[B’ Spokes: note there is not enough room between the cyclist and the car in front to safely “squeeze” in another car. So this complaint is basically “If it wasn’t for this cyclists I could be stuck in traffic so much faster.” ‘
From The Washcycle:
This is one of the photos sent around by an outraged citizen to demonstrate cyclists failing to share the road in Montgomery County. It’s part of the reason there has been so much discussion about MacArthur Boulevard… Continue reading “Dear motorIST, please take a chill pill”
In response to one of our alerts the Secretary of Transportation responds:
**************************************************************
Thank you for your email to Governor Martin O’Malley regarding sample test questions for the Maryland driver’s license knowledge examination on the Online Tutorial on the Motor Vehicle Administration’s (MVA) website. The Governor has received your email and asked me to respond on his behalf.
The MVA is scheduled to release its new Maryland Driver’s Manual in July 201 1. The revised manual will address bicycle-related issues in greater detail than in previous editions of this publication. It is my understanding that the staff of the MVA, the State Highway Administration, and Mr. Michael Jackson, MDOTs Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access, worked with both you and the members of the Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee to revise the text regarding motorist responsibilities toward bicyclists and sharing the road with bicyclists. These changes will be reflected in the revise manual.
Test questions including practice test questions within the Online Tutorial will be updated to reflect the revised information in the new Driver’s Manual. We will give consideration to your comments when developing the new test questions.
Thank you, again, for your email. The Governor appreciates hearing from you, and, on his behalf, I thank you for your interest in this issue. For additional information on bicycle traffic safety in Maryland please feel free to contact Mr. Jackson at 410-865-1237 or via email at mjackson3@mdot.state.md.us. He will be happy to assist you
Beverley K. Swaim-Staley
Secretary of Transportation Continue reading “New Drivers’ Test and Manual Coming Out This Month”
[B’ Spokes: If you happen to run across O’Malley at the 65th Annual Catonsville July 4th Parade give a complement and ask nicely for him to reverse SHA’s staff decision about R4-11 as it is approved by FHWA.]
Dear Maryland Cyclists,
The Maryland State Highway Administration SHA is posed to make one fo the most anti-cycling decisions in the last few decades.
After years of careful research and debate, the federal Department of Transportation has approved signs that say “Bicycles May Use Full Lane” for lanes that are too narrow for a car to safely pass a bicycle in the same lane. Experienced cyclists know that it is safer to use the full lane on these roadways, but motorists often don’t. These signs would both give notice to motorists to be aware of the potential presence of cyclists taking the lane, and would provide greater clarity than the common, but ambiguous “Share the Road” sign. These signs make the roadways safer for cyclists.
But the Maryland State Highway Administration wants to block the use of the signs in Maryland, so that most cyclists will continue to ride on the extreme right side of the roadway–even on roads where doing so is more dangerous than using the full lane. And some drivers will continue to be surprised—and sometimes angry—when cyclists do use the full lane. Maryland law explicitly allows cyclists to use the full lane when doing so is safer than keeping right, but some state officials do not seem to agree with the law. And they are expressing their own disagreement by disapproving a sign that makes us safer.>
Sadly, this decision is coming at the end of the distinguished career of SHA Director Neil Pederson, who retires this week. A cyclist himself, Mr. Pederson has often pushed his agency to accommodate cyclists. Because the decision seems to have been made at a lower level, we do not know whether Mr. Pederson has been fully informed or not. We also do not know whether Governor O’Malley, who has been actively promoting Cycle Maryland in recent weeks, is aware of or supports this anti-cyclist decision by his Highway Administration.
1. Asking them to reverse SHA’s staff decision, and approve the use of the R4-11 “Bicycles may use full lane” sign so that cyclists and drivers alike will realize which roads are most safely ridden using the full lane, and>
2. Thanking Neil Pederson for his years of service and asking the Secretary and Governor to ensure that he is replaced by someone with a commitment to making Maryland’s roads safe for all road users.
Yesterday, June 30, the Federal Highway Administration informed state Departments of Transportation of another rescission of funds, this time totaling $2.5 billion. The action is taken under the 2011 Full-year Continuing Appropriations Act. Attached is the FHWA notice, which includes the total amount of funds each state is to send back to Washington
.
States are given maximum flexibility about the source of the funds that are rescinded – from among the following programs: Interstate Maintenance, National Highway System, Highway Bridge , Transportation Enhancements, Surface Transportation Program (only the funds available for any area), Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement, Recreational Trails, Metropolitan Planning, State Planning and Research, and Equity Bonus. You will note that Safe Routes to School and Highway Safety Improvement Program funds are NOT included.
States have to respond by July 8 – yes that’s right: one week from today. The memo recommends that “Division Administrators
should encourage their State department of transportation officials to reach out to stakeholders in considering how to implement the rescission.”
By now you all know the drill.
