comprehensive MGL framework around state owned roads. Having a network and coalition of city voices involved with not only our delegation but building state legislative allies across the state is an essential part of accelerating and making real progress on our goals of safe transit. I do not view our relationship with state entities and bureaucracies as adversarial, but it is important for our city’s voice to be heard and acted upon and I am not afraid to vigorously undertake that advocacy in coordination with activists and other elected officials.
Naima Sait	We’ve seen a few small victories when we stand up to Mass DOT and Mass DCR, unified, as elected officials in various offices and community organizers. As frustrating as it can be, we must continue to push this issue and bring it out into the public awareness to pressure these state organizations to make the right choices for our community.
As City Councilor, how would you use the budget development and approval process to advance a commitment to safer streets?
Jack Perenick	I have worked in the past as a project manager for teams and projects with very, very small budgets. As a councilor I will use my position during the budget process to Support the Mayor in her in her efforts for more funding for street safety and accessibility improvements. Additionally, I believe I would be most effective by using the budget process as an avenue to work in detail with city staff, in particular Commissioner Lathan, Director Rinfret, and Director Postlewaite to discuss which expenditures were most effective and how the Council can help to allocate funds towards the most beneficial efforts. The Council’s role is most effective in actually ensuring our goals are achieved by looking back at the last years spending to see which budget items were best received by the community and brought about the best improvements on our streets. I will also take particular care to ensure that our budget as a city is being executed in congruence with state spending. As I will speak more about in question 10, the state is undertaking large public expenditures on improving our state transportation network, we need to make sure as a city we are taking advantage of that work. That takes the form of ensuring our expenditures on streets, connective corridors, and waiting spaces are done in an additive way with state expenditures.
Naima Sait	Safe streets will be a key issue for me during budget season, and I will make it clear to the administration that it is a priority I expect to see reflected in the proposed budget. The budget development approval process is a powerful public opportunity to name the importance of safe streets and press city officials to provide detailed plans and budget towards this issue. During the budget process, I will ask tough questions of city officials and press for the funding we need to improve our city infrastructure.
What can the City of Somerville do to help support efforts at the MBTA to restore an acceptable level of service? What can the City do to mitigate impacts on Somerville residents while efforts to fix public transit are happening?
Jack Perenick	While there is little we can do directly as a municipality to aid the MBTA’s repair efforts, there is a lot we can do in the way of mitigation efforts—and of course the best mitigation of all is rapidly undertaking projects for permanent improvements in our transportation services. Pushing for state funding for shuttles and replacement busses, especially during events such as the upcoming Fluff Festival that are not only enjoyable events residents and visitors should be able to access, but virtual economic activities supported by public transportation for our local businesses. The city, and its councilors can also help at the difficult time for public transportation users by making information about alternatives more wide known, especially accessible services like The Ride. Similar to how the MBTA did during the Orange line shut down or the Summer tunnel closure. As a Councilor I commit to providing information about these services to my constituents. Those interested can find a link to community resources on my website at JackforSomerville.com/communityresources I fully support the Mayor’s pilot program to make MBTA transit free for 500 low-income Somervillians, and I would support further mitigation programs that the city undertakes to operate fare-free. We should also examine and trial a municipally owned and subsidized rideshare program like Salem has (The Salem Skipper: https://www.salemma.gov/mobility-services/pages/salem-skipper) that would help fill out transit gaps in areas where buses and subways are scarce. The program in Salem is relatively easy to budget in, and runs at a cost of only $2 per ride for residents. This item would be an annual and supplemental budget request I would make.
Naima Sait	The City of Somerville can provide free or reduced cost T-passes to all residents (or at least car-free residents!) to make riding the T more accessible. As City Councilor I will also tirelessly use my platform to lobby the MBTA to increase service in Somerville. The City can also make sure that streets are safe for walking and biking so that more residents are able to use those forms of transportation.
What steps should the City of Somerville take to increase the safety of people walking or using wheelchairs to get around our city?
Jack Perenick	Our city is not accessible. This is true in general, but especially for people with disabilities or who have reduced mobility of any kind. It is a social justice issue, and one which we can directly address by increasing our commitment to DPW and long-term maintenance. Most fundamentally we need to ensure level and accessible sidewalks throughout our city. While I myself have called 311 to report serious sidewalk disjointing or tactile pads coming detached (there was a persistent one that kept coming loose at Cedar and Alpine). Safe accessible sidewalks, especially those that connect other means of transportation is incredibly important and should be part of our city network plans. Another concern of mine is people using wheelchairs needing to use bike lanes or streets to travel due to extremely poor sidewalk —or brick sidewalks/pathways. We need to ensure that this is not necessary in any part of our city. We also need to make sure that breaks in the sidewalk or any objects protruding into the space above sidewalks is marked. We must always remember that the ADA is