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Ben Ewen-Campen
(pdf of answers)
About the Candidate |
1. How do you move around your community and get to where you need to go? |
2. What is a particularly dangerous problem or location in your community for people walking, biking, taking transit, or for people with disabilities that you'd like to see addressed? |
3. Why do you think people who care about walking, biking, transit, and mobility issues should vote for you? |
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Ben Ewen-Campen |
My primary mode of travel is bicycle - for work, my wife and I bike from my home near Union Square to the Longwood area in Boston, which takes us through Somerville, Cambridge, Brookline and Boston. I also walk, take the MBTA, and drive. |
Somerville has only recently begun to address the issues caused by decades of car-centric, poorly planned streets, and dramatically insufficient investment. There are far too many high-priority areas to list, but just one example, often overlooked: statistically, one of the most dangerous intersections for Somerville pedestrians is the corner of Walnut St. & Highland ave, which is directly adjacent to our Public Library, an eleven story senior-living building (including many residents with disabilities), the High School, and City hall - and is thus a top priority for improved safety. |
I have been a champion for transportation issues. As a member of Committee on Traffic & Parking, I have not only worked on specific neighborhood issues, but I have also been focused on pro-active, city-wide approaches including dramatic increases in Vision Zero funding (tweet), increased staffing and organizational changes in our Mobility department, and dedicated funding a Bicycle Master Plan in the FY2020 budget. |
Policy Proposals |
1. How will you ensure implementation of the infrastructure changes needed to slow traffic on your community's streets, and improve crosswalks and intersections to make them safer for people who are walking and using mobility assistive devices? |
2. How will you improve the reach, frequency, and quality of public transit in Somerville? |
3. How will you ensure fast-tracked implementation of a city-wide network of off-street paths and protected bike lanes on major thoroughfares and connecting streets that are safe and comfortable for people of all ages and abilities? |
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Ben Ewen-Campen |
Safe streets require serious investment and public education - both short-term tactical solutions to particularly dangerous areas, and long-term investments to create the physical infrastructure that prioritizes safety over speed, and pedestrians and cyclists over vehicles. These are not always easy votes - Somerville's budget is tight, and driven almost exclusively by residential property taxes. And, we face many critical issues around affordable housing, water and sewer infrastructure, sustainability, and public education - yet I am fully committed to maximizing our investment in safe streets, because I consider it a non-negotiable top priority that brings together public safety, environmental health, and economic justice. I have been fully committed to both short-term and long-term solutions. I deployed the first demonstration of a flex-post "neck-down" in Somerville, and widely promoted the dramatic results (https://twitter.com/BenForWard3/status/1068221969831784449). I've successfully forced real estate developers to contribute >$100K for traffic calming. And as mentioned above, I have been a key part of the movement to increase our budgeting for Vision Zero. |
While the Somerville City Council has no direct control over our MBTA service, I am fully committed to advocating for better public transit in Somerville. In particular, while the Green Line Extension garners most of our City's attention, I believe we should be focusing on greatly improved bus infrastructure - I have supported dedicated bus lanes and shared bus/bike lanes across the City, including the latest such improvement on Broadway. I am also committed to using my position and public voice to join the chorus of the movement for dramatic state-level investment in the MBTA. |
"I am proud to say that my Resolution calling for a Citywide Bicycle Master Plan was successfully adopted as part of Somerville's FY2020 budget. For years, this has been a goal of the Somerville Bicycle Committee, and I was glad to join their efforts to achieve this milestone. As we enter the actual planning and implementation stages of this process over the coming year, I will remain passionately engaged to hold Somerville's feet to the fire as we make the tough decisions necessary to build a safe network for cyclists of all ages. In addition, though I cannot take credit for it, I am extremely pleased to say that the Community Path Extension (CPX), which will run all the way from beyond Davis Square to Lechmere, remains on schedule and will be a transformative change in our cycling and walking infrastructure. That said, I have also been working with local advocate groups to push for critical improvements to the CPX, including widening the path for safety. To date, we have not been successful, but I remain fully committed to doing everything we can to make the CPX safe and usable for all. " |
Additional Questions
Click on the categories below for the complete question asked. Click on any answer with a * for further explanation of the candidate's stance.
