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Mannequins help kick off pedestrian safety blitz

[B’ Spokes: if Baltimore was the size of Chicago we would be putting up 61Mannequins (vs. Chicago’s 32 ), yet pedestrian safety remains a low priority for Baltimore.I can’t find the link at the moment but bicycling facilities have been shown to improve pedestrian safety. My speculation is anything to get motorists to think about something other then "just other cars" helps.]
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By Jon Hilkevitch, Tribune reporter

Chicago officials appear willing to try whatever tricks it may take to eliminate pedestrian deaths — even as they push a bill in the state Legislature that would allow cameras across much of the city to catch speeders.

City officials kicked off an effort Tuesday to reduce vehicle-pedestrian crashes, which includes safety messages stenciled on sidewalks, stickers inside taxis urging passengers to report reckless cabdrivers and flags for people to carry to boost their visibility while crossing streets.

The combined education and police-enforcement effort, involving about 15 initiatives, began with placing 32 mannequins — representing pedestrians killed in 2010 crashes across the city — on Wacker Drive downtown from Michigan Avenue to Wells Street.

"You’ll notice that some of it is sort of hard-hitting, some of it may even be a little bit shocking," Chicago Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein said. He stood at Wacker and Wabash Avenue near mannequins wearing T-shirts reading, "One of 32 pedestrians killed last year in Chicago."

The city announced a goal to reduce pedestrian fatalities to zero by 2020. In addition to the 32 deaths last year, about 3,000 pedestrians were injured in vehicle-related accidents citywide, records show.
…
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How Much is a Bike Trail Worth?

by JULIE IRWIN ZIMMERMAN
With budget crises a reality for local governments all over the country, recreation amenities like bike trails are often the first places to look for cuts. But according to research coming out of the University of Cincinnati, proximity to trails in urban areas increases property values, which in turn boosts the amount of property taxes filling government coffers.
…
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In letter to officials, Brochin takes city to task for Loch Raven policies

By Kevin Rector – Baltimore Sun
State Sen. Jim Brochin has lashed out at Baltimore City officials over issues at Loch Raven Reservoir – again.
In the last few weeks, Brochin has been one of the most vocally unrestrained critics of city officials’ recent decision to close down popular but unsanctioned mountain biking trails throughout the Loch Raven Reservoir forest buffer.
During a trail tour he helped organize on Oct. 14, Brochin chatted freely with media, mountain bikers and city councilmembers about how "ridiculous" he thinks the city’s stance on the trails is. He rejected the idea that bikers cause significant erosion and sedimentation in the water supply.
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"Baltimore City may own the reservoir, however it is in my Senate district," he wrote. "Furthermore, your ownership in no way gives you immunity from adhering to the environmental laws of the State of Maryland."
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In an interview, Brochin said he was tired of the city hypocritically blaming mountain bikers for erosion while really causing it themselves, and had decided to turn the tables.
"They say they are very concerned about the water quality, and they are harassing bikers who don’t damage the water quality at all, and in the meantime they don’t have a clue about keeping up a reservoir, maintaining open space, and keeping up this gem," Brochin said.
"I don’t think Baltimore City is being a good steward to the environment."
Continue reading “In letter to officials, Brochin takes city to task for Loch Raven policies”

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Possible Open Meeting Act violation.- Belinda Conaway – an open letter

Dear Open Meetings Compliance Board,

I am writing to insure compliance with:
10-501. Public policy. 
It is essential to the
maintenance of a democratic society that, … public business be performed in an open and public manner; and … the deliberations and decisions that the making of public policy involves. …
 
This is NOT about a bike lane but whether a public official can perform public business about a public road in essentially a closed meeting (not the proper venue for such a decision) and purposefully not allowing (a potentially) opposing side to be heard or allow that (possibly) opposing side to hear the rational for the change they enacted. I quote Belinda Conaway (from the Baltimore Brew)

“The city was asked the purpose of the meeting and responded by saying to discuss the lane on Monroe Street. I responded by saying the Monroe Street lane was not for discussion. My community already voiced their concerns and DOT already agreed to remove the lane.”