the floor, it is the absolute minimum we must maintain, it is not nor has it ever been designed to act as an idealistic goal. We should be a leader in accessibility, and that includes attempting new pilot projects and trying new methods to make our city more accessible. For pedestrians and wheelchair and walker users our biggest concerns occur at intersections. I support more raised crossing in neighborhoods and permanent road narrowing at crossings—especially making permanent what orange codes are now providing at Community Path intersections. We also in general need to install speed bumps on roads where speeding and cut through traffic of neighborhoods remains prevalent. While it may not in the traditional discussions of pedestrian safety, having sufficient pick-up/drop-off spaces and 15 minute parking is an important part of having safe streets and avoiding parking on sidewalks and double parking. (Of course we should also ticket people who continue to do this. We must tackle the root cause while also addressing the behavior.) We also need to ensure that we have accessible pick-up/drop-off and handicap parking spaces with curb cuts to ensure that people can safely exit vehicles and enter the sidewalk. Private land owners must also be reminded of their obligation to keep sidewalks clear of vegetation or snow. When this is not done, wheelchair users can be forced to bypass sections of sidewalk in the street, which is unsafe. Daylighting, enforced by the installation of flexposts or by painting would also help those in a wheelchair to be seen at intersections. I also support traffic calming and enforcement measures that helps remind those who violate our road rules that their actions are dangerous for our community members. We must also enforce our traffic regulations, including issuing tickets to violators and issuing monetary penalties to drivers who are severe violators. In general, automated enforcement of moving violations would also be a safety asset for pedestrians and sidewalk users. Red light cameras and speeding cameras would be a help to our community in helping to enforce our safety regulations. While this remains illegal under MGL, I am committed to advocating to change that law, and developing equitable regulations to maintain the appropriate privacy and due process for alleged violators while still increasing our safety through enforcement.
Naima Sait	The City absolutely has a responsibility to make our streets safer and more accessible. A few steps could be widening and repaving sidewalks, ensuring all curb cuts are ADA compliant, adding more crosswalks with signals, and repaving parts of our city where we have hazardous, uneven brick walkways.. In addition the city should designate specific streets as pedestrian thoroughfares and build infrastructure to reduce car traffic along them. All of these efforts would make it safer for all people to move around the city.
Are you satisfied with the results of the MBTA’s bus network redesign process as described in their final report? What is the role of the City of Somerville in making it easier and more comfortable to take the bus?
Jack Perenick	It will be a rare occasion that I am satisfied by the MBTA’s effectiveness in Somerville, and I will always be an advocate to improve it. As a Councilor the role as I see it is two-fold: we must work to improve municipal infrastructure accessibility and transportation affordability and convenience using tools under our municipal control and we must support our state delegation to advocate for changes to policy and budgeting for the MBTA at the state level. Firstly, while the buses themselves may be state-run there is a lot the city can do to make using them more accessible and convenient to use. It is especially important that we upgrade infrastructure given that the new network design increases the frequency on a number of Somerville routes like the 101 and 96. The improved reliability of the routes which are most central are important for our city, and will improve ridership. As I myself know, waiting for a bus that never comes—or comes so late to be of no or little use—discourages ridership and makes our community more reliant on vehicular travel. We need to also better connect our bus routes by continuing the role out of the bicycle network plan, and repairing sidewalks that connect bus, bike, and subway routes. As a city, we need to ensure that bus stops are safe from congestion and not illegally parked in. We need to create proper seating at stations, night lighting, and provide sheltering from the elements, especially on routes which now see reduced service or now have later night service. The plan emphasizes the need for municipalities to give feedback to the MBTA, as we did as a community and I am please with the changes that were made—they certainly were in the right direction. I am glad for the advocacy Councilor Neufeld had on ensuring Clarendon Hill residents remains with convention access to essential routes. While that particular building in not within Ward 5 I remain committed to working with our city’s population which is most reliant on buses to ensure they see retained and expanded access. I closely observed the work Representatives Barber and Connolly undertook to advocate for the restoration of some routes and frequencies and will continue to work with our state delegation to create an optimal bus network. I will be committed to doing the state advocacy component of the role of a councilor. This plan is part of the enormous nearly $10 billion dollar capital improvement plan that itself only came about due to intense and hard fought advocacy. I will work with advocates to ensure that such funding continues, and then when it is allocated it is spent most effectively and in line with our Vision Zero and long-term climate goals.
Naima Sait	Somerville officials (elected or appointed) have a responsibility to advocate for our residents when it comes to ensuring we are being treated fairly by State agencies such as the MBTA, Mass DOT, and DCR. I am not yet familiar with the recent MBTA bus network redesign report, but I know that our residents are critically underserved for transit within Somerville. I look forward to looking more closely at this issue, soon, so that I can appropriately advocate for increased service in Somerville and safe, equitable transit in our neighborhoods. With the recent changes to the bus network, Seniors have brought to my attention that the bus stops are farther away.

