2025 Des Moines City Council Candidate Survey
The Street Collective invited every Des Moines City Council candidate to share views on school-zone safety, sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and DART funding.
You’ll see broad agreement on safer streets and filling sidewalk gaps, with differences on how fast to build protected lanes and how to fund and prioritize transit.
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The Street Collective does not endorse candidates — our goal is to inform and engage the public in shaping a safer, more connected Des Moines.
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Below are responses from every candidate to the Street Collective’s 2025 transportation survey.
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Ward 1 Candidates
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CeCe Ibson
Section 1: Personal Experience & Vision
Section 2: Safety Near Schools
Section 3: Safer Streets & Protected Bike Lanes
Rob Barron
Section 1: Personal Experience & Vision
Section 2: Safety Near Schools
Section 3: Safer Streets & Protected Bike Lanes
Ward 3 Candidate
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Josh Mandelbaum
Section 1: Personal Experience & Vision
Section 2: Safety Near Schools
Section 3: Safer Streets & Protected Bike Lanes
At-Large Candidates
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Endi Montalvo-Martinez
Section 1: Personal Experience & Vision
Section 2: Safety Near Schools
Section 3: Safer Streets & Protected Bike Lanes
Mike Simonson
Section 1: Personal Experience & Vision
Section 2: Safety Near Schools
Section 3: Safer Streets & Protected Bike Lanes
In summary,​
​Des Moines City Council candidates largely agree on the goals — safer streets, better sidewalks, and more reliable transit — but differ on how quickly and boldly to get there.
Several, including Rob Barron, Josh Mandelbaum, CeCe Ibson, and Endi Montalvo-Martinez, champion protected bike lanes and expanded pedestrian infrastructure, while Mike Simonson emphasizes maintenance and fiscal restraint.
All agree DART is essential, though opinions vary on funding and regional cooperation.
Together, their responses reflect both shared priorities and healthy debate about the city’s direction.
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Thank you to all the candidates for serving our community and for sharing your ideas on how to make Des Moines safer and more connected!