Matt Hendrikson: Baltimore City Bike Planner
West Baltimore Bike Boulevard Plan: intended to provide safe biking opportunities in West Baltimore. Concerns in the area about speeding in the neighborhoods, MLK is a major barrier to biking into downtown.
Proposed Smallwood, Hollins, Lexington, Stricker, Carrollton as streets to have biking infrastructure–already relatively calm streets that can improved to make safer for bikes. Would like to see neighborhood network for biking that is accessible. Will do wayfinding, striping, and speed humps. Would be a shared road, not separated bike lanes. Also looking at bike friendly bump outs to provide buffers at intersections. Plan also calls for mini roundabouts/traffic circles which have been installed and have not been successful.
Will need to get creative at Hollins and Frederick
Have new leadership at DOT which is more positive towards the bike plan and Matthew is committed to moving the project forward
Also have a planned Separated Bike Lane plan that presupposes the existing of the West Baltimore Bike Boulevards
Scott: where are the planned bump outs going to be? Smallwood, Stricker, Carrollton
Dotie: Poppleton St at Fayette is a dangerous intersection and needs intersection. Matt–can incorporate areas of concern into the plan, and will take the feedback forward–are restarting the outreach and planning process. Matt can connect Ms Dotie to the traffic calming division at DOT.
Serena: residents at intersection of Scott and Pratt are concerned about the level of accidents–due to speed of traffic on Pratt St and Scott is a blind curve. Not currently on the bike plan–will have to look at limitations of the budget and what they are able to do with the types of projects they can fund through this plan
Bill: how have bump outs and speed humps worked to support biking? Seems like a lot of weaving for the cyclist. Matt–bicyclists should take the lane. Also already calm areas, cars should be slowing down as the approach the speed humps
Howard: are scooters and bike lanes going to be combined together? Scooters are all over the place. Matt will connect Howard to the scooter people at DOT–there are regulations about where scooters can be placed, and have started building areas for parking.
Bif: how to keep people from speeding up through intersections after slowing down mid-block–also speed humps do limit where bikers have space to go in the lane. Bif asked about raised intersections. Matt that could be a great idea–doesn’t think that has been done in the city before.
Scott: not a lot of patience left in the neighborhoods for the roundabouts–Matt–if they did do roundabouts they would be a different style of things–if it was part of a larger plan is that something that the community would be open to? Scott, doesn’t think so. Asked about supporting facilities on Calhoun St? Asked how it connects to other neighborhoods–especially getting across MLK and getting into downtown. Asked about connecting to the Gwynns Falls Trail. Great idea to connect to Gwynns Falls, budget may keep it out of this project but is on DOTs radar. Not sure what the reference to Calhoun St is–this bike boulevard plan is part of the a larger bike plan for the city as a whole.
Report damaged flexposts to 311
Donnell: is a resident of Union Square, still experience a situation where there’s no signage to direct the traffic. Donnell is a fan of raised crosswalks/intersection and also stop signs at all four corners of an intersection. Matt will follow up to make sure the stop signs come back. Stop signs are a good solution
Donnell: what do we need to do as a Committee to support the raised the intersections? Continue to advocate in meetings, with councilman, and attending community outreach opportunities. There will be a bike plan update this year that will be an opportunity for community engagement and input.
Scott: could it be moved along faster if a grant was available? Would be an option, would have to follow along with a Complete Streets ordinance
Howard: is it a good idea for each neighborhood to come to Matt with direct requests for bike lane issues? Do have to prioritize issues based on safety issues and equity–W Baltimore is a priority area, but reaching out with particular issues is a good idea. A letter from the Southwest Partnership with all of the issues would also be a good strategy. Elizabeth can draft a letter to share with the neighborhoods.
Meghan: How can residents be part of acquiring the data for the bike surveys? Will start a big outreach strategy and that will be the way to get folks involved
Dotie: Would like to speak to someone from DOT directly who can help with traffic calming.
David: What can we do in the next six months to be proactive about getting involved in the planning and infrastructure that is coming? Once the outreach process beings creative opportunities like going on a ride and doing an audit is great, identify and document the problem sports ahead of time
Project Updates: Neighborhood Grants
Committee reviewed the proposed rubric for the fall round of the Small Neighborhood Grants program: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bdpYaeUOiR0qRfc2yliivOggyJjEoTPsIw2hVAchUXY/edit?usp=sharing
Committee voted in favor of including points for committee priorities on the rubric (5 in favor, 3 opposed)
Fall Clean Up Activities
Bif suggested a storm drain clean up–Donnell would like to see a gutter guard installed, Ms Dotie suggested doing a storm drain decoration project. Blue Water Baltimore provides the stencils and paint. Bif and Dotie will connect with Blue Water Baltimore
Scott shared: https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/baltimore/focus/governance-engagement/watershed263/
SubCommittee Updates
Bike: had a bike event the other day which they enjoyed, and are attending the Bikemore Bike Leaders Breakfast tomorrow to represent the SWP. Meghan attended the Southwest Sports Fitness Alliance Roundtable to update them on the bike subcommittee
Scott: cut down 5 trees on Calhoun St, update from Forestry is to put in a 311 ticket for a tree inspection (either tree or stump issue)–they will add stumps to the line
Laura: public art is going to be sending out a survey, Meghan attended a paid you look workshop, and met with some artists who would help with creating an artist’s directory
Dotie: no updates on the crosswalks, there’s a lot going on with a lot of traffic projects in the area
Diana: frustrated with DOT not getting back to her on the old blue and green tourist signs–asking them to replace them. Suggested a range of options
Donnell:new alley gates have gone up
Announcements
Asking representatives from City Council offices at the meeting to ask them to help with some outstanding 311 tickets–also give a couple accolades of 311 things that were done well.
