With the results of the 2023 Council elections, the Ward 3 Council seat was left vacant with Leonardo Williams election as Mayor. The Council sought applicants for the open seat through December 21. Ten individuals applied for consideration. On January 4th, the City Council will identify finalists for further consideration. A full timeline for decision-making can be found on the City of Durham’s website.
Bike Durham asked the fourteen applicants for the Ward 3 seat for their views on local transportation issues. Below, we have reprinted the responses received.
Please note that Bike Durham is organized as a non-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code which prohibits us from endorsing or opposing individual candidates for public office. We can and do provide education about the candidates’ positions on issues of importance to our community.
Click the Names to Jump to Each Applicant
(Listed Alphabetically)
Chelsea Cook (has not replied)
Carolyn Daye (responded that she is no longer pursuing the appointment)
Jonathan Espitia (has not replied)
Sergio Henderson (has not replied)
Larry Ernest Lawton (has not replied)
Aaron Louv (has not replied)
Jacqueline Wagstaff (has not replied)
Alexander Williams (has not replied)
Amanda Borer
1. How often do you currently walk, bike, and/or ride transit in Durham? What prevents you from doing so more often?
I frequently walk, run and hike on our community trails. I would love to bike more-- and commute this way to/from work but am terrified of doing so with my level of skill (or lack thereof). I also have a son that I transport to and from childcare which makes this a challenge in our current environment and locations.
2. If we can achieve it, what would transportation equity look like to you?
I love the idea of 15-minute cities, or 5 minute neighborhoods where residents can walk, bike, or use public transportation to get to all of their necessary services and "choice" amenities within 15 minutes. I do think this also means that we have to make sure that folks of varying abilities, both physical and cognitive, are set up for success in using these modalities. Do we have lifts on our buses, are our drivers trained in crisis prevention or how to work with cognitive impairments or executive function loss. Do our crosswalks all have audible warnings as well as visual? How are our trails and sidewalks for wheelchair and walker use, and how could we improve it?
3. Vision Zero is a safe systems approach to traffic safety that does not accept that traffic fatalities or serious injuries are inevitable. Durham's City Council initially endorsed Vision Zero in 2017. In 2017, the five year average of motor vehicle crash fatalities was 26/year, including 5 people walking and 1 person biking. The most recent 5-year average through 2022, is 32 killed per year, including 7 people walking and fortunately fewer than 1 person killed per year while biking. Do you endorse Vision Zero and, if so, what will you do to advance the City's progress toward zero deaths or serious injuries?
This hits really close to home as I lost my sister in 2022 (Dr. Alicia Borer) in a motor vehicle accident out of state. I don't know that anything could have prevented her accident, but if there is any way to effectively and reasonably prevent MVA, I support that. I have also had friends/family that have mv into biker accidents involving major injuries and deaths and of course I support decreasing these accidents. I don't know much at the moment about how Durham is advancing towards Vision Zero but aim to do research to better my education around this initiative. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
4. What are your priorities for improvements to Durham's transit and paratransit services so they can meet the needs of more Durham residents, starting with current transit riders and workers?
I think it would be great to replicate and expand GoDurham Access where needed to provide variable route, on-time transportation that is accessible to those that may need support riding public transit in Durham.
5. Given that the most dangerous streets and roads in Durham are state-owned, requiring NCDOT approval before changes can be made, what ideas do you have for changing the City's relationship with the NCDOT in order to make our streets safer for all users?
Leveraging Vision Zero's High Injury network to focus resources at dangerous intersections, and where needed or possible work to acquire the roads more locally from the state. Building relationships always takes time and understanding the history of such is important to move forward to changing anything in a positive manner.
6. What are the most important initiatives on your agenda to lead Durham in mitigating the impacts of climate change? With which organizations will you partner to amplify these efforts?
Reducing our carbon footprint by increasing green jobs and green spaces, decreasing the necessity of cars to get around, increasing home energy efficiency and planting (and keeping) trees. I think living small to grow helps this, making the ability to travel without a car by increasing green spaces, trails etc.
7. Many transportation infrastructure projects have taken ten or more years for the City to complete. What will you do to hold City staff accountable to timely completion of the commitments of the Durham Transit Plan and the City's Capital Improvement Program?
In my work as an administrator, I often work to manage projects. This means being organized, documenting progress, identifying gaps and following-up on others' work. I like to "get curious" and ask questions about what the next steps are and what the barriers are to moving forward. This kind of questioning, on a regular basis-- like adding it to the regular agenda, can help progress projects when stalled.
8. Would you support policies and investments to make sustainable transportation options - such as walking, biking, and riding transit - more accessible and appealing to everyone in Durham? If so, what would your priorities be?
