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 believe the more shared use paths, sidewalks and bikes lanes we can include in our community the better.  I believe Ivins is doing a good job and I support working with developers and the city to continually improve convenient access to multimodal routes while minimizing exposure to motor vehicle traffic.

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?

A lot of this education begins at home.  At the same time I encourage organizations such as Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance to work with our public safety department and the local schools to make presentations and get the children excited about walking and biking to school.  Rampage Bikes has been tremendously successful in Ivins and I think they would be great supporters of getting the word out about the health benefits of walking and riding. 

For the past 3 years I have been actively involved in working with residents on Puerto Dr and the city to improve Puerto’s safety.  Due to the city’s growth Puerto has become a dangerous route for pedestrians and bikers in particular for kids going to and from school.  I completed a traffic study on Puerto and encouraged residents to send emails to the city explaining their concerns.  In response the city has taken action most recently the city painted the bike lanes on Puerto.  Now the city believes they have the funding to add sidewalks and other traffic calming/reducing solutions.  

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.

I like what I have read about the Complete Street design philosophy.  I think Ivins works well with developers in developing new safe roads and also does well  pursuing grants and other available funding for reconstructing and improving safe accommodations for all Users.

I also think the mayor and city council  would support hearing from the Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance a couple of times a year  in regards to where the city’s road system is in the greatest need of design and reconstruction and what suggestions/ideas/support Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance could offer.  Also in that presentation it would be great to hear what’s working well for walkers and bikers in Ivins.

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

I am probably what you would classify as a “casual and less confident” biker rider.  I am a big walker and use my “StreetStrider” 3 times a week for exercise.

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