We asked this year's candidates for Houston City Council what they
think about several transportation policy issues that affect neighborhoods.
Most questions included background information. Our questions and
the candidates' responses are presented in six sections:
Three million new people are projected to arrive in the Houston
area over the next 30 years. Where they live and work, and how they
get around, will have a tremendous impact on quality of life in
Houston communities. On a recent Saturday, more than 400 Houstonians
participated in the Envision Houston Region planning process, yet
few elected leaders were present.
Across the Houston region, there are more than 40 public agencies
building transportation projects. This work is coordinated to some
extent by the Transportation Policy Council, which has responsibility
for allocating federal transportation dollars to local governments.
While many of these projects affect City of Houston residents, the
City has not historically played an active role in regional
transportation planning.
Transportation and land use are increasingly recognized as major
factors affecting neighborhood quality of life. Better planning will
benefit Houston neighborhoods. Yet within the City of Houston,
transportation-related planning functions are split between the
Planning & Development department and the Public Works & Engineering
department.
The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is a federally-required
planning document. While cities like Atlanta, Denver, and Portland
have made "improving quality of life" a top priority in their
regional plans, Houston's 2025 RTP named "reducing traffic congestion"
as the top goal.
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| Q5a: Would you participate in Envision process? |
Q5b: Should elected play more active role? |
Q5c: Single dept for transportation planning? |
| Mayor |
| Anthony Dutrow |
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| Jack Terence |
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| Bill White (I) |
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| At large #1 |
Peter Brown |
I was there and did participate in 2 sessions. If elected, as a City leader, part of my responsibility to Houstonians is the future health and well-being, in very specific terms, of all Houstonians. These panning workshops are a vital part of crafting a comprehensive regional growth plan, based on a vision for a competitive, quality of life city. |
Absolutely. 1. Help the City adopt a comprehensive plan. 2. Maintain close contact METRO, HCTRA, and County Transportation departments. 3. Participation in Houston Transportation Council. |
No. The City needs to better coordinate its transportation planning and construction between departments and with METRO. Give the Planning Department the authority to plan (including CIP), and Public Works the authority to manage the construction. |
Michael Griffin |
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Rogelio Morales |
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| At large #2 |
Hipolito Acosta |
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Jay Aiyer |
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John Elford |
I would have participated had there not been so many campaign conflicts. And I am very interested in future programs and will participate. |
Yes. I believe that the HGAC's transportation council is a good starting point for elected officials involvement and I would like to see it take a greater role in decision making in the future. |
Yes, I would consider that idea. I however believe that we can have good results with more cooperation between Planning and PW than we currently have. |
Sue Lovell |
Absolutely. I believe in regional planning. I designed and implemented a jobs training program - that included a public transportation component - that won the Houston Metropolitan Award for Regional Planning, presented by Rice University and the University of Houston. |
Absolutely. The city should be very proactive in bringing transportation dollars to Houston, and in making sure Houston's interests are served by transportation projects elsewhere that affect our city. |
This is a good idea. I look forward to exploring it on City Council. |
James B. Neal |
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| At large #3 |
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (I) |
I have participated in Blueprint Houston/Envision Houston in the past and would welcome the opportunity to be involved in the future. |
The City of Houston should establish and maintain a close relationship with TX-DOT officials and state and federal officials regarding transportation projects. Communication and mutual respect play an essential role. |
In some circumstances reorganization of departments can benefit our city. I would be willing to consider this and have the department more transparent to and accountable to the needs of the community. |
James Partsch-Galvan |
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| At large #4 |
| Ronald Green (I) |
I would like to participate in any endeavor that will enhance our planning process and quality of life in Houston. I believe that a comprehensive regional plan or will improve our quality of life by reducing congestion on our highways (Safe Clear), improving our air quality, creating more green and park space, and updating our infrastructure, such as drainage, to help reduce flooding. |
Absolutely. As a member of the TPC, I have worked to have a more active role in regional transportation planning. The City of Houston's involvement needs to be emphasized, because we are the largest and most populated county in the region. |
No. We already have METRO, which was created for this very purpose. |
| At large #5 |
| Michael Berry (I) |
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| Michael Stoma |
I did not participate or attend. My father passed away during this time and I had to attend to personal and family matters. |
Yes. The City should take responsibility from METRO and Harris County as 'the" transportation planner for Houston and Harris County. The Mayor and City Council should lead governance to transportation planning with METRO as the execution arm the transportation plan. Harris County should relinquish all funding for road construction and only focus on county road maintenance (actually, road maintenance should be combined into one for both City and County). A City Department of Transportation Strategy and Planning should be created for the purpose of transportation planning.The METRO Board should be divested and transportation plan governance and execution should lie with the Mayor and City Council. |
Yes. |
| District A |
| Toni Lawrence (I) |
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| Dennis Carter |
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| District B |
| Tommie Ruth Allen |
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| Angle Bush |
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| Felicia Galloway-Hall |