A responsible government would gladly hear both sides and that is my main concern that this did not happen and will not be allowed to happen unless someone intervenes. 


As a member of the media the following is also of a concern (continuing 10-501)

The ability of the public, its representatives, and the media to attend, report on, and broadcast meetings of public bodies and to witness the phases of the deliberation, policy formation, and decision making of public bodies ensures the accountability of government to the citizens of the State.  

All I know is “My community already voiced their concerns” and that really does not seem to satisfy the statute I just quoted.
Thank you for your consideration and any correction of this oversight. 
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Belinda Conaway responds

[B’ Spokes: I have to really question the "I am willing to meet with the bicyclist and the community about this issue." when that meeting was canceled but here is her response.]
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From: Conaway, Belinda <Belinda.Conaway@baltimorecity.gov>

Good morning Mr. ******

I do not have an e-mail from you. If there was an error, I apologize. For the past month, someone from the Mayor’s Office has promoted a lie throughout the bicycle community to deliberately mislead you. The bicycle lane on Monroe Street was placed with no input from the community. The community requested that it be removed. The president of the Greater Mondawmin Coordinating Council has asked to be included in meetings to identify appropriate places in the community for a bicycle lane. I am cc’ing him on this e-mail.

In all honesty, we need to look at the people who are perpetuating this lie. No one in the community is opposing a bicycle lane. It seems that the community is being disrespected, the bicyclists are being lied to, and I am being targeted. As the elected official for this community, I supported their request to remove the bicycle lane. I am willing to meet with the bicyclist and the community about this issue. However, someone needs to get the truth out to the bicycle community. It does not help when the bicyclist attack the community. The community is willing to work with the bicyclists. Let’s not make a less than 1 mile bicycle lane a point of contention. Let’s work together to find an appropriate location. Again, if I missed your e-mail I apologize.

Belinda

Councilwoman
Belinda K. Conaway
Continue reading “Belinda Conaway responds”

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Maryland Open Meetings Act Violations are Running Rampant in Baltimore City

Intro:
I got an email from one of our readers (love you guys) that added Open Meeting Act Violations to our alert (https://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=20111023225019955 i.e. Can public transportation decisions be made in a "closed meeting"? ) and there was the unpublicized meeting regarding charging fee’s for Loch Raven reservoir use (https://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=20111026142929854 ) also in violation of the Open Meetings Act. So it might do us good to review that law and link a resource for complaints as well as more information:
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10-501. Public policy.

(a) It is essential to the maintenance of a democratic society that, except in special and appropriate circumstances:
. (1) public business be performed in an open and public manner; and
. (2) citizens be allowed to observe:
. (i) the performance of public officials; and
. (ii) the deliberations and decisions that the making of public policy involves.

(b) (1) The ability of the public, its representatives, and the media to attend, report on, and broadcast meetings of public bodies and to witness the phases of the deliberation, policy formation, and decision making of public bodies ensures the accountability of government to the citizens of the State.
. (2) The conduct of public business in open meetings increases the faith of the public in government and enhances the effectiveness of the public in fulfilling its role in a democratic society.

(c) Except in special and appropriate circumstances when meetings of public bodies may be closed under this subtitle, it is the public policy of the State that the public be provided with adequate notice of the time and location of meetings of public bodies, which shall be held in places reasonably accessible to individuals who would like to attend these meetings.
…
(b) (1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, as soon as practicable after a public body meets, it shall have written minutes of its session prepared.
…
(c) (1) The minutes shall reflect:
. (i) each item that the public body considered;
. (ii) the action that the public body took on each item; and
. (iii) each vote that was recorded.
…

Full text here: https://www.oag.state.md.us/Opengov/Openmeetings/AppA.pdf
Continue reading “Maryland Open Meetings Act Violations are Running Rampant in Baltimore City”