Ward 6

How do you get around Somerville?
Jack Connolly	Most of the time you will find me walking around Somerville, on occasion you will see me biking, but for longer trips around the city I rely on my car.
Lance Davis	No answer submitted
Do you support an ordinance which requires protected bike lanes to be built at the time that a street on the bike network is repaved or reconstructed?
Jack Connolly	Yes
Lance Davis	No answer submitted
Do you support adding quick-build protected bike lanes to Highland Avenue when it is repaved this fall?
Jack Connolly	Quick-build protected bike lanes are a hassle to maintain and costly to replace. I do support adding them on Highland Ave as long as they don’t take away essential parking and we continue to look at and for other options.
Lance Davis	No answer submitted
The finalized Somerville Bike Network plan describes a priority map of roughly 30 miles of protected bike lanes which would be installed over the next 7 years. Do you support an ordinance to require the network to be built along this timeline?
Jack Connolly	Yes I believe that we can do it sooner and that 7 years is too long for us to have to wait for safety. Yes I support the ordinance, but ask that we look into why it would take so long and if we could do it sooner.
Lance Davis	No answer submitted
Often street projects designed to improve safety and public transit infrastructure face opposition due to removing on-street parking or reducing the number of vehicle travel lanes. As Mayor/City Councilor, how will you be a strong advocate and leader for safe street projects amidst pushback?
Jack Connolly	I would underline the importance of safety to the community, while working alongside the rest of the City Council and the Mayor to find compromises that would allow us to make our streets safer without having to remove essential and already very limited parking in our city
Lance Davis	No answer submitted
How will you work with the state delegation to ensure that state owned roads are made safer for all users of the road?
Jack Connolly	I would hold them accountable, although they are in our city state owned roads need to be repaired and maintained in a timely manner. When they are neglected it only makes them unsafe.
Lance Davis	No answer submitted
As City Councilor, how would you use the budget development and approval process to advance a commitment to safer streets?
Jack Connolly	By reminding the administration that safe streets should be a priority in our city while requesting that we allocate part of our budget to fund projects that continue to make them safe.
Lance Davis	No answer submitted
What can the City of Somerville do to help support efforts at the MBTA to restore an acceptable level of service? What can the City do to mitigate impacts on Somerville residents while efforts to fix public transit are happening?
Jack Connolly	If our streets were safer more of our residents would be able to walk, and bike as their primary method of commuting. This is where our focus should be. While public transit is a viable option, often buses are not on time, and trains are constantly delayed. It’s difficult to ask the MBTA to hold themselves accountable, but if we find a way to work with them and we partner with them in programs such as reduced or even free fares for residents of Somerville we can reduce the amount of people who rely on cars in Somerville.
Lance Davis	No answer submitted
What steps should the City of Somerville take to increase the safety of people walking or using wheelchairs to get around our city?
Jack Connolly	We need to do a revision of our traffic light timers. There are far too many pedestrian crosswalks that indicate it’s time to cross while traffic also has a green light in our city. This is beyond unsafe for pedestrians and for people using wheelchairs.
Lance Davis	No answer submitted
Are you satisfied with the results of the MBTA’s bus network redesign process as described in their final report? What is the role of the City of Somerville in making it easier and more comfortable to take the bus?
Jack Connolly	The overall report was thorough, yet not specific enough for Somerville. Bus schedules should be posted prominently on each bus stop. The City of Somerville should work with the MBTA to have reduced fares or even make riding the bus free for our residents. Late night bus service should be available for late night workers, especially in our major squares, Assembly, Davis, and Union and there needs to be a major focus for on-time arrivals so our commuters can be where they need to be when they need to be there. The MBTA doesn’t make taking the bus or riding the T very desirable due to their inconsistent schedules and overall cleanliness of their buses and trains.
Lance Davis	No answer submitted

Uncontested Wards

We invited all City Councilors to respond to the questionnaire and City Councilors JT Scott (Ward 2) and Judy Pineda Neufeld (Ward 7) took the time to respond despite not having a challenger in their race – here are their answers.

