Who’s the best District 5 candidate for biking and safe streets?
District: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
As noted in our previous posts, Seattle Bike Blog is not doing official endorsements this primary. Instead, I'll be going district-by-district, posting videos from the MASS Coalition's transportation forums along with a roundup of transportation-related endorsements and other notable news items and thoughts.
Couldn't at least one of those great District 4 candidates have lived just a few blocks further north?
The District 5 race leaves a lot to be desired. Incumbent Debora Juarez has not drawn a high quality challenger, it seems. Juarez gave good, though not inspiring, answers to Lester Black at the Stranger (be sure to check out the spreadsheet of responses), which is more than I can say about the other candidates who bothered to respond.
Juarez has somehow managed to publicly stay out of the 35th Ave NE bike lanes fight, though her lack of support for the project, which crossed into her district, is itself saying something. The mayor's last-minute decision to cut those bike lanes has proven to be a huge mistake, and her lack of advocacy for SDOT's designed and contracted plan has resulted in a more dangerous street in her district and a gap in her district's bike network. Folks who live in D5 and ride a bike could really have used her help standing up for them.
The Urbanist notes in their non-endorsement that "In her questionnaire, Juarez refused to side with safety advocates pleading with the city council to save lives on NE 35th Avenue. She insisted the concerns of business owners and landowners must be given extra weight no matter how late in the process or badly needed the safety upgrades are."
But she says the city should be building more bike lanes and providing more funding for bike improvements. She has helped work on home zones and says she supports safer streets and Vision Zero. That's all great to hear. 35th, though, was a solid test of her true commitment to safe streets, and she failed it.
I just wish there were a challenger in this race who could press her on these issues. But there doesn't seem to be.
Here's a look at some endorsements:
- Transit Riders Union: No endorsement.
- The Stranger: Debora Juarez
- The Urbanist: No endorsement
- Seattle Transit Blog: Debora Juarez rated excellent
- Seattle Subway (PDF): Debora Juarez
The Move All Seattle Sustainably coalition did not hold a transportation and housing forum for District 5. But you can hear each candidate give general statements in this cool Seattle Channel online voter's guide.
This post is also a chance for you all to share your thoughts and promote your favorite D5 candidates in the comments below. Did I totally gloss over or miss something important? Let me know in the comments below. If you work for a campaign, you are welcome to participate, as well. Just please disclose which campaign you work for.