The total condition of our region is of the utmost importance to me. I will endeavor to keep abreast of the issues facing our region and will actively participate and/or offer my advice and /or receptive ear as issues arise. |
It is my understanding that the head of the City of Houston Public Works and Engineering Department and at least 3 Houston City Council members are officers on the Houston Galveston Area Council Transportation Policy Council. I believe that this City of Houston presence goes a long way to give our regional transportation planning a Houston flavor. |
Over the past few years there has been a slow, methodical movement to synthesize these departments and their functions. Currently there is a division of the City of Houston Public Works and Engineering department called the Traffic and Transportation Division. I can see how the average citizen would be become extremely confused when the Annual Major Thoroughfare designation hearings are heard. Both the Planning and Development Department and the Public Works and Engineering department are presenters at these hearings, with Planning and Development as the spearhead. I would not be averse to considering a proposal that would make more efficient and user friendly this system. |
| Robin German-Curtis |
I did not participate in the recent planning session, however, I have attended several of the planning sessions for the creation of Houston’s vision and feel that we must participate in this process. It is essential that we create a vision and plan to use as a guide and road map to ensure that there is a strategy to address the growth of the City. |
Yes, I believe the City of Houston elected officials should play a more active role in regional transportation planning. |
I need more information concerning the City’s rationale for dividing the transportation-related planning functions between these 2 departments and the efficiencies created. |
| Anna Gray |
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| Willie J. Hunter |
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| Charles Ingram |
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| Jarvis Johnson |
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| District C |
| Anne Clutterbuck |
I would have enjoyed participating in the process, but was regrettably committed elsewhere. A process like this is instructive because it shows the complexity of issues facing our city and the difficulty of balancing competing interests. |
Yes. |
Yes, if funds are available. |
| Brian Cweren |
Yes. A Council Member, as a representative of the people, should always remain connected with the ideas and concerns of the public! |
Yes. By working with the federal legislators from the area to ensure that the concerns of Houstontians are heard, respected and represented. |
Quite possibly, but I would want to further study this issue. |
| George Hittner |
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| Ray Jones |
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| Mark Lee |
Yes, I believe it is important for City Council members to participate in the Envision Houston Region planning process. |
Yes |
Yes |
| Herman Litt |
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| Judith Siverson |
I have participated in several Envision Houston meetings although I was out of town at a funeral during the recent meeting at the U of H. I do believe that Councilmembers should participate in seminars such as these and I believe they should facilitate these discussions in their districts. I believe that voters should choose a candidate that has been interested in these issues for years, not just since they decided to run for office. Over the past several years, I have attended numerous Metro meetings and Blueprint Houston workshops. If elected, I plan to communicate with constituents through the Internet and by newsletter and would welcome opportunities to increase discussion in District C on these important topics. |
Absolutely Yes! Staff responsible for City, County, State and Federal projects need to communicate regularly about projects being planned or underway. Elected officials at all levels need to insist on coordination. With the Internet, there is no excuse for lack of information on projects. |
I am hesitant to create more departments but I do believe that transportation planning is a priority and we need to make sure that efforts are highly productive and not duplicative. |
| District D |
| Ada Edwards (I) |
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| District E |
| Addie Wiseman (I) |
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| District F |
| Khalid Khan |
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| M.J. Khan (I) |
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| John Shike |
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| District G |
| Pam Holm (I) |
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| District H |
| Adrian Garcia (I) |
I have attended many meetings on this issue and I am encouraged by the amount of citizen participation and support in these discussions. It affirms that my concerns that better public policy is necessary when conducting regional transportation planning. |
Yes, since in office I have been advocating for such policy to be embraced. My concerns on this matter have resulted in being appointed as an alternate to the HGAC TPC and I have attended regularly as allowed and use the opportunity to voice my concern for the need of better planning. |
Yes, I believe that it makes sense that the planning of neighborhood transportation projects and development of transportation concepts should be one of the primary roles of our Planning Department. |
| Larry Williams |
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| District I |
| Carol Alvarado (I) |
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| John Parras |
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| Q5d: Should City develop a comprehensive transportation plan? |
Q5e: How would you make planning available to constituents? |
Q5f: What should be our top planning priority? |
| Mayor |
| Anthony Dutrow |
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| Jack Terence |
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| Bill White (I) |
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| At large #1 |
Peter Brown |
It must be part of an overall comprehensive development plan. |
Through my office initiatives, Blueprint Houston and other groups. I will do everything I can to promote planning activities and public participation in them, via public statements, planning workshops, email, my Web site and other constituent communications, such as newsletters. |
Improving quality of life. The transportation network must be based on this goal. Reducing congestion and increasing mobility are part of improving quality of life, but air quality lower transportation costs, economic development and neighborhood integrity must also be considerations. |
Michael Griffin |
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Rogelio Morales |
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| At large #2 |
Hipolito Acosta |
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Jay Aiyer |