How do you get around Somerville?
Mostly walk, sometimes bike, rarely drive
Do you support an ordinance which requires protected bike lanes to be built at the time that a street on the bike network is repaved or reconstructed?
Yes Yes – AND there needs to be a direct out for unusual circumstances.I’d encourage there to be a majority vote of the council if an override of the ordinance is requested by the mayor. In that case, it becomes a matter of public record and debate, and the voters can provide accountability.
Do you support adding quick-build protected bike lanes to Highland Avenue when it is repaved this fall?
Yes I would have preferred actual protected lanes as part of the whole project, but if the most will this administration can muster is for “quick build” protection, I suppose it is better than nothing.
The finalized Somerville Bike Network plan describes a priority map of roughly 30 miles of protected bike lanes which would be installed over the next 7 years. Do you support an ordinance to require the network to be built along this timeline?
Yes Yes in principle, AND – it is extraordinarily hard to enforce an ordinance of that nature. First, the legislature cannot bind the action of the executive and only the executive can direct funds and city staff to accomplish such a project. Also, as we’ve seen far too often over the past many years, strong mayors can largely ignore laws (either in breach or refusal to enforce). I’m happy to vote for something well crafted in this space, but without mass public pressure and electoral accountability there is no practical way to enforce it.
Often street projects designed to improve safety and public transit infrastructure face opposition due to removing on-street parking or reducing the number of vehicle travel lanes. As Mayor/City Councilor, how will you be a strong advocate and leader for safe street projects amidst pushback?
I’ll stand on my record: I’ve been working for 5 full years to get separated bike lanes on Washington St, and we’re finally going to get them. Being an advocate and leader requires more than lip service.
How will you work with the state delegation to ensure that state owned roads are made safer for all users of the road?
We’ve had a few successes, but pushing the state is a constant process. The current example of the Squires Bridge repair work is a good example. Working in concert with the state delegation on this MassDOT project, the MBTA shutdown has been reduced to less than a month – and we had yet another meeting just this week to ensure that pedestrian access to Brickbottom past the construction area will not be eliminated during the work.
As City Councilor, how would you use the budget development and approval process to advance a commitment to safer streets?
While I did urge the Council to have more direct budgetary authority in our recent Charter reform process, the Mayor unfortunately remains the only person who can direct funds. I have pleaded via resolution – and will continue to do so – more investment in overall infrastructure capacity building. That said, the final design and implementation of the Western Washington St redesign is an extremely pedestrian and cyclist friendly street that I have been able to get accomplished through that annual paving contract process… albeit 5 full years in the making.
What can the City of Somerville do to help support efforts at the MBTA to restore an acceptable level of service? What can the City do to mitigate impacts on Somerville residents while efforts to fix public transit are happening?
Again, the efforts around the current Squires Bridge project are illustrative. The Union Sq GLX spur will be shut down for a month; we are urging the state to add bus capacity to the nearby routes and provide free service for that month to help mitigate that impact. While the MBTA is a state funding failure, I think the City can (and should) step in and provide funding to the MBTA to offset boarding costs within the City of Somerville at least for the duration (if not in perpetuity).
What steps should the City of Somerville take to increase the safety of people walking or using wheelchairs to get around our city?
There are a host of big and small strategies that can be pursued, but few of them can be done citywide in our current mode of putting all paving work into one annual contract (bid a full year in advance). Fundamentally, the city cannot take care of its sidewalks and streets in the vastly diminished capacity our DPW finds itself in after decades of disinvestment and privatization. We must rebuild that internal capacity by hiring, training, and outfitting proper Highway Division paving crews and negotiating a fair labor contract that makes that possible. Both of these actions are solely the purview of the mayor.
Are you satisfied with the results of the MBTA’s bus network redesign process as described in their final report? What is the role of the City of Somerville in making it easier and more comfortable to take the bus?
It’s certainly improvement over the early drafts, thanks to effective advocacy from the community, but the lack of N-S routes persists. In terms of local efforts, I’d once again point to the Western Washington St project launching now: fully curb separated bike lanes along the length are punctuated by floating bus stop platforms at every stop. For a high-frequency line, building local street infrastructure that prioritizes buses can make a big difference.

How do you get around Somerville?

