Upgrades to Robert E. Lee Park


from the Baltimore Sun:

Meeting tonight on Upgrades to Robert E. Lee Park in Baltimore County

The Baltimore County Dept of Recreation and Parks will hold a public meeting at 7 pm Tuesday to discuss improvements to Robert E. Lee Park, a 415-acre property along Lake Roland that the county leases from the city. Topics include replacement of a pedestrian access bridge, which is under way,as well as development of a dog park and picnic areas. The county received $3 million in state funding and has budgeted an additional $3 to address upgrades to the park. The meeting will be held in the cafeteria of Dumbarton Middle School, 300 Dumbarton Road in the Rodgers Forge area. Information: 410-887-3871.

I plan to address bicycle acccess to the park via the Greenspring Branch ROW, Woodbrook Lane, and the Jones Falls Trail, all potential routes for the East Coast Greenway to get from Mt Washington up into the County. The voices of additional cyclists would be welcome.

Greg Hinchliffe
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The effectiveness of mybikelane.com


Baltimore Bus Division

MEMORANDUM                                                                               Nov 16, 2009

 

TO:                  JHMI Shuttle Operators          

CC:                  Office Staff                                                                 

FROM:                        Paul Kilduff

 

SUBJECT:      Bike Lanes on St Paul Street

 

We received the picture below from a website called, “baltimore.mybikelane.com.”  It was sent to the Dean of Students at JHU, and eventually it came to me.  Please be aware that, at St Paul at 33rd St (Charles Commons southbound), we may not block that bike lane – we need to pull all the way over.  We don’t want this situation to escalate.

 

I know it’s a big challenge to pick up people there.  But we don’t want to continue to get these complaints.  Please let me know if there’s any reason you can’t pull all the way over when picking up at that stop, or any other thoughts you may have about this issue.  Please stop and see me, or Direct Connect me on 573 with any comments or questions.

 

As always --  Thank you! 

 

Paul K

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Annapolis Bicycle Friendly Community Feedback


The League of American Bicyclists is please to present Annapolis with an honorable mention in response to its Bicycle Friendly Community application. Reviewers were impressed with the potential and commitment to make Annapolis a great place for bicyclists, though considerable work remains to be done. Highlights of the application included hiring of a bicycle coordinator for the city; Safe Routes to School programming in 11 Annapolis schools; Bike Loaner program; and the Mayor’s proclamation and participation in Bike to Work Day.

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More bikes, more awareness


By Bob Glissmann - WORLD-HERALD

It's a two-way street.

Bicyclists need to follow the rules of the road. Drivers need to acknowledge cyclists' right to be on the road.

Usually, the two groups peacefully coexist. When they don't, most encounters end with a stern look, a few choice words or an extended middle finger, not physical violence.

The curb-side clash between Omahans Benjamin Brownlow, 24, and Edward L. Palmer, 56, ended with cyclist Brownlow getting slapped upside the head. That led, last week, to Palmer's guilty plea to a misdemeanor assault charge.

Tensions between cyclists and drivers aren't new or limited to Omaha's streets. As more cyclists hit the road for recreation or to commute to and from work, they're encountering drivers who may be leery of — or even hostile toward — the cyclists.

But biking advocates say that familiarity breeds comfort, not contempt; they say studies have found that the more bicyclists hit the streets, the more drivers adapt to their presence.

The League of American Bicyclists, quoting the U.S. Census Bureau's 2008 American Community Survey, said 0.55 percent of Americans use a bicycle as the primary means of getting to work. That's up 36 percent from the first survey in 2005 and 43 percent since the 2000 Census.

This year's Bike Omaha Challenge, overseen by Activate Omaha, an exercise advocacy group, showed that 693 bike commuters in town logged more than 129,000 miles between mid-May and mid-August.

While far short of top rider Jerry Francis' 3,039 miles, Brownlow, who doesn't own a car, came in ninth in the challenge with 1,322 miles.

Brownlow says his run-in with Palmer occurred on Memorial Day when he was riding south on 50th Street between Dodge and Leavenworth Streets. Palmer was a front-seat passenger in a minivan that started honking at Brownlow from behind.

Brownlow said he gestured for the minivan to pass him, but Palmer started screaming obscenities from the van's passenger side and yelling that Brownlow didn't have a driver's license, didn't pay taxes and was supposed to be on the sidewalk, not the road.

