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City Council Survey (District 32): ERIC ULRICH
Political Party: Republican Party http://www.ericulrich.com Candidate Submitted Biography: On February 24th 2009, Eric Ulrich won the City Council Special Election in District #32. Prior to serving on the council, Eric was active in various civic, fraternal, and charitable organizations throughout the district. He served as President of the Our Neighbors Civic Association of Ozone Park, Inc. and sustains active membership in the Knights of Columbus, Kiwanis Club of Howard Beach, National Political Science Honor Society-Pi Sigma Alpha, and the 102nd Police Precinct Community Council. He is also a former Community Board #9 member. In 2007, Eric was elected to the New York Republican State Committee to represent the 23rd Assembly District. City Council Survey (District 32): ERIC ULRICHQuestion 1: What is the most important transportation need in your district? As a Council Member, how would you work to address this need?Many parts of my district lack adequate train and bus service. Improving access to public transportation is a top priority. My constituents have access to the blue highways of NYC. It is time to start utilizing our water ways more effectively by providing expanded ferry service throughout Queens and the five boroughs. Question 2: The intersection of Rockaway Blvd and Woodhaven Blvd is one of the most dangerous in your district, where 0 people died and 36 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)?You correctly identify the intersection at Rockaway Blvd and Woodhaven Blvd as one of the busiest and most dangerous intersections in my district. What adds to this fact is the close proximity of Liberty Ave. to the intersection of Woodhaven Blvd and Rockaway Blvd. I have already called on the Dept. of Transportation to conduct a study to address this issue. This would make this intersection a safer roadway for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike. 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?The problem in this case is not a problem with the current law but that motorists are breaking the law. Simply putting up more signs that state the speed limit is not effective. Along Woodhaven blvd are a number of radar guns that alert motorist to the speed at which they are traveling. I would like to increase the number of radar guns throughout my district to make motorists more aware of the fact that they are traveling over the speed limit. Though the only real solution to decrease the number of drivers who speed, is to increase the presence of police officers on the road. 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?I would propose that along with promoting summer reading that children walk one mile for each chapter they read in a book. Not only will this encourage children to read but also to 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?The goal of alleviating congestion in our city’s roadways is one that we should all be striving to achieve but I do not subscribe to the idea that we should increase tolls on the middle and working class in order to accomplish this. I would rather have a system in which we take advantage of ideas already in use like the High Occupancy Vehicle lane. If a driver has 2, 3, or even 4 people in a car that driver should be rewarded with a tax incentive not punished with a toll. 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? Residential parking requirements are determined by existing zoning regulations. Any changes to these would have to come under community review. However, bicycle parking should also be a component of reducing neighborhood traffic congestion. 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? The NYC DOT’s Public Plaza program is a wonderful idea that allows the community to come together to socialize during the summer. I look forward to the feedback from this year’s trial period. 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.The BRT route on Fordham road seems to be successful and the idea to bring BRT routes to the other boroughs so that they can experience what the Bronx has achieved is an idea that has merit. The 32nd Council District is an area that heavily lacks adequate public transportation and would benefit greatly from a Bus Rapid Transit system.
Submitted by Eric Ulrich 2009 on Wed, 08/12/2009 - 16:27.
Submitted by Eric Ulrich 2009 on Wed, 08/05/2009 - 20:18.
Submitted by Eric Ulrich 2009 on Wed, 08/12/2009 - 16:27.
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