Month: January 2011

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Green design/Build services help The Park School provide hands-on learning opportunity

There are those that oppose extra width on roads and bike trails for bicyclists because of the “environmental damage they do by increased impervious surface.” Which is like opposing LED power indicator lights for “excessive” power drain while still using 100+ watt incandescent bulbs and driving a vehicle that gets less then 20mpg. Fix the bigger problems first! This article from Sustainable Stormwater Management highlights fixing a parking lot. This is a nice jester but why do we still build parking lots with absolutely no thought for the environment and no one is complaining about that?

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Completed bioretention facility along parking area at Park School in Baltimore, Maryland.
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State making little progress with Smart Growth, study says

[B’ Spokes: You could say that Smart Growth is a way of preserving biking on country roads as well as making urban areas more bikeable. Granted this is not the focus of Smart Growth but it is way we support it.]
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"Gerrit Knaap, director of the center, said there are "a few bright spots," notably the preservation of land and recent promotion of development around transit stops in the Baltimore and Washington areas. But overall, he said, "the evidence suggests that we haven’t really bent the curves [of growth] in ways we hoped we would."
The study, underwritten by the Abell Foundation, assessed trends in population and employment, transportation, housing and development and in natural area preservation through 2007. It comes on the eve of a daylong state forum Friday on sustainability convened by Gov. Martin O’Malley, who ran for governor in 2006 on a pledge to strengthen Smart Growth policies. The session is meant to help the O’Malley administration shape its approach to environmental protection, farming and growth over the next four years."
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A New Leader for a New Baltimore – Otis Rolley

Update: Otis Rolley – We need your contributions by January 13th so we can include them in our January 20th reporting totals! Contribute online – and give whatever a transparent, better Baltimore is worth to you: https://otisrolley.com/

As an outside observer it’s hard to state who has done what as City Government is a complex interaction of personalities and interests. But when we were developing the Baltimore Bike Master Plan we got a lot of help from Toole Design Group, which the City paid for under the principle if you are going to do something do it well. Sure there were corners cut to keep the cost down but we did get some critical elements into our plan that I think other cities miss, in short it was done well and without excessive costs.

I mention this as Otis Rolley was in charge of Planning at that time under the O’Malley administration and starting the process of making Baltimore into all that it could be seemed to be a major drive from his office. Baltimore has so much potential to be more then what it is, terms like “New Urbanism” and “Sustainability” are more then buzzwords, they embrace what has shown to work over a long period of time, the concepts are not about other peoples financial gains but your quality of life. They stress a way to look at the system as a whole rather then focus on just small bits and hope the rest will follow.

I should also mention that I have ridden with Otis several times on the rides that start from City Hall. He is aware of the handlebar perspective as well how much of the city you can see by bike and have a fun time doing it.

Dave Troy has great article delving into more detail (but not bike specific) here: https://davetroy.com/posts/a-new-leader-for-a-new-baltimore

And Otis Rolley’s TEDx talk:

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General Meeting of Bicycling Advocates of HC — Wednesday Jan. 12, 2

All BAHC supporters/HC Bicycle Riders are invited to a general information meeting/question & answer session on Wednesday January 12, 2011 from 7:30 – 9pm at the George Howard Building, 3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043 in the C. Vernon Gray Room. This ‘hot stove’ bicycling session is intended to provide an overview of BAHC and County Government Plans for 2011 which effect bicyclists and to allow you to provide us with your ideas and concerns before the riding season starts. We will also have as a guest Carol Silldorff Executive Director of Bike Maryland (formerly One Less Car) who will provide information on the the bicycle-related legislation agenda for 2011 Maryland Legislative Session and Bike MD’s Feb 22, 2011 Bicycling Symposium in Annapolis.

