June 2012 ~ 9MB - Spokes Magazine

tion in front of the General Assembly this year with
Bike Maryland Executive Director Carol Silldorf.
One of the disappointments for Maryland bicyclists
this year was the unfavorable vote by the Maryland
House Environmental Matters Committee on safe
passing legislation. House Bill 1397, sponsored by
Delegates Jon S. Cardin, Elizabeth Bobo, Alfred C.
Carr, Jr., Barbara Frush, Eric G. Luedtke and Dana
Stein, would’ve created an exception to prohibitions
against driving a vehicle on the left side of the
roadway in a no-passing zone for a driver making the
minimum adjustment necessary — under specified
circumstances — to facilitate the provision of the
3-foot clearance for overtaking and passing a bicycle
or motor scooter going in the same direction.
“Right now it’s illegal to cross the double line, for
example, to avoid a bicyclist and allow a 3-foot clearance,”
said Silldorf. Bike Maryland, supported the legislation
along with numerous environmental and bicycling
organizations, including Baltimore Bicycle Club,
Bicycle Advocates of Howard County, Cumberland
Valley Cycling, Club Elk Neck Trail Association,
Frederick Pedalers Bicycle Club, League of American
Bicyclists,
Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Committee,
Montgomery County Bicycling Advocates,
Rockville Bicycle Advisory Group,
the Maryland
Governor:
DOT Commissioner:
Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator:
Feedback
State Advocacy Group:
Robert McDonnell
Gregory Whirley
John Bolecek
Virginia Bicycle Federation,
BikeWalk Viginia
• Adopt a vulnerable road user law with a
minimum safe passing distance to address
bicyclist safety.
• Remove the disincentives that reduce funding
for communities who narrow street
widths through lane reductions.
• Focus Complete Streets training and accountability
to ensure consistent application
throughout the state.
• Adopt federal funding project rating criteria
that incentivize bicycle projects and
accommodations. The state is spending a
low amount, less than .68 percent, of federal
funding on bicyclists and pedestrians.
• Conduct a share the road campaign creatively
addressing the issues specific to your state.
Chapter of the Sierra Club, Trail Spinners of
Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania,
Twenty20
Cycling and
1000 Friends of Maryland.
“This is a very important law that exists in other
places, maybe 20 states,” Silldorf told SPOKES, adding
that Pennsylvania has a four-foot passing law. Cars
need to give cyclists 3-feet no matter what. If it’s safe
to cross a double yellow line, they should be able to
do that — as long as it’s not in a blind area.”
On a positive note, Senate Bill 942 did not pass. That
legislation, introduced by Sen. Norman R. Stone, Jr.,
would’ve repealed the recent Maryland law relating to
criminally negligent manslaughter by vehicle; making
it a misdemeanor for a person to cause the death of
another as a result of the person's driving, operating
or controlling a motor vehicle in a criminally negligent
manner.
“No one has even been prosecuted under the new
law,” Silldorf said referring to SB 942. “It made no
sense to undo it.”
In terms of passing new bicycle-friendly legislation,
Senate Bill 977 passed, supported by Bike Maryland
and the above-mentioned environmental and probicycle
groups, will require each public institution of
higher education —when it revises its facility master
Virginia
BFS Report Card
RANKING #
17
Category Scores Scoring: 5 = High 1 = Low
2 Legislation and Enforcement
5 Policies and Programs
2 Infrastructure and Funding
One Bicycle Friendly Success
Top Tip for Improvement
Top 10 Signs of Success
REGIONAL
RANKING
3 Education and Encouragement
3 Evaluation and Planning
SOUTH #1
Existing and developing US Bike Routes will provide hundreds of
miles of routes for bicyclists.
Comply with VDOT’s existing policy to set aside 10 percent of HSIP
funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects.
People Commuting by Bike (More than 1%)
Safe Passing/Vulnerable Road User Law
Complete Streets Policy
Dedicated State Funding
Active State Advocacy Group
State Bicycle Plan (Adopted 2002 or later)
Share the Road Campaign
Bicycle Education for Police
Bicycle Safety Emphasis in Strategic Highway Safety Plan
Top 10 State for Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Spending
The Bicycle Friendly States ranking is based on a comprehensive survey completed by state departments of transportation and state bicycling advocates. It asks 50 questions across 5 categories: Legislation and
Enforcement, Policies and Programs, Infrastructure and Funding, Education and Encouragement, Evaluation and Planning. The results listed above provide only a snap shot of the full application. They are intended
to offer some ideas for further growth in bicycle friendliness. For more information, visit www.bikeleague.org/states or contact Matt Wempe at (202) 822-1333 or matt@bikeleague.org.
plan —to address bicycle and pedestrian circulation
on the institution's campus. It will also require the
institution to include in the facility master plan measures
to incorporate bikeways and pedestrian facilities
and to promote biking and walking on the campus.
“Some colleges are already doing this; some not,”
Silldorf said. “Now the next time they update their
facility management plans, they’ll have to consider
bicycles and promote bicycling on campus.”
In legislation that will perhaps have better luck next
year, no action was taken on House Bill 946, legislation
that would have repealed a restriction, under
specified circumstances, of riding a bicycle, play vehicle
or unicycle on a sidewalk or sidewalk area.
“Our real concern here goes to children in their own
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Carol Silldorf
commuter continued on p.28
June 2012
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