Transportation Enhancement and Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funds have consistently been inequitably targeted for rescissions in most states – and this will likely continue unless State DOT’s hear from you. In August of 2010, almost $1 billion of CMAQ, TE and Recreational Trails funds were returned to Washington , out of a $2.2 billion rescission. See our Rescissions FAQs for more information.
Please contact your Governor, or in the District of Columbia’s case, your Mayor, today to urge them to work with their departments of transportation to ensure balanced cuts.
Jim Titus expressed concerns regarding the
Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission –Prince George’s County’s
designation of MD Route 564 as a bikeway was not recognized by the State Highway
Administration. Michael [Jackson Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access] stated that because MD Route 564 is a State highway SHA was
not bound to accept M-NCPPC-PG’s designation but recommended that Jim contact SHA staff about his concerns.
For a little background: SHA intermittently removed a bikeable shoulder for bypass lanes around left turns lanes on a designated bike route when for “the same money” they could have centered the striping on the roadway and have comfortable cycling conditions on both sides of the road (the road in question is along RR tracks so in this one direction there is only lefts and no right turns.). This should have been a no brainier on how to accommodate bicyclists but as it stands now it’s forcing cyclists to weave in and out of fast traffic, not cool at all but per the Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access it is at least part of SHA policy. 🙁
S t r a t e g y 4 B :
Increase Communication with Stakeholders
… Strong State coordination with local programs is also encouraged.
S t r a t e g y 5 B :
Initiate a Bicycle and Pedestrian Partnership Program (BPPP)
…
The BPPP will provide a much-needed framework for State/local partnerships
focused on bicycling and walking. Bicycle and pedestrian travel is inherently a local
activity, so it is essential that improvements on State facilities complement local networks.
While policy is legally non-binding you would think a more tactful and more helpful response would be more forth coming from our Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access. But doesn’t State law cover this as well?
§ 2-602. Public policy.
The General Assembly finds that it is in the public interest for the State to include enhanced transportation facilities for pedestrians and bicycle riders as an essential component of the State’s transportation system, and declares that it is the policy of the State that:
(1) Access to and use of transportation facilities by pedestrians and bicycle riders shall be considered and best engineering practices regarding the needs of bicycle riders and pedestrians shall be employed in all phases of transportation planning, including highway design, construction, reconstruction, and repair as well as expansion and improvement of other transportation facilities;
(2) The modal administrations in the Department shall ensure that the State maintains an integrated transportation system by working cooperatively to remove barriers, including restrictions on bicycle access to mass transit, that impede the free movement of individuals from one mode of transportation to another;
(3) As to any new transportation project or improvement to an existing transportation facility, the Department shall work to ensure that transportation options for pedestrians and bicycle riders will be enhanced and that pedestrian and bicycle access to transportation facilities will not be negatively impacted by the project or improvement;
So somehow SHA has worked up a internal policy (not really subject to public preview) that they feel they CAN negatively impact bicyclists and the Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access can find no fault in that methodology. Tsk, tsk, that is just so wrong.
HANOVER, MD – The League of American Bicyclists [LAB] named Maryland as an Honorable Mention in its Bicycle Friendly State program.
…
The League of American Bicyclists cited a number of specific efforts Maryland is making that made them stand out including [edited for emphasis]:
۰ coordination with other states; [but not with it’s own localities.]
۰ creation of a Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access position at MDOT; [that stands up for SHA’s “right” to ignore the 20-Year Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Master Plan and to negatively impact bicyclists.]
۰ establishment of a 20-Year Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Master Plan that provides a detailed perspective from the State’s vision of becoming the best State for bicycling by 2023 and the 66 action items needed to get there. [This plan is so ancient that we had to pass a law last year to get MDOT to update the darn thing just like other transportation plans. It should have been updated twice by now but MDOT has refused and it gets an award for a modest 3% improvement in roads over 20 years? And if LAB would take the time to actually read the reports it basically says that Maryland state roads are already as good as they need to be for the best State for bicycling, ya right, some “20 year” plan with goals so low they knocked them out in the first year and cyclists have been on the back burner ever since.]
Both Maryland and Delaware were given honorable mention awards…
So who can you complain too? Absolutely nobody.
Why? Because thanks to LAB in giving credit to a ancient, gathering dust, 10 year old bike master plan we have a great bicycling policy even though the policy that SHA actually uses is more like “When we put shoulders on a road make sure they are consistent so we can charge bicyclists for a break down lane.” Well, that might be overly sarcastic (and don’t get me wrong, I really do like shoulders and things in general that benefit a wide range of users) but still we have MD Route 564 where they did not “need” to think about bicyclists (so take their shoulder away) and there is Hammonds Ferry Road bridge where they did not “need” to think about bicyclists (so sever their route.) I could go on but these have been in recent months from SHA.
