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APL Wins Bike Friendly Business Award


[Press Release]

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) was awarded a bronze Bicycle Friendly Business Award by the League of American Bicyclists in a ceremony on its Laurel, Md., campus today. Recognized for its investment in bicycling to promote employee health and social responsibility, APL has an active cycling club, showers, locker rooms, secure bike parking and a personal fitness financial incentive. 

"Cycling is something that contributes to the health of our staff," said APL Director Ralph Semmel. "By taking care of ourselves, we reduce our health costs and can pass this on to our sponsors. We will continue our efforts to make APL a welcoming place for cyclists."

The largest of three Maryland organizations honored by the League, APL was chosen from a field of 155 applicants nationwide. The Laboratory joins other notable national winners such as Microsoft, General Mills and Random House. The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle‐friendly America. The League represents the interests of America's 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates.

The award ceremony was held on APL's campus in the new Building 200, which opened last month. The state-of-the-art facility houses APL's space department and features 48 covered bicycle parking spaces and four showers. Throughout its 399-acre campus, APL has additional bike racks and shower facilities. A new bike lane segment in front of the building on Johns Hopkins Road was added by the county in October 2011.

"Some of the most successful companies in the world are showing that investing in bicycling is not only good for health and sustainability but also the bottom line," said League president, Andy Clarke.

"With over 280 people active in cycling activities at APL and a growing number who commute to campus regularly on their bikes, APL's cycling amenities help make biking increasingly popular" said Fran Horan, APL Cycling Club president. "The new bike lane, covered parking, and showers at Building 200 are a bicycle commuter's dream."

The Applied Physics Laboratory, a not-for-profit division of The Johns Hopkins University, meets critical national challenges through the innovative application of science and technology. For more information, visit www.jhuapl.edu.

http://jhuapl.edu/newscenter/pressreleases/2011/111207.asp

Related: Bicycle Friendly Business Johns Hopkins University - Applied Physics Laboratory | Bronze Level - LAB

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Howard County Bikeshare Survey


The Columbia Association, as part of a joint grant application with the County to study implementing a bikeshare system in the county, has created a short questionnaire. Your input would be greatly appreciated in understanding who would support a bikesharing program in Howard County and where users would like to go.

What is a bikeshareing system? Think of it as a bike taxi for short, one-way trips. One is able to pick a bike for a short trip and return in to a station near your destination. Check out a bike for your trip to work, get to the bus or train, run errands, go shopping, or visit friends and family. The stations, usually with 5-15 bikes are strategically placed to allow users to walk to a station and bikes are also equipped with locks so if you want, you can lock it and comeback to it later.

Please complete the questionnaire by Saturday, December 10, to assist us in our application for funding.

<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LQ79L3Q">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LQ79L3Q</a>;
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Biking on the ICC Shoulders?


[B' Spokes: Since the ICC is just a few miles from the B&A Trail I consider this trail part of cycling amenities that we can enjoy, so this may be of interest.]
From MoBike

image

Bike advocates are asking the Maryland Transportation Authority (MdTA) to let people bike on the shoulders of the gleaming new ICC highway.  Is this a crazy idea?  Well, many other highways in the country allow it.  Maryland already allows shoulder riding on parts of US 15 north of Frederick and many miles of US 29, including areas with highway interchanges where vehicles enter and exit via high speed ramps.  To make the ICC shoulder use a greater possibility, in 2008 the Maryland General Assembly repealed the law prohibiting the state from allowing cyclists from all toll roads.  But MdTA must still pre-approve it on individual toll roads.

Allowing cyclists on the ICC shoulders should be easy through the simple interchanges such as the ones at Georgia Ave., Layhill Road, New Hampshire Ave. (though heading west across Georgia Ave. may require getting off and back on the highway).  A better level of usefulness is achieved if cyclists can ride on the shoulders at least from Emory Lane to Old Columbia Pike.  That way riders can bypass several missing sections of the ICC Hiker-Biker Trail (one gap is between Emory and Georgia, a second between Layhill and Notley Road, and a third between New Hampshire and Briggs Chaney Rd.).

