El Cerrito council candidates respond to sustainable transportation survey ECRA Walk & Roll is a co-sponsor of Seamless Bay Area’s Sustainable Transportation Questionnaire. A coalition of 28 transit, bike, disability, and street safety advocates from around the Bay Area published responses from over 250 candidates for local, state, and federal offices. ECRA Walk & Roll contacted all six El Cerrito city council candidates to encourage their participation in the questionnaire. As of Oct. 11, El Cerrito city council candidates Mary Ann “M.J.” Jawili and Gabe Quinto had responded to the questionnaire. The candidate responses posted below (alphabetically by last name) are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended as endorsements. QUESTION 1: Occasionally, changes that make roads safer and more convenient for pedestrians, people on bikes, and transit riders require repurposing vehicle travel lanes or parking spots. What are situations in which you would support such changes and when would you not support such changes? Mary Ann “M.J.” Jawili: I would support repurposing vehicle travel lanes or parking spots when streets are identified as unsafe (e.g., death or serious injury) for pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders or when streets are part of known school and community center routes. I would be more reluctant to repurpose parking spots if the parking spots are in a commercial area and frequently used by customers; I would be less reluctant if a parking structure were added, or a shuttle between the affected area and a parking area. Gabe Quinto: I would support taking a lane out of Central Avenue and adding a dedicated bike lane, particularly because this is a corridor to Pt. Isabel and our shoreline bike paths. I have already supported this type of improvement on San Pablo Ave. as part of our complete streets initiative. QUESTION 2: Do you support Connect Bay Area, the five-county regional transit funding ballot measure that will raise $1 billion per year for public transit over 14 years through a 0.5% sales tax (1% in San Francisco) to prevent service cuts to BART, Muni, Caltrain, and AC Transit and fund rider-improvements to make taking transit easier, faster, and more reliable? How have you supported it? Mary Ann "MJ" Jawili: Yes, I support it. I have supported it by mentioning it to voters as I canvass, having a pro-Measure RTM yard sign, and attending an RTM fundraiser. Gabe Quinto: Yes, I have endorsed it and will vote for it.
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