Working with your fellow Councilors, what are your policy goals for your first, or continuing Council term?
What policy action(s) would you take to:
- Prioritize decreasing traffic-related injuries, improve human health outcomes, and make our streets feel safer to those outside of cars.
- Increase the environmental and financial sustainability of our transportation system.
- Create or strengthen transportation mode shifts to increase active transportation and public transportation trips.
- Allow for increased independence of children, including but not limited to, Safe Routes To School.
- Increase the proportion of transportation funding that is spent on creating the infrastructure that supports our policies and visions, such as directing more funding toward our Neighborhood Bikeway Network.
What other transportation policy actions do you plan to bring to the City Council?
Note: Candidates were given ten days to respond. We did not receive a response from all candidates.
Their Responses…
WARD 2 – Dylan de Honor
1. Prioritize decreasing traffic-related injuries, improve human health outcomes, and make our streets feel safer to those outside of cars.
I haven’t driven a car in ten months, I bike and bus everywhere I go so this is very near and dear to me, especially since I’ve almost been hit by drivers due to poor planning, low visibility, you name it. Luckily, solutions to traffic-related injuries are many, and have been carried out with success in cities across the country: protected bike lanes, lowering speed limits, enhancing the visibility of existing crosswalks, adding more crosswalks, bollards, redesigning intersections, disincentivizing driving in favor of active transportation, and a whole lot of other stuff that doesn’t immediately come to mind. Regarding human health outcomes, biking and walking everywhere has improved my overall health: I have more energy, improved endurance, and have lost fat and gained muscle, that’s not even getting into the amount of money I save by not paying for car registration, insurance, maintenance, and gas. I understand that I’m only able to do so since I’m lucky enough to live and work within the same area, however I want to see about policies that would make walking, cycling, and taking public transportation not just a viable option, but the better one. The less cars on our streets the safer our community is.
2. Increase the environmental and financial sustainability of our transportation system.
Every person that walks, bikes, scooters, takes public transport is one less car. I’m from California, a state plagued by the automotive, gas, and petrochemical industries’ vision of how cities ought to be designed, which conveniently makes their products proprietary. The stench, the congestion, noise pollution, smog, needless injury and death I’m well acquainted with and I’d see to it that Corvallis never suffers such a fate. If I could wave a magic wand to overhaul our transportation system I’d grant every arterial and collector road an electric trolley complete with cozy benches and bells, wishful thinking of course but I do believe it very much to be something worth bringing to reality. As for the financial sustainability, I’d like to see a portion of the budget guaranteed to be spent on maintaining and expanding our public transport fleet according to need.
3. Create or strengthen transportation mode shifts to increase active transportation and public transportation trips.
Apologies for sort of answering questions ahead of when they’re asked for other questions, I am a broken record sometimes. Ensuring our existing bike lanes are maintained, expanded upon. Bus stops in this town upset me, not enough benches nor small shelters to be out of the rain, sun, or wind. City, county, state, regardless of what authority can see to it that it happens, I’d like to see the return of trains, electric trains connecting the whole of the Willamette. I know I’d only be a mere city councilor but I’d sure as hell petition, lobby, and talk people’s ears off about how important it is that it happens. Choo choo.
4.Allow for increased independence of children, including but not limited to, Safe Routes To School.
When I was a child I loathed having to be driven everywhere. Suburbia, especially without public transportation, is hell. The physical isolation, lack of independence, and, with it, social isolation is a great blow to our community’s mental health. Before school was over for the summer, I recall being at my favorite spot in Avery Park by Mary’s River after work when a group of high schoolers that had just gotten out of school went down to the rope swing and picnic bench on the gravel. As I was leaving to eat something, I saw every place to park a bike filled. If I had a choice between growing up in Corvallis vs Anaheim, I’d choose Corvallis no doubt about it. We cannot afford future low density sprawl and poor public transportation to kill what we are lucky enough to have here, one of the few cities in the US where youth are able to go to their friend’s place, the theatre, community center, park, or shop by their own volition, while exercising as well.
5. Increase the proportion of transportation funding that is spent on creating the infrastructure that supports our policies and visions, such as directing more funding toward our Neighborhood Bikeway Network.
Again sorry for putting the answer to this question in the answer to a previous question. I actually have two maps on my wall to the left of my computer as I type this, both being maps of our bike trails. While what we have is justly a source of pride, I see places where it could expand.
WARD 3 – Mark Taratoot
I am a cyclist and an advocate for safe streets. I support increasing infrastructure to make cycling safer and easier. I was almost exclusively a bicycle commuter before I retired. I served on the Oregon State Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee when I was on faculty many years ago. I have personal experience with bike/car conflicts; I was injured while cycling a couple years ago when a motorist failed to yield right of way at Chapman and 3rd Street and sent me flying across traffic lanes.
