A letter from Liz Cornish, Executive Director, Bikemore
2017 was the year we laid a foundation for our advocacy. 2018 was the year we delivered.
In just three years since my arrival in Baltimore, I have watched new infrastructure and policies we’ve championed change how we as a city talk about bikes. Bikes are no longer an afterthought or a nuisance to plan for, but an indicator of a healthy neighborhood and a safe street.
We went head to head with the Fire Department and removed a piece of suburban-oriented fire code that was preventing the construction of bike lanes and millions of dollars in economic development projects. Our work was featured in this recent piece from CityLab, which affirms our policy position through new research from the USDOT Volpe Center.
After years of delays there is now a two way protected bike lane on Centre and Monument Streets. This means that you can now travel from MLK to Hopkins Hospital separated from fast moving traffic. This east-west connector is transforming how people get across town.
We pulled off something that people two years ago thought was impossible. We connected Reservoir Hill and Remington--two disparate neighborhoods separated by a highway--with a protected walking and biking path. This means someone in a wheelchair can now cross the Jones Falls Expressway for the first time since its construction in 1961.
These three things are pretty impressive for an organization that three years ago was staffed by one person. But we didn’t stop there. This month the Complete Streets Bill was signed into law. Together with Councilman Dorsey, Councilman Pinkett, and our entire coalition, we have fundamentally changed the way streets are designed and how communities are included in Baltimore City.
We are punching above our weight. We’ve done so much with a little--imagine what would be possible with a lot? Our work is driven by grassroots donations from people just like you. We’re excited and ready to keep fighting for you in 2019.
Please support our efforts with a gift in an amount that is meaningful to you. And consider sharing our work with the people in your life. Together we are building a force for biking in Baltimore.