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City Council Survey (District 39): Joe Nardiello
Political Party: Republican Party http://www.joe439.com Candidate Submitted Biography: Having ridden the NYC subway for 36 years, nearly daily since I'm 11 -- which is more years than many candidates are alive (and certainly have lived in Brooklyn)...I'd say there's no one that can match my experience within the system. Without pandering, have long understood cycling's causes -- and have long supported & presented ideas/plans for 'transportation alternatives' across Brownstone Brooklyn and Red Hook. Public sector background includes wide-ranging experience for both Mayors David Dinkins & Rudy Giuliani's Deputy Mayors of Econ. Development (from Barry Sullivan to John Dyson/Joe Lhota). Professional coming from the private sector with management, budgeting experience to problem-solve with great capacity. Brought about the first GOP Primary ever, for the District... and presenting a campaign that's about public service, independent thinking over party lines & influences from contributors, about good government over what's turned many away from 'politicans' and daily news events, to elevate what a representative can accomplish vs. how they may seek to portray/brand themselves and gather endorsements and favors needing repayment -- and absolutely encouraging participation of residents with abilities at least equal to that of any candidate. City Council Survey (District 39): Joe NardielloQuestion 1: What is the most important transportation need in your district? As a Council Member, how would you work to address this need?Slowing down careless drivers, and I'd handle this through legislation and working very closely with NYPD leadership at central command and at our Precincts. There's no issue that comes close. Far in second place, is addressing the MTA in a comprehensive fashion. Then, there's both bikes lanes, interactivity with pedestrians of anything moving at higher speeds -- and the safety of bike delivery workers, most often ignored. Question 2: The intersection of Ft. Hamilton Pkwy and McDonald Ave is one of the most dangerous in your district, where 3 people died and 15 people were injured between 1995-2005 (NYS DOT). As a City Council member, what traffic enforcement policies or physical changes to the intersection infrastructure would you support to make this intersection safer for everyone who uses it (pedestrians, cyclists and drivers)?15 injuries across a 10 year period seems very low... and I'd bet that 4-5 intersections on Union St. alone would surpass that total. In fact, I've got deaths in my memory stamped of two boys at once on 9th St/3rd Avenue. Wouldn't agree with this assessment, as there's many more injuries throughout the district that go unreported -- and there's also injuries caused by bikes, elsewhere. Like any areas that face higher speeds, my answer would be the same -- enforcement. On/off ramps and criss-crossing patterns always should be analyzed -- but sometimes, it just takes standing there and watching to make a determination. The ways you've identified are both travelled at higher speeds, you can round-up the usual suspects (of lights, speed bumps, curb adjustments, etc. etc. in THEORY)... but the fact is, unless drivers are forced into driving with care through any of our streets, you're putting a band-AID on a something that requires serious attention. Question 3: According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles' most currently available data, in 2007 speeding was a contributing factor in over 3,000 motor vehicle crashes in New York City. Furthermore, the same data showed that the top human contributing factor to the 264 fatal crashes in New York City during 2007 was also speeding. Given these figures, what measures, if any, do you support to redress this problem? Finally, do you believe that New York City’s current speed limits are safe?Enforcement, and far greater penalties. Often times, concern for the people that LIVE THERE isn't really a priority, and we're seeing more & more people driving away from pedestrian strikes (and many people know that they've got no license and can't stay for selfish reasons of protection). Any driver in NYC or in our areas of Brooklyn should know, before they're there what will not be tolerated. Just as there's some States across the USA with harder reputations for speeding across Interstates.. Brooklyn can be renowned for stopping drivers that are careless. No enforcement, means more people taking advantage. It's that simple. Question 4: The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's website reports: "In New York City, obesity is epidemic: more than half of adult New Yorkers are overweight (34%) or obese (22%). Data show that obesity begins early in life: nearly half of all elementary school children and Head Start children are not a healthy weight. In New York City, 1 in 5 kindergarten students, and 1 in 4 Head Start children, is obese." Do you believe that increasing walking and biking in New York City would improve public health? If yes, how would you work to increase walking and biking in your district?No. Reducing awful eating habits is at cause, as is children growing without playing outdoors, even so far as "street games" that are of lore for NYC and never hardly seen in the last 2 decades (even throwing a football, for example). Exercise is important, but you're not going to "increase" biking and walking within people that have no bikes and don't want to walk, for exercise. Question 5: Road pricing, including such measures as non-stop tolling, fees based on vehicle miles travelled or entry into a highly congested zone, has been the source of much discussion in New York City and other major metropolitan areas. London famously uses a congestion charge to fund its transit system, Oregon recently piloted a program to replace the gas tax with a fee for miles driven and Seattle recently studied how road pricing could be introduced on a regional basis. Seattle's study, “Traffic Choices Study" (http://psrc.org/projects/trafficchoices/index.htm), found that introducing new tolls on major corridors during peak traffic hours influenced drivers’ behavior and projected that a region-wide road pricing scheme could significantly reduce vehicular traffic congestion. Do you think that introducing a road pricing strategy would change New Yorkers’ travel choices? Do you think that this would be an effective way for the City to reduce backups on high-traffic roadways like the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, the Gowanus Expressway or the Long Island Expressway? Finally, do you believe there are additional benefits in the surrounding neighborhoods which could be realized from the reduction of vehicular congestion on these routes?Your answer is a resounding NO. Bridge tolls is a universally awful idea to raise them... and in fact, there's little reason for the Verrazano to cost $11 per trips, right now. (Higher for trucks) Any other cities' reflections on this matter doesn't apply "famously" or not -- as geographies and population/commuter shifts are vastly different in NYC than anywhere on Earth. I'd go into detail, in person, here. your last line.. about less conjection = benefits, of COURSE is a yes... as any standstill, drive-thru traffic does nothing good from the areas. But tolls won't reduce this, it would fuel the anger of drivers having to use the roadways and in fact, cause more fataliies as people are backed up... "non-stop tolling?" come on, now. Question 6: Do you believe that reducing residential parking requirements as set forth within NYC zoning regulations would affect neighborhood traffic congestion, and if so, in what way? Not in the least. Clearly, you're leading candidates into agreement -- but congestion comes from outside of NYC from all points. Restricting and rezoning may make residents happier to not have to move their cars as often.. and there's some logic that they'd move them less, being happy with a 'good parking spot'... but really, there's relatively few areas that this affects (Browntone Brooklyn) and there's ample driveways, street parking across much of the 39th District, apart of Brownstone Brooklyn. Question 7: The NYC Department of Transportation's Public Plaza Program, Pedestrian Street Program and Summer Streets events are intended to diversify the use of public space and provide more places for New Yorkers to recreate and socialize. Do you support the temporary or permanent repurposing of street space for pedestrians and cyclists? Question 8: The City recently released plans for Bus Rapid Transit and expressed interest in bringing a bike share program to New York City. Do you think these new projects would enhance the city's transportation network? Please explain.I'd have to review and see which geographies would be affected/planned. Bike share is interesting, but implementation is key.
Submitted by JoeNardiello on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 01:40.
Submitted by JoeNardiello on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 01:05.
Submitted by JoeNardiello on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 01:40.
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