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BikePed Beacon -- November 2008


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November 2008 
IN THIS ISSUE
StreetSmart Campaign
Cities Struggling to Create Bike-Sharing Programs
Pedestrian Forum - Fall 2008
U.S. Bicycle Route System
Financial Bailout Includes Tax Break for Bicycle Commuters
Implementing Smart Growth Streets
Active Transportation for America
A Regional Bike and Pedestrian Newsflash  Greetings!
The following newsflash from the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board details current news, events, etc. in regards to biking and walking both in and around the Baltimore region.

The information found in the newsflash is informative; it could inspire some to become more involved in the process of improving conditions for biking and walking.

Or it could inspire a bike ride or a walk...

Amber Blake
BikePed ED


  Upcoming Meetings    Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Group January 7th at 1:00 PM at BMC (2700 Lighthouse Point East, Suite 310, Baltimore) 
All are welcome.     
>>See the Agenda and Past Minutes
 
BRTB meeting with elected officials
December 2, 2008 at 5 PM at BMC  (2700 Lighthouse Point East, Suite 310, Baltimore) 
Agenda will be posted 2 weeks in advance on BMC site. 
All are welcome.  Public comment opportunity at beginning of meeting.

Focus groupOpening for Citizen Member on the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Group 

The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) is currently seeking a volunteer to sit on the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Group (BPAG), to represent citizen interests related to bicycle and pedestrian planning in the region.   
 
The primary role of the BPAG is provide advice and assistance to the Technical Committee concerning bicycle and pedestrian projects, and update and evaluate the Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.  
 
The BPAG is an appointed committee of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board.  The citizen members will serve a two-year term, starting in February 2009.
 
For more information or to apply to serve on the BPAG, contact Amber Blake at
ablake@baltometro.org or 410-732-0500 x1030 or download an application at http://www.baltometro.org/downloadables/TEMP/BPAG/BPAG_Application2009.pdf.

 

 >> Learn More About BPAG

StreetSmart Campaign

StreetSmart


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.

The program is coordinated by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), and is supported by federal funds made available through state governments, and funding from some TPB member jurisdictions.


Cities Struggling to Create Bike-Sharing Programs    Bike-shareWatching the success of a massive bicycle-sharing program in Paris, where more than 20,000 bikes are now available for public use at self-service racks, several large U.S. cities have been exploring launching such service. Enthusiasm to reduce traffic congestion and pollution through greater bicycle use is being tempered by questions over funding and liability concerns, however.
 
Early bike-sharing efforts involved placing donated or unclaimed lost bikes around the city and relying on the honor system that users would return them. Many end up being stolen, however. So, following the Paris model, cities are now looking at more high-tech systems that require swiping a credit or membership card to guarantee the bike's return.  

Washington became the first American city to start such a program in August. Jim Sebastian, District of Columbia Transportation Department planner, said more than 900 users have signed up so far with an average of 150 daily rides among the 100 bicycles in service. Only one has been stolen and that user was billed $550 for a replacement bike, USA Today reported. The D.C. program is funded by Clear Channel Outdoor under an agreement that gives the company advertising rights on the city's bus stops.
 
Transportation officials in other cities including Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco are studying the Paris and Washington programs in hopes of starting up similar services. But efforts are being slowed in Boston by liability issues over who would be at fault if a bike-sharing user gets injured while using the service, in Chicago by funding questions, and in San Francisco by anti-bicycle activists who sued the city to halt construction of bike lanes until the impact on automobile traffic could be properly studied.



 
Pedestrian Forum - Fall 2008   
Department of Transportation.  United States of America  
The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has released the latest issue of its quarterly newsletter that highlights recent pedestrian safety activities related to the 4 E's-engineering, enforcement, education, and emergency services.
 
 


Articles include:
  • FHWA Safety Policy Memo Contains Provisions for Pedestrians 
  • Developing an Effective Measure of Pedestrian and Bicycle Exposure to Risk 
  • Evaluation of the Miami-Dade Pedestrian Safety Demonstration Project 
  • NHTSA Report on the Evaluation of Safety Benefits of Legacy Safe Routes to School Programs 
  • National Survey of Bicyclist and Pedestrian Attitudes and Behavior Results Finally Released 
  • NHTSA Conducts Pedestrian Assessment in Nevada 
  • NHTSA Releases National Pedestrian Crash Report 
  • Pedestrian Road Safety Audits Conducted in California and New Jersey 

A U.S. Bicycle Route System
 
Bike Routes USAAn official U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) could help make the United States' cycling infrastructure more competitive with these other expansive route networks. Given the sheer size of the U.S., the USBRS could become the largest cycling network in the world.

Adventure Cycling Association and several other organizations have teamed up with AASHTO (American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials) to develop such a system.

