Kristi Villanueva - District 2

Name of Candidate:  Kristi Villanueva

Website: https://kristivillanueva.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kristi4d2/
Twitter: @KristiVillanuev

Score:  54.3% Bicycle Friendly  

Position running for: City Council District 2 

Question 1: "You're driving along and you encounter a person on a bicycle taking up the entire lane. What is your reaction?    

A, That's illegal and they should be riding on the sidewalk.    

B, Intimidate them so they will learn their place on the roadway.    

C, It's okay to hit them with your car, and it's their fault for being in the way.    

D, None of the above.    

Reason for answer:  Bicyclists are required by law to utilize roadways; as such, they have just as much a right to their space as any other vehicle driver. Per Texas Transportation Code § 551.103. Operation on Roadway, bicyclists should ride as near the curb as safety allows; many experts recommend riding three feet away from the curb for safety. I would slow down and drive behind them until a safe opportunity to pass presented itself; per city ordinance, I would need at least three feet of clearance to safely pass (six feet for commercial vehicles). 

Question 2: Running for Council: Will you as a Council Member focus on putting down a Protected Bicycle Lane on the busiest corridor in your district? And what is the busiest corridor in your district? 
Yes  
Comments:   As we move into the future, multi-modal transportation plans are increasingly important for livable cities and a core component of any plan meant to reduce traffic related carbon footprints. As such, we should expand the use of protected bicycle lanes to make it safer and easier for people to use bicycles as a mode of transportation. Austin Highway and Rigsby stand out as two of the most used corridors in my district; because of their importance in daily commutes, it is critical we make them accessible and safe to encourage more people to pursue biking as a viable means of getting to work.
 

Question 3:  How should the Linear Creekways be funded, and on which improvement to the Linear Creekway do you want the funds to be spent?   
Answer:  The Linear Creekway system should be funded by the County’s flood control capital program, and potentially through identifying grant opportunities from the federal government and philanthropic endeavors. We know how important green spaces are for flood mitigation, phytoremediation efforts to remove pollutants from the air and water runoff, and reducing the heat island effect; given this information, I believe we can advocate for funding from both the federal government and from private philanthropies to supplement the expected contributions from the County. As Congress begins to debate an infrastructure bill, there are opportunities to advocate for additional funding for green spaces, as well as funding for alternative transportation corridors that utilize non-road based biking and running trails as commuting corridors. The final funding source could be redirecting a portion of the American Rescue Plan funds, as the budget effects from the pandemic becomes clearer. During the lockdowns, we learned how critical outdoor activity spaces were for mental and physical health. I believe there is a compelling argument to be made that public health and future resiliency depends on investment green infrastructure like the Linear Creekway project.
 

Question 4:  "Do you support increased funds to expand and maintain VIA bus services and routes?"    
Yes
Reason for answer:  Public transportation is really the infrastructure issue of our time; we know that a growing number of low-income workers rely on it to travel to and from their jobs, reducing car use makes cities safer and more livable, and many of the most successful cities have strong public transportation networks. We must continue to grow funding for public transportation to ensure that San Antonio remains a competitive, attractive city that works for all of its inhabitants.

Question 5:  "Should funding for more bicycle lanes and pedestrian safety education be included in the city's annual transportation budget?"   
Yes 
Reason for Answer:  Biking remains one of the best methods to reduce automobile related carbon footprints, improve the health and wellbeing of citizens, and reduce traffic fatalities. The future of modern cities hinges on building out multi-modal transportation plans that provides funding to non-automobile methods of transit, including increasing the number of bicycle lanes (protected lanes being preferred) and the accompanying educational materials to make it a viable method of transit.



Back to candidate list:   https://aatblog210.blogspot.com/p/bicycle-voters-guide-2021.html 


 

 

 Bike Questionnaire

Running for Council: Will you as a Council Member focus on putting down a Protected Bicycle Lane on the busiest corridor in your district? And what is the busiest corridor in your district?

Yes

Comments:
Question 3:  How should the Linear Creekways be funded, and on which improvement to the Linear Creekway do you want the funds to be spent?

Comments: The Linear Creekway system should be funded by the County’s flood control capital program, and potentially through identifying grant opportunities from the federal government and philanthropic endeavors. We know how important green spaces are for flood mitigation, phytoremediation efforts to remove pollutants from the air and water runoff, and reducing the heat island effect; given this information, I believe we can advocate for funding from both the federal government and from private philanthropies to supplement the expected contributions from the County. As Congress begins to debate an infrastructure bill, there are opportunities to advocate for additional funding for green spaces, as well as funding for alternative transportation corridors that utilize non-road based biking and running trails as commuting corridors. The final funding source could be redirecting a portion of the American Rescue Plan funds, as the budget effects from the pandemic becomes clearer. During the lockdowns, we learned how critical outdoor activity spaces were for mental and physical health. I believe there is a compelling argument to be made that public health and future resiliency depends on investment green infrastructure like the Linear Creekway project.

Question 4:  "Do you support increased funds to expand and maintain VIA bus services and routes?"

Yes

Comments:
Question 5:  "Should funding for more bicycle lanes and pedestrian safety education be included in the city's annual transportation budget?"  

Yes

Comments:

Comments

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