Announcing Development of a Strategic Trail Plan for Maryland by MDOT

Dear Friends and Supporters of Trails in Maryland,

I am very excited to let you know that MDOT is leading a strategic planning effort to guide development of a bicycle and pedestrian trail network that connects people to the places in which they live, work, and play. The plan will chart a course for Maryland’s state and local agencies to implement a seamless, multi-use trail system that can be used for transportation by bicyclists, pedestrians, runners and others. MDOT is committed to continue working with our local and state partners in this effort and we want your input in the plan development process to ensure that your plans, perspectives, needs and visions are included.

We have created two easy ways for you to provide input:

First, I invite you to complete a simple online survey. Click on the following link, which will take you to directly to the survey at the SurveyMonkey website. It will take just a few minutes to fill out.

<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=aFsezUukX8MtDQEpOXS3_2fQ_3d_3d">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=aFsezUukX8MtDQEpOXS3_2fQ_3d_3d</a>;

Second, through our project website, we provide an opportunity to use Google Maps to give us geographic information about where trail improvements and linkages are needed. Go to the website using the link below. You will find instructions there and a link to the Maryland Trails Google Map.

<a href="http://www.mdot.state.md.us/Planning/TSIP/trails.html">http://www.mdot.state.md.us/Planning/TSIP/trails.html</a>;

In addition to completing the survey yourself (and giving us ideas on a map), I want to encourage you to forward this invitation (by email or in newsletters) to your friends, colleagues and fellow members of bicycle, pedestrian or trail interest groups in which you are involved. The survey and map will remain open from now through September 30, 2008.

For more information about the project, I have attached a project announcement flyer that explains this exciting effort. You can also visit our project homepage at <a href="http://www.mdot.state.md.us/Planning/TSIP/index.html">http://www.mdot.state.md.us/Planning/TSIP/index.html</a>;.

Sincerely,

Sylvia Ramsey

Manager Community Enhancements Programs
Office of Planning and Capital Programs
Maryland Department of Transportation
Sramsey1 &quot;at&quot; mdot.state.md.us

by B' Spokes

Like most people I live a hectic life and who has the time for much exercise? Thanks to xtracycle now I do. By using my bike for daily activities I can get things done and get an hour plus work out in 15 minutes extra of my time, not a bad deal and beats taking the extra time going to the gym. In case you are still having trouble being motivated; the National Center of Disease Control says that inactivity is the #2 killer in the United States just behind smoking. ( http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/bb_nutrition/ ) Get out there and start living life! I can carry home a full shopping cart of groceries, car pool two kids or just get lost in the great outdoors camping for a week. Well I got go, another outing this weekend.
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While I am greatly encouraged by the scope and breadth of this effort one thing that concerns me a great deal is the funding questions. Should transportation funding be spent solely on getting cars from point A to point B as fast as possible but the problem of traffic related deaths, maiming or just plain being scared to leave your house without being protected by a steel cage is a problem to be solved with other sources of funding? This problem exists because of the lack of comprehensive designs when road "improvements" get planed and built. Public roads should not be built to prevent pedestrians from crossing them nor should they be built to scare away bicycle traffic. I am greatly disturbed by the fact that the State is not following Federal guidelines and policies in regards to accommodating and funding bicycle and pedestrian projects. We (bike/ped) constitute 16% of Maryland's traffic fatalities which nationally puts us at #9 worst, yet we get less then 1% of the Federal funding this is plain and simply wrong.