Agenda:

* Discuss results/info from January 12th Howard County Bicycling Advisory Group Meeting: Road Repair Plans for 2011, schedule for developing a HC Bike/Ped Accessibility Master Plan, BAHC Training & Education Plans, Bike To Work (School?) Day May 20th, and ideas for bike lanes/routes intra/inter-Columbia/County
* Discuss Bike Maryland 2011 Legislative Agenda
* Open Q&A and suggestions for BAHC 2011 agenda/activities

Please try to attend if at all possible – we want and need your inputs on how to support the Howard County Cycling Community better!

Jack

Jack Guarneri

President, Bicycling Advocates of Howard County

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U.S. Auto Safety Standards: Undermining Efficiency, Ignoring Pedestrians

[B’ Spokes: At first glance it sounds like NHTSA is reacting to the article from Streetsblog. NHTSA already working to fulfill new Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act

Because safety is our top priority, NHTSA has already been studying this problem in advance of the new law.

Finally they are going to try to make cars safer for pedestrains…

Congress has asked that electric and hybrid vehicles emit a sound at low speeds so pedestrians recognize when a vehicle is approaching.

Oh great, and what’s going to be the next innovation? Cars that automatically detect pedestrains and the car announces “Idiot get out of my way before I run you over!”? Don’t get me wrong quiet cars are a problem but there is a much, much bigger problem out there which Streetsblog touches on:]
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from Streetsblog.net by Angie Schmitt

We’ve written before about how perverse “safety standards” imperil pedestrians when it comes to street design. It’s disappointing to discover some of the same flawed logic is at work in the safety regulations for automobiles themselves.

Network blog Systemic Failure is highlighting how safety rules for American motor vehicles are not only preventing car companies from achieving higher fuel efficiency, but turning a blind eye to the fate of pedestrians in a collision:

U.S. auto safety standards make it difficult to bring fuel efficient European models to American markets, according to reports. The Smart Car took nine years to reach the U.S. market. Photo: Systemic Failure

SUV and small truck sales are booming again, and Detroit automakers have returned to their bad old ways. But when prices surpass the $4/gallon mark again, what plan do they have for the next gas crisis? One simple answer: re-brand fuel-efficient cars they already sell in Europe. Believe it or not, both Ford and GM do quite well selling gas-sipping cars in Europe, where the price per gallon can easily double US prices.

But alas, it is not so simple. Under Federal “safety” regulations, it is illegal to sell European automobiles in the US market. There are dozens of minor differences in safety regulations. And those differences don’t necessary make vehicles any safer for the American consumer.

The blog cites a 2008 Associated Press article, which finds fault with U.S. safety standards.

Another major shortcoming in the American regulatory framework is in the design of bumpers. American bumpers only have to protect the car; whereas Europe bumper tests simulate crashes against pedestrians.

Continue reading “U.S. Auto Safety Standards: Undermining Efficiency, Ignoring Pedestrians”

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Has the Industrialized World Reached Peak Travel?

"A study of eight industrialized countries, including the United States, shows that seemingly inexorable trends — ever more people, more cars and more driving — came to a halt in the early years of the 21st century, well before the recent escalation in fuel prices. It could be a sign, researchers said, that the demand for travel and the demand for car ownership in those countries has reached a saturation point. ‘With talk of "peak oil," why not the possibility of "peak travel" when a clear plateau has been reached?’ asked co-author Lee Schipper … Most of the eight countries in the study have experienced declines in miles traveled by car per capita in recent years. The US appears to have peaked at an annual 8,100 miles by car per capita, and Japan is holding steady at 2,500 miles."
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Coincidence of Interest

