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Bicycle Safety.

[From Maryland State Highway Administration]

The primary impetus for paved roads was for the safe travel of bicycles! More and more people are taking to two-wheel rather than four for recreation, exercise and daily travel. Bicycles are entitled to Maryland’s non-interstate roadways, just as cars are! Bicycles are subject to the same laws and need to obey the same traffic devices as vehicles.
...
Tips for Drivers

* Leave at least three feet of passing space between the right side of your vehicle and a bicyclist.
* Reduce your speed when passing a cyclist, especially if the roadway is narrow.
* Children on bicycles are often unpredictable in their actions. Expect the unexpected.

For the cyclist

* Ride in the same direction as traffic.
* Cyclists are subject to the same rules and regulations as motor vehicles.
* Obey all road signs and signals.
* Wear your helmet correctly – at the front of the head and not tilted back.
* Wear reflective gear after dark and have a light on your bike.

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U.S. DEPT. OF ENERGY GRANTS CAN FUND BIKE/PED PROJECTS

[Note $52M Available to Maryland that could be used for bike lanes and trails.]
-> In a Mar. 30th note, Gabe Rousseau, the FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager, wrote, "I wanted to let you know of a new funding opportunity that includes walking and bicycling facilities as an eligible activity. It's the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. The DOE Block Grant funds are available 'to assist State, local, territorial and Tribal governments in implementing strategies to reduce fossil fuel emissions, total energy use, and improve energy efficiency in all sectors.'

"'Eligible activities' include 'Development of infrastructure such as bike lanes and pathways and pedestrian walkways.'"

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Webinar: "Shared Lane Markings/Sharrows"

When: April 15, 2009
3:00 to 4:00 pm Eastern
Online registration is available until: 4/15/2009

Details
The Shared Roadway Marking ("sharrow") has been accepted in the California MUTCD and proposed for inclusion in the next federal MUTCD. It is becoming a popular addition to the bicycle engineer/planner's toolbox. Learn more about sharrows at a one-hour webinar scheduled for April15, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

This webinar will feature Mike Sallaberry, a registered traffic engineer who has worked in San Francisco for nine years, first with the city's Bicycle Program and then with the Traffic Calming Program. Mike will provide information about placing and installing the marking on a variety of street types, and will present findings of the San Francisco-sponsored experiment, showing what the marking was and was not able to accomplish. Mike will give examples of less-obvious situations where sharrows can be used to address design challenges where other markings, signage, or facilities are inappropriate or insufficient. He will also discuss installation and maintenance of the marking, inlcuding the variety of materials available and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

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Choker vs Speed Table

As congestion increases motorists look for alternative routes which often are our cycling routes. But in order for these routes to be a viable shortcut for motorists there is a need to exceed the speed limit which causes issues and concerns.

In order to address these concerns community's have been installing chokers which has alarmed a local cycling community as most feel that chokers make roads less bike friendly, additionally chokers are one of the lest effective measure to reduce motorists speed.

Effectiveness: http://www.trafficcalming.org/effectiveness.html

Speed tables (long flat raised surface) on the other hand are effective at keeping speed near the desired limit without any significant discomfort to law abiding motorists or cyclists.


So I am curious how you feel, see poll in the right hand column.
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Evaluation of State bicycle master plan by FHWA criteria

[underlined not done or not done well. Grade]

In brief, this guidance makes the following key points relevant to State and metropolitan area transportation planning for bicycles and pedestrians:

  • Plan elements should include goals, policy statements, and specific programs and projects whenever possible. C
  • The plan should identify financial resources necessary for implementation. Fail
  • Bicycle and pedestrian projects may be onroad or off-road facilities. Off-road trails that serve valid transportation purposes as connections between origins and destinations are considered eligible projects consistent with the planning process. D
  • Any regionally significant bicycle or pedestrian project funded by or requiring an action by FHWA or FTA must be included in the metropolitan TIP. [In my experience no on-road bike project can make it to the TIP so we will not see any regionally significant on-road bike projects.] Fail
  • Bicycle and pedestrian elements of transportation plans should include:
    • Vision and goal statements and performance criteria. C
    • Assessment of current conditions and needs. A [but with no strategic plan to correct.]
    • Identification of activities required to meet the vision and goals. D
    • Implementation of the bicycle and pedestrian elements in statewide and MPO transportation plans and TIPs. Epic Fail
    • Evaluation of progress using performance measures. Fail [While we do have performance measures we have met or near meeting those measures. The last attainment report recommended revising those goals but to date we have not found who is responsible for revising those goals.]
    • Public involvement as required by Federal transportation legislation and FHWA/FTA planning regulations. Fail [While all the motion of public involvement is done the State uses the design and defend method so public input is negated. And what goes into consideration for bike/ped projects is all political with no public involvement.]
    • Transportation conformity requirements for air quality, where necessary. Fail [Bicycling has not been part of the air quality equation.]

