John Choe

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Political Party:
Democratic Party

http://www.peopleforjohnchoe.com

Candidate Submitted Biography:

John Choe has two decades of experience in government and community
service. John Choe, a Democrat, spent eight years as Chief of Staff to
Councilman Liu where he served on the frontlines of recent battles for
educational reform, health care, senior services and affordable
housing. As Co-President of the Mitchell-Linden Civic Association,
John Choe has fought for the rights of Flushing residents and has
demonstrated a commitment to holding city agencies accountable.
Endorsed by the Democratic Organization of Queens County as well as
countless unions and community associations, John Choe will carry on
the tradition of leadership and experience our community so greatly
deserves.

Community members interested in volunteering can contact People for
John Choe at (718) 353-1038 or go to our campaign office at 135-20
39th Avenue, Suite LL133, in Flushing, Queens.

City Council Survey (District 20): John Choe

Question 1:
What is the most important transportation need in your district? As a Council Member, how would you work to address this need?

My top transportation priorities are to increase transit options, improve pedestrian safety, and reduce congestion in downtown Flushing. As the new Council Member, I will: (1) continue my leadership on the Downtown Flushing One-Way Pair Project, which will double sidewalk space on Main and Union streets; (2) expand access to mass transit by working with the MTA to improve the Number 7 Line and modernize the Flushing LIRR Station with elevators; and, (3) spearhead efforts to create alternative transportation options, including ferry service on the Flushing River, a downtown shuttle loop, and bus rapid transit along Northern Boulevard.


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Question 2:
The intersection of Union Street and Northern Blvd is one of the most dangerous in your district, where 1 people died and 78 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)?

I worked with DOT to establish one of the first Senior Pedestrian Safety zones in the City to limit the number of pedestrian injuries and fatalities in Flushing, Queens. I will continue working with DOT to monitor and address dangerous traffic conditions for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers with advanced technology, reconfiguration of streets and traffic signals as well as expanded outreach to educate the public about enhanced safety strategies on our roads.


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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?

Drivers need to pay closer attention to speed limits – especially in school zones and residential neighborhoods. I support increasing fines against speeders in these areas, and other high traffic locations across the City. In addition, more traffic safety agents should be deployed to known speeding locations, and working with the Department of Transportation and local law enforcement, I will ensure that these agents are deployed in the most effective locations and manners.


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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?

We need more bicycle lanes as well as expanded pedestrian zones throughout the city. Not only will the greater bicycle and pedestrian activity promote a healthier lifestyle, our environment, specifically air pollution – are alleviated if we can reduce the amount of cars on the streets. Our city needs to make further commitment to alternative modes of transportation, and if elected, I will work to bring to my district more off-street greenway paths, secure indoor bicycle parking and unrestricted access to the subways for bikers.


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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?

Road pricing should be further explored in New York City, and could very well cause drivers in New York City to think twice about bringing their cars into congested areas, especially if the fees generated are earmarked to expand transit options in areas without easy access to subways. In addition to unclogging our streets, road pricing could lead to more people using our public transportation system – which has historically been a cheaper transportation alternative. Fewer cars on the road would mean less traffic and less noise and air pollution, allowing for our neighborhoods to become more pedestrian and business-friendly.


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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?

I would support residential parking permits and encourage more pilot programs like the one in Brooklyn if they can reduce neighborhood traffic congestion.


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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 DOT's Pedestrian Street and the Summer Streets programs are good ways to diversify the use of public space in New Yorkers, create more pedestrian safety, and help reduce public health concerns like obesity. I support continued development and expansion of these programs, including the inclusion of community boards and neighborhood associations in decisions to close off local streets to vehicular traffic and open them up to more pedestrians and bicycle riders.


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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.

Yes, bicycle sharing programs have had great success in many international cities and should be explored in New York. Although we have a superior public transportation network, we should encourage more forms of alternative transportation and more the City toward being less-reliant on cars. In addition, bike sharing programs encourage a friendlier, more civil New York, and that is the type of environment we should be striving for. I would also strongly advocate on behalf of Bus Rapid Transit in Queens, a borough with one of the fastest growing populations and the least developed subway system. Northern Boulevard would be a perfect candidate for the implementation of BRT in Queens.


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Submitted by peopleforjohnchoe on Sat, 07/25/2009 - 21:03.
Submitted by peopleforjohnchoe on Sun, 07/19/2009 - 18:54.