Yes, yes, yes!! Not to harp on a singular idea too much but I believe in the 15 min cities to go small, while growing bigger. Let's invest in public transportation, accessible trails, greenways and greenspaces to be able to get where needed within a reasonable time.
9. How do you propose working across various agencies (ie - City Parks & Rec, Durham Public Schools, etc) to improve walking and biking access to schools, parks, and other locations in our region?
A big part of serving on the City Council is listening and learning. I look forward to reaching out to different departments to better understand their work and goals in general as well as to improve walking and biking access to city amenities. I think investing in city planning like the 15-min community philosophy lends itself well to helping address this question as well.
10. The costs of housing and transportation are the two highest expenses for many households. Please outline your policy and investment priorities for addressing the challenges of ensuring that everyone has access to housing that they can afford in places where they are connected to the rest of Durham and the region through public transit, walking, and biking.
I believe that affordable housing is a right for every human and is integral to a community’s and individual’s health. Reflecting much of the rest of the US, Durham’s housing prices are outpacing wages and ability for residents to afford to buy or rent within city limits. This is exacerbating the economic wealth gap that exists and has widened during the COVID and post-COVID shutdown years.
Durham has a unique opportunity to leverage existing and incoming resources with nationally known names making our city their home. From Duke University to incoming Apple, Google, etc. there are opportunities to build public-private partnerships to help us reach our housing goals.
I also believe that going smaller to get bigger by building 15 min communities within Durham helps many of these issues such as taking care of our most vulnerable populations, older adults, unhoused people, young children. This strategy allows for all to walk/bike/use public transit to get to all amenities and necessities within 15 minutes, decreasing the need for costly transportation, decreasing isolation, hosting mixed-use housing and creating a stronger sense of community.
Durham should also look into furthering their programs around incentivizing landlords and rental companies to offer affordable housing, and developers to include lower-income units. We need to review the zoning codes to verify they are serving Durham and its residents in the best way. There are also housing voucher programs and a Durham Land Trust that could be expanded. We have to think innovatively as housing issues are complex and require a multi-pronged approach to improvement.
Shelia Huggins
1. How often do you currently walk, bike, and/or ride transit in Durham? What prevents you from doing so more often?
My family frequently engages in outside activities. I generally walk or run outside several days a week. My husband rides his bike daily. For many years, he took the bus from Durham to downtown Raleigh where he worked. He would attach his bike to the front of the bus so that he would have it available for riding in Raleigh. Unfortunately, he was moved to a different location that made it no longer feasible for him to take the bus to Raleigh.
I generally do not ride transit for the following reasons: 1) in many instances, it’s not offered at the times and locations needed; 2) I’m either going short distances where I could drive in 5-10 minutes or long distances to other counties for work; or 3) I need to do something quickly, and it would take more time using transit. For short distances when it would be more feasible to walk, it’s a safety issue. There are no sidewalks to the places that I would walk to.
2. If we can achieve it, what would transportation equity look like to you?
We would definitely have more sidewalks and bike lanes. Bus service would be expanded and remain free. We would have better regional transit opportunities. People who need mobility assistance would have more opportunities for transit assistance. In general, we would have a comprehensive system that allows for people to go places using a variety of means and in a manner that’s not cost prohibitive.
3. Vision Zero is a safe systems approach to traffic safety that does not accept that traffic fatalities or serious injuries are inevitable. Durham's City Council initially endorsed Vision Zero in 2017. In 2017, the five-year average of motor vehicle crash fatalities was 26/year, including 5 people walking and 1 person biking. The most recent 5-year average through 2022, is 32 killed per year, including 7 people walking and fortunately fewer than 1 person killed per year while biking. Do you endorse Vision Zero and, if so, what will you do to advance the City's progress toward zero deaths or serious injuries?
I live in a neighborhood that lacks sidewalks. Therefore, I understand what it’s like to dodge vehicles and, as a driver, to look out for people who are out walking and running. I support our Vision Zero plan and will work to make sure that projects are aligned with our Vision Zero plan.
4. What are your priorities for improvements to Durham's transit and paratransit services so they can meet the needs of more Durham residents, starting with current transit riders and workers?
According to the City of Durham website, “The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) recently announced a $292,500 grant from the Areas of Persistent Poverty program to the City of Durham to fund a draft plan for the new Village Transit Center (VTC) near The Village Shopping Center in East Durham.” This area was selected because it was the route with the second highest number of riders. I believe that by improving transportation services in areas of high poverty, residents will be better able to get to jobs, educational and training opportunities, health care, and more. Once we start with VTC, we should also analyze what’s working and determine whether there are other places in the city that could benefit from a similar program.
