08-29-11

 1.     What do you see as the major barrier to people walking and bicycling more in Knoxville?

The lack of sidewalks, safe bicycle routes, and bicycle lanes; an incomplete greenway system; land use patterns, and disrespectful motorists discourage people from walking and bicycling in Knoxville.  We also have man-made and natural barriers such as interstates, hills, and the river which disconnect the city and disrupt the road grid, thus making it more difficult to walk and bike.

 2.     Knoxville was recently named a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bronze level bicycling friendly city.  In order to reach silver or above, Knoxville would need to add more bicycle facilities (e.g., bike lanes and greenways).  Do you support this and other efforts to reach Silver?  (Chattanooga is currently Bronze but likely to reach Silver soon.)

Yes.  I was at the ceremony when the City received Bronze level status.  I would like to see Knoxville reach Silver level and will work with TPO and the bicycling community to make this happen by implementing the Knoxville Regional Bicycle Plan and the city’s greenway plan.  It can’t all be done at once, but the key is to have a plan, and implementation schedule, and funds allocated on an annual basis that will move us forward.

 3.     The center city is the most walkable and bikeable.  Do you support efforts to make the rest of Knoxville more bikeable and walkable?  How?

Yes, by addressing those issues identified in #1.  I will continue allocating funds annually for sidewalks.  I will work with TPO and the Bicycle Advisory Committee to implement the Knoxville Regional Bicycle Plan and will focus on the five Es:  engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation/planning.  We need to increase integration of biking and walking into the city’s transportation projects.

 4.     Busy arterial roads such as Kingston Pike, Broadway, and Chapman Highway lack bicycle facilities.  Widening these roads would be extremely expensive.  Would you be supportive of road diet studies (replacing one or so “car” lanes with bike lanes)?

I would support studies that would seek a solution to the lack of bicycle facilities on these major roads.

5.     Knoxville has adopted the Knoxville Regional Bicycle Plan.  How aggressive will you be in implementing it, and how closely will you work with the Bicycle Advisory Committee as they work toward implementation?

I support the implementation of the Knoxville Regional Bicycle Plan.  I will appoint a member of my staff as the City’s Bike/Pedestrian Coordinator with the responsibility to work with TPO, the Bicycle Advisory Committee, and city departments to be intentional about moving the vision forward, including annual budget allocations.

6.     Knoxville currently has a complete streets policy, but it lacks teeth.  How willing are you to incorporate the policy direction into development regulations?

I will be an advocate for incorporating our complete streets policy into development regulations.

7.     Before he left office, former mayor Bill Haslam provided $20,000 for signing several bike routes (e.g. Cedar Bluff to downtown) around town.  The routes have not yet been signed.  Will you continue to push for the signing of these routes?

Yes.  I’m not sure why it hasn’t happened yet, but as Mayor I will see that the signage is completed.

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