Incumbent councilor Betty Taylor and challenger, Juan Carlos Valle were asked the following questions as proposed by the GEARs Board regarding bicycling. Following each question is Councilor Taylor’s reply. Her opponent Juan Carlos Valle did not respond to the questionnaire.
GEARs: Explain the level of funding for the projects in the Ped/Bike Plan which you support, and where would the funds come from to support these projects?
Taylor: Any transportation funding should include 10% for bike and ped. The money should come from tax levies, SDC’s and any other legal source. We need more off street bike paths.
GEARs: In what way would you promote bicycling for fun, recreation and fitness in our community?
Taylor: Regular closures of streets to cars, if widely advertised would be a good incentive.
City sponsored bike rides and walking tours, with guides (and refreshments at the end), could attract participants and inform citizens of easy and safe ways to get to destinations without automobiles. I remember a city sponsored bike ride which included a safe route to Armitage Park.
Loaner bikes–adult and child sizes–could introduce people who can’t currently afford bikes to the pleasures of cycling.
GEARs: How would you promote mutual respect and safety between the bicycling and non-bicycling citizens of Eugene?
Taylor: If the city treated bike theft as a crime equal to automobile theft, it would encourage respect for bicycle owners. More places to park bikes safely would be another sign of respect. We need signs warning motorists to look for pedestrians and cyclists before turning.
Bicyclists and pedestrians need to be informed about the need to wear light clothing and use lights after dark.