Category: Biking in Maryland

From Jenna Norwood blog:
Check out my father’s Christmas Day activism re: human-powered locomotion in the snow. He’s nearly 70 and he still insists upon using his bicycle for transportation, regardless of the weather. He gave up his car years ago because of the environmental impact.
Greenbelt, the city where my father lives, is the last remaining cooperative community that was set up during FDR’s administration. Rexford Tugwell (whom my dog is named after) came up with the idea to bring people together for economic recovery after WWII. He and Eleanor Roosevelt were instrumental in creating and promoting the communities. ER spent time there & Tugwell retired there.
Incidentally, my father eats almost exclusively raw food (I inspired him!) and he rode his bicycle nearly 50 miles to his 50-year high school reunion on the weekend of his 68th birthday. That was after going raw for 30 days.
So…on Christmas Day when most people were celebrating with food and drink, my father was on a mission. [The get sidewalks cleared of snow.]`]
Continue reading “Nearly 70 & my father still insists upon bicycling in the snow!”

In response to our post "Shortchanges in Md. commitment to pedestrians" Neil Pedersen responds with what I consider rather disappointing news.
Please see our poll in the right hand column, if you are like us you would probably select "All of the above." And I really can’t imagine putting forth an argument for just one of the categories. There are places where trails can’t be easily be built, there are state roads that bike accommodations can’t be easily be built and there are county roads where that bike accommodations can’t be easily be built. But if you utilize all to form a comprehensive bicycling network bicycling can take shape. But the state says no, essentially only off-road trails will be supported in Transportation Enhancement Projects (TEP) in defiance of Federal Polices that TEP funds should be used "principally for transportation rather than recreation purposes." Neil then goes to reference recreational trails the state has planed to build with TEP funds and a big fat ZERO for on-road transportation facilities.
Federal Highway Administration highlights best practices for accommodating cyclists, of course Maryland is not mentioned and does not even comes close to following the best practices. The 20 Year Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Master Plan claims to be "Making Maryland the Best State for Bicyclists and Pedestrians" how can this be without following best practices?
Those involved in bike/ped projects know that adding bike/ped accommodations are more economically done during routine maintenance but Neil reaffirms that the state has made up rules so economical bike/ped projects are out of the running as the project must "Be independent projects unrelated to planned or existing highway projects or routine highway improvements." I mean seriously how are we going to fix our road network for bike/peds economically if it has to be a separate project unrelated to routine highway improvements.?
These antiquated policies are what’s responsible for launching Maryland from #20 into the top ten worst state at #6 for pedestrian fatalities over the last decade but we are spending lots of money on trails and precious little to fix the current roads. If that doesn’t make you feel safer on our roads well then stay the heck off of them I guess.
Continue reading “SHA Administrator Neil Pedersen responds to our post”

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) ―
A Fairplay woman has been fined $140 for negligent driving in a collision with a bicyclist that cost an 8-year-old boy his leg.
The (Hagerstown) Herald-Mail reported Thursday Meghann Weaver, 21, paid the fine in December as part of a plea bargain.
Prosecutors dropped charges of reckless driving and speeding.
Deputy State’s Attorney Steve Kessell says there was no evidence that Weaver had used drugs or alcohol, which ruled out reckless driving in the Aug. 27 crash.
Victim David Greeley’s left leg was amputated at mid-shin. He also suffered a skull fracture, a broken jaw, a broken left arm and a fractured right leg
Continue reading “Driver Fined $140 for Negligent Driving That Cost Boy His Leg”

An MDOT document:
As interest in bicycling and walking increases in Maryland so has the need to understand laws and policies that provide the foundation for developing a well integrated non-motorized transportation network.
Federal transportation policy calls for mainstreaming non-motorized transportation. Specifically the policy promotes increasing non-motorized transportation to include at least a 15% of all trips and to simultaneously reduce the number of transportation systems and facilities .
?????SAY WHAT?????
Shouldn’t that be reducing fatalities? (Read more for the FHWA rendering.)
Continuing…
Continue reading “REFERENCE GUIDE TO FEDERAL AND MARYLAND. STATE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN LAWS AND. POLICIES”

There have been a few crashes lately which have resulted in the death of a cyclist or pedestrian and a slap on the wrist (at best) for the driver who killed them.

…
There are too many cases where drivers are killing people while driving in a negligent manner. In DC it’s a serious crime, in Maryland it is a traffic violation and in Virginia it’s just an accident. Both Maryland and Virginia need to start treating it like a crime so as to make all road users safer.