In addition to this, we’ve also heard from residents regarding which routes need higher frequency services, and residents have also expressed concerns about the need to expand the hours of bus services. This is something we should continue to monitor and also look for opportunities to make the necessary changes. Regarding our paratransit services, I have heard complaints regarding the length of time for pickup, issues relating to scheduling changes, and issues related to health care appointments. My priorities would focus on remedying the issues that we’ve already heard about from residents.
5. Given that the most dangerous streets and roads in Durham are state-owned, requiring NCDOT approval before changes can be made, what ideas do you have for changing the City's relationship with the NCDOT in order to make our streets safer for all users?
Our elected officials, residents, and community stakeholders all have a role to play in influencing how decisions are made about our state-owned roads. As we know, Durham is a part of the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization, and the NCDOT is responsible for carrying out road projects. While there are a number of formal relationships that aid in the transportation planning process, I think that one of the biggest issues is that we haven’t always spoken in solidarity and with one voice. We may have community groups that push for certain priorities and projects and at the same time the City or other stakeholders support something entirely different. Additionally, the NCDOT tends to focus on projects in a way that doesn’t prioritize pedestrian and bicycle options. I believe that we need to 1) make sure that we present our priorities in a cohesive voice, 2) continue to use our legislative delegation to help NCDOT understand and support our priorities, and 3) build regional support from other municipalities who may be facing similar issues. This may help us in terms of building a better relationship with the NCDOT.
6. What are the most important initiatives on your agenda to lead Durham in mitigating the impacts of climate change? With which organizations will you partner to amplify these efforts?
My overall position is that we need to take climate change seriously and start making changes at the local level to do our part. I have an education background in the sciences and a Master of Public Administration degree with a specialization in environmental policy. For several years, I worked in an environmental lab and yet, I sometimes have a hard time following the details on some of the environmental issues. But I believe that my background provides me with a different perspective in working with the community and can provide some insight into how we could do a better job of mitigating the impacts of climate change in Durham.
I worked in city government for almost nine years. Therefore, I have a good understanding of the process that city council uses to vote on issues. The documentation that they receive does not include an analysis regarding the environmental impact of any given decision. My belief is that we should include an environmental assessment or impact statement on every agenda item so that we know if we're moving in the right direction, standing in place, or moving backwards. This is a simple step that we could take to mitigate the impacts that we make as a city.
7. Many transportation infrastructure projects have taken ten or more years for the City to complete. What will you do to hold City staff accountable to timely completion of the commitments of the Durham Transit Plan and the City's Capital Improvement Program?
As a former city employee, it has been my experience the city is usually under-resourced for projects, meaning they don’t have enough staff and other resources for the projects that they manage. There is staff turnover, the number of current projects assigned to staff, new projects that are started, and supply chain issues that still impact timelines. Some of the issues involved are complex and involve many moving parts. That being said, if we want a better understanding of why the projects are taking so long to complete, we need to be willing to understand why this is happening and then instituting a plan that responds to the issues that are raised.
8. Would you support policies and investments to make sustainable transportation options - such as walking, biking, and riding transit - more accessible and appealing to everyone in Durham? If so, what would your priorities be?
Yes. Any policies and investments that are being made to support sustainable transportation options have to result in options that residents want and will actually use. I think that the options that we hear the most about include sidewalks, bus service, and paratransit services. I would work on finding ways to increase the service and efficiencies of our bus services, support the building of sidewalks on both sides of the street, and make sure that we are improving paratransit as needed. I’ve reviewed the GoDurham Better Bus Project, and I think it is a good example of building a comprehensive plan around transportation. Covered seating, bicycle racks, and sidewalks are all included in the plan.
We also need to make sure were building an efficient bus-rapid transit service which offers an opportunity for us to provide increased sustainable transportation options in Durham.
9. How do you propose working across various agencies (ie - City Parks & Rec, Durham Public Schools, etc) to improve walking and biking access to schools, parks, and other locations in our region?
In some instances, we have already done this, for example our Durham Trails and Greenway Master Plan explicitly mentions connectivity and accessibility. The Bike+Walk Implementation Plan has plans in place for the installation of sidewalks and bicycle pathways. The thing to remember is that most of those plans were made a number of years ago. I believe that it’s time to revisit those plans and review them to improve connectivity to schools, parks, and other locations and have local government agencies participate in the process.
10. The costs of housing and transportation are the two highest expenses for many households. Please outline your policy and investment priorities for addressing the challenges of ensuring that everyone has access to housing that they can afford in places where they are connected to the rest of Durham and the region through public transit, walking, and biking.
