Election is on more than parking and bike lanes, group says, endorsing for Cambridge councillors
We are writing with a deep concern that the controversy around the rollout of separated bike lanes will swamp this municipal election. We have had a number of conversations with progressives who have said that this year they are voting single-issue for candidates who oppose separated bike lanes. Here is our response:
For the record: We fully support a network of separated bike lanes in Cambridge, and more broadly policy efforts that ensure safe access for all Cambridge residents (pedestrians, cyclists and drivers) to needed goods and services such as retail and affordable grocery stores, parks, transport, clinics and libraries. The research is clear: Separated bike lanes work, and work to protect everyone on the road and sidewalks.
We acknowledge, however, significant and valid concerns about the community process around the rollout of these bike lanes in North Cambridge and other areas of the city. We have three responses to this. First, we urge the city to ensure that future rollouts have sufficient community process and feedback to mitigate any short-to-medium term negative effects that new infrastructure may have, and thereby make sure that new separated bike lanes allow for the win-win result that most other cities have experienced. Second, we urge the city to work closely with neighborhoods where separated bike lane rollout has already occurred, to address all remaining concerns and make appropriate changes accordingly. Third, we support ongoing review of the efficacy of each implementation, with community input, to make sure that future designs learn from past mistakes and allow for the best outcome for all residents.
We also call on the city to work urgently on improving public transit of all types throughout the city, including but not limited to a fare-free No. 1 bus and substantial investments in intracity shuttle services and last-mile transport controlled by the city. Public transit is the most important complement to improved biking infrastructure in our transition away from a car-centric society. This is especially true for low-income residents, who disproportionately rely on public transit, as well as generally for residents who will be unable to use a bicycle as their primary method of transportation. Resident and metered parking should be maintained for those who need it.
What else is this election about?
Whatever you think about bike lanes, we urge you to look at Cambridge and all its challenges when selecting candidates in this municipal cycle. A great deal is at stake in the next council: Among many other things, we face an unprecedented housing-affordability crisis, a climate emergency, rising rates of eviction and homelessness and pressing conversations about the future of public safety.
If you decide to support candidates based entirely on their opposition to bike lanes, you could be supporting people financed by developers, unsupportive of affordable housing, opposed to a bold local response to the climate crisis and opposed to funding community-based violence prevention programs.
Our Revolution Cambridge urges you to consider a holistic view of the importance of ending displacement, providing enough affordable housing, addressing the climate crisis and supporting the Cambridge Heart alternative to armed police emergency response, on top of the importance of significantly improving the community process during the continued rollout of separated bike lanes in Cambridge. We have proudly endorsed candidates who share this vision:
- Ayah Al-Zubi
- Joe McGuirk
- Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler
- Dan Totten
- Vernon Walker
Carolyn Magid, Matthew Schreiner and Henry Wortis, Our Revolution Cambridge
Your three points about rollout are already the standard. You will never make everyone happy and in those other cities they have the exact same pushback. Thinking you’ll make everyone happy or come to a consensus is intentionally dense.
Plenty of pro bike lane advocates are getting developer money. The surest way to buy up real estate cheap is empty buildings whose small businesses don’t want to rent due to lack of parking, and no enforcement of Amazon vehicles in the bike lanes.
Plenty of bad motives on all sides of the bike debate. I’ll be voting for candidates who support good communication around practical and well thought out bike lanes balanced with other interests and who have a track record of community engagement and compromise over ideological all or nothing demands.
Does ORC support union labor? What do they think Union carpenters do? They build things and then they get paid for it by developers. It’s called an economy. Relaxing our zoning code so that developers can pay Union labor to build more housing instead of paying politicians is one of the most slam dunk policy wins of our time. Instead ORC excludes candidates who support relaxing zoning in order to allow more market housing from their endorsements. AOC and Bernie have come around to the reality that the nationwide housing crisis necessitates building more housing of all kinds. I hope ORC can leave 2016 behind and join us here in 2023 fighting to make housing more affordable for all.
I thought both candidate McGuirk and candidate Walker did a very good job at the recent Q&A at Lesley University. However, anyone grouped alongside Danny Totten makes me take a step back and re-think.
100% Paul. However McGuirk is a great guy. I’m not a single issue voter but I urge anyone who cares for this city to absolutely not vote for any DSA or Our Rev endorsed candidate (unless it’s Joe). They are absolute poison for this city.
I’m still waiting for D.S.A./O.R.C./M.O.U.S.E. to disavow the rally held in NYC. Weren’t they the ones howling about someone’s Twitter feed?
Mazz63: Yes, Our Revolution Cambridge supports union labor, and unions support our candidates: Dan Totten has the endorsement of SEIU 32BJ and UAW Region 9A. Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler has the endorsement of the Greater Boston Labor Council, SEIU 509, IBEW 103, The Mass Laborers Union, Painters and Allied Trades District Council 35, and UAW Region 9A. Vernon Walker has the endorsement of the Greater Boston Labor Council, SEIU 509, Mass Nurses Association, and Boston Plasterers and Cement Masons 534. Ayah Al-Zubi has the endorsement of UAW Region 9A. Joe McGuirk has the endorsement of NAGE/SEIU 5000. Our candidates have support from many other groups and elected officials as well.
Q99: We agree it is good to ask which candidates take developer money. None of Our Revolution Cambridge endorsed candidates take developer money.
Patrick Barrett: We are glad you share our enthusiasm for Joe McGuirk.
Carolyn Magid
for Our Revolution Cambridge
@q99 and @PatrickWBarrett The idea that bike lanes are being used to create vacancies so that developers can buy up property is 100% nonsense.
There is not a shred of evidence that bike lanes are harming businesses (they typically help local businesses, studies show). There is certainly no evidence that they are creating vacancies.
I note that the North Mass Ave businesses are still in business four years after bike lanes were installed. I note that Skendarian is still in business six years after bike lanes were installed.
Peddle your conspiracy theories elsewhere. Politics are for serious people.
And vote for candidates who support affordable housing. People need homes. They don’t need conspiracy theories from NIMBYs out to protect their own privilege.
The upcoming election could be one of the most important in Cambridge for many years. Cambridge voters must unite and NOT allow little Danny Totten a seat on “our” council.