Greetings!

One Less Car (OLC) works throughout Maryland to reduce car use. Our goal is to help people get to where they need to go happily, safely and efficiently.

OLC works to increase walking, biking, carpooling, public transit, telecommuting, and flex scheduling opportunities. These smart transit choices promote physical activity, emotional and physical well-being, social interaction, livable communities, equity and environmental stewardship.

In this issue:

Tour du Port Data and Survey Results
October 23rd: City Council Public Hearing
October 25th: Roland Park Sunday Streets (Ciclovia)!
November 2, 2009 Transportation for Maryland “Platform Launch” and “Membership Drive Kick-off”
Save the Date! February 3rd, 2010 - One Less Car Annual Symposium in Annapolis, MD
Street Smart

Tour du Port Data and Survey Results

Thank you for taking part in the 16th Annual Tour du Port! The 2009 Tour du Port was a huge success. Registration increased from 1250 participants in 2008 to almost 2000 people at this year's event. On a sunny yet brisk October 4th, Mayor Dixon kicked off the Tour. Approximately half of the 2009 participants bicycled the short route options (12 or 20 miles) and the other half chose the longer route options (40 or 50 miles). A majority of you opted to ride the 20 or 50 mile route. Mayor Dixon completed the 50 mile route!

An astonishingly high number of people completed the 2009 Tour du Port survey (491 people - almost 25% of registrants)!  Almost 30% of you would like a metric century (63 miles) option to be a Tour du Port route option.  Furthermore, over 95% responded that they would like OLC to develop a rural Spring or Summer Tour!  Thus, OLC is reviewing rural bicycle event opportunities.  

We value your feedback and participation in the Tour du Port and look forward to a terrific ride again with you next year!  Again, we thank the 80+ volunteers who donated their time and talent - we couldn't put on Tour du Port without these wonderful volunteers!  OLC also thanks the many SPONSORS that support Tour du Port and One Less Car.

 

October 23rd: City Council Public Hearing

This Friday October 23rd at City Hall (in Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor), the Baltimore City Council will conduct a public hearing on the Equal Rights for Bikes Task Force, currently up for consideration by the Baltimore City Council.  The purpose of this task force would be to work within the Bicycle Master Plan to promote a safety program for 4-wheel and 2-wheel vehicles by clarifying rules of the road for all vehicular traffic, creating a system for monitoring bicycle-involved incidents, recommending bicycle safety initiatives for the City, and encouraging dissemination of information on bicycle safety throughout the City of Baltimore.

Please attend this important hearing to make Baltimore a better place to bike!  Official Announcement Here.  View the Baltimore City Bike Master Plan Here. 

October 25th:  Roland Park Sunday Streets (Ciclovia)!

Roland Park to test City's "Sunday Streets" Program: October 25, 2009. From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on October 25, the southbound lanes of Roland Avenue will be temporarily closed to automobile traffic between Northern Parkway and Cold Spring Lane to allow cyclists, pedestrians and skateboarders safe access to the street. A goal is to have students and other volunteers trained and deployed as safety officers. If successful, a larger Sunday Streets Program will be organized in March 2010, connecting Roland Park, Lake Montebello and Druid Hill Park (the “lake to lake” pilot route).

Ciclovia is a Spanish term meaning "bike path" and has been used to refer to events that temporarily close a street to cars for use by bicyclists and pedestrians. Sponsored by the Roland Park Civic League, Roland Avenue will be transformed into a temporary park between Cold Spring Lane and Northern Parkway.  For information or to volunteer contact Mike. 

Please come and show your support for returning public space back to the public for just one day a week. Baltimore City will have automated counters up so your participation will be counted! If successful it will get bigger and better for 2010! Bike, skate, jog, run or drive to Roland Ave between Northern Ave and Cold Spring Lane between 8 AM and 1 PM this Sunday or join in one of Baltimore Bicycling Clubs bike rides to the event (non members are free to join in the ride).

Final details are being worked out by the Civic League’s Sustainability Committee, the Office of the Mayor, Department of Transportation and Baltimore Police Department under the leadership of Councilwomen Mary Pat Clarke and Sharon Green Middleton. The Baltimore Metropolitan Council and One Less Car are providing additional support. On Sunday morning, Princeton Sports and Joe’s Bike Shop will have mechanics on hand to check bikes, make minor repairs and inform the public about bike safety.

Ride #1 - Pace: Casual - Distance 10 miles - Time 10 A.M. (arrive early to leave at designated time.)
Ride Start: The Conservatory in Druid Hill Park
Directions: I-83 South, exit 7 west to merge onto Druid Park Lake Dr, 1 mile turn right on Gwynns Falls Pkwy, take next right at T intersection, Conservatory on left, parking on right.

Ride #2 - Pace 13-15mph avg - Distance 25 miles - Time 10 A.M. (arrive early to leave at designated time.)
Ride Start: Whole Foods in the historic Mt. Washington Mill in the Forge Building circa 1890/1937
Directions: I-83 South, exit 10 east on Northern Pkwy, left on Falls Road, second light make a left on Smith Ave (Mt. Washington Mill) follow road till it veers right, keep going to the far north end of the lot.

