1. Do you bike in New Mexico? Describe your experience biking for transportation and/or recreation.
I am more of a mountain biker but I have biked the beautiful trail along the river many times. However, my bike passion is on the trails, especially in Placitas.
2. Describe your vision of a healthy, safe, equitable transportation system for the Greater Albuquerque Region and the roles walking, biking, and public transportation play in that vision.
On the county commission, I have worked with government and non-government organizations to expand bike trails in Sandoval County and Bernalillo County so the public can enjoy the beautifuls areas in a safe manner.
3. What are the biggest barriers to getting people to choose walking, biking, and public transit instead of personal vehicles for daily trips, and what would you do to address these impediments?
The biggest barriers are convenience. People want to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. A prime example is the Rail Runner. While it is a beautiful ride, it is slow and does not drop you off where you need to be. Additionally, the Rail Runner is heavily subsidized, only about 10% of its budget comes from ticket sales, while 90% is taxpayer funded for an option that has seen riders shrink over the years. Bus travel is another option but many people have seen the news in regards to criminal activity along the ART route and they feel unsafe using that more of transportation. We must make sure we hold criminals accountable and protect our public so they feel safe on all public transportation. Another potential issue, people may not be aware of other options for public transportation in the ABQ metro area.
4. New Mexico consistently has the deadliest streets of any state in the US, with approximately 400 people killed by vehicles each year while walking, biking, or driving, and another 12,000 people injured. What should New Mexico, and in particular the New Mexico Department of Transportation, do to improve traffic safety?
Every year on the county commission in May, I sponsored a motorcycle proclamation that advocates for motorcycle safety. We must look at when and how these accidents occur and analyze the root cause analysis before we throw money at an issue. We must make sure we are spending money focused on solutions that will work and save lives.
5. The New Mexico DOT is currently pursuing a pair of projects related to Interstate 25, following the South I-25 Corridor Study that calls for the widening of Interstate 25 in Albuquerque from Sunport to the Big I, to 8 lanes from the current 6. Do you support urban freeway widenings, or how would you prefer NMDOT enhance transportation options in this corridor?
I support these modifications in this area to reduce risk to our drivers and also help with the flow of traffic. I worked with NMDOT on the widening of 550 in the Town of Bernalillo. We sent out numerous notices and conducted several town halls with the public to take their input. We also partnered with the Town of Bernalillo to relocate our Sandoval County Fire Department from Placitas to the Town of Bernalillo to ensure we were able to respond as quickly as possible to fires, accidents and other public emergencies. Bottom line, that model worked very well in Sandoval County collaborating with several organizations and municipalities.