Brownlow said he tried to tell Palmer that it's legal for him to ride on the street. Then Palmer's son pulled ahead of Brownlow and tried to cut him off, Brownlow said, but the cyclist was able to squeeze through. The second time, Brownlow said, the minivan blocked him in near Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

One witness told police it was clear to him that the van's driver was deliberately swerving toward Brownlow.

Brownlow said Palmer got out of the minivan and continued to scream obscenities at him.

“I was thinking that I still might be able to talk him down,” Brownlow said. “Explaining what the laws were didn't seem to help.”

After more yelling, he said, Palmer slapped him in the face. A witness told police that Palmer smacked Brownlow so hard she was shocked Brownlow was able to remain on his bike.

“It was kind of nice that I had my helmet on,” Brownlow said.

People who were tending their loved ones' graves in the cemetery yelled at Palmer that they were going to call the police and yelled to Brownlow to get Palmer's license-plate number. Palmer returned to the minivan, and the van left the area.

Palmer said last week that he entered the guilty plea only to spare his 19-year-old son, James R. Palmer, a reckless-driving conviction. He says Brownlow was riding erratically in front of the family minivan and repeatedly cursed at the vehicle's occupants and flipped them off when Palmer's son tried to pass the cyclist.

Palmer says he had his son stop the minivan so he could get out and confront Brownlow after Brownlow intentionally rammed his bike into the side of the vehicle. He says he told Brownlow to stop cursing, then stuck his finger in Brownlow's face. He told police he may have touched Brownlow's cheek.

After police investigated, misdemeanor warrants were issued in late August for Ed Palmer and James Palmer, and the two turned themselves in.

Ed Palmer was sentenced to 90 days' probation and assessed a $50 fine. The charges against James Palmer were dismissed.

Julie Harris of Activate Omaha said drivers have honked and cursed at her and flipped her off while she was out riding. She also has had drivers get as close to her as they can or speed up just as they pass.

“In all fairness, however, I also have to say that I have encountered many courteous and attentive drivers who have gone out of their way to be accommodating,” Harris said.

All drivers shouldn't be judged based on the poor behavior of a few, she said, and all cyclists shouldn't be considered law-flaunting daredevils based on the behavior of a few.

Brownlow, who commutes from near downtown to the west Omaha bike shop where he works, said both drivers and cyclists need to follow the rules of the road.

“There's a fair amount of people who are using a bike and not using it properly,” he said.

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Maryland cyclists, pedestrians at risk


I applaud Michael Dresser's and Laura Vozzella respective articles, "At What Point Does Safety Trump the Right to Drive"' and "A Ride for Remembering" (Nov. 9) about the respective tragic pedestrian and bicycle deaths of Johns Hopkins' student Miriam Frankl and Homewood Improvement Association mentor Jack Yates. Thomas Meighan, who had numerous drunk driving violations but still kept his license and vehicle, faces charges in connection with Ms. Frankl's death, and Mr. Yates, whose August death is still being investigated by Baltimore City Police, was struck by a truck turning right from Maryland Avenue onto Lafayette Avenue. In spite of the truck failing to signal a right hand turn, police have indicated that they hold Mr. Yates to be at fault.

While I thank the many Marylanders who put safety first, I'm deeply concerned about our underlying culture of speeding, text messaging, failing to signal turns and expecting bicyclists to always ride at the righthand edge of the pavement. Taking the lane in certain situations reduces the temptation for impatient/distracted motorists to pass a cyclist and then make a quick righthand turn. An assertive lane position also allows room for the cyclist to escape, if a motorist passes and turns right too quickly.

Maryland grants bicyclists the rights and duties of a motor vehicle operator and has published an excellent pamphlet, "Safe Cycling in Maryland." Maryland traffic law reflects the Uniform Vehicle Code in providing exceptions to the general rule of keeping right (exceptions include going traffic speed, lane too narrow to safely share side by side with a motor vehicle, turning left, right turn only lane, and one-way street). But unfortunately, nobody except experienced bicyclists seem to be aware of these exceptions. You won't find them in the driver's handbook or test. Although the highway administration advertises and has thousands of signs, they provide little guidance. These exceptions to keeping right, contained in Transportation Article Sec 21-1205(a)(1-6), are so secret that many judges and state police are unaware. Consequently, not knowing the rights of bicyclists, some motorists wrongly conclude that cyclists have no rights and do stupid things like harassing them for not riding in the gutter or cutting them off with right turns.

