Category: Biking in Baltimore

Follow the link for additional information. A strong showing from the cycling community would be great. We’ve said that we are willing to perform regular trail maintenance. We are in the process of determining which trails, so in the meantime Project Clean Stream is a good cause and an opportunity to show our support.
Continue reading “MORE – Loch Raven Trail Work Day, April 10th.”

Continue reading “FHWA Revenue sources for highways 2004”

From NORTH BALTIMORE BIKE BRIGADE

Aside from a few new bike lanes here or there as part of Operation Orange Cone, there hasn’t been anything new to bike on in Baltimore for quite some time.  Even the new shared bike and bus lanes downtown need some refreshing.  One small victory was gained in the deep mid-winter on the central bikeway of Baltimore.  Baltimore City Public School System had closed the parking lot of the Guilford Ave cut-through due to conflict between cyclists and pedestrians with extended gate arms and chains. 

A compromise was reached by the Department of Transportation adding signage to direct cyclists to the parking lot and yiedling right-of-way to pedestrians; nothing more than is asked in the regualr course of travel by cyclists in all parts of the city…and world.   By adding 3 simple signs, the dream of the Guilford Ave Bicycle Boulevard lives on.

Quite a few more signs for bicycles will spring up over the course of the spring, summer & fall taking B’more to the next level of bicycle existence.  No, it’s not Portland, Amsterdam, Copenhagen or even New York City.  It’s Baltimore.  Not only will the Park Heights and Southeast Bike Networks become reality, but construction on 3 trail sections will begin and an existing trail will be recognized.

Until the summer construction season, keep on riding, shake the remaining cold and yield to pedestrians.  There are many events coming this summer that need assistance of experienced cyclists.  Let’s get more of B’more outta cars and onto bikes!!! 

As Bartles & James used to say, “Thank you for your support.”

Continue reading “Guilford Ave cut-through”

Update: The Sun also has coverage with this great quote:
"The lawyer also argued that Yates was not negligent because statutes governing bicyclists require them to stay with the flow of traffic, as far to the right as possible.

"That’s exactly what Mr. Yates did," he said. "

*************************
By Brendan Kearney
Daily Record Legal Affairs Writer

The family of a Baltimore man who was killed last summer when his bicycle collided with a large truck filed a $5 million suit Wednesday against the alleged hit-and-run driver and contractor Potts & Callahan Inc.

John R. Yates, a 67-year-old retired youth counselor, was cycling south on Maryland Avenue just north of I-83 when Michael D. Chandler turned his Potts & Callahan fuel tanker right onto Lafayette Avenue, according to the suit filed by his wife and two children in Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Yates’ bike became entangled in the back wheels of the green and silver truck, according to the suit, and Yates was run over and pronounced dead at the scene, just blocks south of his row house.

Chandler, a 61-year-old Severn resident, did not stop, and police only determined days later, from watching video of the accident captured by a nearby security camera, that the truck belonged to Potts & Callahan, which has an office and yard nearby, according to police reports.

Although police concluded Yates illegally passed the truck and therefore did not press charges against Chandler, the Yates family lawyer said he is “very comfortable” with the facts of the case.

“The driver of the truck is negligent, there’s no question about that,” said Steven D. Silverman, adding that the only remaining question is whether Mr. Yates was contributorily negligent, which would negate his family’s claim. “And based on several attorneys’ reading of the statute, [Yates] wasn’t.”

Continue reading “Family files $5M suit in fatal Baltimore bike accident”

[This concerns me as Baltimore pays for the non-trails bit of it’s Bike Master Plan through it’s own budget which is very different then most of the country that get’s Federal Transportation Enhancements and/or CMAQ money to pay for these things (My readers should know by now that the State’s policy is a major hindrance in getting Federal Aid for the localities to get on-road biking for transportation in this State. But I will note that the State does not have trouble getting Federal Aid to fund on-road bike projects on its roads.)]

The state’s longstanding practice of paying more for Baltimore City roads — then letting the city government handle its own paving — is coming under increasing scrutiny this year as other jurisdictions struggle with reduced state highway aid.

