Bike/ped comments on Changes to Baltimore County Road Design Standards
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If you agree with the following or would like to add you own comments please email bweaver@baltimorecountymd.gov and help make Baltimore County more bike/ped friendly.
Per the draft:
O. Sidewalks and Pedestrian Ramps
Sidewalks will normally be required where standard combination curb and gutter
is built, where Community Plans require sidewalk and where otherwise
considered necessary by the BCBEC. The presence of existing or future
amenities such as bus stops, over/underpasses, designated and marked school
crossings or other foot traffic generators will be considered factors toward
requiring sidewalks along adjacent streets. Sidewalks shall usually be detailed to
be built “by others,” since they normally are not a part of the traffic way contract.
Sidewalk design shall be coordinated with DPW. New sidewalks shall be 5 feet
wide, except as otherwise directed by DPW. Replacement for existing 4 foot wide
sidewalks shall be 4 feet wide except where additional right-of-way is being
acquired by the County to expand sidewalk width to 5 feet. The designer is
referred to “Guide for the Planning, Design and Operation of Pedestrian
Facilities” published by AASHTO.
All sidewalks that intersect with traffic ways, curbed driveways and crosswalks
shall have pedestrian ramps for accessibility in accordance with ADA regulations.
Consideration shall be given to the location of existing and proposed power
poles, fire hydrants, street light and traffic signal supports and hardware and
storm drainage inlets when locating proposed pedestrian ramps. Minimum ADA
clearances shall be observed, and DPW shall be advised of the need for any
additional right-of-way to provide these clearances at the earliest possible time.
See Design Plate R-T and Standard Details R-36A through R-36E.
Our Sidewalk and ramps comment
Please make sure operational width is as stated, that is to say poles, highway signs, traffic control boxes, newspaper boxes sidewalk furniture and landscape areas cannot subtract from this area. Extra sidewalk width must be provided if any of the previous items are to be part of the sidewalk area.
Additionally for sidewalks along major arterials please consider 6-8' in width for sidewalks or landscape panels to help maintain a more enjoyable pedestrian experience not to mention a place for snow removal that will not put pedestrains at risk by having to walk in the street.
Ramps: If a single corner ramp is placed on the diagonal (a design I would like to discourage) it is imperative that it empties out into a crosswalk area. otherwise strollers and wheelchairs have to go out into the travel lane of moving cars before they can be in a crosswalk area and that is just wrong.
Per the draft:
Our Bikeway standards comments
Class 2 (Bike Lane)
I would also like to note the preference for pocket lanes at intersections with right hand turn only lanes or the use of a sharrow placed center lane or further left where right turns are authorized.
Just saying 4' minimum is NOT per AASHTO, while 4' is allowed on open sections of roadway (no raised curb or vertical obstacles) it is 5' that is the minimum unless the prevailing speed is 45mph or greater then 6' is recommended. Not to mention care should be given to avoid placing bike lanes in the door zone of parked cars. We strongly encourage the best engineering standards in bikeway designs as required by State law, if these cannot be met please consider Class 3 bikeways. Also note that wayfaring signage would be greatly appreciated. Also note that all widths exclude the gutter pan.
Class 3 (Shared roadway) Our comments
While some care needs to be applied in assigning bike routes, I find exception to saying a 10' travel lane is preferred when AASHTO highlights 14' Wide Outside Lanes and 3' (minimum) shoulders on rural low traffic roads as preferential.
In urban areas sharrows (Section 9C.07 of the MUTCD) and/or Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs (R4-11 of the MUTCD) should be used in preference over the older "Share The Road" signage. Also note that wayfaring signage would be greatly appreciated.
We also strongly encourage the use of the Bicycle Detector Pavement Marking (Section 9C.05 of MUTCD) on all Class 2 and Class 3 Bikeways
More info
O. Sidewalks and Pedestrian Ramps
Sidewalks will normally be required where standard combination curb and gutter
is built, where Community Plans require sidewalk and where otherwise
considered necessary by the BCBEC. The presence of existing or future
amenities such as bus stops, over/underpasses, designated and marked school
crossings or other foot traffic generators will be considered factors toward
requiring sidewalks along adjacent streets. Sidewalks shall usually be detailed to
be built “by others,” since they normally are not a part of the traffic way contract.
Sidewalk design shall be coordinated with DPW. New sidewalks shall be 5 feet
wide, except as otherwise directed by DPW. Replacement for existing 4 foot wide
sidewalks shall be 4 feet wide except where additional right-of-way is being
acquired by the County to expand sidewalk width to 5 feet. The designer is
referred to “Guide for the Planning, Design and Operation of Pedestrian
Facilities” published by AASHTO.
All sidewalks that intersect with traffic ways, curbed driveways and crosswalks
shall have pedestrian ramps for accessibility in accordance with ADA regulations.
Consideration shall be given to the location of existing and proposed power
poles, fire hydrants, street light and traffic signal supports and hardware and
storm drainage inlets when locating proposed pedestrian ramps. Minimum ADA
clearances shall be observed, and DPW shall be advised of the need for any
additional right-of-way to provide these clearances at the earliest possible time.
See Design Plate R-T and Standard Details R-36A through R-36E.
Our Sidewalk and ramps comment
Please make sure operational width is as stated, that is to say poles, highway signs, traffic control boxes, newspaper boxes sidewalk furniture and landscape areas cannot subtract from this area. Extra sidewalk width must be provided if any of the previous items are to be part of the sidewalk area.
Additionally for sidewalks along major arterials please consider 6-8' in width for sidewalks or landscape panels to help maintain a more enjoyable pedestrian experience not to mention a place for snow removal that will not put pedestrains at risk by having to walk in the street.
Ramps: If a single corner ramp is placed on the diagonal (a design I would like to discourage) it is imperative that it empties out into a crosswalk area. otherwise strollers and wheelchairs have to go out into the travel lane of moving cars before they can be in a crosswalk area and that is just wrong.
Per the draft:
Our Bikeway standards comments
Class 2 (Bike Lane)
I would also like to note the preference for pocket lanes at intersections with right hand turn only lanes or the use of a sharrow placed center lane or further left where right turns are authorized.
Just saying 4' minimum is NOT per AASHTO, while 4' is allowed on open sections of roadway (no raised curb or vertical obstacles) it is 5' that is the minimum unless the prevailing speed is 45mph or greater then 6' is recommended. Not to mention care should be given to avoid placing bike lanes in the door zone of parked cars. We strongly encourage the best engineering standards in bikeway designs as required by State law, if these cannot be met please consider Class 3 bikeways. Also note that wayfaring signage would be greatly appreciated. Also note that all widths exclude the gutter pan.
Class 3 (Shared roadway) Our comments
While some care needs to be applied in assigning bike routes, I find exception to saying a 10' travel lane is preferred when AASHTO highlights 14' Wide Outside Lanes and 3' (minimum) shoulders on rural low traffic roads as preferential.
In urban areas sharrows (Section 9C.07 of the MUTCD) and/or Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs (R4-11 of the MUTCD) should be used in preference over the older "Share The Road" signage. Also note that wayfaring signage would be greatly appreciated.
We also strongly encourage the use of the Bicycle Detector Pavement Marking (Section 9C.05 of MUTCD) on all Class 2 and Class 3 Bikeways
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