Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space reports this DC campaign:
Anyone else think it would be good to know where you can fill up your watter bottle in Baltimore?
Continue reading “Baltimore needs water”
Guilford Avenue to Become “Bike Boulevard”
By Adam Bednar North Baltimore Patch
The Baltimore Department of Transportation will begin developing a “bike boulevard” along Guilford Avenue later this summer.
Nate Evans, a bike pedestrian planner with the department, briefed Charles Village Civic Association members about the project at a meeting Wednesday night.
“You’re not going to see much difference on Guilford except more bike traffic,” Evans said.
The planned bike boulevard will extend south to Mount Royal.
Cyclist will still share the roadway with cars and trucks.
Construction of the boulevard is expected to take four months.
Planned improvements include:
* Building bike-friendly traffic humps
* Constructing mini traffic circles where Guilford Avenue intersects with 32nd, 24th and 22nd streets
* Adding curb extensions at the intersection of Guilford and North avenues.
* Painting sections along 33rd Street green to show where cyclists should ride
Continue reading “Guilford Avenue to Become “Bike Boulevard””
Cyclist run over by ice cream truck – Don’t ride on the sidewalk
Don’t get me wrong, I am empathetic to those of you who do not feel comfortable riding in the street but when a driver of an ice cream truck (trained to watch for pedestrians) hits a cyclist, well that should sound some alarm bells. One of the reasons why I report pedestrian issues on this site is that behaving like a pedestrian does not make you safer in the slightest around here.
To gain some confidence riding in the road try riding with other cyclists
Biking in B’more meetup group: https://www.meetup.com/Biking-in-Bmore/
Baltimore Bicycling Club: https://baltobikeclub.org/
Sidewalk riding is illegal in the Baltimore Metro Area, if you must ride on the sidewalk ride WITH the flow of traffic as studies show that has a lower risk then against the flow of traffic (but most studies show that riding on the road with the flow of traffic is even lower in risk.) And remember the danger of sidewalk riding is at every driveway and intersection you cross, so approach with caution.
Continue reading “Cyclist run over by ice cream truck – Don’t ride on the sidewalk”
Driver whose error left bicyclist in coma fined $220
by Michael Dresser
The Baltimore woman whose driving errors led to a crash that left bicyclist Nathan Krasnopoler in a coma with possibly permanent brain injuries has resolved the traffic charges against her by paying a $220 fine.
Jeannette Marie Walke, 83, pleaded guilty May 11 to negligent driving and failure to yield tight-of-way to a bicyclist in a designated lane. There was no indication in court records that she chose to appear in court. Such charges can be resolved by sending in a standard fine by mail.
Nathan Krasnopoler, a Johns Hopkins University student, collided with Walke’s car Feb. 26 when she turned in front of him on University Drive near the Homewood Campus. According to his family, he retains brain stem function but is not expected to regain consciousness. The Krasnopolers have filed a $10 million lawsuit against Walke.
It was unclear why the negligent driving fine was assessed at $140 rather than the $280 allowed under state law for cases involving a crash. Court records erroneously indicate the charges did not result in an accident or personal injury.
Continue reading “Driver whose error left bicyclist in coma fined $220”
Jones Falls Trail Progress
from TheWashCycle by washcycle
Jones Falls Trail progress according to the East Coast Greenway
Phase 2 of the Jones Falls Trail, a key component of the ECG through Baltimore, is on track again. This phase had been stalled at 95% design for well over a year at the State Highway Administration over ADA improvements to nearby intersections. Impatient local bike activists finally applied some political pressure through the state legislature and broke the logjam. As a result, the project was advertised, a contract has been awarded, and construction will start this summer with completion in about a year.
Phase 2 will connect the existing phases 1 and 3 of the Jones Falls Trail with the Gwynns Falls Trail in downtown Baltimore. It will be the highest visibility part of the trail in the city, running from the Visitors’ Center, wrapping around the Inner Harbor, and continuing up the Fallsway, past the city’s Farmers’ Market, to Penn Station (Amtrak), where it will meet the existing portions of the Jones Falls Trail. When this segment is complete, ECG users will have about ten miles of ADA-compliant class-one trail traversing the heart of Baltimore.
MD Drivers rated 48 out of 51 in USA
A story in the Baltimore Sun (https://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-05-26/news/bs-md-maryland-drivers-20110526_1_maryland-motorists-gmac-insurance-drivers) notes that Maryland drivers were rated 3rd from the worst in the nation based on a written test covering rules of the road.
Spending more than a few hours riding (or even driving) around Baltimore and Maryland in general, it becomes clear that people do not drive well. They tend to be not courteous and generally unsafe. Especially as it often pertains to bicyclists. Well, the study confirms that at least they are also ignorant of the rules of road!
