Yes. Walking and bicycling are two of the easiest ways for children (and adults) to lose weight while not requiring them to set aside large portions of their day for exercise. I have worked to expand bike lanes in North Brooklyn while a member of Community Board 1 and as a Council aide. I also believe that cutting down on vehicle traffic on our streets would be another significant step towards making our streets more accessible to bicycle traffic.

To increase foot traffic in the 33rd district we must also better educate the public of the practical advantages of walking, and not just the health benefits. In some areas, walking is often a faster way to get around the 33rd District given the long waits for buses and subways. With easily available maps, safer intersections, and well-kept sidewalks more people will walk instead of ride.

I would encourage to walk all 3 bridges, we have many large parks in the district, there are many new gym's that opened my wife and myself joined one, so should most of them.
put gym's in the public schools as well

Safe Routes to School should be mandatory and schoolyards should be returned to play/recreation use instead of teacher parking. Physical Education classes could move outside weather permitting. Other experiences such as nature walks and other walking educational opportunities should be encouraged and facilitated. Incentives to students and teachers alike for biking to work should be seriously explored and secure bike parking at schools should be a priority. A good walking environment is an essential component of a complete street and smart street design encourages walking. One idea could be “Bring a Bike to School/Work Day” and make it a city-wide campaign with water stations, etc. sponsored by neighborhood associations and NYCDOH. Also, National Bike-to-Work Week (May 14-18) is an excellent time to start pedaling to work.

Yes, I believe walking and biking in NYC would improve public health. Citywide we need to look at the issuance of bus passes to students who live in close proximity to their schools. Additional bike racks in the communities would encourage bicycling. The creation of walking clubs is something that I would initiate if elected.

Study after study points to a sedentary lifestyle as a leading cause of obesity. We must encourage a more active lifestyle. Getting New Yorkers, especially children, to see walking and biking as simply a part of life, rather than dreaded exercise, would contribute to reduced rates of obesity. As a member of City Council, I would fight for more greenways and bike paths. The more inviting we make the decision to walk or bike instead of taking a car or bus, the more likely people are to choose fitness. Additionally, we should roll out an educational campaign to clearly explain to people the dangers of obesity and the benefits of even a moderate amount of walking.

We know that increased physical activity helps to limit obesity. I think we can give NewYorkers incentives to walk and ride – for youth we can foster safe routes to walk to school, and work with the DOE to provide bike parking at schools, and for all age groups we can advocate for safer (protected) bike lanes.

One of the things which I spearheaded in Bedford Stuyvesant is the formation of the Bedford Stuyvesant Biking Coalition (BSBC) which focuses on promoting family-friendly neighborhood bike rides. For the past two years we sponsored neighborhood rides as part of the City’s Bike month and this August we are collaborating with the DOHMH to lead a neighborhood ride during the Bed Stuy Food & Fitness Expo. The mission of the BSBC is to support local riding – rides to the super market, Saturday little league games, and the local coffee shop. I secured three bike racks for my block and encouraged others to do the same. I am working and will continue to make this community safe for bike riding within the community. Two things which I would focus on in addition to promoting biking and walking are the continuity of bike lanes, and a better selection of streets for bike lanes.

I think health and fitness starts at an early age. I think In schools we need to encourage more running and exercise as a curriculum in our schools. Also at home we need to engage parents on a individual level to encourage them to start eating and exercising.

I do strongly believe that increased walking and biking in New York City would improve public health. The Department of Education needs to institute a program to encourage students to walk and bike to work. A Safe Routes to School Program should be created in all of our public schools, not just the 135 priority schools where they currently exist. In addition, we need to increase walking and biking in our district by making it more bike-friendly -- by, for example continuing to construct more bike lanes, including bikes lanes that are separated by a physical barrier, and putting in more traffic lights for bikes, pedestrians, and cars. We also need more to put bike racks on commercial streets. I also applaud Transportation Alternatives for passing the Bicycle Access Bill -- this is a huge step forward. Bike Month NYC is another great way to promote biking and increase bike safety, and we should continue to promote programs like this. As our Council Member, I will promote Safe Routes to Schools,as well as biking and walking at my many neighborhood town halls, as well as through my mobile office, which will visit a different neighborhood in my district every week.

Yes, I absolutely believe that increasing walking and biking in NYC would improve public health. In my work at the Pratt Center for Community Development and in my service on Community Board 6, I have wholeheartedly supported the “complete streets” agenda, working for bike lanes (including helping lead the effort to win close votes at CB6 for the 9th Street and PPW bike lines), pedestrian and bike-friendly intersection redesigns, full implementation of the Brooklyn Greenway, and improvements to Park Circle. I have also ridden in the Tour de Brooklyn, Tour de Bronx, and the Century, and was one of the lead organizers of the Brooklyn PTA 5k run/walk for public schools.

If elected, I would support a “complete streets” agenda, and design roads for all users, not only cars but also bikes, pedestrians, people with disabilities. I would also support increased bike transportation, by adopting a bike-sharing plan and closely monitoring the implementation of new bike parking requirements, and continue to expand municipal bike parking in strategic locations.