Better job opportunities can address both housing and transportation issues.
We need to focus on career progression and have honest conversations with residents about the skills, training, and experience needed to obtain better jobs. Job automation is here now. Kroger, Walmart, and Dollar General have announced plans to pilot a self-service only store. Cruise, a self-driving vehicle company is experimenting in Raleigh (which may compete with taxis, Uber drivers, and Lyft drivers), and in Durham, the Parks and Recreation Department has used automated equipment for lawn services. Certain types of jobs will become automated. But that will open up opportunities for other types of jobs. We need to connect with employers to determine what those new jobs are and work with our residents so that they understand what they need to do in order to be prepared for those jobs.
On my website, I have a plan called The 60th (www.votesheliahuggins.com). It discusses how to align jobs and housing; because there is no home that’s affordable if you can’t find a job or don’t have an income to pay for it.
Scot MacIver
1. How often do you currently walk, bike, and/or ride transit in Durham? What prevents you from doing so more often?
I do not ever use the public transit in Durham. This is due to my ability to walk to everything in downtown Durham including work. I have a car I use for grocery shopping or when I need to run anyerrands that are further than a mile.
2. If we can achieve it, what would transportation equity look like to you?
I think transportation equity would be availability to all, along with affordability of course. I think the biggest hurdle is not having enough routes and not having current routes ran enough throughout the day. We are not Chicago, but I believe the option to catch the next bus or train in 5-20 mins is the resiliency and availability I think Durham needs to strive to obtain in the long term.
3. Vision Zero is a safe systems approach to traffic safety that does not accept that traffic fatalities or serious injuries are inevitable. Durham's City Council initially endorsed Vision Zero in 2017. In 2017, the five year average of motor vehicle crash fatalities was 26/year, including 5 people walking and 1 person biking. The most recent 5-year average through 2022, is 32 killed per year, including 7 people walking and fortunately fewer than 1 person killed per year while biking. Do you endorse Vision Zero and, if so, what will you do to advance the City's progress toward zero deaths or serious injuries?
I believe better crosswalks, shorter crosswalks, and more separation from vehicles and pedestrians is needed. We should have more promenades that don’t allow cars around downtown areas, and ensure the crosswalks we have over large boulevards are tunneled or elevated. Costs of infrastructure are obviously a huge limiting factor.
4. What are your priorities for improvements to Durham's transit and paratransit services so they can meet the needs of more Durham residents, starting with current transit riders and workers?
(No response)
5. Given that the most dangerous streets and roads in Durham are state-owned, requiring NCDOT approval before changes can be made, what ideas do you have for changing the City's relationship with the NCDOT in order to make our streets safer for all users?
Somehow we need to work towards a collaborative effort so the benefits we provide to our citizens also provides a benefit to NCDOT.
6. What are the most important initiatives on your agenda to lead Durham in mitigating the impacts of climate change? With which organizations will you partner to amplify these efforts?
(No Response)
7. Many transportation infrastructure projects have taken ten or more years for the City to complete. What will you do to hold City staff accountable to timely completion of the commitments of the Durham Transit Plan and the City's Capital Improvement Program?
I believe it takes a steady effort of staying on top of the initiatives we promised to the public, but also a commitment by City staff to honor the agreements they made even if they will not be here at the completion.
8. Would you support policies and investments to make sustainable transportation options - such as walking, biking, and riding transit - more accessible and appealing to everyone in Durham? If so, what would your priorities be?
Yes, I believe transportation is expensive, but it is the first and most important domino to fall when planning/developing a city. I would prioritize all multimodal forms of transit and highly deter the private vehicle.
9. How do you propose working across various agencies (ie - City Parks & Rec, Durham Public Schools, etc) to improve walking and biking access to schools, parks, and other locations in our region?
I believe it takes collaboration and bringing all parties to the table to explain how us all working together will lead to us all doing better.
10. The costs of housing and transportation are the two highest expenses for many households. Please outline your policy and investment priorities for addressing the challenges of ensuring that everyone has access to housing that they can afford in places where they are connected to the rest of Durham and the region through public transit, walking, and biking.
I believe this is one of the most difficult problems to solve. I fully agree that housing is too expensive, and support affordable housing. However, I do not have a plan on how you invest and create amenities in an area while also keeping prices locked in at an affordable rate.
Aalayah Sanders
Disclaimer: My responses are a direct reflection of my current perspective related to these subject matters. Each however, may be subject to change with further research, additional training and community feedback if appointed.
