Baltimore/Columbia Bikeshare Clears Another Hurdle

On April 23rd, the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) voted to approve $1.3 million in funding for two bikeshare projects and to add them to the Baltimore region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) as a new project.

The next step in the process is for the Maryland Department of Transportation to add the projects to the state Transportation Improvement Program and forward to the Federal Highway Administration for final funding approval. Once approved a local planning and outreach process to implement the Bikeshare program in Baltimore City and to conduct a feasibility study in Howard County will be initiated by local planners.

Goodbye Baltimore Velo

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Baltimore Velo. Velo covered everything in Baltimore’s bike scene. Everything!  From new Bishop frames, Alleycat races, Keith catching air, ride reports, crashes, attacks, you name it.    Covering everything in Baltimore’s booming bike culture has become increasing difficult in the past year.  (Correlation with the Bike Party?  Who’s to say?)   Being the one website that covered it all, Seth got a little swamped. Baltimore is better off for what Baltimore Velo has contributed!

Head over to Baltimore Velo and post a “thanks”

Jump On The Charm City Pedal Mill

Celebrate the last weekend in April with an amazing deal from the Charm City Pedal Mill. All tours April 26th-28th are available for $110/hr (all taxes included). Save over $90/hr!!

Grab 8 to 15 of your friends and book your tour today!! Got 9 friends? That’s only $11/person per hour. Are you a little more popular and have 15 friends? Then the price drops to under $7/person per hour!

www.charmcitypedalmill.com
info@charmcitypedalmill.com
443.956.6455

Get Ready For The Bike Prom

It’s time once again for your favorite “Last Friday” activity: BIKE PARTY! This month’s theme is BIKE PROM, so get out that tux, tacky suit, embarrassing dress and join the fun!

As always, refer to the list of helpful hints (and strong recommendations) for making the most out of your Bike Party experience. In addition, there are a few more things to note:

1. THE ROUTE. Its on Google maps here.
2. MEET IN THE SOUTH QUADRANT! Some work is being done on the west quad where the meetup usually happens, so this month, the meetup is in the south quad just above Centre Street.  STAY OUT OF THE STREET – the less local motorists are inconvenienced, the less negative attention is drawn to the Bike Party.
3. DO IT UP! If you were not elected Prom King or Queen in high school, now’s your chance.  Winners will be announced at midnight!
4. BIKE PARTY LEAVES AT 7:30 and will end at the Pratt Street Ale House

How to Bike To Work, Baltimore Style

“What? Me? Bike To work? Nah, I don’t think that’s happening”

This is usually the reaction offered when people talk about Bike To Work Day, and for good reason. Bike commuting is not a simple pedal on a quiet trail but an serious form of on-road cycling.  It happens when we’re pressed for time with more traffic on the road, often our minds are ON work with the day’s “to do” list developed in our heads. So why add the extra stress of arriving to work sweatier and slightly shaken?

The short answer: Because you just might like it! (Seriously) Aside from all the other reasons like getting exercise, feeling healthier, losing weight, being more alert & ready to tackle the day, and one less car on the road, bike commuting is pretty fun once you get the hang of it.  Not a serious commitment like a meaningful relationship or a long term high interest loan,  Bike To Work Day is one day out of the year where you can get a chance to see what it’s like to combine your daily workout with your commute and meet some new friends along the way.

This year, Bike To Work Day is on Friday, May 17th! With warmer weather now here, there’s plenty of time to get ready. Here are a few tips on how to do Bike To Work Day, Baltimore style.

1. Register! Register online for one of the many Bike To Work Day stations around the region. B2WD stations offer a lite breakfast, free hats, quick bike tune-ups and other giveaways.

2. Get a bike or a tune-up. If you don’t have a bike, don’t worry. All local bike shops are ready to assist with getting the right bike for you. Most bike shops RENT bikes so if bike commuting is not for you, there’s no major loss. If you already have a bike, get you a tune-up and make sure it’s ready for May 17th. Tune-ups typically include:

• checking the tires, tubes and air pressure
• checking brakes
• noting any rust or structural problems

3. Get out for a bike ride! You don’t need to be an Olympic athlete to bike to work, but you don’t want to be surprised on that Friday morning. There are several low-stress bike events around Baltimore to help get your biking confidence up:

• The Baltimore Bike Party – Friday, April 26th is a slow ride around town with (probably) 800 or so other riders. Bike mechanics, ride leaders and sweepers make sure no one is left behind.
• Ride Around The Reservoir & Laps Around the Lake – sponsored by the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, pick up a bike at either lake on a weekday evening for a leisure pedal.
• Kinetic Sculpture Race on Saturday, May 4th is a very low speed bike race starting from the American Visionary Arts Museum on Key Highway at 10 am. Roads are closed for the race but anyone on a bike is welcome to pedal along with these sculptures between AVAM, Canton Waterfront Park, Patterson Park and back.

