San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition Questions and Answers

By Shane Kramer

Shane Kramer is a strong supporter of alternative transportation which includes public transit, the use of alternative fuel vehicles, and capital improvements to make San Luis Obispo more pedestrian and bicycle friendly. The answers included are to written questions addressed to Shane Kramer by the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition in September 2004.

Yes. I use public transit.

2. In your opinion, what are the most important bicycle related issues in your district/city?

Safety and land use planning. I am consistently disappointed at the lack of progress we have made in the City of San Luis Obispo in integrating the use of bicycles in our traffic and circulation plans and improvements over the past thirty [30] years. It seems to me that we are way behind other cities, such as Davis, in this regard. Although we have seen major roadwork on Marsh Street, Broad Street, Los Osos Valley Road, Lower Higuera, Tank Farm Road, Highway 1, and Madonna Road over the years, we still have not seen the use of bike paths or boulevards separated from automobile traffic lanes.

3. What can SLO County cyclists expect from you if elected?

I am supportive of alternative transportation efforts and efforts to convert automobiles to alternative fuels. To this end, I will welcome any proposal that makes San Luis Obispo more accommodating to pedestrian, bicycle, and public transit uses. For safety reasons, I strongly believe that bicycle paths or boulevards which are physically separated from automobile traffic should be constructed whenever possible. Neither our children nor adult bicycle riders are safe as our roadways are currently designed. I do not believe that bicycles will ever become a major or predominant form of transportation until we design bicycle safe roadways.

I would support continued efforts to expand and extend the existing plans placed in motion by the City of San Luis Obispo which includes the bicycle path adjacent to the railroad tracks which will extend from the southern most part of San Luis Obispo to Cal Poly at the northern most part of the city.

4. What else should members of the SLO County Bike Coalition know about you before going to the polls?

To work my way through Cal Poly in the 1970's I drove city bus in San Luis Obispo. During those years I did not own or use an automobile. This sparked what has been a lifetime interest in promoting alternative transportation.

For the past fifteen (15) years I have been a member of the Kiwanis Club of San Luis Obispo and active in the District Foundation. The Foundation focuses on Pediatric Trauma Prevention. As part of that program Kiwanis provides to local law enforcement and other organizations throughout San Luis Obispo County bicycle safety helmets for distribution to children and supports bicycle safety rodeos by providing materials and funding. I believe that the City of San Luis Obispo should seek out partnerships with non-profit organizations to promote bicycle use and bicycle safety.