Month: October 2011

Well actually it’s bike infrastructure, health and jobs but since creating jobs is O’Malley’s issue let’s stress that and see how he has missed the boat.

This post in LA Times got me thinking.

Community leaders hope the effort will reduce rates of obesity and hypertension and in turn lower hospital admissions and healthcare costs.

As federal officials continue to roll out elements of the healthcare package, local governments throughout the nation are engaged in efforts such as those in the beach cities that they say could have an even greater effect on people’s health. Cities are working to add bike lanes, redo restaurant menus, create neighborhood gardens and make school lunches healthier — changes that health workers say will keep people out of doctors’ offices and hospitals. They are driven by a basic principle: Preventing disease is less expensive than treating it.

“We need to change the built environment so when [residents] go out to restaurants, there are decent choices, and when they step out of their homes and they want to exercise, there are sidewalks and the bike paths are big enough,” said Susan Burden, chief executive of the Beach Cities Health District, a government agency that provides preventive health services in the communities.

Although more cities are trying to increase residents’ physical activity and improve their diets, the ones with the worst health problems are not usually among them, said Susan Babey, a research scientist at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. “The cities that are struggling the most don’t have the resources to go out and compete for grants,” she said. “They miss out on some opportunities that they could potentially really benefit from.”

Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a federal grant to help promote a healthy lifestyle (our overweight and obesity rate is higher then the national average.) but wait, we do it’s called Transportation Enhancements but since O’Malley took office spending federal money on bike infrastructure took a nose dive. But what does this have to do with jobs? I am so glad you asked.

Bike/Ped Projects Create 46% More Jobs Than Road-Only Projects

So we have $31 million available to build bike infrastructure and create more jobs but O’Malley is not spending it.

So write: governor@gov.state.md.us

[B’ Spokes: I have spoken with John Kuo and he impresses me as a very nice guy and he did get us this: https://www.mva.maryland.gov/Driver-Safety/Bicycle/default.htm
Still there is going to be a learning curve for him as he takes on being the safety representative of a state with the 4th highest pedestrian fatality rate. ]
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from Getting There by Michael Dresser
John T. Kuo, chief of the Motor Vehicle Administration, will serve as Gov. Martin O"Malley’s highway safety representative, Transportation Secretary Beverley Swaim-Staley announced Monday.
Kuo, the state’s MVA administrator since 2006, succeeds former State Highway Administrator Neil J. Pedersen, who retired over the summer. Swaim-Staley said the state’s Highway Safety Office, now a part of the SHA, will become a part of the MVA after a transition period.
As safety representative, Kuo will serve as Maryland’s liaison to such agencies as the National Highway Traffic safety Administration and to private safety advocacy groups. At the MVA, Kuo has played a major role in developing the state’s graduated licensing program for new drivers.
Continue reading “MVA chief named safety representative”

Before I give the impression I’m never impressed, please take a look at the test the Annapolis Department of Transportation (ADOT) did.

The on-line test has vastly improved since my last review but when compared to what ADOT did I still think there is room for improvement.

The good

This is a nice start but it really needs to emphasize just how deadly over 35mph is and I’m not sure drivers will get this as pedestrian safety question. After all as a driver of a car you are safe at speeds up to 90mph at 120mph things start to git a bit unsafe. I may be exaggerating but the point is this question does nothing to dispel that type of thinking.

The I’m not that keen about

If you had one question to put forth to the drivers of Maryland, would this be it? I don’t think so but at least I can’t be critical of this question as I have been in the past.

The bad

The big question is just where is the area pedestrians may cross in this typical Maryland intersection? Too many may be thinking “not shown here.” We really need more emphasis on “stopping for pedestrians” then things that can be construed as “pedestrians may not cross here.”

Summary

I still think there is too much of a slant in Maryland that if you get all the bike/ped safety issues then these are good questions. But what if a driver doesn’t get all the bike/ped safety issues? Do these questions address those (potential) drivers? I don’t think so.

Continue reading “Maryland Online Driver Test – bike/ped safety review”