1. What is your vision to help people ride and walk safely in our community? What actual steps might you take to achieve your vision? – I will continue to work with parks and public works to make sure our active transportation plan is implemented and being reviewed on a regular basis so we can ensure to get the best, and safest, routes possible for our citizens. I would also continue to make sure we are striving toward interconnectivity within our city and with surrounding cities. 
2. Forty years ago, more than 60% of school children in the US walked or rode a bicycle to school. Today, that figure is less than 10%. This decline in bicycling and walking and physical activity in general has been mirrored by dramatic increases in negative health impacts for kids. What would you do to reverse this trend? What role do you think the city should play in making it safer for children to walk and bike to school? This is something I have not given much thought to but as I was reading it, it took me back to my elementary and middle school days where myself and all of my friends would ride our bikes to school…and almost everywhere. I think the skate park we are building in Washington City will help to get kids out more and more but this does not help much with the kids and riding their bikes to school. I could see working with the school district to plan safe biking/scootering routes to school and maybe incentivizing the kids to ride their bikes/scooters to school. This gets a little more difficult if the kids live some distance away or if the family does not have means to purchase a bike/scooter. We could work with the state to get grants for this to help with these families. We could also have regular “bike rodeos” at the schools to show that riding your bike/scooter to school is something that is fun to do. 
3. Do you agree that Complete Streets (a design philosophy that provides safe accommodations for all Users…vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists) is the approach local municipalities need to take when designing and reconstructing roads. – We need to always keep this in mind as well as the safety of all who use the roads. We need to be teaching this to drivers and to bikers alike so that everyone is on the same page and that one is not better than the other. We need to be on the roads together and we need to be respectful of each other. This can be achieved and we need to work together to make this happen for the betterment of all members of our communities. 
4. Tell us about your personal experiences riding a bike, running or walking for recreation, exercise or transportation. – I currently exercise in our work gym as I don’t like the heat or the cold 😉 and this is why I don’t ride outside. I always say that “bike”, “walk”, “hike”, “run (I spell it runn) and “jog” (I spell it jogg) all have 4 letters and I don’t use four letter words in my vocabulary but admire people who do and applaud them for their efforts in their way of staying fit. These ways are not for me as I prefer to exercise in a climate controlled gym. This is the running joke in our family but my kids love to bike and scooter around the neighborhood and to the local park. 
5. Is there anything else that you would like to share about Active Transportation in Washington County? – We do have an active transportation plan that is slowly being implemented and is also being worked on and reviewed occasionally. Could I do better with this? Yes, and I will do better as we move forward. I am always open to having conversations on how to improve this and our quality of life here in Washington City and can be reached via email at blmartinsen@gmail.com or via text at 435-229-1198

I hope this helps and thank you for sending this out. 

What is your vision to help people ride and walk safely in our community? What actual steps might you take to achieve your vision?

The vision I see is more trails. I have personally designed a lot of the trails in this city. Like the 2 boardwalk trails along the Virgin River. Currently we are working on the canal Trail which would be the north south in our city. 

2. Forty years ago, more than 60% of school children in the US walked or rode a bicycle to school. Today, that figure is less than 10%. This decline in bicycling and walking and physical activity in general has been mirrored by dramatic increases in negative health impacts for kids. What would you do to reverse this trend? What role do you think the city should play in making it safer for children to walk and bike to school?

I like this question. I think the way a city can help is make safer routes. Some route have busy road and that make parent nervous. Since City can’t decide we’re the schools are located we can help with police patrols around those roadways. 

3. Do you agree that Complete Streets (a design philosophy that provides safe accommodations for all Users…vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists) is the approach local municipalities needs to take when designing and reconstructing roads.

Yes I agree. I have been pushing for developers to construct full roadways in design instead of partiall roadways. 

4. Tell us about your personal experiences riding a bike, running or walking for recreation, exercise or transportation.

I am an active biker and runner.

5. Is there anything else that you would like to share about Active Transportation in Washington County?

 I love your group an appreciate you asking questions. 

1) As our city boundaries continue to expand traditional bicycle
recreation areas are in some cases pushed aside in favor of development.
My vision on Washington City Council has and will be to include dedicated
bicycle lanes as well as safety measures to encourage their use. Planning
needs to be included in the General plan and executed in zoning and
development regulation. I have been instrumental in bringing to fruition the
Washington Wheels Park located on East George Washington Parkway.
The 15 acre site was donated after I shared my vision for the regional park
with property owners. Amenities include skateboarding, BMX tracks, as
well as other bicycle venues. Ground breaking has began with a completion
date of fall 2024.

2) As a teacher at Washington Elementary for 32 years I noted the
decline of kids walking and biking to school. Parents became a lot more
willing to drive their children over the years. There has been marked
improvement in the communication process between the WCSD and
Washington City when new schools are going to be built that allows time for
planning, funding and implementation for street lights, flashing lights,
crossing guards as well as, the critical element of funding all of which
comes from the city for these types of improvements. I have worked
directly with WFIS, Heritage Elementary, and CCMS CCHS to implement
safety measures. The latest was the addition of a stoplight at the
intersection of 240 East and George Washington Blvd. after parental
concerns came forward. The traffic light was approved and will be installed
as soon as the materials arrive.

3) I do support Complete Streets type input from planning to building
and maintaining. They advocate streets designed and operated to enable
safe use and support mobility for all users.

4) I bought an electric bicycle with the bigger wheels from Open Road
Motorsports they took the time to insure my experience and I love it! I ride a
24 mile loop from my house in the Washington Fields around Bloomington
and back. I am a former off road motorcycle rider so that makes it even
more fun. I often take my grandkids on shorter rides. I really like that it gets
them off the screens and spending quality family time exercising, the way
kids should be!

5) Personal health is paramount in having a quality of life. I appreciate
the Bicycle Alliance and the great work done there by my friends in
securing the active lifestyle we all need.