City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke floated an interesting notion Sunday as she took part  in a neighborhood event in Roland Park.

Noting that the city is planning to repave Roland Avenue, she suggested that transportation officials install a two-way bicycle lane immediately adjacent to the curb, with a parking lane just to the left.

The idea, she said, is that the lane of parked cars would serve as a buffer between bike riders and the cars in the travel lanes. Clarke said the idea has already been tested in New York and Montreal. The bicyclists who were gathered nearby seemed to think that was a good idea.

So what do you say, two-wheelers and parallel parkers? Is the councilwoman on to something or has she just  slipped a gear?

Coincidentally, the Greater  Greater Washington blog is reporting that District officials are considering a similar idea for 15th St. N.W. GGW has a lot of good graphics that help explain the concept.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Bicycles
        

Roland Park will be the site Sunday of the first  field test of a concept known as "Sunday Streets," in which a main drag is given over  to pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders and other non-motorized traffic for a few hours on the weekend.

The Roland Park Civic League is working with other sponsors, including One Less Car and the Inn at the Colonnade, to  test a concept that has  its origins in Colombia.

Continue reading "'Sunday Streets' concept to get road test" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Christopher Beam has an interesting article in Slate Magazine on bicycling and traffic laws. He takes a while getting to the point, but comes down in a place where I can agree with him.

His proposal to adopt the "Idaho stop" -- under which bicyclists can treat a stop sign as a yield sign -- makes sense to me. The argument that the role of momentum is different for a bicycle and a motor vehicle rings true. (I wouldn't extend that logic to stoplights because they're generally deployed at higher-speed, higher-volume intersections.)

So does his proposal that police crack down on more dangerous two-wheel misbehavior such as riding the wrong way on one-way streets. This particular assault on traffic laws is an epidemic in Baltimore.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)
Categories: Bicycles
        

One Less Car will hold its 16th annual Tour du Port bicycle ride on Sunday Oct. 4 starting at Canton Waterfront park.

The event offers a choice of routes ranging from 12 to 52 miles. Proceeds go toward supporting the group's pro-transit, pro-bicycle agenda.

Rides begin at 7:30 a.m. The cost ranges from $35 for those who register before Aug. 18 to $60 for those who register the day of the event.

 Riders can register at http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=156

Posted by Michael Dresser at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Bicycles
        

Every once and a while I get an email that's worth a blog post of its own. This, written by Baltimore bicyclist Jeffrey Marks, is one of them:

After returning from a wonderful bicycle trip in the bicycle friendly cities of Seattle WA and  Victoria, BC; I was saddened by the tragic death of long time bicyclist John Yates.  Yes, it appears John was riding on Maryland Ave where many motorists expect bicyclists to ride - as far right as possible -  when he collided with a truck making a righthand turn onto Lafayette Ave.  However, from  personal experience of having nearly had a similar tragic accident on Charles Street when bicycling close to parked cars; I find it safer to take the lane, rather than ride as far right as possible. Speed limits are low to moderate, and overtaking traffic can use the passing lane.  My behaving like a vehicle encourages right turning motorists to treat me like one by slowing down, signaling, moving behind me or to my right near the curb, and turning right when safe. - rather than being tempted to rush by and cut me off.

Continue reading "Baltimore bicyclist has his say" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 6:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Bicycles
        

I had the opportunity to sit down with Mayor Sheila Dixon to talk about transportation issues, It's a topic very close to the heart of the mayor, an avid  bicyclist who uses her rides around the city to get an up-close look at Baltimore infrastructure.

Some topics:

Speed cameras: Dixon expressed relief that a petition drive aimed at invalidating a law passed  by the General Assembly expandig the use of speed cameras failed. She said the city has a serious problem with speeding and not enough officers to enforce traffic laws.

Roundabouts: The mayor said she, too, finds the Towson rounabout confusing, even though her administration is looking at creating six of them to replace busy interchanges. She said she got a good look at the possible benefits of such traffic circles during a trip to Chicago. Dixon said she especially likes the opportunity to create green space in the  center  of the roundabouts.

Red Line: Dixon restated her backing for Red Line Alternative 4C -- a light rail system running in a tunnel under Cooks Lane and through downtown and Fells Point  but on the surface in Canton and Edmondson Village. But she said she understands the concerns of residents of the affected neighborhoods. She said the existing north-south light rail system down Howard Street -- built with the state-of-the-art technology of the early 1990s -- has colored people's opinions about the Red Line.

"People look at it like it's the light rail and it's not not," she  said. Dixon said  newer light rail technology is much quieter and will blend in better with the communities it serves. "People can't vision it the way we plan it to be."

The City that Paves: Despite severe recession-related budget cuts, the mayor said the city is still on track to repave 220 lane-miles this year. 

Stimulus money: Dixon said it's out on the street right now, paying for the resurfacing of Northern Parkway and Orleans Street.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Posted by Michael Dresser at 1:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Bicycles, For policy wonks only, Light rail, On the roads, Red Line
        

A 1.1-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail crossing the Potomac River between Prince George's County and Alexandria, Va., is scheduled to open on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Saturday, June 6, at 1 p.m. Registration is required, and there's no jumping the gun.

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association, City of Alexandria, Fairfax County, Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club and Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission are turning it into an organized free event, with bicyclists taking off in convoys. It sounds as if it could interest some Baltimore-area folks.

Click here for the details.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Bicycles
        

Bike-to-Work is Friday, and participants can register with the local sponsor, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, here to be eligible for giveaways, T-shirts refreshments and other perks.

If you're going to ride to work on two wheels, you might as well collect your swag. Sorry, the council's out of tire gauges, but there are plenty of flashing safety lights.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Bicycles