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John Elford |
No, I believe that the Transportation Council of the HGAC should take the lead in developing a comprehensive plan with the City as a participant. |
I would actively partake in making communications and information flow better out into the communities. This can be accomplished with television and radio spots and town hall meetings. |
Both improving the quality of life and reducing congestion should be top priorities. They are not mutually exclusive. |
Sue Lovell |
Yes. |
I will bring together all affected parties to ensure a fair process. To implement the jobs training program I described above, including the transportation component, I was a leader in bringing together Houston Community College, the Houston Galveston Area Council, the Texas Workforce Commission, Houston Works and Career Recovery Resources Inc. (a United Way agency), and The Mills Corporation. |
I would support a quality of life goal - but reducing traffic congestion is definitely a piece. |
James B. Neal |
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| At large #3 |
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (I) |
A five or ten year strategic plan for transportation would be an excellent goal for our city. |
Planning without the restrictions of zoning as exists in Houston is a complex endeavor. Citizens should be encouraged to engage in protecting their neighborhoods by staying informed and involved in local political activities. Discussion and education are vital. In a city without zoning and with strong property rights, we have to balance those rights with the desire of planners to implement "smart growth" plans. |
Reducing traffic congestion for Houston drivers is important to improving quality of life for everyone. Houstonians spend an average of 63 hours in traffic each year. Nationally, vehicle miles traveled have increased 74%, while lane miles increased only 6%. This is parallel to what has happened in Houston. We can't build our way out, so we must think smarter. |
James Partsch-Galvan |
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| At large #4 |
| Ronald Green (I) |
Yes. The City of Houston should develop a comprehensive plan, in conjunction with Metro, H-GAC, HCTRA and TxDOT, which also incorporates all projects currently slated in the City's Capital Improvement Plan. |
I support the Envision Houston process, which encourages public input and involvement in the transportation planning process. Additionally, I publish an electronic newsletter, The Green Report, which includes meeting notices for public input on transportation projects throughout Houston. |
I believe that our top priority should be to expand our light rail system. With an expansion into our suburbs, light rail will help to reduce congestion and improve the quality of life by reducing air pollution and flooding. |
| At large #5 |
| Michael Berry (I) |
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| Michael Stoma |
Yes |
Yes. |
Investment in mass transit rail systems for the future economic stability and growth of Houston. |
| District A |
| Toni Lawrence (I) |
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| Dennis Carter |
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| District B |
| Tommie Ruth Allen |
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| Angle Bush |
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| Felicia Galloway-Hall |
Yes |
I will use every communication method and delivery system at my disposal to encourage the active participation and interest of the constituents of District B. |
Reducing traffic congestion |
| Robin German-Curtis |
Yes. |
I will host community strategic planning sessions that allow residents and stakeholders to participate in the creation or update of neighborhood or Super Neighborhood plans. |
Improving quality of life should be the top priority. |
| Anna Gray |
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| Willie J. Hunter |
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| Charles Ingram |
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| Jarvis Johnson |
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| District C |
| Anne Clutterbuck |
I think the city should participate in transportation planning with all of the stakeholders in our region who have an interest in the process. |
I plan to host quarterly neighborhood meetings, and dispense information via email. |
Both are good goals. |
| Brian Cweren |
YES. |
Advertise them, include in emails and bulletins. Utilize local community leaders to help inform the neighborhoods. |
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| George Hittner |
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| Ray Jones |
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| Mark Lee |
Yes |
I would use my office as an information resource for District C constituents on transportation issues. |
I believe that improving quality of life should be our top priority. My view that reducing traffic congestion is a part of that improvement. |
| Herman Litt |
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| Judith Siverson |
Yes! |
If elected, I would schedule regular meetings in the District so that projects and concerns could be discussed among concerned citizens. In addition, I would increase opportunities for communication through newsletters and Internet so that District residents will be well- informed about matters of concern. I think constituents will attend if meetings are productive. I would work to see that concerns were addressed promptly. I believe that neighborhood leaders need to have the opportunity to get to know one another so that they can join together to improve their neighborhoods. All too often, neighborhoods feel they must face their problems alone, forgetting there is strength in numbers. |
I do not believe that "improving quality of life" or "reducing traffic congestion" are mutually exclusive. Both are desirable goals. Reducing traffic congestion will improve our quality of life. |
| District D |
| Ada Edwards (I) |
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| District E |
| Addie Wiseman (I) |
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| District F |
| Khalid Khan |
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| M.J. Khan (I) |
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| John Shike |
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| District G |
| Pam Holm (I) |
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| District H |
| Adrian Garcia (I) |
Yes. |
I believe that this organization has witnessed how important community input is to me as an elected official and have a policy of having community stakeholders at the decision-making table. |
I believe that quality of life is obviously important, but recent experiences demonstrate how important public safety is to an effective transportation plan. |
| Larry Williams |
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| District I |
| Carol Alvarado (I) |
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| John Parras |
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Last updated Fri Nov 4, 2005.