4. Plan Your Route! With the Baltimore Bike Map and biking directions on Google Maps, you can plan your route to work. Keep in mind that most major roads are filled with motorists so an alternative route may be needed. The Bike Map is full of information you’ll need to bike around the city. The map is available online (as is the Bicycle Commuter Guide) and at all local bike shops. If you need help with a bike route, comment below.

5. Test Your Route on the Weekend! With traffic volumes lower on the weekends, test your route on a Saturday or Sunday. This will give you an idea of how long it will take you to get to work and get a feel for pavement conditions and tricky intersections. Keep in mind that traffic might be a little heavier on a weekday. While not mandatory, helmets are a good idea.

6. Plan ahead by taking a change of work clothes in earlier in the week. That way you don’t have to spend the rest of the day feeling like you just came from the gym. Also, check with your building management for available bike parking options. Some buildings will allow bikes indoors, but many will not. If you must leave your bike outside, make sure you have a reliable lock. If you’ve never biked to work before, have a friend (with a car) ready to assist you if you or your bike can’t make it.

7. Take Your Time! This is not a time trial for an exclusive bike race. You’re just going to work. So give yourself a little extra time and have fun along the way.

8. Join a B2WD convoy! If you don’t want to ride by yourself, join one of the many Bike to Work Day convoys around Baltimore. Most convoys will stop by one of the stations to take a break. Convoys are now available online. Get some of your co-workers on board and start your own convoy.

9. Cheat! Yes, cheat if you need to. This is Bike To Work Day, not Bike From Home Day. If you have to drop the kids off or live a little too far to bike to work, don’t feel bad. Consider biking from daycare, school or carpool part way. Plus, all local MTA transit routes provide bike access whether on the metro, light rail or bus. All MTA buses have bike racks for easy access to get you a little closer to work.

10. Enjoy The Ride! Take it easy, pace yourself and arrive safely! Once you get to work, you will have an overwhelming sense of accomplishment! This one day out the year may just help you to modify your regular commute from driving to biking or even walking or taking transit.  Hope to see you out there on Friday, May 17th!

City Parks Needs Bike Help

The Baltimore City Recreation & Parks Department has relied on the Ranger Program to staff bike programs like Ride Around the Reservoir. Unfortunately, rangers do not report until the 2nd week in May. Until then, volunteers are needed to help out. Tasks include loading and transporting bikes to program site, setting up once on site, adjusting bike seats and fitting helmets for riders, riding the area to help out new riders, and in some cases teaching new riders.

Events volunteers are needed include:

Saturday, April 27th ECO FEST in Druid Hill Start time of 9:30 am and riding around the reservoir until 4 PM .

Wed, May 1st Rides Around the Reservoir in Druid Hill Park from 4PM until 8:30 PM

Thursday, May 2nd Rides Around Lake Kick Off at Lake Montebello from 4-:8:30 PM

Monday May 6th Rides Around the Reservoir in Druid Hill Park from 4PM until 8:30

If interested, please contact Molly Gallant at 443-984-4058 or molly.gallant (at) baltimorecity.gov

Family Bike Party Around North Baltimore

Tulips! Bicycles! A leisurely pace! No, its not Amsterdam. It’s the Baltimore Family Bike Party at Sherwood Gardens. A crowd of 37 gathered at this scenic Baltimore garden to begin a slow-paced ride among the spring flowers, blossoming trees and stately homes.

More trailers and unique bikes joined this ride including a off-road tandem and a tandem trail-a-bike. Meredith and Alex from Baltimore Bicycle Works had two Yuba cargo bikes to show how easy it can be to get kids around.

Even if you don’t have kids, the Baltimore Family Bike Party is a great way to get out with other riders for a ‘no pressure’ ride. Rides are generally shorter than 3 miles and take 2 hours to complete.  Join the Family Bike Party on the 3rd Saturday of the month to explore a different part of Baltimore

Alex demonstrates the strength and ease of a Yuba cargo bike by carrying Patrick

Bike To The Yard Day, Apr 22

Join Bikemore  and the Orioles for BIKE TO THE YARD DAY!
A fun little benefit for members, mailing list subscribers, Facebook and Twitter followers!

Monday, April 22nd at 7:05 p.m. vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Upper Reserve: $8 * (reg. $14-$24) Sections 306-312, rows 13-25
*There is an additional 10% service charge per ticket, so $8.80 total for each ticket.

