KC Coalition for Walking and Bicycling
2007 Mayoral and Council Questionnaire

Office: 4th District (In-District)
Candidate: Jan Marcason

1. Bicycling and walking account for less than 4% of all trips made in Kansas City. This is less than half the national average.

Question: How would you increase this rate up to the national average?

Without safe, designated bicycle lanes and adequate sidewalks we will not be able to increase the bicycling/walking rate. There are many ways to address this issue:

Strict enforcement of bicycle and pedestrian policies and laws.

2. Since 2002 Kansas City has had a Council-approved plan called BikeKC to create a network of on-street bikeways throughout all parts of the city. To date very little of that plan has been implemented, due to funding and organizational problems.

Question: How would you work to implement the existing plan?

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator along with the advisory committee should develop a strategy for the implementation of this plan and potential funding sources.

3. Since 2003 Kansas City has had a Council-approved walkability plan, which identified several neighborhoods with deficient or non-existent sidewalk networks.

Question: How would you bring sidewalks to all neighborhoods in Kansas City?

A long-range plan for installing and repairing sidewalks should be a part of the City’s deferred maintenance plan in established neighborhoods in the Fourth District. In the Fourth District, sidewalks are a part of the transportation system for many because of the proximity of shopping and residential areas. When the sewers are being replaced, sidewalks should be put in where there are none or those that need repair should be improved as the sewer system is being upgraded.

4. City policy treats sidewalks as the property of the home or business owner. Anyone who wants to, however, can use the sidewalks in front of a home or business.

Question: do you think the city should consider the sidewalk to be a public asset—part of the thoroughfare—or the personal property of the property owner?

The sidewalk is a public asset. Cracked and uneven sidewalks are a public safety issue. I believe that the condition of the sidewalks should be analyzed regularly and included as a part of the deferred maintenance budget. If this is not possible, a low-interest fund should be available for property improvements such as sidewalk repair.

5. Kansas City's bicycle and pedestrian programs are haphazard and dispersed through many departments, leaving us with no coherent policy and no mechanism to oversee the policy that does exist.

Question: How would you create an integrated transportation system that includes bicycles and pedestrians?

The fragmented system of addressing issues is a problem that the City Council must address. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator must be the point person to ensure that any transportation plans include provisions for bicycle and pedestrian activities.

6. The city currently relies CMAQ and Transportation Enhancements for most of its bike/ped funding. This forces us to compete with all of our suburban neighbors for funding.

Question: Would you support the budgeting of city money for bicycle/pedestrian facilities, and if so how would you accomplish it?

I think that bicycle and pedestrian routes should be a part of the public works budget. As we aggressively market the downtown, we need to include ways to access the downtown amenities by bicycle and on foot and provide for adequate bike parking within the downtown entertainment/business district. It is critical that the voters approve the one-cent sales tax for capital improvements. Advocating for the extension of this source of funding will be one of the highest priorities of the City Council.