Bike Counts Volunteers Still Needed

Baltimore’s 2nd winter time bike counts are coming up January 10th, 11th & 12th.  While 2 people at each location/time would be ideal, there are some locations/times still vacant.  We need a few more volunteers to help, especially at

Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 7:30-9:30 a.m
Pratt & South
Keswick & Wyman Park

Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Keswick & Wyman Park

Thursday, January 12, 2012, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Keswick & Wyman Park

SIGN UP HERE if you can help out!

Ride the Great Allegheny Passage & PGH

Last summer, my friend Mark and I rode from Cumberland to Pittsburgh on the Great Allegheny Passage. Once in “Pixsburgh”, we tooled around town with transportation planners & bike advocates. The Christmas break allowed me some time to finally get some footage together of our trip.  Enjoy the film and Happy New Year!

Rec & Parks Trail Summit next month

Baltimore City Recreation and Parks Department is holding a Trails Summit on Saturday, January 28th from 10am – noon at the Vollmer Center in Cylburn Arboretum

The agenda includes:

• Introduction from Bill Vondrasek, Chief of Parks
• Update on Jones Falls and Herring Run trail construction, improvements and schedule
• Where volunteers are making improvements
• Additional volunteer opportunities
• Planning for National Trails Day

If you are interested in attending, please contact Molly Gallant to register

Maintain, Protect and Enjoy Loch Raven Reservoir

Baltimore County Awarded Grant for Trail Improvements

Alliance for Biking & Walking in B’more Tonight

There will be no Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee this evening, Tuesday, December 20th.  Instead Jeremy Grandstaff from the Alliance for Biking & Walking visits Baltimore to assist local bike advocates on how to organize and be more effective.  The Alliance (ABW) creates, strengthens and unites state and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations.

The kickoff meeting for the New Organization in Baltimore Project is this evening, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at the Open Society Institute-Baltimore, 201 N Charles Street, Suite 1300, Baltimore, MD 21201.  The office is on the 13th floor. Bike racks on the Lexington St side of the building, or bring bikes up with you.

Holiday Lights Film

If you missed the ride last Friday, here’s your chance to catch up on some highlights

UMD Hiring Bicycle Coordinator

The University of Maryland, College Park is hiring a part time bicycle coordinator to develop, maintain and encourage beneifical use of bicycling as a viable transportation mode, both on and off campus.   The Bicycle Program Coordinator is responsible for providing the campus community with a safe, secure and efficient cycling environment and createng a bicycling culture on campus, while overseeing physical improvements, developing programs and securing funding with partnerships.  The candidate will also be assisting the Department of Transportation Services with complex issues that may be encountered by obtaining and analyzing data and perparing reports.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant areas such as Urban Planning, Civil Engineering/Transportation, Architecture or Business Management
• Hands-on experience and knowlegde of bicycles
• Extensive knowledge of safe cycling practices, bicycle security measures, bicycle related legislation, registration procedures, bicycle infrastructure and promotion
• Ability to develop and implement concepts and programs
• Deal tactfully and professionally with all members of a widely diverse campus community
• Strong communications skills, both written and verbal
• Work independently and manage multiple priorities in a high-pressure, results-oriented environment

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

2011 Holiday Lights Ride Review

Contributed by Patrick McMahon

Last Friday, a group of 30 or so people gathered at Baltimore’s City Hall for the annual Holiday Lights Bike Ride. After riding past “The Block” and along the “Trolley Lane,” we headed across on Lombard Street and then north on Charles Street.

We enjoyed the holiday lights just outside of the Downtown Partnership and Women’s Industrial Exchange, rode by the lit-up Washington Monument, and then through Mt. Vernon, Old Goucher, and Charles Village before turning on 27^th Street and riding along Remington Avenue to 34^th Street in Hampden. Our bikes and flashing lights drew some attention and positive comments from onlookers, but Nate Evans, riding dressed as Santa Claus, was the most popular, in demand for photographs and discussions with children for nearly half an hour.

Eventually it was time to move out and most of us took Keswick and Wyman Park Drive down the switchback to Falls Road and the Jones Falls Trail and then circled back to North Avenue to get to Liam Flynn’s Ale House. There were already a fair number of bike racks full in front of the North Avenue Market by the time we got there and it was great to see all of the racks from the Design Competition fill up with people that had been on the Holiday Lights Ride.

However, the most telling comment of the night, and one I heard from a number of people on the ride, was how nice it was to be riding at nighttime through Baltimore City. A number of the participants noted that they didn’t often feel comfortable riding at night on those streets, because of a combination of fears about traffic safety and personal security. However, as part of a group large enough that we needed to take a full lane of traffic, everyone felt safe and comfortable for the full ride. A group of bicyclists in New York City are just starting to organize “Biketrains,” groups of cyclists that will ride home together for added safety, security, and enjoyment, and maybe we should be looking into something like that here. Just since I’ve started working downtown again I’ve set up regular commuting plans with a colleague that is uncomfortable riding alone.

Safety and security come in numbers and as more of us are riding to and from work, whether intentionally or by happenstance, more people will feel comfortable riding and get on their bikes. The Holiday Lights Ride was a great example of how fun riding around the City can be when you have company.

APL Wins Bike Friendly Business Award

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) was awarded a bronze Bicycle Friendly Business Award by the League of American Bicyclists in a ceremony on its Laurel, Md., campus today. Recognized for its investment in bicycling to promote employee health and social responsibility, APL has an active cycling club, showers, locker rooms, secure bike parking and a personal fitness financial incentive.

APL receives the Bike Friendly Business award with Howard County Executive Ken Ullman and Bike League's Allison Dewey (center)

“Cycling is something that contributes to the health of our staff,” said APL Director Ralph Semmel. “By taking care of ourselves, we reduce our health costs and can pass this on to our sponsors. We will continue our efforts to make APL a welcoming place for cyclists.”

The largest of three Maryland organizations honored by the League, APL was chosen from a field of 155 applicants nationwide. The Laboratory joins other notable national winners such as Microsoft, General Mills and Random House. The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle?friendly America. The League represents the interests of America’s 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates.

The award ceremony was held on APL’s campus in the new Building 200, which opened last month. The state-of-the-art facility houses APL’s space department and features 48 covered bicycle parking spaces and four showers. Throughout its 399-acre campus, APL has additional bike racks and shower facilities. A new bike lane segment in front of the building on Johns Hopkins Road was added by the county in October 2011.

“Some of the most successful companies in the world are showing that investing in bicycling is not only good for health and sustainability but also the bottom line,” said League president, Andy Clarke.

“With over 280 people active in cycling activities at APL and a growing number who commute to campus regularly on their bikes, APL’s cycling amenities help make biking increasingly popular” said Fran Horan, APL Cycling Club president. “The new bike lane, covered parking, and showers at Building 200 are a bicycle commuter’s dream.”

From Fran Horan & Gina  Ellrich, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics  Laboratory  (443)  778-7796