With staff support from Adventure Cycling AASHTO's Tasl Force on U.S. Bicycle Routes has developed a corridor-level plan and designation system. The Corridor Plan was just approved by the Executive Board of Directors at the AASHTO Annual Meeting. Similar to La Route Verte, the vision of the USBRS is to create a seamless rural-suburban-urban cycling experience.
 

Financial Bailout Bill Includes Tax Break for Bicycle Commuters  

 
Bike to work
Tucked in the $700 billion bailout bill intended to help the nation's financial sector is a small provision to help promote bicycling to work.

Starting in January, bicyclists will be eligible for a $20-per-month tax-free reimbursement from their employers for bike-related expenses, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Employers who choose to participate in the voluntary program will be able to deduct the expenses from their federal taxes. The money could be used to purchase, store, maintain, or repair bikes that are used for a substantial portion of an employee's commute.
 
Bike advocates worked for seven years to get such a provision approved by Congress. The bicycle benefit was championed by members of the Oregon delegation, who squeezed it into the mammoth bailout bill signed Oct. 3 by President Bush. Supporters estimate the federal government will lose about $1 million a year in tax revenue as a result of the new benefit, with the exact amount depending on how many companies decide to offer the money to their employees (Source: AASHTO Journal Oct. 16, 2008 Page 10).

 
Implementing Smart Growth Streets
 
Smart Growth
The U.S. EPA Office of Development, Community and Environment (widely known as the ''Smart Growth'' office) is sponsoring a study on ''Implementing Smart Growth Streets'' that is being conducted by ICF International and Ellen Greenberg. Readers of Smart Growth Online are invited to participate in this work by bringing candidate case studies to the attention of the project team.

The project, which is in its initial phases, is using the following summary definition of smart growth streets: ''Smart Growth Streets are roadways designed and operated to support compact communities while promoting least-polluting transportation performance and preserving environmental resources within and beyond the right of way.''

Study organizers are seeking exemplary cases that demonstrate innovation, quality, and replicable results with respect to one or more of the principles. It is not expected that each case study will illustrate all of the principles. The study is focusing on documenting such examples, as well as on the implementation activities and institutional arrangements that are leading to positive outcomes.



Rails to Trails ReportActive Transportation for America:  A Case for Increased Federal Investment in Bicycling and Walking.    
A 48-Page Report by Rails-to-Trails   "This report quantifies, for the first time, the benefits that America can expect from elevating the priority of bicycling and walking in our nation's transportation system.

This case statement for increased investment in bicycling and walking infrastructure evaluates benefits in the areas of transportation, oil dependence, climate change, and public health, and puts dollar estimates to the economic value of these benefits. Benefits from bicycling and walking are quantified for the status quo, and for prospective increases in bicycling and walking under a Modest Scenario and a Substantial Scenario for the future.

The analysis concludes that modest increases in bicycling and walking could lead to an annual reduction of 70 billion miles of automobile travel. More substantial increases could lead to the avoidance of 200 billion miles per year."  (Excerpt from the Executive Summary of the Report)
  >> Read the Report
In The News
 
Join Our Mailing List
 

BMC Logo                            Amber Blake
              Baltimore Metropolitan Council
              410-732-0500 x1030
 
              ablake@baltometro.org
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Cyclocross race this Sunday


I thought I would share that the Howard County Recreation and Parks Department, in conjunction with Lateral Stress Velo, is hosting a cyclocross race in Rockburn Branch Park this Sunday. The Rec & Parks Dept. has been is very enthusiastic about expanding its offerings for cycling, and I hope some of you will be able to come out and support the event--or even participate! In particular, we will be having a Free "Li'l Belgians" race for kids ages 9 and under at 1:00 pm. The only requirement is that kids must have a helmet, and parents must sign a release at registration.

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MD 25 - Falls Road construction


As part of our ongoing highway maintenance program, the State Highway Administration (SHA) is beginning a project to repair, resurface and improve safety along approximately 16 miles of MD 25 (Falls Road) between the I-695 interchange and Mount Carmel Road . Five segments of Falls Road will be repaired, milled and repaved during the next several months as weather conditions permit. The entire $4 million project is slated for completion in late Spring 2009.

Nighttime work is underway on the first segment, from I-695 to north of Seminary Avenue . Lane closures with flagging operations will occur nightly Sunday - Thursday between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. (Repairs, Milling and Repaving Fall 2008)

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LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS GO ON TOUR


Consolidated Transportation Program Details Future Transportation Projects

Maryland has a unique process to gather public input from every jurisdiction, a process stipulated by State law, requiring the Secretary of Transportation to visit with, and present to each of the State's jurisdictions, the Draft Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP), for comment. This process is known as the Secretary's Annual Capital Program Tour.

The CTP is a detailed listing with descriptions of the capital projects that are proposed for construction, or for development and evaluation during the next six-year period.

Each year this report is developed in draft form and presented to every jurisdiction during the fall. Following distribution of the draft document, Maryland Department of Transportation representatives visit each jurisdiction both to present and to receive comments on the program. Following the tour, the CTP is prepared in final form for presentation to the General Assembly in January.

