Des Moines City Council Election
Advocacy
The Des Moines Bicycle Collective Advocacy Committee is a voice for cyclists in Polk County and central Iowa. We work with local, state, and federal staff and elected officials, as well as businesses and neighborhoods, for better access to bike parking, transit, and trails. The DMBC Advocacy Committee represents cyclists in local and regional planning. We advocate to ensure that new construction is bicycle friendly and that existing roads, schools, workplaces, and shopping centers are re-envisioned to be safe for bicycles.
On Tuesday, Dec. 1, Des Moines residents will go to the polls to elect Ward 1 and at-large council representatives. Because none of the candidates in these two races received 50 percent plus one vote, our city statute mandates a run-off election between the top two vote-getters.
Details about voting in the Dec. 1 election (including voting locations, hours, and requesting an absentee ballot)
At-Large (AL) Leisha Barcus Skip Moore
Ward 1 (W1) DM ward map Halley Griess Tom Vlassis
About the survey
We asked the candidates the five questions that are posted below. Click on the name links after each question to go to that response. You can also access print friendly versions of the responses by clicking on these links:
Questions
Q1: Are you comfortable with the balance of city resources—specifically funding and land use—dedicated to auto, pedestrians, and bicyclists? If not, what would you change? Leisha Barcus (AL), Skip Moore (AL), Halley Griess (W1), Tom Vlassis (W1)
Q2: Currently in city code, there are no incentives for property owners to reduce the size of parking structures or parking lots (For example, X bike-parking stalls per X auto park stalls, thus reducing the number of required auto parking stalls.) Would you support incentives for property owners for improving opportunities for residents and customers to choose active transportation (public transit, walking and cycling)? Leisha Barcus (AL), Skip Moore (AL), Halley Griess (W1), Tom Vlassis (W1)
Q3: Des Moines has been praised for providing a network of shared-use paths (known locally as trails or bike trails). According to national figures, about 60 percent of adults are interested in cycling but are concerned about the safety of cycling on streets or lack accommodations at their destinations. Des Moines currently lags behind progressive cities (many that endure winters more severe than ours) that have added dedicated bike lanes and end-of-trip facilities for the safety, health and comfort of its residents. If elected, how would you use your position to improve bicycling facilities, policies and programs to make the benefits of bicycling more accessible to Des Moines residents? Leisha Barcus (AL), Skip Moore (AL), Halley Griess (W1), Tom Vlassis (W1)
Q4: Bicycling and other forms of active transportation provide economic, health, transportation and environmental benefits for the entire community. If elected, how would you make Des Moines a better place for bicycling?
Leisha Barcus (AL), Skip Moore (AL), Halley Griess (W1), Tom Vlassis (W1)
Q5: Describe your personal transportation habits. Do you ride a bike for transportation or recreation? If so, how frequently and for what trips? Leisha Barcus (AL), Skip Moore (AL), Halley Griess (W1), Tom Vlassis (W1)
Responses
Leisha Barcus, Candidate for At-Large seat
Because of the number of positive initiatives undertaken by the city to encourage more pedestrian and bicycle transportation, I believe the City of Des Moines is showing a significant commitment to balance funding and land use resources.
Between FY2005 and FY2009, Des Moines dedicated approximately $6,850,000 of city, state and federal dollars to bicycle trail construction. This investment has been well received by the public as seen by the heavy use of the trails by runners, walkers (including those with dogs and strollers), and recreational and serious bikers alike. At some point we may need to review that ability of the trails to handle the variety of users and work toward an enhanced or improved design to accommodate the heavy and varied use.
The city’s commitment to complete the Principal Riverwalk project is also a good example of encouraging pedestrian transportation downtown and connecting bikers to Central Iowa trails.
In 2007, the city council voted to work toward the designation of a “Bicycle Friendly Community” by the League of American Bicyclists and in pursuit of that goal, adopted a “Complete Streets” policy. As a member of the Des Moines Plan and Zoning Commission, I voted in favor of recommending this policy to the city council and as a city council member would continue to work toward implementing this policy throughout Des Moines. I believe the “honorable mention” designation received by Des Moines from the League of American Bicyclists also illustrates a rebalancing of resources by the city to enhance bicycle transportation.
I understand that providing a variety of transportation options is important to the health of our residents as well as our environment and will continue to build on the city’s current investments. I am keenly aware that providing a balance of transportation alternatives is very important to retaining and attracting residents and businesses and is an important criterion for many in determining where they choose to live and work.
I look forward to reviewing the community bicycle master plan now in development and using this document as a guide for future decision making.
Definitely. I am in favor of providing incentives that encourage property owners to increase the opportunities for residents and customers to choose active modes of transportation however; I believe in some cases, a change in city code might be incentive enough.
