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[Baltimore] County Will Establish Bike Route between UMBC and MARC Station


By Penny Riordan, Patch

Part of the long-term bicycling and pedestrian improvements for western Baltimore County include a pilot project for designated bike route between UMBC and the MARC Station in Halethorpe.
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<a href="http://catonsville.patch.com/articles/county-will-establish-bike-route-between-umbc-and-marc-station">http://catonsville.patch.com/articles/county-will-establish-bike-route-between-umbc-and-marc-station</a>;
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[B' Spokes: Destinations a bit further south across US 1 and I-895 would have been really nice, that's a bear of an area till you figure out the the bike friendly routes. This is a nice start but we would not build a road that began and ended at UMBC and MARC so why do that with a bike route? ]
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2nd Maintenance Class at Proteus Bicycles


2nd Session: Advanced Bicycle Maintenance Class March 6-7

Due to popular demand (the class filled up in 48 hours), I will be offering a second Advanced Bicycle Maintenance Class.

Date: Tuesday, March 6 and Wednesday, March 7.

Time: 6:30pm-9:30pm.

Session 1(Tuesday): fundamentals of a bike, what tools are good to have, basic maintenance tips, full drive train cleaning and repair assessment.

Session 2 (Wednesday): brake adjustment, derailleur adjustment, bottom bracket, hub and headset adjustment and the replacement/repair of any simple repair needed on your bike.

Students are encouraged to bring and work on their own bike. The cost is $125 which includes a copy of &quot;The Haynes Bicycle Book&quot; - my favorite repair manual. :-)

Class is limited to 8 students. Come join us. Everyone learns a lot and it's great fun. Please call the shop at 301-441-2928 to reserve your spot.

Jill DiMauro

Proteus Bicycles in College Park.
email: jill@proteusbicycles.com
web: <a href="http://www.proteusbicycles.com">http://www.proteusbicycles.com</a>;
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Catonsville, Arbutus Residents Praise Bike Plan


By Penny Riordan, Patch

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Catonsville resident Charlie Murphy, who rode his bike to the meeting, said the bike plan brings Baltimore County closer to what has happened in Baltimore city, where there are dozens of roads with dedicated bike lanes.

What the plan does is create a more comprehensive approach to bike and pedestrian routes, which allows people to do short trips and find ways to get from one area to another, he said.

&quot;One trail is not the answer, you have to build the network,&quot; he said.

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Road ID for 2012/BAHC Fundraiser


Thank you for supporting safe biking in Howard County. In case you haven’t recently visited the BAHC website, <a href="http://www.BikeHoCo.org">http://www.BikeHoCo.org</a>;, we wanted to make you aware of our new fundraisering effort with Road ID - the foremost emergency ID products for cyclists, triathletes, and runners. Through a partnership with Road ID, BAHC is offering their innovative products to the community with a portion of your purchase going as a donation to support the BAHC goals of:

* Working with the County to develop a Howard County Bicycling Master Plan
* Supporting physical road improvements (paving, better shoulders turn lanes, 'Share the Road' sign, etc.)
* Fostering driver and bicyclist education and communication initiatives
* Functioning as local bicyclists link with HC Police, Public Works and other local Government

Many of you may have changed insurance this year or contact information or never had a Road ID before. Whether you order through BAHC or not carrying some form emergency identification is essential – ask any of us who have been in accidents. While their products are designed to keep athletes safe Road IDs also make great gifts for those with medical condition, kids and older adults.

In order for BAHC to get a donation from your purchase you must use the Road ID link for shopping found on the lower left of the BAHC homepage <a href="http://www.BikeHoCo.org">http://www.BikeHoCo.org</a>; or you can paste the address below into your browser (Mac users need to use Safari): <a href="http://www.roadid.com/Common/default.aspx?referrer=8474">http://www.roadid.com/Common/default.aspx?referrer=8474</a>;.

Please pass this information to your Club listserves and other cyclists you know.

Thank you for considering this as another way of supporting BAHC and Safer Cycling!


Jack

Jack Guarneri

President, Bicycling Advocates of Howard County
<a href="http://www.BikeHoCo.org">http://www.BikeHoCo.org</a>;
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Baltimore County Bike Plan Envisions Miles of Connecting Trails


By Penny Riordan, Patch

The long-term plan for Baltimore County calls for 665 miles of improvements and additions to western roads and paths to make them more friendly to pedestrians and bicycles.

The improvements are part of the Western Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan, which is the second of three stages of a comprehensive plan. The eastern portion was completed in 2006. The western plan includes the southwestern portion of Baltimore County, through Owings Mills, Reisterstown, Hunt Valley and Timonium.

It includes some insightful statistics on traveling in the region:

Drivers in Baltimore County travel 22.3 million miles a daily, which generates 12.7 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
According to a study by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council conducted in 2007-2008, more than 85 percent of all trips in the Baltimore region are made by car. Bicycling accounts for fewer than 1 percent of trips.