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Do you support: |
1. Vision Zero 1. Vision Zero is an approach which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries and has been adopted by Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville, and many other cities across the country. Do you support the principles of Vision Zero policies and funding for their rapid implementation? click outside popup to close |
2. State law allowing automated enforcement 2. One key strategy that has been proven to effectively reduce speeding, improve safety, and remove racial bias in traffic enforcement in other states and countries is automated enforcement (i.e. speed cameras and red light cameras). Do you support S.1376, An Act relative to automated enforcement, which if passed would authorize cities and towns in Massachusetts to opt into the use of automated enforcement? To see the full text of the bill, visit malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S1376 click outside popup to close |
3. Bike Network Plan 3. Do you support the implementation of improved bike facilities identified in your community's Bike Network Plan or do you support the creation of a Bike Network Plan if none already exists? click outside popup to close |
4. Age-friendly walking conditions 4. Do you support creating age-friendly walking conditions in your community -- an issue raised by many seniors as critical to their ability to 'age in community'? If yes, how? click outside popup to close |
(more below) |
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Ben Ewen-Campen |
Strongly Support*
Ben Ewen-CampenI have helped advocate for major increases in dedicated budgetary spending for Vision Zero in our FY2020 budget. click outside popup to close |
Strongly Support*
Ben Ewen-CampenSomerville City Council unanimously passed a Resolution in favor of this bill. click outside popup to close |
Strongly Support*
Ben Ewen-CampenI filed the Resolution that helped lead to the funding of Somerville's Bicycle Master Plan. click outside popup to close |
Strongly Support |
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Do you support: |
5. Restriction of parking for bus-only lanes 5. Do you support the restriction of on-street parking during rush hour in order to create dedicated bus lanes on certain major thoroughfares where bus riders experience significant delays due to traffic congestion? click outside popup to close |
6. New revenue sources 6. Do you support exploring new ways of raising revenue to provide Somerville with more tools to improve conditions for people walking, using mobility assistive devices, biking, and using public transit (e.g. increasing the gas tax, implementing congestion pricing, increasing fees on Uber/Lyft)? If yes, please give examples that interest you. click outside popup to close |
7. Dynamic parking meter pricing 7. Do you support the rollout of dynamic parking meter pricing in business districts, which would increase meter rates during periods of increased demand, to free up on-street parking and reduce cars "cruising" for open spaces? click outside popup to close |
8. Raising residential parking permit fee 8. Do you support raising the annual fee for residential parking permits? click outside popup to close |
9. Reducing/ eliminating MBTA fares 9. Do you support reducing or eliminating MBTA fares for people with low income? click outside popup to close |
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Ben Ewen-Campen |
Strongly Support*
Ben Ewen-CampenAs a member of the Traffic & Parking Committee, I have been an outspoken supporter of the Bus/Bike lane on Broadway in Somerville, the first major project of this sort in our city. click outside popup to close |
Strongly Support*
Ben Ewen-CampenNot that you asked, but for the record I would support essentially banning Uber/Lyft - I believe that their business model is to exploit workers, disinvest from public transportation, and clog our streets with cars. click outside popup to close |
Strongly Support |
Strongly Support*
Ben Ewen-CampenI have helped advocate for a city-wide study of our parking pricing policies, which is now thankfully being undertaken. click outside popup to close |
Strongly Support
Ben Ewen-CampenI support eliminating MBTA fares for all people, and funding the MBTA through a state-wide progressive taxation structure. click outside popup to close |
About the Candidate
Policy Proposals
Additional Questions
I have helped advocate for major increases in dedicated budgetary spending for Vision Zero in our FY2020 budget.
Somerville City Council unanimously passed a Resolution in favor of this bill.
I filed the Resolution that helped lead to the funding of Somerville's Bicycle Master Plan.
As a member of the Traffic & Parking Committee, I have been an outspoken supporter of the Bus/Bike lane on Broadway in Somerville, the first major project of this sort in our city.
Not that you asked, but for the record I would support essentially banning Uber/Lyft - I believe that their business model is to exploit workers, disinvest from public transportation, and clog our streets with cars.
I have helped advocate for a city-wide study of our parking pricing policies, which is now thankfully being undertaken.
I support eliminating MBTA fares for all people, and funding the MBTA through a state-wide progressive taxation structure.