With regards to dedicated bike lanes, I will support the “Complete Streets” policy by ensuring that adding bicycle/pedestrian accommodations occur during the planning, design, and construction phases of all city projects, and I will ask the Community Development staff and Plan and Zoning Commission to strongly encourage the addition end-of-trip accommodations during the site review process of private developments.
During the course of the campaign I have recommended the formation of a Housing and Commercial Development Roundtable made up of local developers, builders, architects, plan and zoning commissioners, and key community development and economic development staff to exchange information and have open dialogue about development trends and issues. I will make the adoption of end-of-trip accommodations a topic of discussion with this Roundtable in hopes of moving toward a policy that will be positively received by the development community.
During my campaign I have many times shared a story about my participation in this year’s Bike to Work Week. Bikers were encouraged to meet at a church parking lot on Grand Ave. and ride together downtown for a media event near 200 East Grand Ave. That morning, I met a significant number of downtown workers that currently reside outside of the city of Des Moines. Mindful of the budget constraints now facing our city, we need to work closely with our major businesses and surrounding suburbs to find cost effective solutions to making Des Moines more accessible by bicycle. I will use my experience and positive working relationships with both the business community and suburban leaders to move forward any initiatives.
I would implement zoning and other land use plans that encourage smart growth with more infill and mixed use development. This will allow for more “neighborhood” short trips out of cars.
I will make sure our city’s comprehensive planning effort includes connecting existing trails to destination locations in order to make our trail system more functional. I will also work to ensure that when we designate a bike lane on an existing street, it doesn’t just disappear, but becomes part of an overall trail plan.
I will work to address the barriers to “destination biking” beginning with biking to work downtown and biking to major destinations and attractions. And, I would like to work with the Des Moines public schools to ensure students are encouraged to bike to school, wherever feasible.
I will encourage that the City of Des Moines become a model for private businesses and developers with the addition of bike accommodations at public buildings.
I will encourage collaboration between public safety providers and the biking community to implement an educational campaign to address safety issues that arise when vehicles share the road with bicycles. An effort to improve attitudes and tolerance between drivers and bicyclists should also be included.
I will look to make sure that signage designates trail connections and bike routes wherever possible and ask the public works department to include the biking community in the review of street maintenance along these routes.
I will encourage the police department to continue to fund police patrols on bicycles. I believe seeing these officers reinforces a positive attitude toward bicycling.
I am a recreational biker and enjoy family outings on the trails. The trail system has provided us with one of our most memorable family outings and included my daughters and me participating in our own family “triathlon.” We began with a bike ride to Grays Lake where we rented a paddle boat for a trip around the lake, followed by a bike ride to Ashworth Park for a swim in the pool, and a final bike ride home. It was a full and fun day.
Skip Moore, Candidate for At-Large seat
I believe shared-use paths should be an integral part of planning in all newly developed areas. Shared-use paths should not be an afterthought. As current sidewalks are replaced and new sidewalks are added, the city should give strong consideration to widening them from the current four feet to six feet if not eight. The city should also consider adding dedicated bike lanes to major thoroughfares wherever safe and feasible.
Not only would I support incentives for alternatives to auto transportation, I would work to require a reduction in size of parking lots and parking structures. We are currently spending too much enabling single passenger vehicles to travel in and around Des Moines. Mass transportation, bicycling and walking should be given first consideration in all planning in Des Moines.
I would work to require bicycle facilities as an integral part of all site plans. I would ask Traffic and Transportation to provide details and proposals for adding bicycle facilities to all arterial streets and strategic locations throughout the Des Moines area. See answer to number one.
We need a change of mindset toward motor vehicles in the Des Moines area. This mindset will only change when our elected leaders begin joining forces with alternative transportation enthusiasts championing a change. I would definitely support events such as the Mayor's Bike Ride and RAGBRAI. I would also communicate the need for shared-use paths, dedicated bike lanes and mass transportation.
I rode RAGBRAI for twenty straight years. I quit riding when I injured a knee and decided against surgery. The specialist recommended against bicycling and running without surgery. Previous to my injury, I was an avid bicyclist, riding the Neal Smith trail almost nightly.
Halley Griess, Candidate in Ward 1
Q1)
Among the many advantages of cycling, I believe the most important are related to functionality, quality of life, and health concerns. While our city over the last several years has begun to address the quality of life issues with trails, Des Moines has lagged behind in regards to functionality (i.e. transportation) for cyclists. This is where the lack of balance seems to be prevalent for non-traditional commuters.
One solution would be to continue to incorporate 'complete street' concepts that allow bicycles to be effective for transportation. Additionally, the city should work with employers and businesses to encourage and facilitate cycling. By doing things like this, we can more effectively use our city resources. If we used our resources more wisely (i.e. street planning), then there would be more funding available to all interested parties.
