Guardrails: Only for people in cars from Greater Greater Washington by Miriam Schoenbaum
https://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=11655
[B’ Spokes: Miriam raises a good question, after all, would you want your house to be the bumper stop for a car runaway zone? According to SHA it seems the goal is to protect the cars from things along side the road and not things along side the road from cars.]
R4-11 in the news
by Abby Brownback – Gazette
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“We recognize the value of the R4-11 to communicate the rights of bicyclists to use the full lane when the lane is of substandard width,” he said.
R4-11, a square white sign, was approved by the Federal Highway Administration in late 2009, but states and municipalities can alter the sign’s color, size and font, said Shane Farthing, WABA’s executive director.
“We really do want something that communicates clearly both a warning and a right of usage of that portion of the road,” he [Michael Jackson, the director of bicycle and pedestrian access for the Maryland Department of Transportation] said.
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission supports the use of the signs, said Fred Shaffer, the commission’s planning department’s bicycle and pedestrian coordinator.
“When treatments are accepted on a national level, we tend to think it’s acceptable to start incorporating them into development planning,” said Shaffer, who also works with the county’s Bicycle and Trails Advisory Group. The volunteer cohort, organized in 1998 by the county executive’s office, recommends trail priorities and comments on local development plans.
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Must be horrible living in a cyclist’s paradise
Opinion in the Gazette:
This is in response to Michael Klein’s error-ridden letter of July 20 complaining that cyclists don’t pay "road taxes" “Cyclists a menace in Poolesville;.”]
First, there is no such thing as "road tax." Local county roads such as Hughes are constructed and maintained with money from Montgomery County’s general fund, and the majority of money in the general fund comes from property and local income taxes. Second, there are no bike lanes on Hughes. Third, cyclists are not required to get out of the way of impatient motorists at the toot of a horn (and motorists who honk angrily at cyclists shouldn’t be surprised to get an angry response in return). Fourth, no matter where the cyclists live, they are entitled to use public roads. (Mr. Klein, even though you reside in Poolesville, you are allowed to drive in Washington, D.C.). Sixth, most every cyclist Klein is complaining about also owns a car and is a licensed driver who pays gasoline taxes, registration fees and the like. In Maryland, even a portion of sales tax is now going toward state road construction and maintenance, because gax taxes and other vehicle fees don’t cover all state road expenses. Seventh, though some cyclists may roll through stop signs (as I see motorists do every day), I have not heard of any incidents where drivers were endangered.
Finally, the cyclists on Hughes undoubtedly were on their way to or from businesses in Poolesville, where they spend money. I can understand that Klein is frustrated by the popularity of his particular road. It must be horrible living in a cyclist’s paradise. Maybe Klein should get out on a bike and see what all the fun is about.
Nancy Taylor, Bethesda
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Laurel urges SHA to adopt both versions of “Bicycles May Use Full Lane” sign
The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is no longer deliberating on whether to approve the Bicycles may use full lane sign, but rather on the shape and color of the sign A version with a white rectangle has been approved by the Federal Highway Administration and is commonly known as “R4-11”. SHA’s Office of Traffic and Safety has proposed that the same words be placed on a yellow diamond. (See pdf). WABA and other cycling organizations have remained neutral about the shape and color of the sign. What matters is that the sign actually be posted throughout the state along the many types of roads where the safest way to legally ride a bicycle is by using the full lane. We have also suggested that SHA should engage the localities to help motivate them to use whatever sign is eventually adopted.
Cycling activists have recently asked several local governments about their willingness to use these signs. Most localities have no experience with R4-11 and have been unable to tell us what they are likely to do. An exception is Bryon White, the city engineer with Laurel’s Department of Public Works, who is also responsible for bicycle and pedestrian issues. On roads with a speed limit of 25-30 mph, the city is already using the R4-11 sign, along with sharrows marked in the middle of the lane. “I think accompanying R4-11 with sharrows really makes all the difference; the location of the marking in the center of the lane takes all the ambiguity away, for a reasonable driver.”