[B’ Spokes: If any of this sounds interesting hit the link at the end of the article.]
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from TheWashCycle by washcycle
More links for a busy blogger
* Pay-by-mile car insurance. It’s already being rolled out.
* WABA sends a letter to the judge who will sentence Quizny Fraser in the Stan Miller homicide. "We ask not only that Mr. Fraser be held accountable for his reprehensible disregard for the consequences of his actions, but also that a message be sent to all drivers who will choose whether to drive while impaired or distracted." You can send your own statement to ethel.burnett@montgomerycountymd.gov
* NYC bike lane debate. "one survey shows three-quarters of Brooklynites support that bike lane."
* Interviews with cyclists about how they stay warm in the winter.
* Mutuality in collisions
* A teen cyclist recovers from injuries after being struck by a car.
* David Alpert would like to see at-large candidates asked about bicycling.
Continue reading “Coincidence of Interest”

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Happy New Year! (January Shop Renovations/Redesign)

by Velocipede Bike Project

Hello everyone, we here at Velocipede hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and new year. We’d like to thank everyone in this great city who’ve donated their sweat and/or parts and much needed funds to help us give back to this community. Without you, we wouldn’t have arrived this far. So thank you, and we hope that we can continue doing this for years to come.

With that in mind, we’d like to announce that in the month of January, we will be closed for a much needed overhaul, both of our physical workspace and of our operations. We will be cleaning, renovating, reorganizing, redesigning, and in general, hopefully implementing some new procedures and programs for the future.

What does this mean for you?

well…. while we are closed for regular operations, we will be at the shop, and will still accept donations and furthermore, we still would love to have your help and participation in this overhaul!

If you would like to help out with this month of overhauling (everything from heavy lifting/carpentry/electronics/handywork to graphic design and admin type stuff) we would LOVE to have you! Please drop an email to our collective member, Ben, at (volunteers@velocipedebikeproject.org) with your information, including what special skillsets (ie: wood work, etc..) that you have.

We will be open for regular hours in February.

Thank you once again from Velocipede!
Continue reading “Happy New Year! (January Shop Renovations/Redesign)”

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Quantifying the Value of Biking

from Streetsblog.net by Charleston Moves
What’s biking worth? A January (2010) study tried to give it a dollar value for the state of Wisconsin.
They found that, between the money spent on bikes and related services, the tourism generated by the state’s biking trails, and the positive health and environmental effects, the benefits of biking totaled $1,927,943,157.
The study was conducted by the a team from the University of Wisconsin at Madison’s environmental studies school.
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Baltimore County Pedals Forward

from Bike Baltimore by Nate Evans

Last week, I had the opportunity to do some good old-fashioned, unbridled bike advocacy.  Being the bike planner for the city, a balance has to be struck between what’s best for cyclists, the future of cycling, all road users and community interests.  But not last Wednesday…

With Carol Silldorff from Bike Maryland, we met two new Baltimore County Councilmen:  Tom Quirk from District 1 and David Marks from District 5.   I’ve known David since high school and over the past couple years, we worked on the Walkable Perry Hall Report and the Perry Hall Community Plan together.   I knew it was a good day for the county when David was elected our new councilmember.

Over the course of our conversation we discussed identifying trail projects, implementing the Eastern (& Western) County Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan and funding sources for dedicated active transportation officials inside the county government.

The highlight of our conversation was on a resolution calling for the creation of the BALTIMORE COUNTY PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  Both Councilmen Marks and Quirk are introducing this legislation TONIGHT at the Baltimore County Council meeting.  The creation of this advisory group will work similarly to the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, just with a little more “teeth.”  Some of the highlights of the legislation include:

  • Adopt a Complete Streets Policy
  • Develop sustainable transportation protocol in project evaluation
  • Prepare a “Six Year Pedestrian and Bike Plan” program to coincide with the Capital Improvement Plan
  • File an annual report with the County Executive and County Council recommending any appropriate legislative changes

Join me in thanking Councilmen Marks & Quirk for their forward thinking vision of Baltimore County and encourage their fellow councilmembers to support this important legislation!

UPDATE: You’ll be able to testify at the work session on Tuesday, February 1 at 2 p.m. in the Plum Room of the County Council.  The vote is on Monday, February 7

Continue reading “Baltimore County Pedals Forward”