[B’ Spokes: If you want to attract talent then you need to encourage cycling. And just trails is not going to cut it, we need better education for drivers and better enforcement for bicyclists rights!]
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Via CNNMoney
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"Unlike golf, cycling is also a great equalizer," said Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. "You’re the same as the person riding next to you. So it makes people more approachable. "
Entrepreneurs also gravitate toward cycling because it’s a better way to stay in shape, said Clarke. It’s also less time consuming and relatively less expensive.
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"It’s a better cardio workout. You can get a great ride done in one to two hours as opposed to hours on a golf course," said Michael Marckx, CEO of eyewear company Spy Optic. "And you can actively network with more people."
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https://money.cnn.com/2014/04/29/smallbusiness/cycling-golf-entrepreneurs/
Historic Trees by Bike: May 4 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm $15
“View of Baltimore from Howard’s Park,” George Beck, 1796, Maryland Historical Society. Image from The Antheneum.
We know that Baltimore is full of great historic buildings, but who knew that our city can boast a wonderful collection of historic trees? Among the dozens of our city’s leafy landmarks stands an English Elm that shaded Frederick Douglass as he delivered a public speech in 1878 in Sharp Leadenhall, one of George Washington’s celebrated “Cambridge Elms” (planted in 1932 as part of our first president’s 200th birthday celebration), and a baby Wye Oak that President Gerald Ford planted in 1976 at Fort McHenry. And that’s not to mention the exceptionally rare European Turkey Oak (Quercus cerrus) that graces the War of 1812 battery now called Riverside Park.
Please join us and the Urban Forestry Division of the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks on an easy-going bike tour of historic trees in Central and South Baltimore. Mr. Gary Letteron, urban forester and tree champion extraordinaire, will lead the tour and talk horticulture and history as we wind our way through Federal Hill and parts of South Baltimore. The tour will start and end at the parking lot of the Baltimore Museum of Industry.
To register: https://baltimoreheritage.org/event/historic-trees-by-bike-douglass-oak-washingtons-elms-and-more-leafy-landmarks/
Who’s celebrating walk & bike to school in Maryland?
| CITY | COUNT |
|---|---|
| Baltimore | 1 |
| Bel Air | 1 |
| Bethesda | 1 |
| Frederick | 1 |
| Kensington | 1 |
| Potomac | 1 |
| Silver Spring | 2 |
| Takoma Park | 2 |
Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Guide– Recommendations and Case Study
[B’ Spokes: Since 2002 the state has had a goal of reducing pedestrian fatalities and year after year no real change has been observed. It just amazes me how many pedestrian safety improvements that could be done here, most for cheap but are not. Maryland seems to have standardised on “essentially not visible” crosswalks and rather than follow the recommendation of marking all legs of the intersection with a high visibility crosswalk we are lucky to get two faded parallel lines that is either a crosswalk or your choice of stop lines if you are a driver. (Ref: An Overview and Recommendations of High-Visibility Crosswalk Marking Styles)
Other places I have been that are working toward reducing pedestrian fatalities have been installing hundreds of these pedestrian hybrid beacons. Does Maryland even have one?
Maybe there is no need for pedestrian improvements here?
Nope, that’s not it.
If you would like State Highways to do more for pedestrians please write: James T. Smith <secretary@mdot.state.md.us>
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Pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHB) have been shown to significantly reduce pedestrian crashes. A Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) study published in 20101 found that pedestrian hybrid beacons can
reduce pedestrian crashes by 69 percent and total crashes by 29 percent. Because PHBs remain
dark until activated, they can help increase driver attention to pedestrians crossing the roadway,
and can reduce rear-end collisions. The pedestrian hybrid beacon’s red signal indication removes
any judgment from the motorists and requires a complete stop. The PHB provides a clear message
that motorists must stop and allow pedestrians to cross the street. Motorist compliance with the
requirement to yield has been shown to exceed 90 percent at PHBs.
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This
document will show how PHBs are being
used to reduce pedestrian crashes across
the country [but not in Maryland.]
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https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_solve/fhwasa14014/fhwasa14014.pdf
Video: Google’s self-driving car meets cyclists and out-performs far too many human drivers
Artificial intelligence? Not quite, but Google might have cracked artificial courtesy and consideration
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https://road.cc/content/news/117584-video-google%E2%80%99s-self-driving-car-meets-cyclists-and-out-performs-far-too-many
Baltimore County Disappoints Bike & Trail Advocates
[B’ Spokes: I always wondered why we have a law to create priority funding areas for bike/ped projects but next to zero projects that come in under that funding. Well BMore Bikes has an explanation for Baltimore County and why they don’t want free money for bike/ped projects. I recommend reading the whole thing but I’ll pull some things that I hope will get your attention.]