But wait there’s more! LAB is not necessarily the bad guy here as the application for Bike Friendly States is filled in by… are you ready for this?… The Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access, that’s right the same guy who says that SHA is under no obligation to work with local plans (and by inference, SHA can negatively impact existing bicycling conditions) says we have a great bicycling policy even though the “great” bicycling policy says no that’s all wrong what SHA did and the policy in use by SHA says … well something different.
All this is to give you some idea of the current double talk cycling advocates have to put up with and to stress the importance of getting a director of MDOT that is supportive of improving conditions for cyclists. More on this point when I get a chance. Meanwhile enjoy biking on state roads as they are “the best for bicycling” per MDOT and I guess LAB thinks that as well. Heavy sigh.
By Caroline Hailey, Times Staff Write
Over the next week, cyclists who have already logged nearly 3,000 continual miles will ride through parts of Carroll County on the way to their final destination, Annapolis.
The cyclists are part of the Race Across America, where they ride solo or in two-, four- or eight-person relay teams through 12 states from Oceanside, Calif., to Maryland’s capital city.
Mount Airy Bicycles, off Old National Pike, will serve as the race’s 52nd time station, where the lead cyclists were expected to arrive late Thursday. Larry Black, founder of the bike shop, said cyclists should be coming through the area for the next week.
… Continue reading “Cyclists pass through Carroll on journey across U.S.”
by Liz Skalski, Staff Writer – Gazette
…
“I think we need to do more about pedestrian and bike safety generally in the county and this is a step in that direction,” Olson [Prince George’s County Councilman Eric Olson (D-Dist. 3) ] said. “We need to be encouraging walking and biking as alternatives to driving and making our communities more walkable.”
City Councilman Patrick Wojahn (Dist. 1) said that as an avid bicyclist he is looking forward to the light’s installment.
“Cars have failed to stop, even with the flashing yellow lights that exist there now. It’s a bit scary,” Wojahn said.
Olson said he is aware of at least two or three collisions at the crossing over the years that have left pedestrians with broken bones.
“A red light is really the best option and that’s a view I shared from the beginning,” Olson said. “A red light is unambiguous; a red light means ‘stop.’”
… Continue reading “Cyclists relieved stoplight coming to College Park trolley crossing”
Maryland cyclists, please take a moment to complete this short survey. As explained in an email by Maryland SHA Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator Dustin Kuzan:
This is part of the governor’s Cycle Maryland campaign and the idea of the survey is to collect more data on our cyclists throughout the state of Maryland, get their feedback on the current map and what features should be added to a bicycling map, as well as collect data on why other people do not bike. Anyone that has already taken the survey since it was sent from another source should refrain from taking the survey again.
Governor O’Malley, joined by Queen Anne’s County Commission President Steven J. Arentz, Bike Maryland Executive Director Carol Silldorff, members of Maryland’s cycling community, and others, officially kicked-off the “Cycle Maryland” initiative at the Chesapeake Exploration Center in Chester.
“I am pleased to announce a new interactive initiative to encourage Marylanders to enjoy cycling,” said Governor O’Malley. “By getting out and taking a bike ride, we can learn to enjoy more of Maryland’s natural treasures, help reduce the impact on the land, improve our fitness and well-being, and enhance our quality of life.”
Before biking along the Cross Island Trail, the Governor also announced a new interactive map that allows users to view the many bike trails and routes in Maryland and plan their cycling trips. Cyclists now have one central location to find places to bike using the various layers of the map, including the BLOC rating feature (Bike Level of Comfort) on state-owned roadways, points of interest, and information on the Maryland Trails Plan. Additionally, there will be an online survey of Maryland’s biking community to improve upon the existing map to make it more user-friendly for cyclists.
“The selected events for ‘Cycle Maryland’ showcase Maryland’s cycling diversity,” says Margot Amelia, Executive Director of the Maryland Office of Tourism. “From family-friendly recreational rides on newly opened rail trails to highly competitive long-distance road races, these routes take visitors on an up-close and personal journey through some of the most scenic landscapes in Maryland.”
Bike Maryland Executive Director Carol Silldorff joined the Governor in supporting biking in Maryland.
“We promote bicycling because planning and public health research all indicate that the best places to bike are the best places to live,” said Silldorff. “We know that bike friendly places allow people of all ages, races and economic backgrounds to enjoy healthy recreational opportunities and to travel via bicycle to and from destinations in their communities.”
All Marylanders are encouraged to attend other “Cycle Maryland” events now through October 9, 2011. At today’s event, the Governor announced a contest sponsored by the Maryland Office of Tourism and the Maryland State Highway Administration that invites participants to post pictures of themselves at events on Facebook to be eligible for a $250 VISA gift card. Prize winners will be randomly drawn from all eligible entries. The winners will be notified on or about October 31.
“Cycle Maryland” also involves a social media campaign. Connect with us on Facebook and follow CycleMaryland on Twitter and use hashtag #CycleMD to join the conversation.
The Maryland State Highway Administration SHA is posed to make one fo the most anti-cycling decisions in the last few decades.