Fortunately there’s a service entrance at Muncaster Mill Road (a bit west of Emory) where cyclists should be able to get onto the shoulder from either Muncaster Mill or from the path (if MdTA is willing to unlock the gate).  At Old Columbia Pike (a few miles east of New Hampshire), access to the south shoulder is easy, but getting to the north shoulder means building a short connector path running down the bank next to the highway.  That requires money and federal re-permitting, so it would be a tough sell.  But it would address the longest and most intractable gap in the ICC trail – namely the section through the Upper Paint Branch Park.  Other non-interchange crossings – Redland Road for example – would require pushing enough dirt around (re-grading) that they’d probably be summarily rejected by MdTA.  At the US 29, I-95 and I-370/Metro interchanges, shoulder use might be precluded by the complex arrangement of ramps and flyovers, at least for some directions of travel, but this should be investigated.

Access to the ICC shoulders east of Briggs Chaney Rd. may be possible at the Briggs Chaney interchange, but it’s sandwiched by two difficult interchanges.

You can decide for yourself where to provide shoulder access using the following map (click for a larger map).  Assume access is easy at the blue stars and somewhat expensive at the green stars.  Shoulder use might be limited or prevented at the red stars due to complex interchanges (TBD).

ICC map showing various trails and shoulder access points (click to enlarge)

The state’s response to our request for shoulder access was disappointing.  Here are their basic reasons for opposing shoulder use (I’m not agreeing, just summarizing):

  • Inexperienced cyclists or families might use the shoulders to get from one section of the path to another (since the path is not continuous).
  • Cyclists would have to cross high speed ramps, especially at the US 29 and 1-95 interchanges.
  • Drivers wouldn’t expect cyclists and might slow down when they encounter one, adding to congestion.
  • The tolling system would register a toll violation that would have to be cleared manually.
  • Cyclists might venture too close to the travel lanes and might not understand the wind effects of trucks.
  • Cyclists could interfere with emergency vehicles and would have to ride around vehicles stopped in the shoulder.
  • Addressing these concerns may require physical design changes which could impact cost, environmental permits and the functionality of some features (like guardrails).

Our answers:

  • Use well-established ramp crossing designs (see below).
  • Do not allow bikes on the flyover ramps, but investigate alternatives such as permitting cyclists to ride straight through the US 29 interchange, etc.
  • Prohibit all cyclists under 16 (or whatever).
  • Require riding in single file and in the direction of traffic.
  • Post warning signs about truck drafts, etc.
  • Build more path so the shoulder doesn’t look so attractive.  We especially need the path between Layhill Rd. and Notley Rd.  (Northwest Branch Park) and between New Hampshire Ave. and US 29 (Upper Paint Branch Park).
  • Done right, there wouldn’t be any locations where the path ends where riders could conveniently hop onto the shoulder, so novice users would not be tempted to ride on the shoulder when the path ends.

Bikes would cross on-ramps something like this (but without the bike lane symbols on the pavement):

On-ramp crossing design for bikes (from Oregon Bicycle/Pedestrian standards).

A real life example from British Columbia

Now if we could just get more of the ICC path and the connector paths built.  For now we have this (where the trail ends at Needwood Road):

End of the road (for bikes)

Jack Cochrane
MoBike

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Wrong way sidewalk bicyclist hit


A bicyclist was rushed to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore on Monday night after he was hit by a sport utility vehicle on Chinquapin Round Road in Annapolis.

At 10:13 p.m., police and firefighters were called to Chinquapin Round Road near the Lincoln Park Laundry. There they found a man lying next to his bicycle and the Nissan Xterra that struck him.

Police said the victim was riding southbound on the northbound sidewalk of Chinquapin Round Road and was riding across the cross street when he was hit by the SUV as it pulled into the laundry.

He was flown to shock trauma and his condition became critical en route, police said.

On Tuesday, police said the man was recovering and was likely to be released from the hospital by yesterday.

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Leopold Seeks Input on County Pedestrian/Bicycle Plan Update


County Executive John R. Leopold has started a comprehensive study of pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the County's suburban and urbanized areas and has called upon citizens to become part of the process by attending public meetings and/or applying for appointment to the Citizens Advisory Committee.

The study 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 will focus primarily on accommodating day-to-day transportation activities, such as travel to work, school, libraries and shopping.

Approximately 80% of the study is funded through a Federal transportation planning grant and it is expected to take about eighteen months to complete.

&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 will identify areas where improvement is needed.&quot;

In the meantime, the study will help the County identify those important projects that can be undertaken with limited resources and will serve as a guide for projects constructed by developers and Federal and State funding opportunities.

