2016 District 1 Candidate Jason Jungreis

Candidate Facts

Jason Jungreis headshot    Name: Jason Jungreis
   Campaign Website: www.jasonjungreisforsupervisor2016.com

Candidate Questionnaire

All official candidates were contacted and given the opportunity to answer our Candidate Questionnaire. Any candidate responses edited for length and clarity have been marked as such.

1. Do you ride a bicycle in the city?

Yes

If “Yes,” how often do you ride and for what purpose(s)?

Recreation, errands, pleasure, occasional commuting. I have a regular bike and an electric bike. My son commutes on his bike. I ride several times a week on average.

2. The City has established a goal to at least double the number of bike trips in the next 3 years. Do you support this goal?

Yes [RESPONSE TRUNCATED]

If yes, what would you do as Supervisor to help the city realize it?

I am unfamiliar with the quantitative analysis that supports a goal of 8%, and despite on-line searches generally and of the SFBC, I could not locate a specific purpose for 8% (as opposed to 7% or 9%). It seems a laudable goal. In order to achieve it, I encourage SFBC to more fully embrace electric bicycles. Note that my agenda has specific support for bicycles, electric bicycles, and bulk buyer programs to reduce the cost of bicycles for residents. 

3. Our City has embraced and adopted Vision Zero, the goal to eliminate all fatalities and serious injuries on our streets by 2024. Do you support Vision Zero?

Yes

If “Yes,” the city has yet to make significant progress since the introduction of Vision Zero in 2014. In fact, fatalities are on the rise. What would you do as Supervisor to help the city achieve Vision Zero?

Bright striping on the roadway with appropriate signage is inexpensive and quick. Similarly, I advocate bicycle lanes be separated wherever possible by inexpensive and readily-installed rigid plastic bollards.

4. Research and data has shown that building high-quality protected bike infrastructure is the most effective way to increase the number of people who bike. Despite this, there remain very few streets and corridors in San Francisco with protected bike lanes. Do you support the significant expansion of protected bike infrastructure, recognizing that this is often achieved by reallocating space on our streets that may decrease on-street car parking or vehicle travel lanes?

Yes [RESPONSE TRUNCATED]

If “Yes,” what is at least one street or corridor in your District that you think would most benefit from a protected bike facility and why?

The Richmond benefits from very good current bike lanes on Lake, Cabrillo, and various north-south routes. I would like to see JFK in Golden Gate Park striped all the way to the western end. Otherwise, bicycle parking on Geary would be the most beneficial step. The Richmond does not require bicycle lane protection.

5. The SF Bicycle Coalition participated in the Mayor’s Transportation 2030 Task Force, which identified significant funding gaps for a safe, reliable transportation system. To continue building out the bike network, the original need until 2030 was $360 million, which has now increased to $660 million, by City estimates. Do you support increased allocation and funding for bike projects to at least match the percentage of San Franciscans who bike?

No [RESPONSE TRUNCATED]

6. The Department of Public Health has used data to develop the “high-injury network” to show the 12% of city streets where over 70% of the collisions occur. This map has also shown that low-income communities are disproportionately affected by traffic collisions. If Supervisor, what would you do to prevent collisions in your District at these known locations?

I do not believe there is any location in the Richmond with a high accident rate other than Arguello, and that is in the process of an upgrade. As to other intersections, I believe traffic light cameras that ensure enforcement of the law is the best approach, as there would be far fewer collisions with certainty in the enforcement of the law. (However, I do not believe fines should increase simply do to enforcement through a camera.)

7. Market Street is San Francisco’s most-biked street, with nearly 7,000 trips by bike counted here every day. The City is working on the Better Market Street project, which calls for limiting private automobiles, creating a continuous, protected bike lane for the full length of the project from the Embarcadero to Octavia Boulevard and significantly advancing transit and pedestrian-friendly street design. Do you support this plan?

Yes [RESPONSE TRUNCATED]

8. Data has shown that the five most dangerous behaviors are all driver-related offenses: speeding, failure to yield to pedestrians, improper right-hand turns, running red lights and failure to stop at stop signs. The San Francisco Police Department has committed to maintaining 50% of their traffic citations to “Focus on the Five,” a goal they have yet to meet citywide. Do you support Focus on the Five and smart, data-driven enforcement?

No [RESPONSE TRUNCATED] 

9. As Supervisor, what will you do to ensure SFPD focuses enforcement on Focus on the Five or other known issues that make our streets unwelcome to bike on, such as double-parking in bike lanes, rather than ad hoc, complaint-driven enforcement?

I support vigorous enforcement of all laws. I also support vigorous enforcement of all laws against not only drivers, but also against bicyclists and pedestrians. Certainty in the enforcement of law is the single best mechanism to avoid collisions. However, camera-aided ticketing should not an additive cost to the cost of the issued citation.

10. Bay Area Bike Share is in the middle of a game-changing, tenfold expansion of its system to become one of the densest bike share networks in the United States. Do you support the expansion and placement of bike share stations in your District, even if this may mean repurposing of on-street vehicle parking?

[NO RESPONSE GIVEN]

District-Specific Questions

1. A recent tragedy occurred on June 22, where a person biking was hit and killed by a driver on JFK Drive near 30th Avenue, which is located in District 1. The SF Bicycle Coalition is advocating for protected bike lanes for the western half of JFK Drive to make Golden Gate Park a place for people rather than vehicle through traffic or on-street parking. As Supervisor, would you support our ask, and what would you do to prevent such crashes on JFK Drive?

I disagree with the use of protected bike lanes anywhere, if by protected you mean cement-curbed barriers. These are expensive and detrimental to both bikes and cars in that they serve virtually no purpose that plastic bollards will not serve. Further, the JFK Drive tragedy was the result of utter recklessness by the driver of a stolen car. On the one hand, that sort of thing is potentially unstoppable and not the measure by which policy should be created. On the other hand, helping to prevent such crimes and helping ensuring arrest for such a crime would diminish such crime.

2. In addition to improved infrastructure, we are advocating for an expansion of car-free, open streets space in Golden Gate Park, similar to Car-Free Sundays or Healthy Saturdays. As Supervisor, would you support this ask?

Yes [RESPONSE TRUNCATED]

3. We support a recommendation from the Ocean Beach Master Plan, which calls for a road diet of Great Highway, given the high levels of sand erosion. The result would be to repurpose two lanes of travel to become open streets for people biking and walking. Do you support this recommendation?

No [RESPONSE TRUNCATED]

Return to November 2016 Candidate Summaries
 

 

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