Bike bills get warm reception at City Hall hearing
A package of bills intended to promote bicycling in Baltimore received a generally favorable reception from a City Council's Community Development subcommittee at a well-attended hearing this afternoon.
For the most part, ciity agencies were supportive of the five-bill package, though some suggested amendments. Several dozen bicyclists attended to show support and to offer suggestions for relatively minor tweaks to be bills.
Subcommittee Chairman William Cole said one of the measures, a bill that would require certain developments to include a minimum number of secure places to park bicycles, had to be pulled from the agenda because it involves zoning issues that have to be advertised in advance. He said that bill will be rescheduled for a subsequent hearing.
The subcommittee agreed to schedule a work session to consider the specific language of amendments to the remaining four bills.
One issue that must be dealt with is how to treat motor scooters, which under state law might have to be given access to lanes that are also open to bicycles. Councillwoman Mary Pat Clarke, sponsor of the package, expressed concerns about writing explicit language into the city ordinance allowing such vehicles in those lanes. The city Law Department agreed to draft language addressing her concerns while complying with state law.
The testimony sometimes wandered off the topic of the bills but was nevertheless interesting. Joan Stato of Fells Point used the occasion to raise concerns about the new bus/bike llanes on Pratt and Lombard streets.
"I don't know who came up with the idea of bicycles and buses ahhring a llane, but it's crazy," she said.
Carol Schultz of Elsrode Avenue testified that bicycle-friendly policies would attract young professionals to live in the city and help low-income Baltimoreans get to work without the cost of a monthly bus pass.
"It benefits everyone," she said.
Clarke ended the hearing with an admonition to the bicyclists in attendance:"Remember to wear helmets and be safe."
Comments
Glad to hear it. Safer biking is a good thing for the city. As a MARC rider who bikes to the station, I think the drivers will be happy they to have less competition for parking.
Posted by: Fritz | May 6, 2010 7:18 PM
I ride in the bike/bus lanes all of the time, I was skeptical, too, at first, but they work!
Posted by: Fred Scharmen | May 6, 2010 9:09 PM
I think the city is making some progress for bicyclists as well as the state. In fact today I rode a bicycle to work 7 miles each way.
However, at what point will the city also realize that motorcyclists should deserve the same treatment. There are several parking garages that do not allow motorcylists and others that do, but it is completely unsafe to park. (gates falling on you, motorcyclist doesn't trip sensor, steap incline to gate only to find the button to enter on the left hand side instead of the right side). Maybe the city can make some progress on free motorcycle parking like Washington DC has provided to help promote a better enviornment for all.
Posted by: Phillip | May 7, 2010 10:17 AM
I'm really pleased with how supportive the council has been of these bills, and they are a great thing for Baltimore.
I was disappointed that the one bill had been re-scheduled, as I anticipated some strong opposition to it, and wanted to witness the drama and testify in support of it.
1/3 of Baltimore doesn't have access to a vehicle, our downtown is full of parking garages and surface lots (once promised to be gleaming skyscrapers), and we're worried about not being able to add tons more parking due to a requirement to also support bikes? Ridiculous.
Posted by: Jed | May 7, 2010 1:22 PM
Clarke ended the hearing with an admonition to the bicyclists in attendance:"Remember to wear helmets and be safe."
I'm a cycleway designer / civil engineer. I live in Australia where we have had compulsory helmets for all cyclists since 1991 and it is a public health policy failure because it reduced cycling numbers and we now have higher obesity & other health problems. Yes helmets can reduce the severity of head injury and I encourage inexperienced cyclists to use them. But when you look at the statistics, the risk of head injury on a bike is quite low. Cycling risk is offset 20 to 1 by the health benefits of cycling. If you really want to improve public safety and reduce head injuries then you should be telling the car drivers to "wear a helmet and drive safely".
I still use my original 1991 helmet because I've never hit my head even though I'm an aggressive, fast on-road cyclist who weaves through traffic and most of you would think is a maniac. I learnt to watch everything, anticipate what everyone is doing and hence avoid cars in the first place. If you know anything about work place safety then you'd know that you should reduce the likelyhood of a crash occuring in the first place and that personnal protective equipment (helmets) is only the last and least effective measure in safety.
Posted by: Ride2Wk | May 7, 2010 9:09 PM
For what its worth ,i work construction jobs as a laborer all over the City. And i ride a bike since i cannot afford a car.
And the biggest factor in whether i ride my bike to a job or take the bus instead ,is not whether there are enough bike lanes.
Its how dangerous the neighborhoods are that im traveling through.
It took me 2 hours to take a bus from 33rd and Grenmount to Highlandtown[22 bus is so packed it wont pick up passengers]]
Why didnt i ride my bike?
Because while 33rd and Greenmount is ok, i would have had to ride through some very bad and abandoned areas on my way to Highlandtown.
Im not afraid of cars. Im afraid of packs of teenagers pulling me off my bike.
Im a big guy ,who carries a hammer on my toolbelt ,but it still has been attempted 3 times in Highlandtown.
Is it any wonder that most people dont ride their bikes in Baltimore? Without the crime Baltimore would be an extremly walkable and bikable city .
Posted by: Pete from Highlandtown | May 8, 2010 2:37 AM