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Car Accidents the Leading Cause of Teen Deaths

By Amanda Johncola, NBC Philadelphia

...
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, car accidents are the leading cause of death among 15 to 20 year-olds, killing 1,678 16 to 20 year-olds in 2014.
In 2015, 54% of teen deaths were due to not wearing a seatbelt, in 26% there was alcohol in the driver's system, and 36% of teen deaths were due to speeding.
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http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Leading-Cause-Teen-Deaths-Car-Accidents-397350681.html
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#DirectDOT: New Complete Streets Policy for Baltimore

Via BikeMore

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What are we advocating for?

We're advocating that the new legislation be specific and measurable. Here are a few of the requirements in the proposed new legislation (none of which were in the original legislation):

Mandate a “modal hierarchy” of pedestrians first, followed by transit riders, bicyclists, automobiles, and parking. Simply put, the bill will require design to prioritize people who walk, bike, or take transit over people in private automobiles.

Mandate use of the latest urban design standards over the dated manuals currently in use.

Remove the “Motor Vehicle Level of Service” standard, and apply “Multi-Modal Level of Service” methodology, if a level of service standard is used at all. This means adding bike lanes, reducing travel lanes, and making other pedestrian, transit, and bicycle improvements won’t be thrown out of consideration due to potential delays for individuals in personal vehicles.

Mandate travel lane widths at a maximum of 10 feet, except on mapped transit and truck routes, where lane widths may be 11 feet. Many roads in Baltimore have lane widths wider than the standard for highways, which encourages people to drive at higher speeds on these roads. Narrowing the travel lanes will calm traffic and add space for bicycle and walking improvements over time.

Mandate a default design vehicle similar in size to a UPS delivery truck — meaning design streets (that aren't truck or public transit routes) to be optimal for a large delivery van rather than an 18-wheeler. When streets are designed or changed, the city uses a "design vehicle" as the typical road user. Baltimore currently uses a 18-Wheel tractor trailer as the default design vehicle, even on streets where trucks are not permitted. This results in wide travel lanes, soft curbs, and far distances for pedestrian crossings to facilitate truck turns that will never happen on those streets.

Mandate street design that limits visual clutter and remains sensitive to Baltimore's historic character.


While the Complete Streets Bill from 2010 was a step in the right direction, it wasn't specific enough to implement and wasn't made a priority by the administration. This new bill will be a huge step forward for Baltimore, and allow us to catch up to neighboring cities and begin to address the inequity of our roadway planning.
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http://www.bikemore.net/news/new-complete-streets-policy-for-baltimore
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Baltimore Bike Share

The Baltimore Bike Share web site is up!

https://www.bmorebikeshare.com/

From the web site:

How it works
Enjoy your city! Baltimore Bike Share sets you free to explore Baltimore on two wheels.
Baltimore Bike Share is public transportation on your schedule. Grab a bike, go for a ride, give it back. You can pay for Bike Share by the month or by the trip, similar to MTA.

1 JOIN
Become a Pass holder and use Bike Share at your convenience.

2 CHECKOUT
Walk to a station, choose your bike, and unlock it with your pass or the Baltimore Bike Share App.

3 RIDE
Ride around the City in style.

4 RETURN
Return the bike to any Baltimore Bike Share station.

https://www.bmorebikeshare.com/
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BikeMore's New Advocacy Arm

Via BikeMore

It’s frustrating how far behind other cities Baltimore has fallen in building walkable, bikeable, transit friendly neighborhoods. It’s often difficult to believe change is possible, that we can actually expand opportunity for residents while encouraging investment and growth.
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Right now, City Council is working to pass Transform Baltimore, a much needed update to our antiquated zoning code that will promote walkable, bikeable, mixed use neighborhoods. We need your support to ensure harmful amendments that will set back our neighborhoods don’t make it into the final bill.
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Our New Advocacy Arm

Our #IBikeIVote campaign was a tremendous success this primary season. But our members wanted more. You asked for candidate score cards, endorsements, and direct, critical or complimentary feedback on candidates and their platforms. Our 501(c)(3) status limited our ability to deliver on those requests. Now we can.

Your financial support of Bikemore’s new 501(c)(4) advocacy arm won’t be tax-deductible, but it will allow Bikemore to be more direct in our influence. Our advocacy work will be far more effective, and our victories will be easier to obtain.

We are moving away from the traditional membership model at Bikemore. Anyone invested in our mission will be considered a stakeholder in our work. Rather than spending staff time and resources tracking down member perks and schwag, we’ll focus on policy and infrastructure wins—which we believe to be the core reason anyone invests in Bikemore’s work. In turn, we’ll need people invested in our work to give, and to give significantly, to ensure we have the resources to deliver those wins.
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http://www.bikemore.net/news/baltimores-critical-juncture
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FIT BEFORE FLICKS: Tours de Federal Hill

Via Race Pace

Join us for relaxed evening bike rides before #Flicks!

When: Thursday, July 14 AND Thursday, August 4
Starts: 6:30pm @ Race Pace Bicycles (1410 Key Hwy)
Ends: ~ 8pm @ AVAM (800 Key Hwy)
Cost: FREE to ride!

