By ERIC JAFFE, City Lab
[Just the headings, read the article for more info.]
1. More roads mean less traffic
2. More transit means less traffic
3. Bike lanes make traffic worse
4. A wider road is a safer road
5. The next lane over is moving faster
6. Everyone else’s bad driving is the reason for traffic
7. You need to get lots of cars off the road to reduce traffic
8. Removing an urban highway would be a traffic nightmare
9. There’s no downside to cheap gas
10. Drivers pay the full cost of road maintenance
https://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/12/10-tired-traffic-myths-that-didnt-get-a-rest-in-2015/422274/
California city loses lawsuit after death of bicyclist on road with substandard bike lanes and no lighting
By Robbie Webber, SSTI
“While Fred Waring Drive, the road where the crash occurred, was expanded from two lanes to three in each direction in 2005, the city did not include a wide outside lane in the design. In addition, the road previously had bike lanes and was signed as a bike route before the redesign. It has extra wide outer lanes farther east, but narrows by five feet with no warning, forcing bicyclists into traffic where the speed limit is 50 mph.”
https://www.ssti.us/2015/12/california-city-loses-lawsuit-after-death-of-bicyclist-on-road-with-substandard-bike-lanes-and-no-lighting/
Arm Warmers and Caps are Back and supporting Bike Maryland!
Via Bike Maryland
Whoa, whoa, whoa, they’re back! Hill Killer just dropped off the latest shipment of Bike Maryland hi vis arm warmers and caps. They did not last long the first time, so do not delay!
Arm warmers and caps make great presents for the cyclist in your life…and at $27 (including shipping) they are probably under your Secret Santa limit.
Proceeds from our merchandise fund our work for the year. Don yourself some new apparel this December while feeling good that you are supporting better biking in our beloved Maryland.
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LESSONS LEARNED FROM AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT
-> Vision Zero is a multi-pronged approach to the complex problem of street safety. We know that speed is a common factor in traffic fatalities and severe injuries — especially for people biking or walking. And one of the key lessons learned from the early adopters of Vision Zero in Europe is that speed reduction must be a top priority if we are serious about the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries. Vision Zero proponents are exploring Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) as a means to increase capacity to control deadly speeding. A new report (Automated Speed Enforcement Implementation: Survey Findings and Lessons Learned From Around the Country: https://bit.ly/1QMhCtS) includes a wealth of real-world examples of success with safety cameras that help manage speed: “ASE has been found to be an effective tool that over 130 communities throughout the country have implemented to improve safety for all road users.” For instance, Washington D.C. had a reduction in drivers speeding more than 10 mph over the speed limit from 1 in 3 to 1 in 40 — and reported a 70% reduction in fatalities. https://bit.ly/1OjsieV
from CenterLines, the e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling & Walking.
[B’ Spokes: IMHO You would not know that speed cameras are effective tool around here with all the bad press they have been given.]
Audits Shine Light on DOT Inefficiencies
Via Bikemore
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I hope those running for office this election cycle recognize there is a new crop of informed voters who want more than platitudes about job growth and crime reduction. We want candidates to bring forth actual plans to rid our city of the horrible abuses those with power have allowed to go on for too long. Abuses that are well documented across all agencies, not just the Department of Transportation. We want candidates that understand the nuances of operating a cash strapped independent city, and are realistic about our locus of control. Good government isn’t something that should be aspirational for Baltimore, it’s something as voters we should demand.
https://www.bikemore.net/news/audits-shine-light-on-department-of-transportation-inefficiencies
[B’ Spokes: Worth a read if you want some understanding of what’s wrong with Baltimore. ]
PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS: Cities, States, and DOT Are Implementing Actions to Improve Safety
What GAO Found
Pedestrian and cyclist fatalities and injuries represent a growing percentage of all traffic fatalities and injuries. For example, pedestrian fatalities comprised 10.9 percent of all traffic deaths nationwide in 2004, but 14.5 percent in 2013. Cyclists represented 1.7 percent of all United States traffic deaths in 2004, but 2.3 percent in 2013. Estimates of pedestrian and cyclist injuries also grew during this same time frame.
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https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-16-66
All forms of commuting do not pay their way
If walking costs you a dollar then society pays $0.01.
If biking costs you a dollar then society pays $0.08.
If bussing costs you a dollar then society pays $1.50.
If driving costs you a dollar then society pays $9.20.
Ref: https://twitter.com/MobilityLabTeam/status/679336712586305536?s=09
Louisville Removes Sidewalk “For Safety”
[B’ Spokes: For safety of automobiles they add infrastructure and for pedestrian safety they neglect or remove infrastructure. Have you ever noticed all the the intersections where one side is missing a sidewalk? People in cars can’t wait the 10 seconds for a pedestrian to cross but pedestrians are expected to wait 180 seconds for two light cycles to cross. – This article makes a fair point that not accommodating does not improve their safety.]
https://www.streetsblog.net/2015/12/22/louisville-removes-sidewalk-for-safety/
APL Awarded Silver Bicycle Friendly Business Award
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, was awarded a Bicycle Friendly Business silver award by the League of American Bicyclists on Dec. 9.
Recognized for its investment in bicycling to promote employee health and social responsibility, APL has an active cycling club and, for bike riders, offers showers, locker rooms, secure parking and personal fitness financial incentive.
Recently, the Lab quadrupled its bike parking capacity and introduced a bike share program. With the announcement of 43 new and renewing BFBs today, APL joins a group of more than 1,090 local businesses, government agencies and Fortune 500 companies in 49 states and Washington, D.C.
“Cycling is one of many activities we encourage to contribute to the health of our staff members, which is terrific for our organization,” said Maria Cimilluca, head of the Facilities Maintenance Department at APL. “Our bike share program has been a big success in promoting a fun and active atmosphere on our campus. We aim to make APL a welcoming place for cyclists.”
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https://www.jhuapl.edu/newscenter/pressreleases/2015/151216.asp
U.S. Gov’t. May Get More Serious About Cyclist/Pedestrian Deaths in 2016
BY JOSH COHEN, Next City
In December 2014, U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen, Eleanor Holmes Norton and Peter DeFazio voiced concern that the number of pedestrians and bicyclists in the U.S. being seriously injured or killed was on the rise, while traffic deaths and injuries as a whole were declining. More specifically, they worried that over-engineered roads meant to help cars move faster were a leading cause. To see if their suspicions were true, they commissioned a Government Accountability Office study.
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https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/federal-study-bike-pedestrian-safety-data-more-funding