Ward 2: Richard Ash
Twenty-four people have been killed while walking and biking in Quincy since 2015. How do you see yourself working to increase bicycle and pedestrian safety throughout Quincy?
I have a great working relationship with the City’s Traffic, Parking and Lighting Department (TPAL) and plan to work collaboratively with them to address both bicycle and pedestrian safety in Quincy. Firstly, I plan to advocate for more lighting on Quincy Avenue. The new bike lanes are great, but without the implementation of more lighting, they pose major safety risks. I am also a big proponent of the Rapid Response Flashing Beacon Crosswalks, and the speed odometers, and would like to see more of them. We have been waiting too long to implement one of these by 1000 Southern Artery, so I look forward to pushing that project through, as well as advocating to TPAL for an additional crosswalk and/or stop light leading into Faxon Park. I am also actively working with City Hall to assist a resident with their front lawn/garden that has consistently been backed in to by vehicles, which has taken some creative and critical thinking. I look forward to bringing those qualities to the council if I am elected on November 7th.
How will you support building more separated and protected bike infrastructure in Quincy?
The number of fatalities of pedestrians and bicyclists over the last few years is unacceptable. Pursuant to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s “Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide,” separated bike lanes must include two fundamental elements: separation from motor vehicles, and separation from pedestrians. It is preferred that there are street buffers on each side of said bike lane, one between the lane and sidewalk and the other between the lane and street. It is also preferred that utility poles and fire hydrants be at least 6” from the fact of the curb to maximize the safety of the bike lane. Bike lanes may also require shorter curbs, and sometimes a paved shoulder. I would be very interest in working with TPAL and your organization to look at potential streets in Ward 2 that would benefit from a bike lane. Once more areas are identified for bike lanes, it will also be imperative that we put up the adequate signage for the lanes, and make sure they are being plowed and treated during the summer months. Aside from more bike lanes, I would love to see more bike racks, and would push for funding for more of them. This will hopefully help mitigate the number of stolen bicycles.
Currently, only a few of our schools have partnered with the state funded Safe Routes to School program. What will you do to bring the Safe Routes to School curriculum and programs into our schools across the city?
Recently, there have been a number of issues with underaged kids riding their bicycles in the middle of main roads. I would certainly advocate for the Ward 2 schools to implement SRTS, and also look for Quincycles to be involved in the conversation to collaborate and add a local component.
Do you support measures to calm traffic in Quincy? (i.e. speed humps, curb extensions, etc. Learn more here) . If so, what would you do enact these measures in Quincy?
Yes, I do support measure to calm traffic in Quincy. I recently advocated for speed bumps outside of 1000 Southern Artery in order to deter vehicles from cutting through to avoid the light. Also, while still taking into consideration ADA accessibility, I helped a neighbor with their curb height to deter vehicles from being able to crash into their property.
Quincy has had a Complete Streets policy in place since 2018 but has not yet created the called for oversight committee tasked with reviewing the city’s progress and creating metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of Complete Streets projects. What will you do to support the full implementation of the city’s Complete Streets Policy?
The first step is to create the oversight committee and create a baseline to compare the Complete Streets projects. I would advocate and push for such a committee.
Candidate Contact Information
Richard Ash
Candidate for Ward 2 City Council
14 Mound Street, Quincy MA 02169
617-201-6405
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richardashforquincy/
Instagram: richardashforquincy
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