For more information about the above Baltimore Bicycling Club rides contact Barry Childress 410-764-3225.  
Note: Helmets are required on all club rides and please make sure to follow the rules of the road.

November 2, 2009 Transportation for Maryland “Platform Launch” and “Membership Drive Kick-off”

The time has finally come for the Transportation for Maryland (T4MD) coalition to come together to discuss our platform for transformative change in Federal and Maryland transportation policy!

The Citizens Planning and Housing Association (CPHA) will be hosting T4MD’s joint “Platform Launch” and “Membership Drive Kick-off” to offer the opportunity for the T4MD Steering Committee to help all of you get caught up on our work together and with our national policy leaders at Transportation for America.

When: November 2, 2009, 6:30 – 8pm

Where: Episcopal Cathedral of Incarnation -4 E. University Parkway (corner of Charles St. and University Parkway), Baltimore, MD 21218

Why: This is an opportunity to strengthen the regional and national voices for real, measurable transportation reform in Maryland and across the US.

Speakers:

• Otis Rolley, Central Maryland Transportation Alliance
• Dru Perkins-Schmidt, 1000 Friends of Maryland
• David Casey, Baltimore Regional Initiative Developing Genuine Equality
• Transportation for America
• Host: Dan Pontious, Citizens Planning and Housing Association

RSVP - Click Here.  For more information,please contact Calvin Peete at calvinp@cphabaltimore.org or 410-539-1369 x112.

Save the Date! February 3rd, 2010 - One Less Car Annual Symposium in Annapolis, MD

The 2010 Thirteenth Annual Symposium in Annapolis will be a little different this year! The Symposium will be more inclusive covering bicycle and pedestrian topics, as well as, presentations on transportation as a whole. Topics/presentations may include Complete Streets policy, Safe Routes to School, Rails to Trails Initiatives, Payment in Lieu of Parking, Explanation of Commuter Choice, Finding the Best Carpool Matching Site, Guaranteed Ride Home…..and more!

The Symposium is the perfect setting to inform our state delegates and senators that Maryland’s communities need smart commuting opportunities and safe bicycle access to be fully sustainable and livable. The Symposium is designed as an opportunity for people to meet and share information with advocates, planners, state and local officials, and community leaders. There are educational exhibits and presentations throughout the day!

STREET SMART - Regional Leaders Launch Pedestrian Safety Campaign

The Baltimore Metropolitan Council, along with the Maryland State Highway Administration's Highway Safety Office (MHSO), recently launched the Street Smart Pedestrian Safety Campaign. One Less Car advocacy efforts and active presence in Annapolis helped bring this important initiative to Baltimore!

Throughout the campaign, drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists will be urged to look out for one another and obey the rules of the road, such as "Stop/Yield for Pedestrians", "Wait for Walk", "Cross after the Bus leaves the Stop", and "Obey Signs and Signals."

Street Smart is an annual public education, awareness and behavioral change campaign in the Washington, DC, suburban Maryland and northern Virginia area. Since its beginning in 2002, the campaign has used radio, newspaper, and transit advertising, public awareness efforts, and added law enforcement, to respond to the challenges of pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

The Street Smart program emphasizes education of motorists and pedestrians through mass media. It is meant to complement, not replace, the efforts of state and local governments and agencies to build safer streets and sidewalks, enforce laws, and train better drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

In a recent newsletter, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council stated, "Overall, the Baltimore metropolitan region averages 1,700 pedestrian and 500 bicycle crashes, resulting in an average of 50 fatalities per year.

In 2008, in the Baltimore region:

• 231 lives were lost
• 23,574 people were injured
• 50,096 crashes were reported
• 44 pedestrians lost their lives
• 4 bicyclists died
• 34% of all pedestrian and bicycle crashes in Maryland occur in Baltimore City.

The Baltimore region represents 39% of all fatalities and more than half the crashes and injuries across the state. The Street Smart Baltimore region campaign will include outreach on local MTA buses and radio spots this Fall and next Spring. Street Smart will also work with local law enforcement to raise awareness of the rights and responsibilities of drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to look out for one another on the roadway."

Here are a few tips about how you can be Street Smart - as a driver, a pedestrian, or a cyclist!

• Drivers - STOP for pedestrians in crosswalks. Yield to pedestrians & cyclists when turning. Look before opening your car door.
• Pedestrians - Use crosswalks, obey signals, and cross at intersections. Before crossing, look left, right, then left again.
• Cyclists - Ride with traffic to avoid potential crashes. Obey traffic signals and always wear a helmet: Helmets dramatically reduce the risk of head injury in a bicycle crash.

Learning to be Street Smart reminds us of the importance to use crosswalks, obey signals, and Share the Road before it's too late.  Click Here to Learn More About Street Smart.

Support OLC

Please support One Less Car. OLC is a 501c3 non-profit organization and your contribution is tax deductible. The OLC volunteer Board of Directors and Executive Director provide direction to a diverse group of volunteers, along with minimal staff, who advocate for providing safe and effective transportation alternatives for all citizens through education, lobbying, and facilitation between our communities, governments, and state and local representatives. We believe that Maryland can be an example of the economic and social good that comes from a society where everyone – regardless of age, physical condition or economic background - has the opportunity to bike, walk or use mass transit to get where they need to go.

DONATE HERE.