On roads with higher speed limits, however, White opposes using the R4-11 and sharrows.
While a bike can legally go on roads like this, it is generally impossible to keep up with traffic, if there’s even a slight uphill grade. You are essentially forcing many other vehicles to slow down to your speed or pass you in another lane (if one exists) or cross a double-yellow when safe. Although the inconvenience would be relatively infrequent, I prefer to designate an alternate adjacent parallel route as the preferred bike route with appropriate signs, markings and/or striping for bike lanes… We are at the beginning of our bike master plan build out. As the network gets built, more and drivers will become accustomed to seeing and looking for cyclists, I envision the City may eventually be willing to use the signage on roads with faster speeds.
The citizens of Laurel have been generally supportive of sharrows and R4-11 signs on the lower speed roads; but they might not favor he town directing cyclists to use the full lane on the higher speed roads.
So are cyclists simply on their own against aggressive drivers on higher speed roads?
I agree with the premise that faster roads are where warning signs are needed. But if you put a particular sign any old place to warn drivers about something that rarely occurs–in this case, a bicyclist legally using a whole lane on a fast-moving road–then motorists will begin to ignore the warning sign. That would defeat the whole purpose of the R4-11 sign. Yet there is a subset of cyclists that are adept and confident enough to travel at high speeds with traffic; so I would prefer that we use a yellow diamond version of the Bicycles may use full lane sign there.
As an example, White points to US-1.
Currently, we have Share the Road warning signs on US-1 through Old Town Laurel. Cycling there seems awfully dangerous. The road lanes are about 11 feet wide. I have seen cyclists on this road, though not a lot. The yellow diamond version Bicycles May Use Full Lane seems to make more sense there, and I would be in favor of SHA replacing the existing Share the Road signs there with this newer warning sign. The bottom line is that engineering judgment has to be exercised because bicyclists’ abilities to accelerate and maneuver vary greatly. Only a small percentage of cyclists can or would ride on US-1, though it is perfectly legal to do so.
My job is to build a grid network of preferred bike routes that will be appropriate for cyclists with different degrees of skill. That means that in the City of Laurel, US-1 is not a preferred route in the City’s bike master plan–and likely won’t be. We have safer adjacent parallel roads. By this end of next year, a bicyclist will be able travel the entire US-1 corridor through the City, using a route that is parallel to US-1 and only one block away. This alternative route consists of on-street bike lanes, sidepaths, and low volume shared roads; yet it still provides direct access to all the commercial developments in the corridor. I expect that the large majority of cyclists who travel north/south will use this preferred route…
Does that mean riding US-1 is off-limits? No. It is a legal route that bicyclists can take, and it should be signed as such. Because of its narrow lane widths, I think that means using the yellow diamond version of R4-11, as opposed to more ambiguous share the road.
SHA could compromise on R4-11, by incorporating both versions Bicycles May Use Full Lane into the Maryland MUTCD, with guidance indicating that engineering judgment should be applied on which type of roads to use them. For example, slower, lower-volume roads would use standard white R4-11; and roads with higher speeds and many curves or poor lighting, or more potential conflict points, would use the yellow diamond version.
(Jim Titus is a member of the board of directors of the Washington Area Bicyclists Association (WABA). The opinions expressed herein are solely those of Bryon White whom he interviewed, and do not necessarily reflect the official views of WABA.)
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Bullying the cyclists on roadways
By James Wagner, Bethesda
I was very disappointed to read the recent editorial regarding cyclists’ use of the roads [“Sharing the road,” June 29]. The Gazette mischaracterized the situation is several ways, staring with the the false definition of impeding traffic. Impeding traffic is defined based on the normal traffic flow, taking into account all road users, which includes cyclists (see the published Ohio Court of Appeals case Trotwood v. Selz). It is not based on the speed limit, which is only one of numerous constraints, the foremost being proper use of due care and adjusting speed for conditions. The officer quoted from the forum plainly had it wrong.