Yet when county planers look at the geography, 90 percent of the county lives in the urban part of the county, where one can easily draw a one-mile walkable radius from every school and bus stop in that area.

A 36-member committee developed the plan. The group held workshops in April, where residents shared what type of bicycle and pedestrian improvements they wanted to see in their neighborhoods. They worked on the plan for six months.

Councilman Tom Quirk, who has focused on biking and walking since taking office, said the overall support and feedback he received from the community was positive.

“A lot of young professionals moving to the area are looking for these types of things,” he said.

In total, residents identified 460 miles of roads that could be made more bicycle- friendly, 155 miles of shared-use path improvements and 50 miles of pedestrian improvements.

Shared-use paths are trails that are available for biking and pedestrians. They often link one community to another, such as the Trolley Trail No. 9 between Catonsville and Ellicott City.

After a final round of community input meetings, the plan will be presented to the Baltimore County Planning Board and ultimately voted on by the Baltimore County Council.

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday night at the Benjamin Banneker Museum in Oella from 6 to 8 p.m.

One of the key recommendations of the plan is to make improvements to access, safety and surfaces of shared-used paths as well as linking them to other nearby trails.

The major improvements for southwest Baltimore County include:

creating a Patapsco River Path from the Baltimore city line through the edge of Southwest Baltimore County that could link UMBC to the city,
Extending the Short Line trail into Baltimore city
Trails that connect UMBC to both downtown Arbutus and Catonsville
The plan also calls for walking improvements to roads, including adding more crosswalks, pedestrian traffic signals and constructing more sidewalks.

In the Catonsville and Arbutus area, many roads are targeted for additional sidwalks. High priority areas include Edmondson Avenue, North Rolling Road between Frederick Road and Baltimore National Pike, Paradise Avenue, Sulphur Spring Road, Maiden Choice Lane between Garden Ridge Road and Charlestown and South Rolling Road.

Existing roads that are targeted for bicycle improvements such as striping, signs or lanes include most main roads in the area such as Rolling Road, Hollins Ferry Road, Frederick Road and Sulphur Spring Road.

Improvements around UMBC and CCBC that link the colleges to both Catonsville and Arbutus are considered part of the targeted area of the plan.

Despite the sheer size of the plan, local elected officials and committee members said they believe some of the goals can be implemented without too much cost. At this point, no dollar figure is attached to the document, as the final version hasn't been approved.

Quirk said he thinks the goals of the plan are doable.

“I’m going to be working hard to find the money and take it one project at a time,” he said.

He is focusing first on getting a multi-use lane on Edmondson Avenue that ends at the Baltimore city line.

Catonsville resident Ray Bahr, an avid cyclist who sat on the committee, said the plan represents a shift away from steering a majority of county money toward roads.

“If we can get policy away from being focused solely on the car and focus more on a more complete street, we can really change some things,” he said.

The county plans come at a time when Catonsville Rail to Trails has been working more on maintaining and expanding the network of Catonsville trails. Most recently, land for the Short Line Trail was transferred to the county.

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Harford County to develop bicycle and pedestrian master plan


By Tracy Urena, Harford County News Examiner

Harford County Executive David R. Craig and the Department of Planning &amp; Zoning have announced that the County will be undertaking the development of a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan is an important part of helping to make Harford County a truly multimodal community; one that promotes and supports increased bicycle and pedestrian activity. It is also an important step in helping Harford County become a healthier community.

The development of the plan is anticipated to take about a year, and to help the department with this effort the County Executive has appointed a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Group. The group consists of representatives from various government agencies and departments as well as bicycle and pedestrian advocates.

The advisory group will meet periodically throughout 2012, and the public will be able to follow the process and the work of the advisory group on the department’s webpage at <a href="http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/planningzoning">www.harfordcountymd.gov/planningzoning</a>;. This website will also provide a direct link to the department’s online networking site where citizens will be able to provide their input. Public workshops will be conducted as part of the planning process.

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County Executive John R. Leopold Seeks Public Input to County Pedestrian/Bicycle Master Plan Update


Annapolis, Maryland (January 17, 2012) – County Executive John R. Leopold announced today the scheduling of three listening sessions in order to hear the public’s input regarding pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the County’s suburban and urbanized areas.
&quot;Walking and bicycling are alternate modes of travel that should be encouraged and supported within our infrastructure,&quot; said Mr. Leopold. &quot;This study focuses primarily on accommodating day-to-day transportation activities, such as walking and biking to work, school, libraries and retail shops.&quot;

The listening sessions will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the following locations:

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Annapolis High School Cafeteria Arundel Mills Mall Community Room
2700 Riva Road, Annapolis 7000 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover

Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Severna Park Middle School Cafeteria
450 Jumpers Hole Road, Severna Park

The Office of Planning and Zoning is working with a consultant on the study which aims to identify deficiencies in the current network of sidewalks, trails, on-road travel lanes, crosswalks, etc. and develop a systematic way to prioritize improvements as funds become available or as development occurs. The study is largely (80%) funded through a Federal transportation planning grant and it is expected to take about eighteen months to complete.