Since Baltimore takes care of the state roads within its borders, the city takes in much more in highway user revenues than any other jurisdiction. That has been exacerbated by cuts in Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposed budget for this year.

In the governor’s plan, the city would get nearly $131 million, while the counties share $8 million and municipalities get $41 million.

Legislative analysts are recommending to lawmakers that they take $30 million from the city and spread it throughout the 23 counties.

Republican lawmakers in a budget briefing this week proposed taking $100 million from the city’s share of highway user revenues this year. And at a hearing Thursday, Baltimore Sen. Verna Jones asked what it would cost the state to take over the maintenance of state roads in the city.
…
Continue reading “Who should pay for Baltimore City’s roads?”

Matthew Sottile, Dawson Burke, and Jimmy Barrett of Connecticut will “Bike for Progress.”  On April 1, 2010, the three high school friends will begin their trans-America journey, cycling from Baltimore, Maryland to Canon Beach, Oregon in support of free speech.  All pledges and sponsorship for “Bike for Progress” will be generously donated to NCAC.

The cross-country trip has been in the works since Study Hall, their sophomore year in high school, but it was Matthew Sottile’s recent idea to ride for our cause:

I first learned about NCAC several years ago through researching the annual Banned Books Week event.  I decided that I wanted to help raise money for NCAC because I believe that the preservation of ideas is of utmost importance, and that everyone who lives in a free country should be aware and willing to protect that.

NCAC is thrilled to have the support of “Bike for Progress.” You can learn more about the trio and follow their cross-country ride at Bike for Progress blog.

You too can support NCAC and “Bike for Progress” with a donation. Click on the donation button to give $21 (1/2 a cent per mile at 4200 miles) or any amount you choose.

Continue reading “Bike for Free Speech: a Three Man Trans-America Bicycle Ride Benefits NCAC”

[Critically reading the following, the local that has the highest frequency of childhood bike accidents, the rate went down, not up. Personally I think education and free helmet give-a-ways are more effective then mandatory use laws. And BTW from memory you can buy children’s bike helmets in bulk for ~$2.50 someone needs to turn this around to be proactive.]

Although bicycle helmets are effective in preventing head injuries, use of helmets among children remains infrequent. In response to the bicycling deaths of two children, Howard County, Maryland, became the first US jurisdiction to mandate use of bicycle helmets for children. Schoolchildren were lectured by police about the law before its enactment. Prelaw and postlaw helmet use was observed in Howard County and two control counties: Montgomery (which sponsored a community education program) and Baltimore County (nohelmet activities). Prelaw crude helmet use rates for children were 4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0% to 10%) for Howard, 8% (95% CI 3% to 13%) for Montgomery, and 19% (95% CI 5% to 33%) for Baltimore. Postlaw rates were 47% (95% CI 32% to 62%), 19% (95% CI 11% to 27%), and 4% (95% CI 0 to 11%), respectively. The rate of bicycle helmet use by Howard County children is now the highest documented for US children. A similar increase in helmet use among children younger than 16 years nationwide could prevent about 100 deaths and 56 000 emergency-department-treated head injuries annually. Physicians and other health professionals should consider proposing and supporting the Howard County approach in their communities.
Continue reading “Bicycle Helmet Use Among Maryland Children: Effect of Legislation and Education”

For a ladies evening of fun, hands on learning and networking.

Be more comfortable on your bike by learning fitting tips, proper riding wear & gear, flat tire repair, regular bike maintenance, and best safe riding practices.

Meet other women who love to ride or who want to love to ride.
We look forward to spending a fun and informative evening with you.

Raffle prizes and refreshments!!

Continue reading “Ladies Bicycling Information Event Sunday, February 28, 2010”

It’s been more than a week since the snow storm ended. All major roads are clear. Side streets are passable. So why is the Inner Harbor bike path snowed in when all 4 lanes of Pratt Street are clear? There’s plenty of room for snow to be dumped right to the side of the lane, and just clearing a 2-4 foot path wouldn’t be terribly hard to do. The harbor is RIGHT THERE. That’s where all the snow is being dumped anyway, right?

More information and analysis here : https://blog.cyclosity.com/?p=1608