I do believe we can create incentives for businesses and employers to improve cycling opportunities, but I believe the effectiveness of these incentives depends on our efforts to better educate these entities of the benefits of cycling.
Many businesses are finding ways to invest in health programs and fitness centers to keep a healthy workforce (lowering healthcare costs and limiting employee turnover) and cycling would be a cheap, effective way for businesses to meet these objectives.
As these educational and developmental programs become more successful, incentives can be used simultaneously to encourage individuals to bike, but also to encourage our community to develop with cycling in mind. This includes better road markings and signage, widespread bicycle racks and storage, and mass transit accommodations for bicycles, which our city has already installed on many buses.
In some respects, I believe the city’s role with cycling is to facilitate and accommodate residents’ wants and needs. As the demand for cycling continues to grow and develop in Des Moines, there will necessarily be the opportunity to create accommodations for cyclists. Drinking fountains, restroom accessibility, and other destination accommodations are fundamental as we develop into a bike-friendly community.
In relation to your safety concerns, I think much of the solutions begin with education. As people become aware that they are sharing the road, cyclists will become safer. The city would be well served to have a cycling education campaign. This campaign would also encompass more effective signage, road markings, and community involvement (through neighborhoods and schools). Additionally, as mentioned in the previous answers, as our city does a better job of creating a forward-thinking vision, many of people’s concerns can more effectively be met because we will have a better idea of where we are going as a city.
For the avid cyclist, our city has lots of room for improvement to make our roads safe and functional, but also in getting our community informed and conveying the benefits of cycling. I do believe Des Moines is already a great place for cycling to the casual cyclist, but it is the city’s job to make it functional, available, and convenient. This includes enhancing our trails, but also making roadways safe places for bicycles.
As I attend classes at Drake University and work in West Des Moines, cycling is not an effective mode of transportation on a day-to-day basis for me. My wife and I, however, do walk frequently to local restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses.
We also live across the street from Witmer Park and have visited the cycling events that took place over the past summer and fall at the park.
Tom Vlassis, Candidate in Ward 1
Q1)
I have learned over the years that bicycling creates an increased level of quality of life. Inclusion of cycling lanes and dedicated areas are essential for attracting young, new citizens and workers, as well as companies looking for that quality in communities. New businesses and increased property values result. The "balance of resources" is difficult to determine, but it is clear the City should be looking at increasing the availability of space for cyclists and strollers. Q2)
If we are ever to get the American public off their ...... and try to get healthy, I think it imperative that governmental bodies (State, County and City) should offer some incentive, be it tax credits under "general health" or reducing pollution and increasing air quality. Currently in the financial climate, that is going to be difficult. It is to the benefit of a number of companies to reduce the number of automobile stalls and increase the availability of bicycle parking areas within their parking picture. To that end, I think the City should be a leader by providing more bike stalls, including on street parking areas. The length of one car will likely equate to ten bicycles parked in an equal size area...and this would cost the City almost nothing. Q3)
We are currently looking at SHARED lanes on Ingersoll Avenue and Urbandale Avenue and I believe that this can be safe once residents (both cyclists and motorists) learn what sharing means. Dedicated lanes are one option, and shared lanes are another. SHARROWS implanted within or painted upon the roadways can work, and do in many cities through the country. Parking becomes a problem for many, and, again, the motorists and cyclists need to learn to share with watchfulness, with safety in mind, and with a sense of using the City rights-of-way to the best advantage of all citizens. If elected, I will continue to support sensible, well-thought-out, safe programs that will result in good routes and a common sense of purpose for cyclists and motorists. Q4)
If elected, I will continue to promote the availability of those systems and programs that will promote the health and welfare of our citizens. While we are probably the most advanced nation, we are also probably (certainly) one of the most obese and we definitely need to reverse this situation. Cycling is not only healthy, it is also economical, it will reduce carbon output and make the atmosphere safer, it will help reduce roadway repairs and construction and it is definitely good for business. I will look for ways to increase the use of streets for cycling---with safety in mind and try to establish programs that train motorists to recognize cyclists. Its is also imperative that we establish programs that remind cyclists that they SHARE the roadways and must observe and obey all traffic laws when on the streets. Q5)
BAD! Like many of my colleagues, I am a creature of the automobile. While I was for a long time an avid cyclist, my travels in my current position oftentimes require an immediacy that doesn't allow for cycling, nor does the condition of my knees and hip. I continue to think about getting a bike and riding, but the common sense in me says that I am too set in my ways, too auto oriented and not physically ready for the hills of Des Moines to be out on a bicycle.
