Jacob V Bases

Mankato Candidate Questionnaire

The following responses were submitted by Jacob V Bases as part of the Greater Mankato Bike & Walk Advocates 2026 Candidate Questionnaire.

Responses are presented as submitted and have not been edited for content.

1. Would (or do) you feel safe biking and/or using an e-scooter as a primary mode of transportation for short and medium-length trips in Mankato?

Yes

1b. Why or why not?

I have in the past, its not the easiest and despite having experienced harassment on a couple occasions I did not generally leave the house fearing for my safety.

I would like to see improvement, robust active transportation infrastructure and walkable city planning draws people to communities.

2. What do you think the city should do to improve safety and convenience of bicycling (and other micromobility) in Mankato?

Bike lanes should be effective and routed in places where people need them and not through parking areas.

The city should promote and educate citizens about bicycle infrastructure.

Mankato needs to embrace its metro status and develop more public transit options while planning neighborhoods people can easily navigate and meet their needs without dependence on a car.

3. Please provide ideas to improve connections to the trail systems for those neighborhoods that don’t have safe access to improve active transportation opportunities.

Connect them physically whenever possible, make active transportation a priority when planning or redesigning areas.

When expanding public transit make sure the systems work together well as users may depend on both or a mixture of the two.

4. What do you think the city should do to promote and/or incentivize alternatives to driving, such as bikes, scooters, and walking, in Mankato?

Keep people informed and educated whats available / how to use it and continue developing the infrastructure.

Make the issue a point of pride, cities with great infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists attract and retain residents. City council is a great place for this type of advocacy and I intend to make it a priority when talking about city planning.

5. What do you think the city’s policy should be on shared scooters, bike-share, and other micromobility devices?

Unsure - I would like the city to be more proactive about developing a useful system.

I live on campus where we have the scooters you can rent but their location is random so I cannot imagine people actually depend on them the way I would want a transportation option like this to work.

Any program should be measured by its accessibility and reliability to people who depend on it.

6. Should the city consider adding traffic calming to motor vehicle cut-through traffic on residential streets that are often used as thoroughfares?

Yes

6b. If you answered yes to question #6, please provide some traffic calming suggestions.

Advocate for new developments to be accessible featuring active transportation options people use so we don't have to fix it on the back end years later.

Conduct studies then determine whats appropriate for the neighborhood many options are available; bump outs, chicanes, lane reduction, roundabouts, speed humps etc..

7. Are you in favor of reducing the speed limit in residential areas to 20 mph, unless otherwise posted?

Yes

8. What can the city do to improve walkability, including wheelchair and other mobility devices, access through the winter, keeping sidewalks and paths clear of snow and ice?

Keep sidewalks clear, often sidewalks don't get cleared for days after snowfall. I see people walking in the gutter or through snow. Ensure snow is not piled in the gutter in front of curb ramps after plowing.

9. How can the city work with local businesses to improve bike parking throughout Mankato (specifically older businesses that existed prior to adoption of the biking ordinance)?

Work with business to put bicycle parking in areas that are convenient and encourage use.

10. What mode(s) of transportation do you use, and why?

Car, bike, walk.

11. Would you support the city developing and facilitating an active transportation advisory committee?

Maybe