Photo by Velo_City
Continue reading “CWL 2009 #11 Negligence”

[Note a lot of negative comments on the Herald’s site.]
plan to make its streets more welcoming for bicycle riders.
The plan includes designated bike lanes, as well as roads that bicyclists and motorists would share.
A network of bike-friendly routes would help people who ride for recreation or transportation, a draft of the plan says.
The whole network could take years, as the city does a little at a time around road projects.
The city is asking for public input on the proposed plan. A public hearing will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
…
Continue reading “Hagerstown considers becoming Hub-and-Spokes City”

Apparently this driver almost right hocked a cyclist (2nd most frequent bike accident) but "a officer saying that he wa doing a investigation.i told him what happen and he said not to worry that the other person have no case."
Thank you Maryland police for making the roads safer, not!
Traffic law = to protect drivers from criminal charges when breaking the law with their car.
Car insurance = to protect drivers from financial harm when breaking the law with their car.
Criminal traffic law = Keep the fines low so more can go to the plaintiff in a civil suite
Civil law + Contributory Negligence = Any degree of contributory negligence would bar the plaintiff from collecting damages.
I mean seriously there has to be something for an "educational moment" like a good brow beating or something on record that this guy goes around cyclists in a "possibly" unsafe manner. Something, anything, pretty please?
Continue reading “I’m an idiot drvier in Maryland and this is my story”

Here is my take on the top bike issues
The Good:
* The Great Allegheny Passage – extending the C&O Canal to Pittsburgh
* Woodrow Wilson Bridge opens with a bike path
* Baltimore City’s Bike Master Plan and continued support
The Bad:
* Maryland’s pedestrian fatality ranking by the Federal Analysis and Reporting System (FARS) started this decade as #20, we now rank #6 worst state in the union.
* The lack of spending much Federal Aid on bike/ped projects.
* State Policy in administering Federal Aid that is NOT in alignment with Federal Policies that essentially make the localities first prove they don’t need the funding before getting any funding.
* Lower then the National average in bike commuting
* Hatem Bridge – We "need" two fast car only bridges about a mile apart not to mention the local residents "enjoy" all the 24/7 heavy truck traffic that utilizes the low cost yearly pass to bypass the tolls on I-95.
The Ugly (Things that should have worked out better then what they have):
Near the start of this decade we got:
* § 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 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; …
* Maryland Statewide 20-Year Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Master Plan – we are almost half way though the time period, how are we doing in making Maryland the best state for bicycling?
* § 2-603. Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access.
The most laughable assertion by the State:
The ICC a $4 billion highway (more expensive then the Bay Bridge) is both economical and environmentally friendly while the "planed" hiker/biker trail is nether economical nor environmentally friendly.
[Feel free to add your own in the comments.]

Time is running out to tell us your concerns and hopes for transportation in 2010.

Our survey is brief, easy, and will help shape our priorities in the year ahead – but you still haven’t taken it!

Take our brief survey before midnight on December 31.

In the past year, you’ve helped us push Congress to improve our nation’s transportation system.

Together we’ve fought back when legislators tried to chop funding for initiatives like high-speed rail and infrastructure that makes it safer to walk, ride, and drive. And we’ve turned up the heat on Congress to build the 21st century transportation system America needs.

Thanks to the commitment of people like you, more of our leaders are realizing that many of the top issues facing our country – including the economy, climate change, and energy security – can’t be solved without addressing transportation.

And people across the nation are being inspired to stand up for mass transit, speak out for pedestrians and cyclists, and fight for stronger communities. Americans are recognizing that it’s time to have more ways to travel, commute, and get around our neighborhoods.

We need to build on this momentum in 2010. Will you help by telling us which issues are most important to you?

Help us hit the ground running in 2010 – take our survey before the year is out!

Thank you again, from all of us at Transportation for America, for making 2009 such an incredible year.

And Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Ilana Preuss
National Outreach Director
Transportation for America

    

From Maryland-law.com:
Bicyclist Struck and Killed by Bladensburg Police Car
Just yesterday we examined Maryland’s deficiencies in the realm of pedestrian and bicyclist safety ( see https://www.maryland-law.com/library/maryland-pedestrian-safety-an-oxymoron.cfm ).
Today we learn from the Washington Post that on Saturday November 7th, 2009 a local bicyclist was struck and killed in Bladensburg by a Bladensburg police officer.
Reportedly, the cyclist was emerging from Bladen Plaza shopping center onto Annapolis Road when he was struck by a Bladensburg Police vehicle operated by Officer Alex Salinas.
The cyclist was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Continue reading “Maryland Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Called Into Question”