Month: May 2011

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Fri, May 6th- Ride to The Cylburn Market Day

Fri, May 6th- Ride to The Cylburn Market Day (leaving From Baltimore Bicycle Works) 4pm – 7pm
Please meet BBW at 1813 Falls Road Baltimore, MD 21201 at 4 pm for the roughly 6 mile ride along the Jones Falls Trail to the annual Cylburn Arboretum Market Day first time ever Friday night. There will be a $20 entrance fee to Market Day but will include dinner, music and vendors. Please RSVP for this ride specifying if you will be return to BBW or leaving on your own. Round Trip will be about 12 miles. Please Contact molly.gallant@baltimorecity.gov for questions and to RSVP.

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Mayors Rebel Against State-Controlled Highway Expansion, Fight For Transit

from Streetsblog Capitol Hill by Tanya Snyder

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Mayors are speaking out against ineffective transportation funding mechanisms that direct scarce resources to sprawling highways and away from urban transit and safer streets for walking and biking.
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He was talking about a new survey of 176 mayors showing that 93 percent of mayors want greater control over federal transportation dollars, which normally flow through the states, shortchanging metro areas.

In the words of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which sponsored the survey:

Metropolitan areas account for 86 percent of employment, 90 percent of wage income, and over the next 20 years, 94 percent of the nation’s economic growth, but they are saddled with the nation’s worst traffic jams, its oldest roads and bridges, and transit systems at capacity. Simply put, these areas are receiving significantly less in federal transportation investments than would reflect their role and importance to the nation’s economy.

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Three-fifths of mayors also said the lack of funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects was a problem. “These aren’t gimmicks anymore,” said Reed. “They’re part of a having a high quality of life in the cities where we live.”

The mayors also made clear they wouldn’t favor a gas tax increase if transportation funds were allocated in the traditional way, but that 70 percent would support it if a share of the funding were allocated directly to local governments, and with more money going to bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
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Continue reading “Mayors Rebel Against State-Controlled Highway Expansion, Fight For Transit”

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Ride Around the Reservoir

IT’S BACK! BCRP’s ever-popular "Ride Around the Reservoir" bike program at Druid Hill Park resumes this Wednesday, 5-8p, and runs each Wednesday through Aug. 31. Bikes are available for a small donation and rides start at the reservoir area adjacent to the tennis courts. Ride as much and long as you desire. A driver’s license or credit card is required to receive a bike to ride.

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Maryland Bicycle Friendly State Ranking what’s changed since 2008

[B’ Spokes: Below is the feedback we got in 2008 with a ranking of 35. What’s changed to get a ranking of 11 is crossed out.]

Legislation

–no 3ft or greater safe passing law

–cannot legally signal with right hand

–bicycle equipment code not consistent with the language in UVC or its intent

-discriminatory mandatory bike lane law

-far to right as practicable code does not exclude right turn lane

Policies & Programs

-no Complete Streets or Bicycle and Pedestrian Accomodation policy

-no Mountain Biking Plan

-no CO2 Reduction Plan that includes bicycle usage

–no policy requiring bike parking at state owned facilities

Infrastructure

–no system in place to determine percentage of state highways that have paved shoulders

–no rumble strip policy with a minimum 4ft. of clearance for bicycles

-no dedicated state funding source for bicycling projects or programs

-no safety funding spent on bicycling in past 3 years

Education & Encouragement

-no questions regarding the responsibilities of motorists towards cyclists on driver’s test

-no questions regarding the responsibilities of motorists towards cyclists on driver’s manual

-no questions on motorists responsibilities to cyclists on CDL test

Evaluation & Planning

-information on bicycle usage rates not included in SCORP

-bicycle safety is not addressed in Highway Safety Plan

Enforcement

-No education of officer on cyclist rights & responsibilities through academy or continuing education

-information on cyclists rights and responsibilities not made available to traffic judges

[B’ Spokes: So a 30% improvement gets us a 48% improvement in ranking ??? ]
Continue reading “Maryland Bicycle Friendly State Ranking what’s changed since 2008”

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Bicycling crashes by county

County 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 AVG. %
Allegany 3 3 0 3 1 2 0.3
Anne Arundel 80 85 87 88 80 84 10.9
Baltimore 104 114 119 102 85 105 13.6
Calvert 5 8 8 8 2 6 0.8
Caroline 2 0 1 3 2 2 0.2
Carroll 11 12 11 8 8 10 1.3
Cecil 9 9 8 12 9 9 1.2
Charles 14 9 8 10 14 11 1.4
Dorchester 9 9 15 4 6 9 1.1
Frederick 16 16 16 16 18 16 2.1
Garrett 1 0 0 2 1 1 0.1
Harford 14 25 21 21 12 19 2.4
Howard 15 18 30 15 15 19 2.4
Kent 2 1 4 3 1 2 0.3
Montgomery 92 121 121 105 111 110 14.2
Prince George’s 89 98 99 104 78 94 12.1
Queen Anne’s 3 4 3 3 3 3 0.4
St. Mary’s 9 6 5 15 5 8 1.0
Somerset 3 3 4 2 0 2 0.3
Talbot 11 5 7 4 6 7 0.9
Washington 29 25 21 23 16 23 3.0
Wicomico 12 18 21 16 25 18 2.4
Worcester 32 25 30 40 18 29 3.8
Baltimore City 210 180 170 192 170 184 23.9
Total Crashes 775 794 809 799 686 773 100.0

Note that once again Baltimore City is overrepresented with only 11% of the State’s population .

Other things from the report: Sundays have fewer bike crashes, kids 15 and younger are over represented with 33.4% of bike crashes, riding against traffic crashes are falling but still remain very high.
Continue reading “Bicycling crashes by county”

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State project will trigger night work at Towson circle

[B’ Spokes: Last I heard the Towson circle wasn’t too ped friendly so now they are making it permanent for ped friendlyness? Are they actually talking to people or are they just making this stuff up?]
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By Loni Ingraham
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SHA District 4 Engineer David Peake said that the administration is working with the county “to enhance safety and pedestrian access to the roundabout.”

In short, much of the work will involve making permanent the temporary changes that were instituted in 2008 to make the roundabout predestrian friendly, as well as minor additional improvements.

For instance, designated turn lanes and signs that were installed in 2008 were designed to reduce traffic speed and conflicts, give drivers clearer direction and make life easier for pedestrians in the roundabout crosswalks.

The work this year will produce upgraded pedestrian crosswalks, relocated gutters and sidewalks, and new concrete curbs, and include resurfacing and the painting of lane demarcations.
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Continue reading “State project will trigger night work at Towson circle”