&quot;The PBMP will help identify low cost improvements that may be executed in the short-term as well as helping to establish a realistic approach to long term planning,” said Larry Tom, Director of the Office of Planning and Zoning.

The County Executive will also appoint a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to work with the Office of Planning and Zoning (OPZ) and project consultant to provide ongoing citizen and community perspective. Members of the public who wish to apply for an appointment to the Citizens Advisory Committee should contact the Office of Planning and Zoning, Transportation Division at 410-222-7440. CAC application forms will also be available at the listening sessions. For special accommodations please call 410-222-7440.

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Police: Suspect Steals Artifacts, Crashes Into Cyclist During Getaway


Reporting Meghan McCorkell, CBS

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ)—Now a bizarre twist to the Annapolis case that nearly turned deadly after $68,000 in historic Civil War memorabilia was stolen.

Meghan McCorkell has more on how cops busted the suspect.

The man accused of stealing that memorabilia is now charged in a hit and run crash that nearly killed a bicyclist.
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<a href="http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/01/20/police-suspect-steals-artifacts-crashes-into-cyclist-during-getaway/">http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/01/20/police-suspect-steals-artifacts-crashes-into-cyclist-during-getaway/</a>;
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Freedom Bike and Walking Trail Discussion


By Valerie Bonk, Patch

The second meeting in Carroll County’s discussion of bike and walking trails in the Freedom Area was a little quieter than the first meeting in October, where a heated argument broke out over a local resident’s individual efforts to create a trail without approval.

Thursday’s discussion at the South Carroll Senior Center was all about moving on.

A smaller group of 30 people, compared to the more than 70 that showed up in October, were led in a discussion by Carroll County Recreation and Parks Administrator Jeff Degitz who made sure to those in attendance that this was &quot;starting over&quot; for the trail idea in Southern Carroll County.

“There was a line on a map before, but there is not a line anymore,” said Degitz. “While I applaud that individual effort, we do come here tonight without a line on a map. That line now comes from you. We come here tonight with a clean slate.”
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HIT AND RUN CRASH UPDATE GLEN BURNIE


Type of Collision: Vehicle vs. Bicyclist (hit and run)
Location of Incident: Crain Hwy near Georgia Avenue
Date & Time: July 14, 2011 @ 7:32 a.m.
Motor Vehicle: Unknown small, gray sedan (possibly a Chevy or Saturn)
Driver: Unknown white male with a beard, wearing wire-rimmed glasses and a baseball cap
Bicyclist: Marco A. Garcia, 41, of 1833 Norfolk Road, Glen Burnie, Md
Injuries/Condition: Critical, unstable condition

Synopsis:
On July 14, 2011, at approximately 7:32 a.m., an individual was legally operating his bicycle northbound on Crain Highway near Georgia Avenue when an unknown gray vehicle, possibly a Chevy or Saturn, traveling north on Crain Highway struck the rear of the bicycle. The operator of the vehicle failed to remain on the scene and was witnessed continuing northbound on Crain Highway at a high rate of speed. The victim was transported by ambulance to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he was listed in critical, unstable condition. The suspect vehicle was described as a small Chevy or Saturn sedan, gray in color with damage to the right front headlight area and windshield. The operator was described as a white male with a beard, wearing wire-rimmed glasses and a baseball cap.

UPDATE:
On July 18, 2011, a citizen’s report to check an occupied vehicle located in the parking lot of the Walmart located at 407 George Clauss Boulevard was dispatched to Western District officers. Officers arrived and observed damage consistent with a lookout given for a hit and run vehicle from the above collision. Officers identified and made contact with the owner, John Harrison Correlli, 57, of 6739 Brookmont Drive in Baltimore, Maryland.

The suspect vehicle, a 2005 silver Chevy Cobalt, which was registered to Mr. Correlli, was towed to Police Headquarters. A search warrant was obtained for the vehicle and Evidence Collection Technicians recovered a ball cap, wire framed glasses and a sample of suspected DNA evidence from the vehicle. The evidence was subsequently compared to the victim Marco Garcia. On December 29, 2011, the DNA test results were received and showed a positive match indicating this was the vehicle that struck Mr. Garcia.

On January 18, 2012, John Harrison Correlli was charged with several traffic violations to include the following: failure of a vehicle driver to pass safely at a distance of at least three feet when overtaking a bicycle, leaving the scene of a collision that caused serious bodily injury with out rendering aid, failure to remain on the scene of a collision, negligent driving, failure to return to the scene and failure to exercise care to avoid the collision with the bicycle.

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