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City Receiving $2 Million for Transit and Bike/Ped Infrastructure

By Ron Cassie, Baltimore Magazine

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation has won four grants under two state and federal programs to upgrade bus and light rail service, further develop the downtown bicycle network, improve the Inner Harbor promenade and teach bicycle safety, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced today.

“Families are attracted to strong neighborhoods with transportation choices including bikeways and safe pedestrian access,” Mayor Rawlings-Blake said in a press release, touting the grants as a step toward her oft-stated goal of attracting 10,000 new families to the city. “These grants will go a long way to increase quality of life in Baltimore’s neighborhoods.” Rawlings-Blake thanked U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the Maryland Congressional Delegation and Gov. Martin O’Malley for their work in providing these grants to Baltimore.
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https://www.baltimoremagazine.net/bikeshorts/2012/07/city-receiving-2-million-for-transit-and-bikeped-infrastructure

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How Wealth Reduces Compassion

[B’ Spokes: Just the bit relevant to this blog but the whole thing is interesting.]
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By Daisy Grewal, Scientific American
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In one study, Piff and his colleagues discreetly observed the behavior of drivers at a busy four-way intersection. They found that luxury car drivers were more likely to cut off other motorists instead of waiting for their turn at the intersection. This was true for both men and women upper-class drivers, regardless of the time of day or the amount of traffic at the intersection. In a different study they found that luxury car drivers were also more likely to speed past a pedestrian trying to use a crosswalk, even after making eye contact with the pedestrian.
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https://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-wealth-reduces-compassion

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MD Streets Rank No. 8 in Bicycle Safety

B’ Spokes: (In reaction to the Silver Spring Patch article of the same name.) Er… no. LAB’s ranking has nothing to do with safety, especially the overall ranking of all the following areas combined: Legislation and Enforcement, Policies and Programs, Infrastructure and Funding, Education and Encouragement, Evaluation and Planning.
I will also highlight LAB’s feedback (note the last item in regards to safety.)
• Develop a Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) curriculum for bicycling enforcement both for new officers and continuing education – focus on laws related to bicyclists, interactions between motorists and bicyclists, and bicycle collision investigation.
• Adopt federal funding project rating criteria that incentivize bicycle projects and accommodations. The state is spending a low amount, less than .50 percent, of federal funding on bicyclists and pedestrians, particularly on transportation enhancements.
• Bicycle ridership, while good, must continue to increase. Determine barriers that people face when bicycling and implement a comprehensive strategy to reduce barriers and increase ridership.
• Add bicycle safety as an emphasis area in the state Strategic Highway Safety Plan and aggressively fund bike safety projects.
The Patch article: https://silverspring.patch.com/articles/md-streets-rank-no-8-in-bicycle-safety-119465af
LAB’s report card for Maryland: https://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/bicyclefriendlystate/bfs_report_cards/maryland.pdf

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Cops: Bikes help cut crime

[B’ Spokes: I would love to see more emphases on bike patrols in Baltimore.]
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byKristi Funderburk, Asbury Park Press
SEASIDE PARK — The borough’s police chief wanted a bicycle patrol to help improve the department’s ability to combat misdemeanors in the busier sections of town.
In two years, the patrol has been so effective the department is on track to generate more than $1 million in court revenue.
The borough’s bike patrol, established in 2011, has played a significant role in curtailing incidents from drug use to noise issues, borough Police Chief Frances Larkin said.
“They were very good at detecting marijuana smells, hearing disturbances and detecting underage drinking,” he said. “They were very mobile and able to cover a lot of the area without being detected.”
That has helped the department as a whole issue more citations. While the goal of the bicycle patrol was to improve quality of life, and Larkin feels it has, there has been a residual benefit in revenue.
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Continue reading “Cops: Bikes help cut crime”

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State Approves Grant for Towson ‘Bike Beltway’

[B’ Spokes: There is no doubt that Governor O’Malley’s Cycle Maryland program is doing some good, 20:80 match rather then 50:50 match and on-road bicycling facilities are also up for this grant rather then just trails. As good as this is, there is still more that can and should be done, stay tuned while I invigilate our options.]
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By Tyler Waldman, Towson Patch

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The $100,000 grant will go towards construction and signage on the bike loop around central Towson.

"These grants will help local jurisdictions build key connections that make bicycling a true transportation option," Gov. Martin O’Malley said in a statement announcing Tuesday’s grants. "Bicycling is a win-win for all of us by helping us learn to enjoy more of Maryland’s natural treasures, reducing the impact on the land, improving our fitness and well-being, and enhancing our quality of life.”

Baltimore County Councilman David Marks, a transportation consultant and former MDOT staffer, said he was "thrilled" to hear of the grant approval.

"We have a lot of congestion in Towson," Marks said. "It’s difficult to add highway capacity, so we have to do whatever we can to maximize the use of the current road network and that is what this is doing."
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https://towson.patch.com/articles/state-approves-grant-for-towson-bike-beltway

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CDC Report: Young Drivers More Likely to Die In Auto Accidents

by Laura G. Zois, Maryland Accident Lawyer Blog
In today’s age of texting and driving, it sadly should come as no surprise that young drivers are overrepresented in car crash fatalities. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on the statistics for 2009, which is already out-of-date. Here are the stats:
* 34,485 motor vehicle deaths
* 22% of those who died in auto accidents were aged 15 to 24
* Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 24
* People aged 15 to 24 represent only 14% of the population
* Actual rates of young people’s deaths are lower in urban areas than rural areas
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https://www.marylandaccidentlawyerblog.com/2012/07/cdc_report_young_drivers_more.html
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[B’ Spokes: I can’t help but think that the lower urban death rate has to do with slower speeds and closer destinations. Think about it, your phone goes off and; 1) You are almost at your destination. vs 2) You still have a long ways to go yet. Wouldn’t you be less likely to start fiddling with your phone under scenario 1 then 2? I will contended that mixed use and compact development save lives besides making for a more active life style.]

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Your Desk Is Making You Stupid

By Jessica Stillman, INC.
Your desk, scientists reported recently, is trying to kill you.
According to the New York Times, scientists discovered that when we sit all day, "electrical activity in the muscles drops… leading to a cascade of harmful metabolic effects," and sadly even getting regular doses of exercise doesn’t offset the damage. But now there’s new evidence of the harm of sitting. Not only is it making you fatter, it might also be making you dumber.
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https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/be-smarter-get-up-and-walk-around.html