SAN ANTONIO – Membership appointments for a newly formed pedestrian and transportation safety commission made up of transportation advocates and practitioners from across the spectrum were approved by San Antonio City Council this week.
City Council formally approved the commission’s creation in May 2025. It was initially approved with 13 members; however, a representative from District 2 and the Mayor’s Office were not included.
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The 11-person commission also consists of appointees from the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (AAMPO) and the VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority.
Below are the members and their respective council districts or jobs:
- District 1 appointee: James “Jim” Bailey in the category of cyclist
- District 3 appointee: Melissa Gonzales in the category of transit rider
- District 4 appointee: Melanie Cawthon in the category of transportation disadvantaged
- District 5 appointee: Andre Green in the category of transit rider
- District 6 appointee: Jesse Harasta in the category of transit rider
- District 7 appointee: Guillermo “Will” Ramirez-Long in the category of cyclist
- District 8 appointee: Brandon Boehme in the category of traffic engineer
- District 9 appointee: Monica Lopez in the category of transportation disadvantaged
- District 10 appointee: Joseph “Joey” Pawlik in the category of cyclist
- AAMPO appointee: Matthew Moreno, regional transportation planner
- VIA appointee: Razi Hosseini, vice president of engineering
The appointees’ terms end on May 31, 2027, and the commission would meet quarterly and as needed, according to city documents.
The Multimodal Transportation Commission will provide input and recommendations to the city council on policies, other implementation actions and issues affecting pedestrians and transportation users, according to Transportation Department Catherine Hernandez.
The commission functions as a byproduct of several plans in San Antonio, including the Bike Network Plan and Complete Streets policy. Updates to these plans and the Transit-Oriented Development framework requested a commission to help oversee implementation.
In an email to KSAT early this week, Harasta, a co-chair and co-founder of San Antonians for Rail Transit (SART), pointed to the city’s outward growth and the transportation problems it causes.
“I hope that we can encourage a different model, one which gives San Antonians the option of forms of transportation other than solely the private vehicle,” Harasta said. “I hope we can build a cleaner, safer, more efficient future for our city - one where we have the availability of choice in transportation.”
SART is a nonprofit organization advocating for multimodal transportation options, including rail transit, in San Antonio.
Pawlik — who serves as the executive director of ActivateSA — pointed to several new and existing city policies as ways the committee could consider “new and efficient innovations” for cyclists and pedestrians.
“Nearly every day we hear of new deaths or serious injuries on our streets and for me, this is a daily reminder of the importance of our work ahead - to create safe, healthy, fear free streets for everyone,” Pawlik said.
City documents specify that the commission’s responsibilities will include:
- Serving as an advisor to the Transportation Department director on exceptions to the Complete Streets policy.
- Functioning as a recommending body for reviewing and updating policies, procedures and plan metrics, benchmarks and amendments to City Code.
- Receiving updates on the department’s plans, policies and projects.
What is multimodal transportation?
The city’s Transportation Department describes it as a method involving designing and planning transportation systems “that encompass multiple modes of travel, ensuring connections and efficient movement of people.”
Broadly speaking, those people can travel by car, bus, bike, scooter, rideshare or on foot.
In an email to KSAT in March discussing the commission, Joe Conger, the department’s public relations manager, outlined key considerations when discussing multimodal transportation.
- System connectivity: Prioritizes creating interconnected networks, allowing for easy transitions between different modes of transportation.
- User needs: Aims to meet the “diverse needs” of various users, including pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders and motorists.
- Land use: Multimodal planning considers land use patterns regarding the impact of transportation choices and accessibility.
Some benefits of multimodal transportation include reducing congestion, improving traffic flow and promoting healthy communities, according to the department.
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