1. How often do you currently walk, bike, and/or ride transit in Durham? What prevents you from doing so more often?
One of my favorite things to do during my breaks in the work week and on the weekends is to walk downtown Durham. I often walk the area at least 3-4 times a week. Due to usually being dressed up and working on a tight schedule I normally don’t have the capacity to Bike or ride the transit. The inconvenience of waiting for the next transit or profusely sweating before an important meeting prevents me from ultimately engaging more often.
2. If we can achieve it, what would transportation equity look like to you?
Transportation equity ultimately looks like the alleviation of any negative stigmas that may be associated with biking or riding our local transportation services. It is worthy to consider reallocation of the city transportation budget to include funding for additional bike lanes and safer routes for those who choose not to drive. Success can also look like creating partnerships with Uber and Lyft for additional options for those who may have time sensitive locations to reach.
3. Vision Zero is a safe systems approach to traffic safety that does not accept that traffic fatalities or serious injuries are inevitable. Durham's City Council initially endorsed Vision Zero in 2017. In 2017, the five year average of motor vehicle crash fatalities was 26/year, including 5 people walking and 1 person biking. The most recent 5-year average through 2022, is 32 killed per year, including 7 people walking and fortunately fewer than 1 person killed per year while biking. Do you endorse Vision Zero and, if so, what will you do to advance the City's progress toward zero deaths or serious injuries?
As a parent who often enjoys walking my son in the stroller, it’s important that I support Vision Zero to ensure safety for those who share similar related hobbies.
4. What are your priorities for improvements to Durham's transit and paratransit services so they can meet the needs of more Durham residents, starting with current transit riders and workers?
To best improve our transit services, it would be ideal to prioritize a route to specifically aid our workers in the downtown Durham area. A route that encompasses Main Street and W. Chapel Hill Street in Durham to assist workers with transportation to offices, coffee shops and other businesses. This will ultimately and hopefully help aid in the overall work/living experience. To reach more residents we could advocate to leverage partnerships again with Lyft and Uber to serve additional immediate needs.
5. Given that the most dangerous streets and roads in Durham are state-owned, requiring NCDOT approval before changes can be made, what ideas do you have for changing the City's relationship with the NCDOT in order to make our streets safer for all users?
Most partnerships are relationship based. I would prioritize meetings with NCDOT decision makers and include/consider them for related policies and discussions within our council.
6. What are the most important initiatives on your agenda to lead Durham in mitigating the impacts of climate change? With which organizations will you partner to amplify these efforts?
The preservation of our communities trees and trails play a pivotal role to our overall quality of life. If appointed to council, I will advocate for us to continue to work closely with nonprofit organizations such as Trees Durham and community advocates to educate our residents on best practices for proper disposal/recycling, community clean up days, and innovative ideas surrounding the use of recyclable items to create a greener and cleaner Durham.
7. Many transportation infrastructure projects have taken ten or more years for the City to complete. What will you do to hold City staff accountable to timely completion of the commitments of the Durham Transit Plan and the City's Capital Improvement Program?
If appointed, I will advocate for quarterly progress meetings, partnered with action items from each gathering to ensure we are reaching goals that yield timely results.
8. Would you support policies and investments to make sustainable transportation options - such as walking, biking, and riding transit - more accessible and appealing to everyone in Durham? If so, what would your priorities be?
Transportation is a vital resource and necessity for all residents. If appointed, I would intentionally research the utilization of all current modes of transportation and ways to ultimately optimize usage. Priorities will also include the evaluation of transportation possibilities which results in quicker travel time.
9. How do you propose working across various agencies (ie - City Parks & Rec, Durham Public Schools, etc) to improve walking and biking access to schools, parks, and other locations in our region?
As Durham continues to progress in development, we must integrate and include the plans for walking, biking and even scooter accessibility. This can be collaboratively accomplished by including city representatives from various agencies in the planning process.
10. The costs of housing and transportation are the two highest expenses for many households. Please outline your policy and investment priorities for addressing the challenges of ensuring that everyone has access to housing that they can afford in places where they are connected to the rest of Durham and the region through public transit, walking, and biking.
Affordable housing is a pressing issue in our community. In hopes to foster true affordability, we can start by prioritizing the needs of our housing authority, partnering with nonprofits that specialize in homeless and housing opportunity services to create holistic wraparound programs, and lastly requiring/seeking developers and property management companies that will prioritize affordable rents and housing choice voucher participation. In conjunction with these priorities, we will also need to include a plan for transportation accessibility for all development plans.
Chastan Swain
1. How often do you currently walk, bike, and/or ride transit in Durham? What prevents you from doing so more often?
I am fortunate to live in a neighborhood that has fairly good sidewalks that connect it to the West End and downtown corridors. Our home’s walkability score of 66 was a consideration when we chose where to live in Durham. However, I know that our walkability and new bike corridors are a luxury that many communities in Durham do not have. I personally don’t bike too much in the urban core, (excluding trips down the American Tobacco Trail), because I am wary of the high speed corridors and lack of consistent bike lanes. Improving walkability and multimodal corridors would be a high priority if I were appointed to council.
