County Planning Board Supports New Maryland Law on Designating Bicycle and Pedestrian Priority Areas

by Bridget Schwiesow, Montgomery Planning Board

SILVER SPRING, MD –The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, helped to initiate a new Maryland law requiring the State Highway Administration to act within one year on local designations of Bicycle-Pedestrian Priority Areas. Work on the newly enacted law began with a collaborative effort among County Transportation Planner Larry Cole, Maryland House Delegate Alfred Carr, Jr. and Kelly Blynn of the DC regional Coalition for Smarter Growth.

Maryland Senator James Rosapepe introduced the bill on February 6, 2015 and, on February 12, 2105, the Planning Board voted to support it. The final Senate Bill 371 was signed by Governor Larry Hogan on April 14, 2015: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/sb/sb0371T.pdf

The designation of Bicycle-Pedestrian Priority Areas is intended to ensure that the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians are taken into account during all phases of transportation planning, design, construction or expansion. The aim is to provide for greater safety and access through bike lanes, paths, sidewalks, crosswalks and other physical road improvements and traffic control devices. Bicycle-Pedestrian Priority Areas have become an integral part of Montgomery County’s recent Master Plans, developed by the Planning Department to promote multi-modal transportation in the more densely developed areas of the County.
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http://montgomeryplanningboard.org/blog-news/2015/04/16/county-planning-board-supports-new-maryland-law-on-designating-bicycle-and-pedestrian-priority-areas/

And another: http://www.bethesdanow.com/2015/04/16/quicker-bicycling-improvements-possible-thanks-to-new-state-bill/

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[B' Spokes: While this is good news still, I wounder how many other counties are going to take advantage of this funding opportunity. Ya I'm looking at you Baltimore County and Prince George Counties. Far too many cycling related deaths and injuries and such a low mode share to even remotely justify current practice of ignoring accommodating bicycles.]

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