AVAM & Race Pace Bicycles are teaming up once again for the annual Tours de Federal Hill bike rides – offered on 2 different Flicks nights! See the local sights & scenery from the seat of your 2-wheeler on these relaxed, evening rides. Each night, we'll meet at 6:30pm at Race Pace Bicycles (1410 Key Hwy), then pedal through the historic neighborhoods & parks of Federal Hill, ending at AVAM around 8pm – just in time for you to visit the museum & catch the free Flicks From The Hill movie at 9pm! Bring your own bike, or rent one from Race Pace Federal Hill (please call ahead to reserve as supply is limited: 410-986-0001); helmets, lights & locks are encouraged too. After the ride, take a stroll through our current exhibition: The Big Hope Show, as the museum is OPEN & FREE from 5pm to 9pm on Flicks nights. Then grab a blanket and relax under the stars while you enjoy the free outdoor movies on Federal Hill – part of AVAM's critically acclaimed, free outdoor film series: Flicks From The Hill.

http://www.avam.org/news-and-events/events/flicks-tours-de-fed-hill.shtml
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July 4th Bike Ride To Fort McHenry Honoring Julie Rout

VIA Catonsville Rails to Trails

Catonsville Rails To Trails 6th Annual Bike Ride to Fort McHenry Honoring Trail Lover Julie Rout on Monday, July 4th, 2016 C’ville Bikes/Hub, 821 Frederick Road, 21228 7:30 a.m- Light Refreshments - compliments of C’ville Bike/Hub 8:00 a.m. – Ride Begins The friends of Julie Rout will be participating in this bike ride. Julie loved the Catonsville trails and frequently used the trail during her battle with ovarian cancer. Julie passed away in March but her memory lives on with her friends who will be participating in the ride and raising money for Catonsville Rails To Trails’ newest trail, the Spring Grove section of the Short Line. What a great way to spend July 4th morning! Local cyclist, Charlie Murphy, will lead this ride from Catonsville to Ft. McHenry via the Gwynns Falls Trail. Donations can be made to CRTT in Julie’s honor at www.catonsvillerailstotrails.org. Casual ride at approximately 10-12 mph. Helmets should be worn. Parents should consider distance and conditions of ride to determine if age appropriate for child’s endurance and strength. Route will be checked the day before! No one will be left behind! Ride is FREE but donations/memberships are appreciated. Become a member of CRTT We will have membership and donation forms on the day of the ride. Bring a check!

http://catonsvillerailstotrails.com/girls-soccer-team-cleans-trails-in-record-time/
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Op-Alt: We can fix Baltimore's streets

Liz Cornish, City Paper

As the Executive Director of Bikemore, Baltimore's livable streets advocacy organization I was grateful to see the dangers people walking in Baltimore City face highlighted in the recent article entitled "Walk Hard: Baltimore is unsafe and unsympathetic to pedestrians." At Bikemore, our daily work is spent shedding light on how vehicle traffic in Baltimore is often prioritized over the safety of human beings walking and riding bikes. These decisions not only decrease public safety but also our quality of life.

The article accurately discussed how our road designs, laws, and policies often favor those behind the wheel of a car. But what the article failed to discuss was how inherently solvable these problems really are. To generalize and simply say Baltimore as a city doesn't care ignores the fact that it is not some nebulous force that causes our roads to be this dangerous, but the daily actions of our elected leaders, appointed officials and city employees. People with power are consciously making decisions that disregard the health and safety of the citizens they are supposed to serve, and they need to be held accountable. The people that lead our city's agencies--most notably the Department of Transportation have failed on multiple levels to to design and build safer streets--streets that improve public safety and public health by encouraging biking and walking. This failure is not only out of line with how the majority of American cities now design their streets, but is grossly negligent.
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http://www.citypaper.com/blogs/the-news-hole/bcpnews-we-can-fix-baltimore-s-streets-20160617-story.html
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Walk Hard: Baltimore is unsafe for and unsympathetic to pedestrians

By Edward Ericson Jr., City Paper

[Highlight:]
"The police officer was clearly sympathetic" to the driver, she says. "The attitude is, everybody drives, everybody makes mistakes, and it could have been me. It's easy for the police officer to identify for the driver and not that person that got hit."

http://www.citypaper.com/news/mobtownbeat/bcp-061516-walk-dangers-20160614-story.html
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As other cities push ahead with safer, more bikeable streets, Baltimore spins its wheels

BY JED WEEKS AND GREG HINCHLIFFE, Baltimore Brew [from March last year just cleaning up my to do list]

OPINION: Adding a rush-hour lane on Aliceanna is just the latest example of how the city is bucking national trends and its residents’ wishes

Sixity years ago, planner Lewis Mumford noted that “adding lanes to reduce traffic congestion is like loosening your belt to cure obesity.”

Baltimore government still hasn’t received the message.
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https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2015/03/16/as-other-cities-push-ahead-with-safer-more-bikeable-streets-baltimore-spins-its-wheels/
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