2. If we can achieve it, what would transportation equity look like to you?
Transportation equity would look like equal access to public transit and multimodal corridors throughout the city. Durham is a long way from this aspirational goal but generational investments through the federal IIJA and IRA, as well as advocacy at the state level and support from city divisions could move us dramatically toward the goal. I’ve seen best practices from communities that develop transportation equity through a node network, which promotes working outward from existing “nodes” of walkable and bike friendly neighborhoods to cover all underserved areas. This appears to be more effective than an ad hoc project approach because it creates sustainable areas that can fully support car independence as the city progresses towards its goal.
3. Vision Zero is a safe systems approach to traffic safety that does not accept that traffic fatalities or serious injuries are inevitable. Durham’s City Council initially endorsed Vision Zero in 2017. In 2017, the five year average of motor vehicle crash fatalities was 26/year, including 5 people walking and 1 person biking. The most recent 5-year average through 2022, is 32 killed per year, including 7 people walking and fortunately fewer than 1 person killed per year while biking. Do you endorse Vision Zero and, if so, what will you do to advance the City’s progress toward zero deaths or serious injuries?
I would absolutely support the Vision Zero initiative if on council. Durham’s core and arteries have so many vestiges of an auto dependent past that could be remedied through shifts in planning practices, improved infrastructure, and traffic calming measures. All of the measures could be addressed by the City in some capacity, and all of them would assist in reducing motor vehicle related fatalities.
4. What are your priorities for improvements to Durham's transit and paratransit services so they can meet the needs of more Durham residents, starting with current transit riders and workers?
I would need to familiarize myself with the annual and five year data of Durham’s current transit options, usage, and current build out plans before feeling confident in advocating for specific improvements, however I do support several overarching shifts in development like focusing increased density to support additional transit routes and frequency of routes, as well as supplemental transit options like Rapid Bus Transit in the absence of the previously planned light rail. For improvements to paratransit, a huge obstacle is awareness. Working with other communities around the state on their paratransit options, the main need identified over and over again is outreach. This is a relatively low cost solution that typically boosts use and awareness of services. That would be the area that I would start with.
5. Given that the most dangerous streets and roads in Durham are state-owned, requiring NCDOT approval before changes can be made, what ideas do you have for changing the City’s relationship with the NCDOT in order to make our streets safer for all users?
In my current role I assist local governments with state level relationships and advocacy of issues. This is a skillset that I’ve been able to hone over the past few years and I believe it would be a valuable skill set to have as a council member as the city strives to work with any state agency. In approaching the issue of state maintained roads, I would ensure that the city is adequately partnering with DOT to identify changes in the short and long term DOT plans that make the target roadways safer, prioritizing roadways with projects already slated in the plans, and then other high risk roadways. Additionally, identifying locally maintained roadways that can serve as alternate routes with built out multimodal infrastructure will assist in reducing the risk of more time intensive DOT projects.
6. What are the most important initiatives on your agenda to lead Durham in mitigating the impacts of climate change? With which organizations will you partner to amplify these efforts?
This effort reasonably will touch every city department and initiative. A few examples would include working with the planning department to guide density, parking, and transportation changes that reduce car dependency in any area possible. Another area would be neighborhood resiliency, addressing the stormwater and urban canopy deficits in historically low income and minority neighborhoods (that continue to experience infrastructure deficits that date back to red lining and also struggle with higher flooding risk due to placement in low lying areas along creeks and floodplains).
7. Many transportation infrastructure projects have taken ten or more years for the City to complete. What will you do to hold City staff accountable to timely completion of the commitments of the Durham Transit Plan and the City's Capital Improvement Program?
I strongly believe that local government employees take on thankless jobs and they work diligently to support the communities they serve. Infrastructure projects in particular involve massive funding and implementation processes that are reliant on so many actors, many of which are outside of the city (or the state). However, efficiency is something that I will work to address on both infrastructure and CIP objectives. I have years of experience working with state programs and infrastructure projects, and I anticipate that this experience will translate well to these issues.
8. Would you support policies and investments to make sustainable transportation options - such as walking, biking, and riding transit - more accessible and appealing to everyone in Durham? If so, what would your priorities be?