Part of Maryland's commitment to being more friendly to pedestrians, transits and bicyclists will be to educate and promote better understanding between nonmotorized and motorized users. The state police and the Motor Vehicle Administration will need to become involved. Public safety, not speed, needs to be the top priority. And please remember to signal turns. Doing so could save someone's life.

Jeffrey H. Marks, Baltimore

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November 2009 Update




One Less > Car

Greetings!

One Less Car (OLC) works throughout Maryland to reduce automobile congestion and pollution by decreasing car usage. Our goal is to help people get to where they need to go 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:

One Less Car Legislative Task Force
OLC Event Calendar
Dangerous by Design - Transportation For America's Report
By Popular Demand - T-shirts Available
City Council Public Hearing
Sunday Streets
Seeking "3Ts" - Board Members
MBPAC Resolution and Cover Letter to Maryland State Police
 

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Columbia (Mo.) mayor says it's time to put pedal to metal


[Baltimore Spokes: Note they used Federal Funding, we have a hard time getting Federal Funding because of State Policies.]

Says Columbia (Md.) needs to develop its bicycling potential

By Sarah Breitenbach - Colombia Flier

Columbia could learn a thing or two from a Missouri city that shares its name.

Darwin Hindman, the mayor of Columbia, Mo., visited Columbia, Md., Wednesday to tour the area and to talk about strategies for making Howard County more bike-friendly.

Hindman was invited to town as a guest of Columbia Tomorrow, a nonprofit dedicated to revamping downtown Columbia.

His visit included a two-wheeled tour on area bike paths and roads, and a lunch with representatives from nonprofits, businesses and local government.

“One of the things you've got to do if it’s going to work is take the people who don’t ride bikes now and get them interested in it,” he said.

Hindman told the group of 30 how his city used a $22.5-million federal grant to build bike paths, improve intersections and host city-sponsored bicycle safety courses.

“It’s beautiful here,” he said. “You’ve got an awful lot to build on.”

Hindman emphasized the health benefits of biking and its ability to decrease congestion when used as a means of commuting.

David Yungmann, founder of Columbia 2.0, an organization that seeks to involve younger people in the downtown redevelopment process, and a participant in the morning bike ride, said Columbia’s roads are not conducive to commuters on bikes.

“We were in people's way,” he said. “People are trying to park, trying to drive.”

County councilwoman Jennifer Terrasa, a Democrat who lives in Kings Contrivance, said while the county’s roughly 100 miles of bike paths are great for recreation, routes are not well connected.

“It’s almost like a strategic plan,” she said. “You have to go ‘OK, how am I going to get across (U.S. Route) 29? I can get over here, but how am I going to get across that road?' ’”

Terrasa said funds are not readily available to develop more bike paths or create dedicated lanes for cyclists, but bike usage will be a part of the planning process to redevelop downtown Columbia.

Earlier this week, the Howard County Council introduced legislation outlining General Growth Properties Inc.’s plan to bring 5,000 residential units, 5 million square feet of office space and 1.25 million square feet of retail space to downtown Columbia.

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Only one day left to demand safer streets


image
Since I wrote you Monday, we have some exciting news to share: My team has just scheduled a meeting with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to discuss pedestrian safety.

It's a great chance to get the administration on board with addressing a glaring problem with our streets. Each month, on average, more than 400 pedestrians are killed in America - that's roughly the equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every single month!

We need our meeting with Secretary LaHood to make a big impression - so we're going to deliver our "Demand Safer Streets!" petition to him in person during the meeting.

Please add your name before MIDNIGHT tomorrow so we can deliver your signature on Monday along with thousands of others we've already collected from people across the country.

- Ilana

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RIDING WHEN IT'S DARK


JOIN Joe's Bike shop TO CONQUEROR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME! JOE'S BIKE SHOP and LIGHT & MOTION will be hosting a demonstration of their commuter and Mountain bike light systems. TUES. NOV. 17TH 5:30PM-8:30pm AT THE INTERSECTION OF DULANEY VALLEY RD & SEMINARY AVE. You will have the opportunity to test out the lights to see what works best for your type of riding.
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