In addition to conducting a series of public meetings, the County Executive will appoint a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) who will work with the Office of Planning and Zoning (OPZ) and project consultant to provide ongoing citizen and community perspective.

OPZ will announce dates and locations for three public listening sessions in order to solicit citizen input regarding the presence, adequacy or lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities and amenities in their communities. 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.

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Fort Meade project hearing Thursday


[B' Spokes: Sorry too late to go to the hearing but at least accommodating bicycles is part of the project.]
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FORT MEADE — State and federal officials will hold a public hearing Thursday to discuss a project on Route 198 that would improve access to Fort George G. Meade.

A planning study has focused on Route 198 in Anne Arundel County. The goal is to improve traffic capacity along the roadway and increase motor vehicle and bicycle safety, while supporting development in the area. Route 198 provides direct access to Fort Meade from Route 32, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and points south and west of the study area.
...

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Bikes Thefts A Priority for MD Transit Police


By Nick DiMarco - Patch

Maryland Transit Authority Police are cracking down on a rash of bicycle thefts—a trend that began in June, according to Northern District commander Capt. Robert Rosendale.

Nine thefts were reported between the North Avenue and Hunt Valley Light Rail stops with suspects using the light rail to escape with stolen property. Two more thefts were reported in the Lutherville area last week, although it is unclear if the suspects fled via the light rail.

MTA Police used a decoy bike at the Lutherville light rail stop to make an arrest in early September. Police are now attempting to identify (by serial number) and photograph all bikes attached to racks at light rail stops. By identifying the bicycles’ locations, police can more easily track down the time of day that the bikes were taken by using each station’s closed captioned cameras, Rosendale said.

The hope is that by narrowing the time of day and the train used to transport the stolen property, police will have a better chance to catch bike thieves.

Rosendale advised members of the Lutherville Community Association, during the group’s October meeting:

* Buy a sturdy lock (“A $5 to $10 lock can be popped off just like that.”)
* Make sure you have your bike’s serial number written down somewhere.

Federal grants are available for additional cameras at light rail stops, although the Lutherville stop isn’t slated for another installation for at least another year-and-a-half, according to Rosendale. The typical cost for an installation ranges from $500,000 to $750,000, he said.

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Baltimore County presses transportation projects to spur economic growth


Just to note that bicycling is nowhere to be found in the article. :(

Cycling projects create MORE jobs per dollar spent then other transportation projects, not to mention MDOT has $31 million of federal funds that can be used for bicycling projects just siting there not doing a darn thing. ... but let's spin our wheels looking for additional money for other things.

Seriously guys. spend what you have.

But if you are interested in reading what Baltimore County is up too: <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/baltimorecounty/news/ph-tt-mdot-meeting-1102-20111028,0,6778767.story">http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/baltimorecounty/news/ph-tt-mdot-meeting-1102-20111028,0,6778767.story</a>;

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Alert: Tell Anne Arundel: Trails are transportation


Anne Arundel County wants to spend $6 million to connect two segments of the WB&A rail trail, following a circuitous and hilly route with an 800-foot bridge over floodplain wetlands. If they simply followed the old railroad bed, the route would be shorter, flatter, cost half as much, and built more quickly. The Parks and Recreation Department says it prefers the expensive and slow route because “No one has ever suggested that this trail will be used for transportation.” If that is true, we need to fix that now.

The Department is asking for comment on its 5-year plan. If you live or work in Anne Arundel (or ride on its trails) please tell the Department that the WB&A trail will be used for transportation.

1. Go to http://www.aacounty.org/RecParks/publicmeetings.cfm
2. Scroll to the form almost at the bottom.
3. on line 4 select Western Planning area
4. Fill out the rest of the form. If you work in Anne Arundel but live elsewhere, provide the Anne Arundel phone number. In the comments (using your words if possible), write something like:

Please extend the WB&A trail across the Patuxent River to Bowie with the shortest route and as few hills as possible. I use my bicycle for transportation. An extra mile on a bike is like an extra 5 miles for a car. An extra hill can be as annoying to a cyclist as a traffic jam is to a driver. Please build a straight trail on or near the old railbed, rather than a hilly detour.

5. If you do not live or work in Anne Arundel, we suggest that your comments mention the places where you spend money when you visit Anne Arundel parks.
6. If you want us to keep you informed, please send a copy of your comments to info@BaltimoreSpokes.org.
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