To the Editor:
As a longtime Princeton resident and a founding member of Walk Bike Princeton, a community group dedicated to fostering a walkable and bikeable community, I strongly support Marina Rubina for Princeton Council.
Marina’s priorities on housing policy, zoning reform, safer streets, and expanded mobility options are closely aligned with the goals of Vision Zero and with building a more affordable, accessible, and sustainable Princeton. Having known Marina since our children were in daycare together, I can attest to her thoughtful, solutions-oriented approach and her deep commitment to building an inclusive and economically vibrant community.
If we are serious about safer streets, we must be honest about why our streets feel unsafe in the first place. One factor is that far too many daily trips in Princeton still require a car. This is not inevitable. Rather, it is the result of decades-old zoning and land use policies that separate homes from jobs, schools, and services, making driving the default.
Marina is one of the few candidates willing to address these issues directly. She understands that land use drives transportation policy. Without changes to where and how we allow housing to be built, we will continue to see congestion and high-risk conditions for pedestrians and cyclists on our roads, no matter how many incremental safety improvements are made.
Her approach is straightforward, practical, and inclusive: build more housing in the right places, especially near downtown, so that more people can walk or bike for everyday needs. The benefits are clear: less traffic, fewer conflicts, and safer streets. This also makes spending on sidewalks and bike lanes far more cost-effective, because they are actually used by more people daily. At a time when traffic and safety concerns are at the forefront, this approach is especially important.
Current policy too often forces a false choice between housing, safety, and open space. Marina rejects that tradeoff. By thoughtfully focusing growth where it belongs, we can increase housing supply while reducing pressure to build on the surrounding fields, woodlands, and natural landscapes that make Princeton such a wonderful place to live.
For our town to realize Vision Zero and meet its climate and sustainability goals, we have to address the underlying housing, land use, and transportation challenges. Marina Rubina offers the kind of leadership Princeton needs to achieve a more affordable, safer, and sustainable community.