I would like to see more enforcement of laws intended to prevent motor vehicles from making roads dangerous for cyclists. Parking and extended standing in bike lanes force cyclists into unneeded conflict with other road users. I applaud the approach that SAFE is taking to mitigate some of these hazards around Corvallis High School.
I also think we need to enforce codes that prohibit cycling the wrong way on two-way streets or the wrong way down one-way streets, running red lights, and riding in the very few areas where bikes aren’t allowed.
That’s not why I’m running for City Council. I am running for City Council to get the city to prioritize the flow of garbage into our rivers. I want the City to enforce our Stormwater Code. I Corvallis to develop and implement plans to get the pollution to stop. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently listed sections of the Willamette River as Water Quality Impaired due to litter. The stretch through Corvallis is one of those sections. It will take some time, perhaps years, for the DEQ to develop enforceable regulations. There is no need to wait; we can act now. We should. In addition to the stormwater ordinance, the chronic nuisance property ordinance could be a tool to eliminate this pollution since the pollution represent health and safety nuisances.
As a City Councilor I will fight to move the city forward in reducing and eliminating this threat to our rivers and our public safety. This my only priority. Yes, I am a cycling enthusiast, and yes I would be another champion for the values that SAFE espouses along with Councilor Ellis. That said, I am running on behalf of the river.
WARD 6 – Alison Bowden
Our members want to know: Working with your fellow Councilors, what are your policy goals for your first, or continuing Council term?
My primary policy goals include creating affordable housing options for all income levels in Corvallis, expanding multimodal transportation to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists over cars, and building community resilience through impactful climate action policies.
What policy action(s) would you take to:
Prioritize decreasing traffic-related injuries, improve human health outcomes, and make our streets feel safer to those outside of cars?
The most dangerous part of any transportation system is vehicles. To reduce traffic-related injuries, we need to separate cars from human-powered transportation. Painted lines alone aren’t sufficient—Corvallis needs an expanded active transportation network that provides car-free pathways for safe, efficient travel. Where interactions between cars, pedestrians, and cyclists are necessary, I support implementing additional traffic-calming measures like road diets, half closures, and median barriers. Our streets should prioritize human safety over vehicle convenience.
Increase the environmental and financial sustainability of our transportation system?
Maintaining roads primarily used by cars is one of Corvallis’ biggest expenses, as heavy vehicle traffic leads to significant wear and tear, particularly on high-speed, high-traffic routes. In contrast, human-powered transportation options reduce maintenance costs and extend the lifespan of our infrastructure. To address this, we need to reevaluate our street functional classifications and ensure our design practices are in line with pedestrian-oriented standards. The 2018 update to the Transportation System Plan offers valuable guidance, and I intend to expand and implement its recommendations to strengthen our active transportation network. By investing in non-vehicular transportation options, we can encourage more frequent biking and walking trips to key destinations around town, thereby reducing our reliance on fossil-fueled cars. These new spaces could also include community vegetation and tree cover to further separate car zones from pedestrian and cycling paths. This approach not only helps decrease emissions and fuel consumption, but it also provides increased shade and natural cooling, enhancing environmental and community health in tandem.
Create or strengthen transportation mode shifts to increase active transportation and public transportation trips?
Expanding our active transportation network is essential for city livability. I will work to prioritize street designs that enhance transportation efficiency for non-vehicles, making human-powered movement the easiest and safest way to navigate Corvallis. By focusing arterial and collector roads on outer city circulation and creating protected pathways for bikers and pedestrians, we can incentivize travel outside of cars. This will also increase the efficiency of our public transportation system, reducing congestion and improving bus routes, particularly in underserved areas like North Corvallis and Southtown.
Allow for increased independence of children, including but not limited to, Safe Routes To School?
The safest way for children to travel is through spaces free from vehicle traffic. By creating car-free zones and expanding our active transportation network, we can provide children with the independence to walk or bike to school safely, without the risk of vehicular injury. Safe Routes to School initiatives will be a priority as we design our city for all ages and abilities.
Increase the proportion of transportation funding that is spent on creating the infrastructure that supports our policies and visions, such as directing more funding toward our Neighborhood Bikeway Network?
Savings from reduced vehicle-related road maintenance can be redirected to expanding the Neighborhood Bikeway Network and other pedestrian-oriented infrastructure. By limiting vehicle use and re-evaluating our street classifications, we can reinvest these savings into sustainable transportation options. This approach not only reduces wear and tear on our roads but also aligns with our vision of a more walkable and livable Corvallis.
What other transportation policy actions do you plan to bring to the City Council?
I am a proponent of universal design and would apply these principles in all transportation decisions. Infrastructure must be accessible for people of all ages and abilities, including those with mobility needs and families with young children. As I’ve said before, streets are for all people. I also plan to explore policies that further reduce vehicular traffic in favor of active transportation and public transit. This includes developing more low-capacity roads, protected bus zones, and pedestrian-only areas that enhance the efficiency of our entire transportation system. By focusing on human-centered urban design, we can foster a connected, accessible, and sustainable Corvallis for all residents.
