BurlingtonPol.com

Sustainable Transportation Questionnaire for Mayoral Candidates

Sponsored by Burlington Walk Bike Council, Local Motion, and Old Spokes Home

Name : Haik Bedrosian

Tell us about your personal transportation habits and decision-making. How much of the time do you walk, bike, use transit, or drive to move around our community and get to where you need to go?

I live in the new north end and drive an SUV practically everywhere I go. Usually I'm alone, but sometimes my two kids, or a friend is in the car with me. In the summer I enjoy biking, but have done it less lately. This past summer I think I biked from my house to the Waterfront and back maybe 3 or 4 times. When the whether allows, I try to force myself to walk around the block once a day. There isn't much to walk to in my neighborhood. Occasionally I'll drive to Ethan Allen Park, and then walk to the tower or the pinnacle.

Why do you think people who care about walking, biking, transit, mobility, and transportation safety issues should vote for you? 

As a matter of policy I support all of these things. More of my policy positions can be found at my blog http://www.BurlingtonPol.com but among them are:

I would like to see a large project engineered into the hill between Battery Park and Waterfront Park that connects the two by stairways and ramps, with places along the way to sit and watch the sunset from.

I would like Burlington to buy a large kinetic sculpture by the artist Anthony Howe similar to this one in place it at Waterfront Park for the public to enjoy.

I would like to see the steel skeleton of the former Moran Plant glassed-in and turned into a large, multi-level, year round indoor botanical gardens.

I would look for ways to create other large indoor communal space where people can stretch their legs year round. The mall was more than retail space, it was a place for people to walk around in the winter and we need places for that, whether or not it's related to commerce.

I would like the city to get rid of its parking meters and stop charging money to park on public streets.

I would prioritize creating rail service opportunities for Burlington.

I'd like to work with the owners of the shopping mall parking lots at the mouth of route 7 to allow for GMT park and ride parking. Current park and ride on Lakeside ave is awful for commuting south and more awful on return trip.

In addition, I would support zoning that created neighborhoods where there jobs and supplies were within walking distance of residences.

What are the two or three most critical transportation issues facing Burlington and how do you propose to address those issues as mayor?

Maintaining and improving existing infrastructure (roads, sidewalks, bike paths, charging stations); Walkable neighborhood design; Improving and expanding public transportation options, including rail. As mayor I would address these priorities through budget choices, appropriate zoning changes, and active negotiations with interested parties.

What are your priorities for implementation of Burlington's Plan BTV Walk/Bike?

Even skimming though that 175 page document took some time. It looks like a lot of work has gone into it. In general I would prioritize improvements at the most dangerous intersections and adding sidewalks and separated bike paths.

How would you incorporate underrepresented voices into future transportation decisions to make these decisions more equitable?

Work with community organizations. Bring back Bernie's old “open door Fridays” at the mayor's office.

What inequities in transportation do you notice or have you been alerted to? For example, the city council has stated that “racism is a public health emergency.” What does this mean for transportation in Burlington?

The main inequity in terms of transportation seems to be between those who can afford to drive a car, and those who can't. Public transportation in Burlington simply isn't good enough for most people to choose it unless they're forced to. It would be nice to see that change.

The Sustainable Infrastructure Bond that funded many of the bicycle and walking infrastructure improvements starting in 2016 will expire in 2021. There are still many miles of sidewalk left unrepaired, and many other projects in the pipeline for implementation that are necessary to make Burlington safe for walking and biking. Do you support continued infrastructure improvements at the same or accelerated pace and if so, how do you propose to pay for them?

Yes I support continued infrastructure improvements. Sounds like we may need to float a new bond, but I'd have to study other funding sources.

Sometimes proposed improvements in biking infrastructure conflict with existing on-street parking. How would you approach this issue as mayor?

I don't want to lose street parking. In certain parts of the city, people may need to get off their bikes and walk them on the sidewalk, in order to preserve parking.

Equitable access and increased use of walking and biking as transportation happens when it is safe, comfortable, and connects people with the places they need to go. How do we close the gaps in BTV's walk/bike infrastructure and ensure access for all to use these investments?

I'd like to see more indoor tunnels like the one at UVM that lets people cross Main Street without dealing with traffic or the elements. We could have some bridges over streets too perhaps.