For any questions or accessible seating, please call 888.848.BIRD (2473) and ask for the Ticket Services

FOR TICKETS:

1. Click on this link
2. Select a seating location and quantity of tickets
3. Create a Baltimore Orioles ticket account
4. Purchase and print your tickets

No, you don’t have to Bike to the Yard, but if you do, official bike parking is located outside Gate C (facing Russell Street) and at the north side of the Warehouse at Eutaw and Camden Streets (next to the Sports Legends Museum and near the Babe Ruth Statue).

Bike Count Volunteers Needed, May 7-9

As noted in the Spring 2013 e-newsletter, the Baltimore Department of Transportation (DOT) is registering volunteers for the spring bike counts on May 7th, 8th and 9th.   Counts take place during morning and evening rush hour from 7:30 to 9:30 am and from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.  Using the data collected, DOT has documented a 50% increase in bicycle commuter traffic over the past few years.

As in years past, counts will take place at several locations including

• Falls Road and Maryland Avenue
• Guilford Avenue and Mt. Royal Avenue
• Aliceanna Street and Boston Street
• Keswick Avenue and Wyman Park Drive
• Pratt Street and Market Place

In planning for new bicycle infrastructure, DOT is performing counts at

• Park Avenue and Fayette Street
• Guilford Avenue and Fayette Street 

These counts will be used to establish a baseline of measurement before the improvements are made. If you are interested in helping verify Baltimore’s bicycle traffic, please register online here

County Ped/Bike Group Hears Community Suggestions

The Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee (PBAC) held an open meeting to hear what projects the public was interested in supporting. Hosted by the Department of Planning, PBAC listened to suggestions for bicycle and pedestrian projects across the county to be considered for selection by the committee.

Projects recommended by the public included:
1. The Northeast Trail – This trail has been included in the Overlea and Perry Hall community plans, which would extend along the utility corridor, Lillian Holt Drive and Perry Hall Boulevard from the city line to Silver Spring Road. This project was endorsed by Carroll Pupa of Lindover and Doris Polling of Overlea.
2. The North Point Heritage Greenway Trail – Included in the 2007 North Point Communty Plan, this trail would utilize abandoned railbed connecting communities, parks, Todd’s Inheritance, a senior community and veteran’s housing at Fort Howard. This project was supported by Fran Taylor of North Point and Wink Hastings of the National Park Service
3. Catonsville Trails – No community in Baltimore County has done more to promote trail development than Catonsville. Building trails from the Trolley lines has been a community-led effort that would benefit from more county support. Complementing the trail system with an on-street bike network would make Catonsville the most bikeable community in the county. These projects were supported by Maureen Becker, Charlie Murphy and others in attendance.
4. Towson Bike Loop “Spokes” – Building on the proposed Towson Bike Loop, which should be constructed this year, the “Spokes” would fill in and expand the Towson bike network by creating or expanding bike lanes on Kenilworth Avenue, Putty Hill Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, Chesapeake Avenue, Fairmount Avenue, Washington Avenue, Joppa Road, Stevenson Lane, Burke Road, Cromwell Bridge Road and Osler Drive.  This project was proposed by Lysh Lorber, co-chair of the 5th District PBAC.
6. On-street bike routes for Rodgers Forge, Seven Courts Drive and Putty Hill Avenue were suggested by 5th District members.
7. Extending Baltimore City bike lanes into the county was recommended by Nate Evans on Dundalk Avenue, Greenspring Avenue to Quarry Lake, Frederick Avenue to Catonsville and Gwynn Oak Avenue to Woodlawn.
8. Gwynns Falls Trail to Patpasco Trail connection was suggested by Franklintown Association President Jack Lattimore.  This trail will extend through Woodlawn to Patapsco Valley State Park
9. Cromwell Valley Trail – No other project received more support than the Cromwell Valley Trail. This proposed trail would connect Loch Raven High School, Cromwell Valley Park and Loch Raven Drive. Lysh Lorber provided a cost estimate and scope for a feasibility study to make the trail a reality.

Councilmen Tom Quirk and David Marks were present to thank the public for their suggestions and to encourage the committee to select multiple projects.  Councilman Quirk would like more of these projects in his district to connect University of Maryland, Baltimore County with the adjacent community as well as open up mountain bike access to Patapsco.  Quirk even commented that he biked from Catonsville to Annapolis and back this past weekend.

All these projects will have limited county funding for studies, design or construction.  Baltimore County intends to apply for Recreation Trails funding, Transportation Alternatives funding and MDOT Bikeways funding to move these projects forward.  PBAC will make a final selection of projects at next week’s meeting on Tuesday, April 23rd, 4pm in Room 104 of the Jefferson Building (105 W Chesapeake Avenue, Towson)