Baltimore Trails Summit, January 28th

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Baltimore City Recreation and Parks invites you to the TRAILS SUMMIT on Saturday, January 28th from 10am to noon at Cylburn Arboretum's Vollmer Center.

Learn about new trail construction, volunteer opportunities as well as planning for National Trails Day!

To RSVP, please contact Molly Gallant at molly.gallant@baltimorecity.gov

Hope to see you there!

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Mountain Bikers, DPW Nearing Compromise Over Reservoir Trail Use

Baltimore County Council members will issue a resolution in support of expanding trail network at Loch Raven Reservoir.
By Nick DiMarco - Patch

Loch Raven Reservoir trail users and the Baltimore City Department of Public Works could be nearing a compromise after months of negotiations over watershed land use, according to a county councilman and a representative for the Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Enthusiasts (MORE).

Trail users, specifically mountain bikers, have been in talks with Public Works to reclaim a network of "legacy trails" that were closed off—only to bikers—because of fears that tire treads were causing environmental damage to the watershed.

The contentious situation has been going on for over a year, as mountain bikers have pleaded with the city for a compromise.

While Loch Raven Reservoir is under Baltimore City control, the land is located within Baltimore County. With two governing interests involved, change can be difficult.

However, Baltimore County Council is moving ahead with a resolution to expand the trail network in conjunction with MORE.

A resolution (see attached PDF file)—co-sponsored by four council members—has been drafted in support of mountain bikers and outlines intentions for expanding trail networks.
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ICC Trail along Needwood Road – five years if we’re lucky

[B' Spokes: If you are interested in following all the fall out of the ICC (or want to help get all the patches in place.) This from CycleMoco is an interesting read.]
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End of the ICC path at Needwood Road

http://cyclemoco.com/2011/12/icc-trail-along-needwood-road-five-years-if-were-lucky/
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Cyclist travels 150 miles for groundbreaking ceremony

By TERESA ANN BOECKEL and PAUL KUEHNEL - Daily Record/Sunday News

George Kennett of St. Mary's County, Md. traveled 150 miles Monday to attend a groundbreaking ceremony for another phase of the Northern Extension of the Heritage Rail Trail County Park.
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Within a few years, riders should be able to travel roughly 45 miles from Ashland, Md. to John Rudy County Park within a day, said Carl Knoch, chairman of the York County Rail Trail Authority.

"It'll be great," Kennett said. "I can take a whole day almost if I want just to bike and not worry about getting run over by a car..."

The state Department of Transportation widened a sidewalk on the south side of the Route 30 bridge during a recent rehabilitation project. That sidewalk, which was completed at no cost to the county or the rail trail authority, will link the trail, Knoch said.
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"If there wasn't a York Heritage Rail Trail here, I would not come up here and spend my tourism dollars staying overnight in motels and going to restaurants ... cause I'd go somewhere else where there was a rail trail," he said.
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County Council accepts donation of Short Line Railway in Catonsville

"Under the agreement, Baltimore County will accept the 22.5-acres as a donation and take over maintenance of the trail in 10 years. In the interim, Catonsville Rails to Trails will complete construction on the 2.2-mile trail and maintain it until the 10-year period is up."

<a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/baltimorecounty/news/community/ph-ca-railstotrails-20111206,0,5434782.story">http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/baltimorecounty/news/community/ph-ca-railstotrails-20111206,0,5434782.story</a>;
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Plan proposes 34 miles of bicycle routes around Annapolis

[B' Spokes: Historically Maryland gets $1 million a year just for trails like this (Recreational Trail Program) but sadly MDOT's made up policy says no we don't want to fund trails like this and we don't want to put out any public accounting on how we spend a million bucks. Ref <a href="http://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=20100430170721104">http://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=20100430170721104</a>; ]
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By Andrea F. Siegel, The Baltimore Sun

An off-street bike trail links Truxton Park in Annapolis to the Bates Sports Complex. A bicycle lane runs along Edgewood Road between the Back Creek Nature Park and Bay Ridge Road. A snippet of shared bicycle-motor vehicle lane cuts the angle from Bladen Street to Northwest Street.

There are six miles of trails in the city, but few connections between them, and almost no markers to point out routes to popular destinations.

The city council is considering a plan to create a network of 34 miles of marked bicycle routes: a mix of bike lanes on city streets, shared-use lanes for drivers and cyclists, and off-road paths.

In addition to routes that avoid the busiest sections of major roadways, said Iain Banks, the city's personal transportation and parking specialist, the plan also includes safety and educational programs, promotion of bicycling, links to other forms of transportation and bicycle parking.

Bicyclists praised the plan, an 86-page document that lays out a long-term strategy, and officials say the point is to create an environment that allows bicycles to be used safely for transportation and recreation.

But the larger issue may be whether the cash-strapped city will be able to implement it. The price for turning the plan into reality is $2 million in the first five years, with a total of $3.4 million over a decade.
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Something to celebrate... we have seen the future and it's here

[B' Spokes: Maryland has more of these "great" trails planed.]
Anacostia River Trail ribbon cutting attracts the bigwigs
from TheWashCycle by washcycle

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DC Mayor Grey, Secretary of Transportation LaHood, Senator Cardin, MD Gov O'Malley, Sec of the Interior Salazar and others cut the ribbon on the Anacostia Trail

I've been to other ribbon cuttings, but I've never seen this level of dignitaries at one - and this is for a 1.5 mile trail with no exits and a deadend near a highway. I don't think the Wilson Bridge trail had this kind of participation.  I wouldn't even really call it finished until it connects to DC's streets. But whatever, I brought Trike and he may have met a future president.
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Future CCT issues discussed at walkthrough

Looks like MDOT is trying to pull an ICC bike path thing again in that adding detours and at grade crossings &quot;is just as good&quot; as a fully separated trail that avoids road crossings.

Read more at Washcycle: <a href="http://www.thewashcycle.com/2011/11/future-cct-issues-discussed-at-walkthrough.html">http://www.thewashcycle.com/2011/11/future-cct-issues-discussed-at-walkthrough.html</a>;
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Opening of Anacostia River Trail [Video]

I would be more supportive of O'Malley and things mentioned in this video if:

But if you live in the DC area, this is nice:
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In letter to officials, Brochin takes city to task for Loch Raven policies

By Kevin Rector - Baltimore Sun

State Sen. Jim Brochin has lashed out at Baltimore City officials over issues at Loch Raven Reservoir – again.

In the last few weeks, Brochin has been one of the most vocally unrestrained critics of city officials' recent decision to close down popular but unsanctioned mountain biking trails throughout the Loch Raven Reservoir forest buffer.

During a trail tour he helped organize on Oct. 14, Brochin chatted freely with media, mountain bikers and city councilmembers about how &quot;ridiculous&quot; he thinks the city's stance on the trails is. He rejected the idea that bikers cause significant erosion and sedimentation in the water supply.
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&quot;Baltimore City may own the reservoir, however it is in my Senate district,&quot; he wrote. &quot;Furthermore, your ownership in no way gives you immunity from adhering to the environmental laws of the State of Maryland.&quot;
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In an interview, Brochin said he was tired of the city hypocritically blaming mountain bikers for erosion while really causing it themselves, and had decided to turn the tables.

&quot;They say they are very concerned about the water quality, and they are harassing bikers who don't damage the water quality at all, and in the meantime they don't have a clue about keeping up a reservoir, maintaining open space, and keeping up this gem,&quot; Brochin said.

&quot;I don't think Baltimore City is being a good steward to the environment.&quot;

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