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BUILDING A NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR ANNAPOLIS


Committee seeks public comment on draft

AnnapolisEvery 10 years, Annapolis creates a new Comprehensive Plan to chart the City's direction for the coming decade. Since late 2006, the City has been working with a Citizen Advisory Committee to generate a new Comprehensive Plan.

Now, the Comprehensive Plan Citizen Advisory Committee invites Annapolis residents, community groups, business groups and other interested individuals to review and comment on the "Committee Review Draft" of the Annapolis Comprehensive Plan. The committee wishes to hear from the public before it finishes its work on the Plan.

The Committee Review Draft is available for download on the City web site (link below) or for review at the Annapolis and Eastport-Annapolis Neck Libraries or the Annapolis Department of Planning and Zoning.

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PRINCE GEORGE CO. (MD) REPS PUSH FOR PED SAFETY


According to an Oct. 14th Gazette article, "State Sen. James C. Rosapepe (D-Dist. 21) of College Park and state Del. William Bronrott (D-Dist. 16) of Bethesda say they hope a proposed bill will make walking and biking to school safer for children across the state. Under the proposed legislation, school construction funds could possibly be used for adding or widening sidewalks, adding traffic lights, countdown walk signals, crosswalks and increasing the time of walk signals at intersections.

"The bill was announced Oct. 6, a day before Walk to School Day, a Prince George's County effort to encourage students to walk to school and to identify areas along their routes that need improvement. According to the State Highway Administration, there were 110 deaths involving pedestrians statewide in 2007, 28 of which occurred in Prince George's. The SHA did not have specific information on the ages of those killed. Rosapepe said Route 1 creates a dangerous walking atmosphere for College Park pedestrians..."

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Biller's Bikes Biketoberfestival Oct. 18 Celebrates Upcoming Move to Downtown Havre de Grace


Biller's Bikes in Havre de Grace throws BIKETOBERFESTIVAL Oct 18 to celebrate Fall biking season and the upcoming move and expansion in downtown Havre de Grace.

Come to BIKETOBERFESTIVAL at Biller's Bikes next Saturday, Oct. 18, from 1-8 pm! It's the last big biking gig at the Juniata Street shop!

Walter and Mara, Mike and Ike (the new twin cats), invite friends and patrons to help us celebrate the Fall season and the upcoming move to downtown Havre de Grace.

BIKETOBERFESTIVAL means "Real Big Fun" in Havre de Grace bicycling!

Live Jazz/Rhythm and Blues
October BBQ and "Biker Beer Garden"
Contests, Games and Prizes
Great Benefit Raffle (for HdG Ambulance Corps)
Bikes, Bicyclists and Bold Bike Chat!

Come by and party, enjoy great food, drink great beer and beverages (hot cider, of course), win terrific prizes (including a brand new SUN 700c sports hybrid bicycle), and share your ideas and inspiration for our awesome new downtown shop location.

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Save-A-Limb Ride.


From an email NBBB received:

I wanted to invite you and your fellow cyclists to join celebrity Tour de France veterans Floyd Landis and Bob Roll for the 3rd Annual Save-A-Limb Ride on Sunday, September 28th at Oregon Ridge Park in *censored*eysville, MD.

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Dave Troy: Fueled By Randomness


[A most excellent blog entry. Which I will highlight the conclusion: "We have a lot to learn from the rest of the world with respect to our relationship with our own landscape, and we could start by making bicycling a more usable, more human experience for average people."]

Bicycles

I spent the last two months in Europe — mostly in Berlin, Germany. While I was there, I had the opportunity to use a bicycle as a primary mode of transportation, and it was a great experience. I looked forward to biking because every trip was a revelation: about urban design, road planning, and building on a human scale.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to bike from my home north of Annapolis, Maryland into the city. This is a trip I’ve made on previous occasions and I’d found it underwhelming for a variety of reasons. But with an extensive (and positive) biking experience under my belt in the last few weeks, I’m now able to articulate the reasons why the experience of biking is so much different between the US and Europe.

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Fall resurfacing of Route 144


STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TO RESURFACE SECTION OF MD 144 IN HOWARD COUNTY

Motorists Should Expect Single Lane Closures through Late-October

(September 11, 2008) – This fall, the Maryland Department of Transportation's State Highway Administration (SHA) is resurfacing approximately six miles along eastbound and westbound MD 144 (Frederick Road) between Daisy Road and MD 32 (Sykesville Road) in Howard County. SHA expects to complete the $830,000 project by the end of October, weather permitting.

Motorists should expect single lane closures and lane shifts along MD 144 between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday. Flagpersons, barrels, cones, signs, and arrow boards will guide motorists through the work zone. More than 4,500 vehicles travel along this section of MD 144 each day, motorists should expect delays.
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