Bike Baltimore E-Newsletter, June 2009

Bike Baltimore , Vol. 1, Issue 2

Thank you for subscribing to the BIKE BALTIMORE e-newsletter distributed by the Baltimore City , Department of Transportation.  Here you will find the latest information regarding the city’s efforts to make Baltimore a safer and more enjoyable place to bike.

This month, Baltimore ’s bike-related improvements are all about bike racks and parking!

SUPPORT!

Please contact your congressional representatives and ask them to support new projects for the Baltimore area!  The City of Baltimore has 4 active transportation projects that will need federal funding – Herring Run Trail extension, Baltimore & Annapolis Trail extension, Bike Station improvements and reconstructing the Middle Branch Bridge for cyclists and pedestrians!  A brief description of these projects can be found at www.baltimorecity.gov/bike

The Bike Summit on May 1^st provided an array of ideas on improving biking in Baltimore .  Now comes the fun part:  Contributing to make this vision a reality!  A summary of the Bike Summit is available online soon.

To reach one of the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee 2009 goals, DOT and the MBAC will host mapping parties later this summer.  We’ll collect information on good existing bike routes to be incorporated into a bike map for the Baltimore area.  Details will follow online.

BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE

New Bike Parking – The Department of Transportation’s Maintenance Division has installed over 60 bike racks over the past month!  The communities of Highlandtown, Belair-Edison, Waverley , Remington and Hamilton are some of the areas where the new racks are installed.  To request a bike racks, visit the online form here.  Four bike racks were installed at the Federal Hill Preparatory School on William St .  The racks were full on their first full day of installation!  A great sign for Baltimore ’s future!

                           Site at the school before the racks                           DOT crews installing the racks                      Bikes all locked up!  (Note the training wheels & helmet)

BIKE EVENTS

Bike To Work Day, held May 15^th, was a big success!  The downtown rally hosted 150 participants and featured Mayor Sheila Dixon, DOT Director Al Foxx & Maryland Dept. of the Environment Secretary Shari Wilson.

Tour Dem Parks, Hon is this Sunday, June 14^th!  Tour dem Parks is a major fund raising event focused on supporting groups and organizations dedicated to improving Baltimore ’s park system. The event provides friends and families with an opportunity to ride together and discover little-known treasures in the city. Registration is available online here. The tour offers 4 different routes (12, 25, 36 and 64 miles) are available for varying abilities.  The Tour begins and ends at Carroll Park

7:00 am      Registration starts
8:00 am      First riders can leave the park
11:00 am    BBQ and music start
12 Noon     All riders please try to be off the streets

ARTSCAPE, the nation’s largest FREE arts festival, is July 16^th - 18^th and features BIKE PARKING.  The University of Maryland is sponsoring free bike parking for a less-stressful option for to getting to and from Artscape.  The bike parking will be staffed with volunteers who will provide goodie bags to cyclists.  To volunteer for the event, please contact Kathy Hornig at Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts. Following then President-elect Obama’s visit, this is the 2^nd major event in the city this year that offers bike parking. 

Also at Artscape, Baltimore Bicycle Works will be offering Bicycle Frame Builders Exhibit & Demonstration. Come meet some of Baltimore 's premiere frame builders Tommy Nash, Tom Palermo and Chris Bishop at Baltimore Bicycle Works to display their artisan hand-crafted. Demonstration at 3pm on Saturday.

In time for Artscape, the winners of the Station North Bike Rack Competition will be installed.  These unique racks can be found along the 1700 & 1800 block of Charles Street and the unit & 100 block of West North Avenue .

Tour du Port, Baltimore 's Premier Bicycle Event, takes place October 4th. Join thousands of riders at the Canton Waterfront Park to kick off the 16th Annual Tour du Port. Routes range from 12 to a new 1/2 century 50 mile ride! The route travels through over twelve historic neighborhoods, waterfront areas and parks. This fully supported tour includes lunch, refreshments at rest stops, map and sag and a post-ride celebration at Tour's end. This event is One Less Car's Annual Fundraiser! All fees go directly to advancing the programs and advocacy efforts of One Less Car, a non-profit dedicated to walking, bicycling and mass transit in Maryland . Click here to register:

These events and more can be found on the Bike Baltimore website at www.baltimorecity.gov/bike