Cyclists Can Save You Money, If You Let Them

Reference: https://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/if-you-build-it/Content?oid=11043200
B’ Spokes: There appears to be some disagreement here on just how much motorist pay for the roads. So I’ll note from my research there is a big difference what the proportion of motor vehicle taxes make up the state DOT budget and that of the localities. State DOT’s build a lot of expensive roads where cyclists are prohibited (so it stands to reason motor vehicles pay the lion share of that) while localities using less vehicle taxes build roads for everyone to use. So it looks like the inference holds, we are paying more then our fair share.
A few highlights:
"And a 2013 study by Canadian researcher Todd Litman found big disparities in how motorists and non-motorists kick in for transportation projects. Litman estimated a cyclist who travels 3,000 miles a year likely overpays almost the same amount as a motorist who logs 10,000 miles a year might underpay."
"But some observers say parsing these revenue streams ignores a larger point: Bike facilities have the ability to save massive amounts of money."
"A Swiss researcher, Thomas Gotschi, who helpfully made Portland the subject of a 2011 study, drove that point home. He found investments of $138 million to $605 million in bike infrastructure could be leveraged to save:
• Between $388 million to $544 million in health care costs.
• $143 to $218 million in fuel
• $7 to $12 billion in human life (measured “value of statistical lives,” a common metric in transportation planning)"
https://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/if-you-build-it/Content?oid=11043200

ROUND FALLS, BALTIMORE

Via What Weekly
Jess Bither writes her way under the highway.
It’s difficult to view Round Falls from the highway overhead; it’s even hidden to runners along the Jones Falls Trail. Round Falls is out of view, not easily accessible, and unknown to most people in Baltimore. I first became curious about this not-quite-natural-not-quite-urban environment thriving underneath the Jones Falls Expressway while living in Remington.

https://whatweekly.com/2013/12/18/round-falls-baltimore/

Vision Zero Traffic Fatalities [video]

[B’ Spokes: This video is just like here but we have a higher pedestrian fatality rate than New York City. When you realize this is normal behavior at a lot of our intersections it is safer for pedestrIans to cross mid block. But our police repeatedly crack down on jaywalking (which is not illegal) but have never engaged in crosswalk stings which helps get better motorists behavior. That is not right only addressing one side of the problem.]


65th and 7th Ave, Brooklyn, #VisionZero from Anna Zivarts on Vimeo.

Jerry Seinfeld Promotes Cycling to Work!

Via Bike Maryland

“If you can walk to work or take your bike on a daily basis, I think that’s just about the coolest thing that there is. Every morning I listen to the traffic on the radio, and they talk about how they are jammed and I just laugh. I love traffic. I love traffic reports because I’m not in any of them.”

– Quote from Jerry Seinfeld on January 6, 2014 from Reddit.com

One of the greatest comedians of our time is also an avid cycling advocate! Great, like we needed another reason to like Seinfeld! 

https://bikemd.org/page.php?id=668

Bike Maryland Bicycle Symposium

Bike Maryland presents the Annual Bicycle Symposium: your chance to learn from bicycle leaders, transportation planners, community leaders and legislative official on current topics with the goal of increasing bicycle safety, connectivity and accessibility at this free premier networking event that includes breakfast and lunch. 


Where: President’s Conference Center, Miller Senate Building
11 Bladen Street 
AnnapolisMD 21401

When: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM (EST)


Register as soon as possible to reserve your spot as spaces are filling up quickly: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bike-maryland-bicycle-symposium-tickets-9727536323

Presentation topics include: “How to Develop a Local Bicycling Advocacy Organization”, “Keynote Presentation” by Frederick’s Honorable Mayor McClement, “Bike-share”, “Safe Routes to School”, “Complete Streets”, “State Bicycle Master Plan”, “State Pro-bicycle Legislative Agenda” and more!

Full agenda and more information about Bike Maryland at www.bikemd.org

Questions, sponsors, and potential exhibitors should contact Mary at mary @ bikemd dot org