I live in between Teele and Davis Squares, so you will often see me with a baby stroller walking through our neighborhoods with my newborn son Isaac! I also use the nearby red line and brand new green line stops, take the bus, and get around Somerville by car.

Do you support an ordinance which requires protected bike lanes to be built at the time that a street on the bike network is repaved or reconstructed?

Yes

I support an ordinance to require protected bike lanes to be incorporated into street reconstruction, but it must be done so in a way that gives residents and businesses adequate time to review the proposed designs and provide input on how the streets can be best constructed to improve safety and usability in a way that meets everyone’s needs.

Do you support adding quick-build protected bike lanes to Highland Avenue when it is repaved this fall?

Yes

Here’s hoping it will be repaved this Fall!

The finalized Somerville Bike Network plan describes a priority map of roughly 30 miles of protected bike lanes which would be installed over the next 7 years. Do you support an ordinance to require the network to be built along this timeline?

Yes

The Somerville Bike Network plan is a critical step towards building a city where residents and commuters alike can safely travel to all of our neighborhoods by bike. As City Councilor I will encourage the construction process to proceed as outlined in the plan and hold the City accountable for any delays to this timeline.

Often street projects designed to improve safety and public transit infrastructure face opposition due to removing on-street parking or reducing the number of vehicle travel lanes. As Mayor/City Councilor, how will you be a strong advocate and leader for safe street projects amidst pushback?

As City Councilor I recently underwent the redesign and reconstruction project for Holland Street, one of Ward 7’s busiest arteries. Through a process of extensive community outreach, including conversations with safe street advocates, gathering input from small businesses, and going door to door to speak with residents across Ward 7, I brought together a community with many competing views to get behind a design that took into account the needs around parking, travel lanes and more, for a wide range of residents and community stakeholders. I am very excited that the redesigned and repaved Holland St will have protected bike lanes, ADA compliant sidewalks, and other improvements for safety and accessibility, and hope that I can continue the successful process for the redesign of other streets in our community.

How will you work with the state delegation to ensure that state owned roads are made safer for all users of the road?

I work very closely with Ward 7’s state legislators Senator Jehlen and Representative Barber to ensure that Somerville’s state roads are held to the same high safety and usability standards we expect from City owned streets. I am proud to have worked with our representatives, as part of the Route 16 Safe Street Coalition, made up of neighbors, advocates, and elected officials from Somerville, Arlington, Cambridge and Medford, to successfully advocate for $100,000 in this year’s state budget for a traffic study of the Route 16 and Broadway intersection. The study will provide information on how the state can move forward with much needed street safety improvements for this dangerous corridor.

As City Councilor, how would you use the budget development and approval process to advance a commitment to safer streets?

As City Councilor I always look to center the views of Ward 7 residents, and fight for equity and justice in how our city spends its resources. In the past budget cycles I have pushed for several transportation measures including implementing a fare-free bus pilot program to get people out of their cars, and have included safe streets items in my budget resolutions. The majority of my city council orders have also been to advance safe street measures.

What can the City of Somerville do to help support efforts at the MBTA to restore an acceptable level of service? What can the City do to mitigate impacts on Somerville residents while efforts to fix public transit are happening?

When state and local elected officials are able to join together with Somerville residents, we can have a strong impact on the policies of the MBTA. I am proud to have led an effort to influence the MBTA’s bus network redesign, and will look to continue voicing the concerns of West Somerville residents to the MBTA to ensure they address impacts of the transit routes that so many in our community rely upon each and every day.

What steps should the City of Somerville take to increase the safety of people walking or using wheelchairs to get around our city?

Through last year’s Holland Street redesign I am proud to have implemented ADA compliant sidewalks, and as City Councilor will look for opportunities to expand the scope of City construction work to address the infrastructure needs that those in the disabled community have for getting around Somerville.

Are you satisfied with the results of the MBTA’s bus network redesign process as described in their final report? What is the role of the City of Somerville in making it easier and more comfortable to take the bus?

Through the MBTA bus network redesign process I have successfully advocated to protect bus lines, including the 80 and 87, which were originally slated for removal. These give West Somerville residents a direct route to Union Square and East Somerville, providing important access to jobs, grocery stores, medical appointments and more across the City. Overall the MBTA’s updated plan will include important increases in service frequency across the bus network, providing much needed mobility improvements.

Willie Burnley, Jr. * willieforsomerville@gmail.com campaign website	Will Mbah will@willmbah.com campaign website
Kristen Strezo * strezoforsomerville@gmail.com campaign website	Jake Wilson * jake@jakeforsomerville.org campaign website