Fact check: Where do D7 council candidates stand on Blackstone corridor revitalization?

Reality Check is a Fresno Bee series holding those in power to account and shining a light on their decisions. Have a tip? Email tips@fresnobee.com.

Construction for a debated road project kicked off this summer, reducing car lanes to make room for bicycles, pedestrians and bus platforms on the southern stretch of Blackstone Avenue — part of a corridor often referred to as the “spine” of the city in Fresno’s District 7.

It’s one of several projects that are part of the city’s larger strategy to transition the vehicular-oriented corridor into a walkable, high-density residential neighborhood, known as the Southern Blackstone Avenue Smart Mobility Strategy.

Supporters see the area’s transformation as a key piece of the city’s future revitalization by making the corridor more multimodal and livable. Critics argue the bike lanes will go unused and reduced car lanes will lead to traffic backups.

Here’s where candidates Ariana Martinez-Lott and Nav Gurm, running for the District 7 seat, stand on the corridor’s future.

Nav Gurm

“I support the Smart Mobility Project as a safety and streetscape step. However, it alone is not enough to revitalize the corridor,” Gurm told The Bee.

“As a councilmember I would pair it with aggressively pursuing housing and transit-oriented development opportunities, so people can live, work, eat, and play in the same place, including realizing housing inside the Manchester Mall.”

“I support an anchor theory of economic development: one strong destination that draws investment, jobs, and foot traffic to the whole spine.”

Ariana Martinez-Lott

“I support the Smart Blackstone Mobility Project because safer streets save lives,” Martinez-Lott told The Bee.

“For 15 years, I have worked with neighbors to build missing sidewalks, install crosswalks, and slow traffic, so our children can safely walk to school, home, and our parks. Fresno has one of the highest pedestrian death rates in the country. Smart Mobility projects invest millions in improvements designed to reduce pedestrian deaths and make our streets safer.”

“As hundreds of new homes are built along Blackstone, and we welcome thousands of new residents to live on Blackstone, we must ensure new and existing families can safely reach schools, healthcare, businesses, and other neighborhood services. Smart mobility project and Measure S will make this a priority.”

“Our streets belong to everyone—children, families, pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers. For those who want to travel across Fresno at higher speeds, our freeways provide that option.”