I would strive to support both. Access is an issue of infrastructure, and my positions on infrastructure development have been expressed above. Appeal is an issue of public perception, and that relies on outreach and programming. I believe the city has the capability to communicate programs and initiatives that support sustainable transit, to raise awareness for residents, but the city can also support and partner with experts in the field like Bike Durham who specialize in community level advocacy and specialized programming to advance public perception and appeal of sustainable transit.
9. How do you propose working across various agencies (ie - City Parks & Rec, Durham Public Schools, etc) to improve walking and biking access to schools, parks, and other locations in our region?
Task forces can be effective if a specific goal is identified, and they can have the benefit of combining voices and resources from multiple organizations. I frequently assist communities in identifying multiple complimentary programs/funding sources to support large projects. I see that tactic being effective in Durham when working with multiple organizations to accomplish a city wide sustainable transit network. Organizations have access to unique support programs and funding opportunities, but they infrequently work together to leverage large projects that have mutual benefit. I would hope to assist these orgs by working to create conglomerate projects that have a massive impact.
10. The costs of housing and transportation are the two highest expenses for many households. Please outline your policy and investment priorities for addressing the challenges of ensuring that everyone has access to housing that they can afford in places where they are connected to the rest of Durham and the region through public transit, walking, and biking.
There is no panacea for the oppressive cost of housing and transportation, but there are many strategies that I would like to see the city employ to reduce the burden of housing and transit costs. I’m very interested in the success stories of other cities who have adopted small and quick strategies that are more nimble than large transit and housing initiatives. One best practice is the conversion of small city owned parcels into affordable housing as infill in neighborhoods across the city. The city of Durham owns many small parcels across the city that are underutilized and affordable housing could be built as infill parcels in these neighborhoods. This would address the need for affordable housing and justification for transportation by incrementally increasing density. Another housing option that I’ve assisted communities with in the state are housing co-ops that provide the opportunity of home ownership and equity while capping the sale price to ensure affordability for future buyers. The city could look into this model and identify local nonprofits to assist with it.
Zoe Tishaev
1. How often do you currently walk, bike, and/or ride transit in Durham? What prevents you from doing so more often?
All the time! I have a bike I bought 3 years ago from Durham Cycles that I often take to ride to class, home, or downtown for a night out. I am a frequent rider of the GoDurham routes 6 and 11 and a very frequent Amtrak user. I don’t own a car and try to drive as infrequently as possible. That said, I know not all people live in places where they can ride transit or bike. A lot of roads in Durham are hostile to cyclists. Many roads are poorly lit with fast posted speeds and unsafe space for cyclists (on my commutes: Erwin, Hillsborough and Cameron, to name a few), and last year Durham was ranked one of the least walkable cities in the United States. As the Bull City grows and changes, we need to build toward a human-centered Durham.
2. If we can achieve it, what would transportation equity look like to you?
The freedom to move around Durham for daily needs safely, accessibly, and reasonably efficiently, regardless of ability status or where you live in Durham.
3. Vision Zero is a safe systems approach to traffic safety that does not accept that traffic fatalities or serious injuries are inevitable. Durham’s City Council initially endorsed Vision Zero in 2017. In 2017, the five year average of motor vehicle crash fatalities was 26/year, including 5 people walking and 1 person biking. The most recent 5-year average through 2022, is 32 killed per year, including 7 people walking and fortunately fewer than 1 person killed per year while biking. Do you endorse Vision Zero and, if so, what will you do to advance the City’s progress toward zero deaths or serious injuries?
I heartily endorse Vision Zero. We should all be alarmed that our motor vehicle crash statistics, especially involving non-motorists, are moving in the wrong direction. I am most concerned that non-motorist deaths can fly under the radar and go completely uncovered. A central part of my platform is building up the relationship with Duke University for a better Durham for all of us. But in August, a cyclist was killed at the intersection of Anderson Street and Duke University Road without so much as an announcement from either Durham or Duke. This was a preventable tragedy. As Duke and Durham both look to reevaluate their walk/bike plans, we need to bring engineers from both parties under the same roof to establish a shared Vision Zero and concrete steps to get there! I think Duke can be an incredible partner in helping us achieve zero traffic deaths or major injuries from vehicle crashes.
On the City Council, I would work to:
Partner with Duke and regional partners to unite pedestrian safety plans into a shared, comprehensive vision for the region
Implement, at minimum, a 5-ft bike lane on any road with speeds over 30 mph and buffered and protected bike lanes for major thoroughfares. Every repaving of roads must include dedicated cyclist infrastructure.
Expand lighting and visibility across Durham
Negotiate with NCDOT city ownership of state roads that cut through the city so we can have more flexibility to implement safe infrastructure
4. What are your priorities for improvements to Durham's transit and paratransit services so they can meet the needs of more Durham residents, starting with current transit riders and workers?
