Posts

Posted on

Baltimore looking to trim bike funding

At least it goes to transit.

The regional transportation plan draft currently budgets $2 billion for transit and $6.2 billion for highway projects.

The group’s amendment proposes equalizing funding for transit and road projects, calling for:

$3 billion for a regional rapid transit system,
$550 million for a new passenger rail tunnel between Penn Station and West Baltimore,
$488 million for improvements to the MARC Penn Line,
and $200 million for improvements to the MARC Camden Line, all totaling $4.3 billion.
The amendment also proposes scaling back to $3.9 billion for highway projects and $61.8 million for bicycle and pedestrian projects.
Continue reading “Baltimore looking to trim bike funding”

Posted on

ICC Trail Problems

…
You have to have a lot of gumption to cut a bike path from a Highway project for environmental reasons. So the bike path is the problem, not the multiple lanes of roads? How about setting aside the space for the bike trail first, and then build the highway in the space that remains? [or some will argue , not build the highway at all. This project is not like the CCT extension – which is impossible without the Purple Line. The ICC trail could be built, and would be nicer, without the highway].
Continue reading “ICC Trail Problems”

Posted on

Bianchi one-speed stolen

From greaterbrown:

My Bianchi one-speed is no more..
Locked it up for jury duty downtown at Fayette and St. Paul and when I came out for lunch she was gone.

If you hear/see any sign of an ’07 Bianchi San Jose, please give a yell.
Some bike details: Set up as single speed freewheel with threading on the opposite side for fixed. Also may still have my beloved Nitto M-12 front rack bolted directly to the canti bosses. Pedals have clips and straps.
Continue reading “Bianchi one-speed stolen”

Posted on

Bicycle Racks on MTA Buses Fact Sheet

Background

In 2003 MTA purchased and installed 200 front-end bicycle racks on buses stationed at the Northwest Division Bus Yard in Baltimore City. The racks were purchased through federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds. The cost of these racks was roughly 200,000 dollars.

Due to a lack of proper training for MTA bus operators and maintenance personnel all of the racks have been damaged or destroyed. As of July 2007, no buses in the MTA system currently operate with bicycle racks.

During a meeting with One Less Car and the Transit Riders Action Council of Metropolitan Baltimore MTA Administrator Paul Wiedefeld said that he was committed to seeing that all buses have bike racks in the future. However, MTA has yet to commit to a timeframe or funding plan for purchasing and installing bicycle racks.

It is important to note that the bike racks currently installed on WMATA buses in the Washington DC area were paid for in part by a 600,000-dollar grant from the Maryland Department of Transportation in 2004. As on July 2007, all WMATA metrobuses were equipped with front-end bicycle racks. Although statistics are not yet available, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association states that the racks have been a success with bicyclists and transit riders. Transit ridership on the WMATA system has increased since the installation of the racks.

Most major mass transit systems in the United States, including the systems serving Philadelphia, Seattle, Chicago, Annapolis, Montgomery County, Maryland, Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Virginia Beach operate all or a significant majority of their buses with functioning bicycle racks.
Continue reading “Bicycle Racks on MTA Buses Fact Sheet”

Posted on

Alert – Help get bike racks on buses

[Senator Gladden’s response: https://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=20071121162452981]
Please help us get all Baltimore City busses outfitted with bike racks.
A fact sheet provided by Richard Chambers of One Less Car. https://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=2007110114263080

I have included the email and some snail mail addresses of the officials we need to influence.

Please, address the letter (or email) to your State representatives and, if applicable, to your City council representative, then copy the other officials.
Continue reading “Alert – Help get bike racks on buses”

Posted on

How I lost 100 pounds

Wade Wingler lost 100 pounds through diet and exercise. What impressed me was how quickly he went from 15 miles to 50 miles and then a 100 miles on his bike. One key element… cycling is fun! Few forms of exercise are as motivating (fun) and practical (you can actually go to useful places) as cycling.
"At this point, I ride almost every day and I average between 100 and 150 miles per week. I recently told my dad that I’d rather be riding my bike than sitting in a recliner watching TV. It’s the first time in my life that I’ve found a sport that I really enjoy and I’m pretty good at too."
Continue reading “How I lost 100 pounds”

Posted on

Windswept Grant Program

On October 26, the Maryland Energy Administration announced a new initiative to provide funding for small scale wind energy systems. The MEA Windswept Grant Program can assist residential or non- residential Marylanders in funding these projects.
Grant amounts are $1500/kw for a maximum grant amount for Residential Wind Systems: $3000
Continue reading “Windswept Grant Program”