Jennifer Spadafora

School Committee, Ward 3

Q1. How do you primarily get around? Where do you walk in Malden? When and where was the last time you biked, traveled with a person with mobility impairments, or took public transit? What is your evaluation of your own experiences traveling in Malden outside of a car?

I primarily get around by driving due to a disability I have, and I rely on my handicap placard to be able to park close to where I need to go. Walking long distances isn’t always possible for me, so most of my trips on foot are limited, usually just from a handicap parking spot into a building. Sadly, the last time I biked was years ago, before my disability progressed. I do sometimes travel with friends or family members who also have mobility impairments (my mother contracted Polio at 3 and has been disabled since), so I know firsthand how challenging it can be to navigate spaces that aren’t fully accessible. I take public transit occasionally, but only when I know there will be elevators, ramps, and accessible stops, since even a small gap or long stretch of sidewalk can become a barrier.

Q2. Name at least one concrete action that you think Malden can and should take within the next two years in order to improve the safety of streets and sidewalks for people not in cars—e.g., pedestrians, bicyclists, people with mobility assistance devices, people with disabilities, and children playing. Limit your answer to interventions which are possible entirely at the municipal level.

One concrete action Malden can and should take within the next two years is to repair and upgrade sidewalks and curb cuts to meet true ADA standards. Uneven sidewalks, missing curb ramps, or ramps that are too steep create serious safety hazards for people with mobility assistance devices like wheelchairs, walkers, or canes, as well as for parents with strollers and children walking or biking. This is something that can be addressed entirely at the municipal level through prioritizing accessibility in the city’s paving and sidewalk improvement schedule.

Q3. What, in your view, is the city's role in making Malden a community where more people are encouraged to get around easily and conveniently by foot, on bicycles, and on public transit? Name at least one concrete action you would take to make Malden a leader on this issue. Given that more than 40% of carbon emissions in Massachusetts are from transportation, how will your actions in this area support Malden’s sustainability and green energy goals?

In my view, the city’s role is to make sure our infrastructure and policies support people being able to get around safely, conveniently, and sustainably. One concrete action Malden has already taken that moves us in this direction is the recent Malden Public School policy update to ensure students are enrolled in the schools within their own neighborhoods. This is an important step because it reduces the need for long commutes by car or bus, and it makes it more realistic for families and children to walk or bike to school.

Q4. Malden families don’t have the opportunity of relying on school buses. They also aren’t guaranteed their closest neighborhood school, and school drop-off traffic is one of the most persistent congestion challenges in the city. How will you help families who want to get their kids to and from school without relying on a car?

Malden families have long faced challenges with school transportation because school buses aren’t provided and placement hasn’t always been at the closest neighborhood school. That’s why the school committee’s recent policy change, ensuring new students enrolling in Malden Public Schools are placed in their neighborhood schools, is so important.

The next step is for the city to support this policy by making it safer and easier for families to walk or bike to those schools. That means repairing sidewalks, improving curb ramps, and adding well-marked crosswalks. It also means working with schools on safer drop-off zones that don’t create gridlock.

In addition, we need collaboration with the MBTA to increase bus frequency during school drop-off and pick-up hours. More reliable transit at those key times would give families an alternative to driving, reduce congestion around schools, and help cut emissions from idling cars.

Q5. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation provides a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program. This program works to increase safe walking, biking, and rolling among elementary, middle, and high school students by using a collaborative, community-focused approach that bridges the gap between health and transportation. Do you support implementing community practices promoted by SRTS such as Bike Buses and Walking School Buses to help children get to school?

Yes, I fully support implementing Safe Routes to School practices like Bike Buses and Walking School Buses. In fact, I’ve personally participated and even led a walking group from City Hall to the Beebe School. Living just two blocks from Beebe, all three of my kids walked to school, and we really valued the chance to meet neighbors and walk together. It built a stronger sense of community and gave us peace of mind knowing that other adults were looking out for our children along the way.