Statewide Bicycle and/or Pedestrian Plans

At the State level, bicycle and pedestrian plans establish policies, goals, and actions for State agencies (i.e., within a State DOT and transit agencies) to accommodate and improve conditions for biking and walking. These plans often include design standards/guidance for local and regional governments, and they typically address education and safety issues as well.

The primary objective of a statewide bicycle and pedestrian access plan is to guide future transportation projects in the State, and to establish programs that support and encourage bicycling and walking. The following types of activities may be included in a statewide bicycle and pedestrian planning process:

  • Public outreach that spans all geographic and jurisdictional regions of the State, and jurisdictional outreach that ensures the involvement of local stakeholders. D
  • Assessment of existing facilities, planning activities, programs, and policies. This may include extensive analysis of the current transportation system to identify deficiencies as well as an analysis of travel patterns and opportunities. D
  • Identification of policies and legal barriers to implementing bicycle and pedestrian improvements (including zoning and subdivision regulations) and development of strategies to address these barriers. Fail
  • Prioritization of locations needing improvements (based on existing conditions analysis and a relative assessment of demand), prioritization of programs, and other actions needed in order to support pedestrian and bicycle transportation. Fail
  • A phased implementation plan that identifies specific recommended actions, identifies the jurisdictions and/or agencies responsible for each action, assigns an estimated cost to each action, and identifies a timeframe for implementing the plan. D

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The lack of public access to Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

MBPAC exists by State statue (Transportation § 2-606) and its discrepancies with the Open Meetings Act.

It has come to my attention that there was a meeting discussing State shoulder striping policy (more info follows on why we should be concerned with this policy) with no public notice. While I was given opportunity to comment after the fact via email the lack of pre-notification concerns me as I feel this is part part of an ongoing problem, MBPAC subcommittee meetings and agenda\'s (where most of the work is done) are NOT public, the minutes from those meetings are NOT public, the agenda for upcoming MBPAC meetings are NOT made public but are only available by special request and only for the next meeting. Per Micheal Jackson, this is per his boss\' orders. IMHO this is going way overboard, what opportunities do exist for the public should be encouraged not discouraged. As a reporter and a representative of not only the BBC but of the BRTB BPAG as well, the fact that MBPAC is not willing to accommodate my interest in what MBPAC is doing is very disconcerting. My time is limited so I can\'t always participate and for the most part I trust what the committee members are doing but the lack of NOT even being informed what MBPAC is doing and general poor communication at this level should not be tolerated. Additionally it would be nice if a visitor gets quoted in the minutes they should be given a chance to comment on the draft before going public with it. (I will note that it is good to see the MBPAC meeting minutes going on-line, one positive thing anyway but the last two meetings (4 months) are not up yet, real timely information. :( )

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Rant on dealing with the legislature (more so in the House)

No doubt we expect our elected representatives to be educated and well informed so when urban myths are spouted off in the legislature as truisms it comes as a great shock. The irony of these two urban myths just hit me "Cyclists break laws" and "Cyclists don't pay gas tax (so the road system should be hostile to cyclists???)"

We have enacted Federal laws that say transportation funds have to be used to give due considerations to the needs of bicyclists and we have enacted State law that cycling has to be an essential component of the State's transportation system yet MDOT breaks these laws saying that on-road bike facilities will not be funded.

So because cyclists break laws the State breaks laws to redirect transportation funds away from where they are legally obligated to go. Because the roads are for cars only (because they are paid in part by gas tax) no laws nor significant educational campaigns to insure the safety of human "road kill" are necessary.

There is a reason why Maryland ranks the 8th highest in pedestrian fatality rate as they have adopted a policy that roads are for cars and not for people.
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Ride for the Feast is in Full Gear...

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It's not too early to register for Ride For the Feast 2009! This event encompasses 2 days and 140 miles of paved road biking from Rehoboth Beach, DE to Baltimore City. We provide you with complete support and one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. All event costs are underwritten so that 100% of the money you raise supports Moveable Feast’s programs. There is a $50 registration fee and minimum fundraising goal of $1,200.

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Stimulus in Maryland

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Compared to all that, the Maryland share of the trillion dollar Obama stimulus plan for transportation will amount to pocket change - approximately half a billion. Vice President Biden was in the state yesterday touting $2.9 million (with an "m") to renovate the Brunswick MARC station as an example of the new stimulus spending. Maryland Transportation secretary John Porcari pointed out that the old platform at Brunswick was tripping up women in high heels. Does this mean that high heels are a key to economic recovery?
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