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Baltimore City is trying to disfranchise cyclists (part two)

Via Loch Raven Trail Users

So…there was an unpublicized Baltimore City Council hearing this morning (10/26) regarding charging fee’s for Loch Raven reservoir use. Council President Jack Young stated the following:
"Jack Young: "Fence the whole reservoir in – no public access". And then went on to state "I guess the mtn bikers don’t care if they’re not here"…would have been nice to have been notified of the hearing, Jack.
Who actually votes for these ignorant people?
No vote was taken due to lack of council members in attendance.
Continue reading “Baltimore City is trying to disfranchise cyclists (part two)”

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Screening of Draft MD Police Bike Safety Training Video

From MoBike:
Folks,
Here is the substance of the meeting announcement, which is hard to find in all the nested forwards (and not everyone can read the docx attachment).
Noteworthy statement in the announcement:
"Please note that at this point only minor changes…can be made at this time".
That means we will have to shout very loudly to change a video that I fear will propagate misunderstandings held by many police officers (for example, https://tinyurl.com/ya8rdfw ). And you wonder why they won’t post it on the internet.
Announcement follows.
– Jack
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Maryland Department of Transportation Announcement:
Screening of Draft Maryland Law Enforcement Bicycle Traffic Safety Training Video
Date/Location:
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
4:30 to 6:30 PM
Maryland Department of Transportation
Harry Hughes Suite 1-Ground Floor
7201 Corporate Center Drive
Hanover, MD 21076
The Maryland State Police and the Maryland Department of Transportation have developed a draft training video intended for Maryland law enforcement personnel so they can provide improved traffic enforcement and crash investigation services affecting bicyclists. The training video has been funded through a grant from the Maryland Highway Safety Office.
The draft training video is approximately 30 minutes in length. The purpose of this screening is to provide an opportunity for members of the public, under the auspices of the Commuting and Transportation Subcommittee of the Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, to view and comment on the quality of the draft video.
Please note that at this point only minor changes ensuring the accuracy of the information being portrayed can be made at this time given our remaining budget balance for this training video.
Please RSVP if planning to attend at mjackson3@mdot.state.md.us or 410-865-1237.

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Bicycle Friendly State Application Issues

Intro
To be clear on the intent of this article, it’s all about transparency and to get those higher up’s thinking in different ways as we will now be watching this issue more closely. Any good advocacy tools will highlight things that are done well along with things that can improve. And in my opinion the State ranking tool is failing to make good points on both good and bad sides and Maryland’s ranking of 11 last year has me concerned that we may not be getting the most from this tool as we should.

And please don’t get me wrong LAB should be thanked for starting this effort and MDOT should be thanked for not only its willingness to participate but those within MDOT that fought to participate in this ranking. But as in all new things there is bound to be a bug or two to work out.

“Bike indifferent,” I like that. “Bike-friendly” would certainly be nice, but I’d be happy enough with just “Don’t kill me, or make me feel like you’re about to kill me.” – MM

The goal should not be to cook the books to make it seem like we are better then what we are, as MM stated bike indifferent is not a bad place to be, and trimming off some of the worst of the bad would be nice.

I’ve been looking and commenting on this report for a few years now and well it’s getting rather exasperating making the same comments/corrections year after year. The basic idea behind Bicycle Friendly States is a good one and we need to start somewhere but at the basic issue, do we round up or do we round down? And are we really happy with Maryland ranking so high compared to other states and does that ranking serve us well?

Certainly if I was MDOT I would want to round up but at the same time if the State is trying to make a case that it understands our issues and to be truly bike friendly by making improvements in problem areas, it has failed. If you are like me, you start out seeing both sides but the time you are done you feel that the State is attempting something dishonest. Not that I think that was the intent to be dishonest, there is simply a lack of agreement on how to call this stuff. Hence me brining it out in the open. A simple yes or no does not (always) answer the question so let’s look into some of the issues.

(Read more)
Continue reading “Bicycle Friendly State Application Issues”