Increasing the frequency of service on high-usage routes, and explore opportunities in lesser-used routes where greater frequency will benefit the most people
Extending the hours of operation for bus routes. Durham cannot build a bustling night life economy if bus routes stop at midnight. A midnight stop time also leaves our late-night essential workers high and dry and dependent on alternative modes of transportation.
Expanding micromobility options (scooters, docked and dockless bikes) and explore providing discounts to vulnerable populations, building off the work of the e-bike pilot.
5. Given that the most dangerous streets and roads in Durham are state-owned, requiring NCDOT approval before changes can be made, what ideas do you have for changing the City’s relationship with the NCDOT in order to make our streets safer for all users?
I wrote about this very issue in a recent blog post. Durham needs to seriously investigate the benefits and costs of negotiating with NCDOT to buy back the high-traffic roads that cut through Durham. This is the best way we can have the flexibility to make major pedestrian and cyclist improvements to our major roadways.
We can follow the footsteps of our neighbors in Chapel Hill and Raleigh by converting our high- speed commercial stroads into pedestrian boulevards. To start, we need to bring together the region’s transportation planners in one room: I plan to bring together planners from GoDurham, NCDOT, Duke, NCCU, and Durham Tech in one room so all the different stakeholders in Durham can be unified in our vision on how we can build a more human-centered Durham.
6. What are the most important initiatives on your agenda to lead Durham in mitigating the impacts of climate change? With which organizations will you partner to amplify these efforts?
Reduce car usage by creating more efficient and reliable bus routes, and revamping major roadways to be cyclist friendly to encourage more people to bike instead of drive
Build dense, walkable housing. Dense housing is less resource intensive for the city than sprawl, requires less infrastructure to maintain, and discourages the usage of cars. Let’s build mixed-use and affordable housing in place of old and underutilized parking lots and upzone commercial nodes with potential
Revisit and slim down our zoning code to ease the approval of direly-needed missing middle housing
7. Many transportation infrastructure projects have taken ten or more years for the City to complete. What will you do to hold City staff accountable to timely completion of the commitments of the Durham Transit Plan and the City's Capital Improvement Program?
Concrete timelines and frequent communication with different city departments are crucial to understanding, and removing, major blockades to completing projects. Frequent meetings and building relationships with those responsible for executing the projects within the plans will help us stay accountable to residents and on track.
8. Would you support policies and investments to make sustainable transportation options - such as walking, biking, and riding transit - more accessible and appealing to everyone in Durham? If so, what would your priorities be?
Identify and rectify routes that frequently get off schedule. Frequency and reliability are the largest drivers of ridership. If a bus route cannot be counted on to arrive on schedule, people simply will not ride it.
Ensure that every repaved road has high-quality cyclist infrastructure relevant to the land use. All major roadways should include a well-marked and protected bike lane
Elevate the transit riding experience. Clean buses, outlets on board, and comfortable bus shelters go a long way in making riders feel safe and at ease.
Every person who rides GoDurham deserves to feel respected. I will prioritize implementing sun and rain shelters, trash cans, good seating, and basic sidewalk access to every stop in the GoDurham network
9. How do you propose working across various agencies (ie - City Parks & Rec, Durham Public Schools, etc) to improve walking and biking access to schools, parks, and other locations in our region?
Work with key stakeholders (school principals, Parks & Rec) to identify, first, how people are currently getting to key areas, and what barriers exist to non-car alternatives
Develop individualized plans for transit and cyclist infrastructure to key destinations in partnership with these stakeholders
Move toward a 100% walk-to-school rate for students who live within a mile of their school, and work with DPS to identify failure points and plan safe infrastructure to allow this to happen
Increase automated enforcement of speed limits in school zones
10. The costs of housing and transportation are the two highest expenses for many households. Please outline your policy and investment priorities for addressing the challenges of ensuring that everyone has access to housing that they can afford in places where they are connected to the rest of Durham and the region through public transit, walking, and biking.
The abolition of parking minima in Durham is a huge win. We need to start converting places for cars into places for people! There are plenty of unused, vacant lots and underused parking lots that are prime opportunities for development of dense and affordable housing. I plan to:
Repurpose existing, vacant land. Duke University owns 43 acres of land where used to be Central Campus just south of Erwin Road. Let’s work with Duke to build up this now-desolate space into a mixed-use, walkable development for the use of students, staff, and other residents, and create a new connection point between Duke and Durham
Identify other auto-centric nodes around Durham that have overbuilt and underutilized parking and encourage a repurposing of the space (i.e South Point, New Hope Commons)
Increase transit frequency and quality of transit to these nodes and explore Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)