Laurel seeks to get cycling system into gear

By Luke Lavoie, Baltimore Sun

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Allen, 37, ended up moving to a house on Prince George Street. One year later, he said he leaves his house three or four times a week to traverse on his bike through the area's emerging network of bike lanes.

Allen, who lived in South Laurel for six years before moving into the city limits, said he's noticed shifts in infrastructure toward accommodating cyclists. The effort, which ranges from widening roads to add bike lanes to increasing signage and bike racks, is the result of a 2009 Bikeways Master Plan instituted by the city. This month marks the five-year anniversary of the plan's approval.

Mayor Craig Moe, an avid cyclist himself, said the plan was constructed, in part, as a way to increase connectivity within the city by leveraging existing pathways and roads. He said given the city's compactness, it's four square miles, and existing amenities, which includes pools, parks and various retail, it made sense to reevaluate the system.
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The plan also instituted increased signage and more bike racks. Additionally, the plan recommended the city require new developers, like those behind Towne Centre at Laurel, build bike-friendly roads and atmospheres.

The results, while anecdotal, have been positive so far, Moe said.
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