WARD 7 – Paul Shaffer
My outlook on cycling changed a bit more than a year ago. I had long viewed Corvallis as an “above average” place for cyclists. Bad knees had discouraged me from biking many years ago, but as I recognized the foolishness of wrapping myself in 5000 pounds of steel for local trips, I bought an e-bike and started seeing streets in the community from a different perspective. Cycling in Corvallis is much safer than where I routinely rode as a teenager in rural and small-town Pennsylvania, but there are a lot of streets I prefer to avoid. I also note that spending even a bit of time in cities like Amsterdam, where cycling is a dominant way to get around, I realize what could be. With that preamble, some thoughts:
1. Prioritize decreasing traffic-related injuries, improve human health outcomes, and make our streets feel safer to those outside of cars.
I’ll start by saying the city is in a better place than when I came on Council 5 years ago; Public Works is more embracing of active transportation (i.e., anything! other than cars) than was the case in the past. Josh Capps is a good advocate. We are moving in the right direction, but I advocate for a faster pace to expand the bike network on city streets and to expand awareness of transportation modes other than cars. Corvallis and most of America have been car-centric for a long, long time, and changing that mindset will require a generational change. I hear frequently from constituents about “threats” to their car-centric lifestyle; it will take time and a different world view of transportation (but we are working on that).
2. Increase the environmental and financial sustainability of our transportation system.
Speaking from the perspective of the city fleet, we are moving in the right direction, with electric buses and an ever-increasing fleet of hybrid and electric city vehicles and police cars. I note that police like some aspects of an electric fleet, but are frustrated by some performance issues. I would argue that Corvallis is moving in an OK direction, although more slowly than would be ideal.
3. Create or strengthen transportation mode shifts to increase active transportation and public transportation trips.
Realistically, public transportation in Corvallis is not going to improve substantially in the near future. Funding is not substantially increasing, and I don’t see the city putting enough resources into transit or the city vehicle fleet to really change the dynamic. There will be tweaks based on analysis of existing transit routes and ridership, but… Corvallis is working to develop a strategic plan; as Council sets goals and priorities, a shift to increased focus and $$ for transit and active transportation is at least a possibility, but with the current council, I don’t see a majority of votes to move us in that direction. I will support moving
toward allocating more resources to public transit and for active transportation.
4. Allow for increased independence of children, including but not limited to, Safe Routes To School.
Corvallis has recently received a grant to assess Safe Routes to School. The presumed result will be identification of projects and priorities to improve student safety. I began advocating for student safety shortly after election to City Council (initially the crossing of Witham Hill at Elmwood); this topic is, and will remain, a personal priority.
5. Increase the proportion of transportation funding that is spent on creating the infrastructure that supports our policies and visions, such as directing more funding toward our Neighborhood Bikeway Network.
The bike network has become, and will remain, a priority for me. Although city streets are (nominally) safe, this is a matter of perception, and cyclists will avoid streets they do not consider to be safe (e.g., Circle Blvd.). The transition from cars to alternate transportation will take time; although city perceptions and funding are moving in the right direction, we must continue to steer the city toward a future that is not designed around cars.
WARD 9 – Karen-Jean Canan
Having grown up in Corvallis, I know first hand how important it is to have transportation that is accessible to all ages. I remember walking home and being able to get a carton of milk for my mom from the local little tiny store. Then I remember biking, and I also remember moving to the East Coast to a DC suburb that was not bikeable. As a kid in Corvallis, I also took the bus. Walking, biking and busing continue to be important to me as an adult and as a mom, now that my own teenager walks, rides the bus, and bikes.
Young people and elderly people, as well as low-income people, all deserve to be able to get around Corvallis safely. This includes having tree-shaded trees for people to walk under, as the Land Use Code dictates for new development, and I am in favor of sticking to that Land Use Code.
I want to prioritize our bus systems, stick to the land-use codes that prioritize walkability downtown and in new developments, and I also take very seriously the threat Republic Services poses to make Corvallis serve a destination landfill for all of Oregon. This would affect the air we breathe as well as the water in our river and in our ground. I also prioritize keeping City and County services downtown so that folks can get to them by bus and bike and have them within walking distance once they get there. I do not agree with moving the Courthouse out to HP. I also do not agree with letting hotels take over downtown. We need to protect our people and our beautiful environment, so that this city remains walkable, bikeable and busable for many years to come.
I would look into having new developers pay into the bus system. I would look into promoting the bus system, increasing the routes, and paying the drivers well so that it is a really viable alternative for all people. Thank you again for your efforts on these issues.
In closing, I will say that for multimodal transportation, I will work with the Department of Transportation to increase efficacy of the bus system to meet the needs of the community.
SAFE Corvallis 
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