Is it time to retire "Share the Road"?
from TheWashCycle by washcycle
Kate Ryan reports from the Montgomery College cycling conference that
Chief of the Maryland National Capital Park Police Darien Manley said he’d like to see a shift away from the “Share the Road” mentality.
“The share the road/share the trail concept implies that every user is an owner, and that they’re having to give something up,” Manley says.
Instead, Manley would like to see the thinking change from “What am I giving up?” to “What do we need to do to reduce conflicts and improve safety,” with an emphasis on the “we.”
I have to say that I agree 100%. “Share the road” is a vague phrase that encourages everyone to decide what it means to them, and as we’ve seen countless times before, some drivers don’t read it the same way we do. Some, for example, think it means cyclists shouldn’t impede traffic; while cyclists think it means “don’t buzz me bro.”
I much prefer the “Cyclist may use full lane” signs. Tell us – all of us – exactly what is expected, and, as long as it’s reasonable, we’ll do it.
Cycle Maryland
from Visit Maryland
CYCLE MARYLAND
Enjoy biking routes through unspoiled forests, down country lanes, around pedal-friendly small towns, and alongside historic sites. See everything from Maryland’s rocky western cliffs to our sandy eastern beaches. Experience the unique personality of each region. It’s a complete treat for the senses.
CONTEST
Coming soon!
Details: Attend any of the following Cycle Maryland events, take a picture while you’re there and post it to the corresponding Cycle Maryland Facebook Event page and you will be automatically entered to win a $250 gift card!
EVENTS
Jones Falls Trail Kick-Off Event
June 18, 2011
Baltimore Zoo to Woodberry Light Rail / Meadow Mill
Baltimore City
Trail extension announcement and trail ride with Governor O’Malley.
2011 Garrett County Gran Fondo
June 25, 2011
Deep Creek Lake
Garrett County
The Gran Fondo is a celebrated tradition in Italian cycling culture. A Gran Fondo is a long distance, mass-participation cycling event – not a race – that welcomes professional, amateur, and recreational cyclists.
More info…
The Greatest Bicycle Tour of the Historic C&O Canal
July 9-12, 2011
Cumberland to Washington, D.C
No hills, no headwinds and no cars. Plenty of food, lots of support, ride at your own pace, well organized.
More info…
Ride to See – A Tour of Kent County
August 13, 2011
Galena
Kent County
15, 30, 40, 62 and 100 miles take in the scenery of the heartland of Kent County, Maryland, historic towns, and great country stores.
More info…
Saint Mary’s Century (Formerly the Amish 100)
September 17, 2011
Leonardtown
35, 62 and 100 miles through some of the most beautiful scenery in Southern Maryland.
More info…
Anacostia River Trail Opening
October 1, 2011
Bladensburg
Prince George’s County
Ribbon Cutting and trail ride.
More info coming soon.
Tour du Port
October 9, 2011
Baltimore
Tour du Port is a superb way to intimately tour Baltimore. It is one of the coolest bike events around – and it certainly supports a cause that we support – bicycle safety! What more could a bicyclist or commuter tired of congestion ask for from a bicycle event!” — Baltimore Bicycle Club
More info…
As Gas Prices Rise, Bicycle Ridership Is Up — So Why Are [Some] Lawmakers [Trying] Gutting Bike Programs?
by People for Bikes / By Jay Walljasper
…
But here’s some troubling news: much of the talk around Washington and state capitals this year is about eliminating or slashing these successful programs. That’s penny-wise and dollar-dumb. Biking and walking comprise only 1.5 percent of the overall federal transportation budget, while they account for 12 percent of all trips made by Americans today.
Indeed, the entire price tag for more than 3,000 federally funded bike and pedestrian projects across 50 states last year amounted to less than half the cost of one highly contested highway project in Maryland that opened this spring.
…
Continue reading “As Gas Prices Rise, Bicycle Ridership Is Up — So Why Are [Some] Lawmakers [Trying] Gutting Bike Programs?”
Complete Streets Act of 2011
The Complete Streets Act of 2011 (number not yet assigned) would promote the design of streets that are safe for all who use them – including motorists, bus riders, pedestrians, bicyclists, and people with disabilities. The bill encourages federal, state, and regional agencies that receive federal transportation funding to fully consider incorporating pedestrian and bicycle safety measures when roads are built or modernized. Harkin has introduced similar legislation in 2009 and 2007.
The Complete Streets Act of 2011 is cosponsored by Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and others.
Continue reading “Complete Streets Act of 2011”