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Why Mt. Royal Avenue may not be getting bike lanes anytime soon

UPDATE : Statements from MICA and UB here, as well as info on upcoming meetings with MICA administration.

UPDATE : Sign the petition here.

At the most recent MBAC meeting, baltimorevelo learned that Mt. Royal avenue will likely not have a bicycle lane painted down as part of the Midtown Complete streets redevelopment plan. Since complete streets aren’t really complete without bicycling accommodation – we found this a bit strange.

According to the Baltimore DOT, word came from Fred Lazarus at MICA and UB president Robert L. Bogomolny that bicycle lanes should not be on Mt Royal avenue – resulting in the DOT’s decisions not to include them in the final implementation of the complete streets plan.

Mt Royal Bike Lanes

Original Baltimore city DOT plans for bike lanes on Mt Royal Avenue

MICA students who feel misrepresented by their leadership in this instance have begun to work on petitions and letters to send to the presidents office – but you can voice your concern too. Look for petitions this week outside Penn Station during the morning commute, and feel free to email the president’s of UB or MICA and tell them why you think bicycle lanes are beneficial to the community – especially if you are a part of the UB or MICA community.

UB President Robert Bogomolny, rbogomolny@ubalt.edu

MICA President Fred Lazarus, flazarus@mica.edu

 
 

Posted in Baltimore Cycling Politics, Bike Lane Reports.

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13 comments

By Liam – January 26, 2012.

  • Matt Killmoto

    Without a separate bike lane, the only place to ride is in the main roadway.  The safest way to ride in the roadway is to take the motorcycle position – lined up with the driver seats of the cars on the road.  This makes you really hard to pass, which is why it’s safe.

    Get enough people out there riding, taking the full lane as the law allows, and the critics will slowly begin to see the utility of bike lanes. 

  • Guy

    Even if the Door Zone Bike lanes show above were added it would not be safe to drive you bike in them. You would still need to take the lane to avoid being Doored.

  • Chris Merriam

    Not the point, folks. The City has a Complete Streets policy and is ignoring it. Now is not the time to quibble about what makes for the best bike infrastructure. How about we get the city to follow its own law and debate the details later?

    • Matt Killmoto

      My point is, the decision makers somehow think that if you don’t paint a bike lane, cyclists will simply go away. 

      Get out there now, be seen, get in their way.  Then they’ll have motivation to build the lane.

      That, or drive.  Drive an old box truck, drive it real slow.  On the back you paint “Put in a bike land and I’ll use transportation you can pass”.

      • Guest

        Matt,

        This road is highly utilized by cyclists already. There’s just been a lot of close calls because drivers currently use it as a giant onramp to Interstate 83.

        I think a lane reduction is about the only way to make it safer for cyclists.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_57C3XJX5VALK7UV27IFLFVB764 Scott

      Installing bicycle infrastructure just so someone can say they followed The Policy is misguided when the safety of the people using the infrastructure is ignored.

      Riding that close to parked cars is unsafe.  Period.

      • Liam

        That’s where most less experienced cyclists who end up riding on Mt Royal anyway. If you ride in the left part of the bike lane, you are nearly outside the door zone. Additionally, I have never heard of any dooring happening on Mt Royal avenue.

        It is a concern, but a bike lane would still make a huge difference on this street.

  • John Stechschulte

    The petitions at Penn Station will be available in the afternoon. They may also be available in the morning, if I can get a volunteer to stand out there for me :-P.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_57C3XJX5VALK7UV27IFLFVB764 Scott

    If that illustration shows what they were going to install then I’m very glad the bike lanes have been put on hold.  You’d have to ride in the regular lane to avoid the door zone, leaving five feet of wasted road space in either direction.

    Riding where hard metal doors can open at any time and kill me is not my idea of “accommodation”.

  • Kristydactyl

    Narrow the median to 18′, widen to 6 foot bike lane, make everyone happy, call it a day.

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  • Jay Sea

    Why is the bike lane always sandwiched between the car lanes? In DC on 15th st nw the bike lane is against the curb with those flexible reflector poles, then the parked cars. That is the safest. if the bike lane is moved to the inside of the parked car lane the cyclist would be less likely to get rear ended or doored. There would be more debris to dodge, but I will take debris over getting doored then rear ended.
    Cars may park all up in the bike lane, but it would still feel safer. Maybe a parallel speed bump to separate the car park and bike lane. Street sweepers may get hemmed on it though.
    Just ban private vehicles in downtown areas all together…maybe in 10 years.