This is good news, but I hope the public's decision to drive less is based on something other than economic necessity. It could very well be the case that many people drive less because they no longer have a job to commute to. What will happen when people start working again and the economic outlook becomes more promising? If history is any guide, we Americans will start buying gas guzzlers and living in far flung exurban areas as soon as it is financially feasible.

I recently moved to Baltimore and have been surprised at the lack of bicyclists in the city. It probably has something to do with biking infrastructure, of which Baltimore has little. I moved from Tucson, where there are bike lanes on nearly every street, designated "bike streets," and expansive bike parking areas. It was not uncommon to see dozens of people of all ages on bikes everywhere you went.

During my six-mile bike commute from downtown to Morgan State University, I rarely see any other cyclists, except for an occasional kid on a BMX. I don't understand why people choose transportation options that are slow and inefficient. It takes about three minutes to cross downtown on a bike in midday traffic, about 15 minutes to drive the same distance, and usually 20 minutes or more on the bus. One program I'd like to see come out of City Hall would be a bike sharing initiative. I think Baltimoreans would embrace this, at least for short trips around the city.

Great news! Another good way to get people out of their cars is to allow larger pet dogs - ones too big to be carried - on transit, at least off-peak.

Dogs of all sizes are allowed on urban transit in Boston, Calgary, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and in most cities plus regional and intercity trains in Europe.

@drizell

What route do you take from downtown to MSU? I go to school there. I generally take the 3 bus, but rarely bike because the streets are so bike-unfriendly.

And FWIW, Baltimore is getting its act together on the bike infrastructure, albeit slowly. Mayor Dixon is a noted bicyclist, so that helps. But you're right, there's a long way to go.

Among the major issues:
--reckless / speeding / generally antagonistic drivers
--poorly-paved roads
--general lack of awareness of bike law and etiquette

Mostly #1, in my opinion.

Large dogs don't belong on public transit! Don't you pet owners understand that many people are allergic to dogs and cats, and that allowing them to be on a train or bus would make it extremely uncomfortable and, in some cases, dangerous for allergy sufferers to ride?

I wish the Baltimore area was more bike-friendly. I live in Towson and I'd love to be able to ride my bike more often but it's too dangerous. York Road is always crowded with traffic. If there were safer sidewalks, I'd get where I need to be in half the time on a bike.