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When asked who was staffing the bicycle program, Ms. Schlabach indicated she was the only staff and only at a fraction of her time. She also indicated that there was ZERO LOCAL FUNDING FOR BIKE PROJECTS! The Maryland Department of Transportation’s Bikeways Program and the Transportation Alternatives Program could potentially fund the vast majority of the projects suggested, especially if the available state and federal funding was combined to have state funds match the federal funds. However, for almost any project, the county would need to put up at least some local funding as a match and to devote some staff time to project coordination and outreach. Failing to do so leaves available money on the table for projects that have clear public support.
Ms. Silldorff also asked what else could be done for the county to support these projects. Ms. Schlabach replied for committee members and the public to contact their council representatives to help fund these projects.
[B’ Spokes: https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/countycouncilmega.html]
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Other ways the county is showing resistance to the national bicycle movement:
- Baltimore County remains the only Maryland jurisdiction NOT to have the East Coast Greenway signed. Some portions of the route are signed on the Torrey C. Brown/NCR Trail, but not the on-road section between Paper Mill Road and the city line.
- No Bikes Allowed signs are popping up at Robert E. Lee Park
- Baltimore County will not support any trail projects along the proposed Red Line improvements, even though it would connect two regional trail systems: Gwynns Falls Trail & Patapsco Valley State Park
https://www.bmorebikes.com/baltimore-county-disappoints-bike-trail-advocates/
Undercover Houston Cops On Bikes Are Nabbing Drivers Dangerous To Cyclists
Be careful which bikers you buzz by super closely on Houston’s streets. One of them might arrest you.
By SYDNEY BROWNSTONE, Fast Co.Exist
In Houston, cops are taking a novel approach to arresting jerks who cut off cyclists. They’re going undercover on two wheels, and when things get too tight for the law, they’re calling in for support.
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For their safety honk
Say what? $4 million gets us what again?
By B’ Spokes
Recreational Trails Program Typical projects, awarded FY2013
| Howard County Conservancy Accessible Trail Improvements | 24,750 |
| Brunswick Trailside Amenities | 10,100 |
| Boardwalks for Upper Rock Creek Trail | 32,800 |
| DNR Algonquin Cross Country trail | 25,000 |
| DNR Potomac Garrett State Forest Trail Guides | 26,000 |
| TOTAL ONGOING AWARDS | 4,410,000 |
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BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN RELATED PROJECTS in the Consolidted Transportation Program FY 2014 – 2019
I’ve talked about the Federal Recreational Trails Program before and I don’t get why Maryland caps the grant amount to $30k (with some small exceptions.) Per Recreational Trails Program: Preliminary Report on State Trail Projects on average 44% of this fund is spent on “Trail Construction or Development.” While Maryland does not provide enough information to say what we do spend on actual trail construction I am willing to bet it is no where close to 44%.
So I decided to see how Maryland’s average cost per RTP project compared to other states (data follows.) Only 9 other states had a smaller average cost per project than Maryland. Maryland’s average cost was $22k, the national average was $41k. It is worth noting that DC’s average was $232k per project and California was %122k per project. Big difference!
My main point here is I would love to see a greater diversity of projects funded through this program. And on that note I noticed the $30k cap has changed!
Funds requested per project cannot exceed $40,000 for trail construction and $30,000 for non-construction.
Please note, for the FY15 solicitation, we will consider lifting the $40K cap for
construction projects that score high with the criteria.
So things are starting to change! And remember this is a 20% local match so here’s hoping to see a lot more bicycle related projects! Speaking of changes for the good, I noticed Transportation Enhancements (TE) are back! That’s right the CTP mentions $25,355,100 worth of TE projects!!! I did not see any mention of the old draconic 50% local match requirement, nor any mention of a match requirement. Did Jim Smith decide to start spending that $40 million backlog of federal money rather then just let the feds keep that money? I would love to know the details but from what I can see from publicly available documents, things are finally starting to look up. .
Continue reading “Say what? $4 million gets us what again?”
Oakland law would let cyclists, pedestrians sue abusive drivers
By Matthew Artz Oakland Tribune
OAKLAND — Abusive drivers who take aim at cyclists and pedestrians might soon face retribution far more severe than a middle finger.
Councilwoman Libby Schaaf introduced legislation Tuesday that would make Oakland the nation’s fourth city to allow aggrieved cyclists and pedestrians to take their vehicular tormentors to civil court. If victorious, Oakland law would let cyclists, pedestrians sue abusive driversplaintiffs would be entitled to at least $1,000 and attorneys fees.
Bicycle advocates and Schaaf, who is running for mayor, acknowledged that cyclists are not always docile victims on the streets of Oakland. But they said the additional protections were warranted because both cyclists and pedestrians are far more vulnerable to serious injury.
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