The other major mischaracterization was that there’s plenty of space on the roads and that the problem is nothing more than packing vehicles into that space. Motor vehicles barely fit in the lanes by themselves, and as speeds go up, more space is required. For cyclists who are constantly threatened by unsafe and aggressive drivers, the safety margin required is even more. A motor vehicle does not have enough space in many of the surrounding roads to pass even single cyclists safely, so complaining that several cyclists are present is irrelevant.
Drivers are reaping more than a fair share of the road by using it at the same time as other users, one behind the other. For drivers to expect to move about without having to wait for fellow users is not sharing; it’s monopolizing the road and bullying people. If The Gazette wants to promote courtesy (let alone safety), then demand that drivers slow down, wait for others, and stop using smallest community roads as thoroughfares.
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Cecil County, Maryland Bicycle Plan
[B’ Spokes: If this is were you live get involved! Details via the link at the end of the article.]
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Introduction
WILMAPCO, in coordination with Cecil County, Maryland departments (MDOT, SHA, MDP), municipalities, cyclists and other stakeholders will develop a Cecil County Bicycle Plan to establish recommendations for improved access and comfort of bicycling. The Plan will map proposed bicycle facilities, include an update of Cecil County recommendations outlined in the 2002 Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Master Plan, identify where further bicycle investments should be made, and present actions for implementation. It will promote safe and enjoyable bicycling opportunities for commute, recreation, and fitness, and will link to other modes of transportation throughout Cecil County. This Plan will also improve Maryland’s Bicycle Friendly State ranking from the League of American Bicyclists by having county-level bicycle plans.
The development of this Plan will be guided under the direction of an Advisory Committee that will represent a variety of stakeholders and agencies needed to implement the Plan, such as county and state officials, municipalities, community groups, businesses, and citizens.
Plan Objectives
Identify best practices for bicycle transportation and their possible use in Cecil County
Evaluate existing bicycle conditions and identify gaps in the network
Identify links to other modes of transportation, including bus and rail, pedestrian connections and park and rides
Propose policies, programs and projects for achieving the plan goals
Develop an action-oriented implementation plan, including funding sources and partnerships
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New Allstate Survey Shows Americans Think They Are Great Drivers – Habits Tell a Different Story
It’s the "other" drivers (cyclists) that are the problem and never "me" even though most admitted to practicing dangerous behaviors on the road.
Read more: https://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-allstate-survey-shows-americans.html
Transportation Trust Fund Closeout Fiscal 2010
[B’ Spokes: Just to point out that 5.3% of that sales tax on your new bike and other stuff you buy goes to pay for state roads (your property tax goes to pay for local roads.) And if SHA says they can’t afford to accommodate bike/peds maybe they need a reminder they have $234 million that they could have spent on bike/peds but didn’t last year.]
| Starting Fund Balance | $245 |
| Revenues | |
| Titling Taxes | $543 |
| Motor Fuel Taxes | 721 |
| Sales Tax | 218 |
|---|---|
| Corporate Income, Registrations, and Misc.MVA | |
| Fees | 690 |
| Other Receipts and Adjustments | 501 |
| Bond Proceeds and Premiums | 140 |
| Total Revenues | $2,813 |
| Uses of Funds | |
| MDOT Operating Expenditures | $1,583 |
| MDOT Capital Expenditures | 575 |
| MDOT Debt Service | 151 |
| HUR | 146 |
| General Fund Transfer | 304 |
| Other Expenditures | 47 |
| Total Expenditures | $2,806 |
| Projected Ending Fund Balance | $252 |
| Less HUR Adjustment | -18 |
| Final Ending Fund Balance | $234 |
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Ticketed for failure to yield to a cyclist [video]
Work begins soon to improve Ridge Road flow in Damascus
by Susan Singer-Bart, Staff Writer for The Gazette
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State policy is to add bicycle lanes on every new [State road] project, Rakowski said.
“SHA policy is looking at providing additional bicycle amenities throughout the state,” she said.
In this case, the bicycle lane will connect to shoulders on both ends.
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