Call for stories! How has Bikemore impacted your life?

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Photo credit: Side-A-Photography

We want to hear your story!

On Giving Tuesday we’re sharing 24 personal stories about the impact of our work.

Tell us why you give. How has our work impacted your life in a positive way? Maybe Maryland Avenue got you to bike commute for the first time. Maybe you wrote to your council person for the first time, or ventured to City Hall to testify for something you believed in with our help. Your story can inspire others to give, and help us build a force for biking in Baltimore.

Submit your story below, and you might be featured! No story is too small or too big!

A Block Party that Brought Neighbors and Officials Together

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Event Photos: Brian O'Doherty
Photo Booth Photos: Side A Photography

At the Big Jump Block Party, neighbors, elected officials, biking and walking enthusiasts and advocates from around the city joined together to walk and bike and dance and eat in celebration of public space designed for people. Check out some of our favorite moments above — including Councilman Pinkett hyping the crowd up, giant bubble making enjoyed by kids and adults alike, and neighbor Ms. Dee joining Graham Coreil-Allen's tour and sharing the impact of ADA accessible paths and sidewalks make on her everyday life. Plus, lots of kids bike lessons and a great shows put on Dynamic Dance Force and Christian Warriors Marching Band!


Think all neighborhoods deserve a big jump?


We're so grateful for our Partners and Sponsors who made this possible!

Big Jump Partners

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Event Sponsors

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Call for Artists: RFP for Public Art in Reservoir Hill [Deadline extended to Sept. 3rd!]

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We're looking for local artists or artist-led teams for a public art project in Reservoir Hill! 

In 2018, Bikemore was awarded a T. Rowe Price grant to facilitate a public art project in the Reservoir Hill neighborhood. Since May, we've held biweekly open meetings with members of the community, gathered insight from past projects and artists across the country, and gathered ideas from neighbors during the Druid Hill Farmer’s Market in mid-July.

Now we're ready to selected an artist and move this project forward. We're currently accepting proposals from artists to implement in a two-phase approach to creating this public artwork, including both a community engagement phase and the design and implementation of the project.

From the input we've gathered thus far, many residents value Reservoir Hill’s relationship with the neighboring Druid Hill Park, and that historic and emotional connection is one that should be celebrated, particularly because of the large streets currently hindering neighbors’ access to the park.

In 2019, the Department of Transportation (DOT) will be conducting a comprehensive traffic study of Auchentoroly Terrace and Druid Park Lake Drive corridor, one of the busiest sections of Reservoir Hill. This public artwork is intended to encourage members of the community to think about what they would like their streets to look like. The project should empower neighbors to engage in conversations about their desires for Reservoir Hill, so that they have the necessary tools to advocate for themselves during the traffic study itself.

Public art can be defined in many ways. We are intentionally neglecting to pinpoint the medium or style this project should take, and artists of all backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to apply.

Deadlines
Monday, September 3rd | Application deadline [Deadline extended!]
Tuesday, September 11th | Notification of selection
Monday, November 5th | Project Completion

We're winning!

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One year ago we were celebrating saving the Potomac Street bike lane. And while that was a victory for bikes, we knew this was just the beginning of the fight to get a long term policy solution to an unfair application of the law.

For 14 months Bikemore staff worked tirelessly to pressure the City to come to a solution. And on Monday we saw that hard work pay off and scored a significant win. Baltimore City Council voted unanimously to remove Appendix D from the Fire Code and state that all new street design must conform to NACTO standards. This means that the Fire Department can no longer arbitrarily block the construction of bike lanes by pointing to a section of the fire code that makes zero sense in an urban environment.

And while we still await the Mayor signing the bill into law, we demonstrated that we are tenacious in our pursuit of a city that’s safe for people who bike. And that because of your support we can deliver groundbreaking wins.

Help us celebrate by making a donation to Bikemore today. Right now we need you more than ever. These wins are only possible because of support from people like you. With 40% of our operating budget funded through grassroots donations, we rely on individuals just like you stepping up and joining the fight for bikes. Help us secure the next win with a donation of $50 or more today.

Already gave? Forward this story to a friend who loves bikes, and let them know why you support Bikemore.

 

Check out some of our recent press on the issue: 

“It’s important to note that this bill does not change BCFD’s role in project plans review,” she pointed out. “It simply ensures that conversation around fire access begins at a place that fully considers the benefits of designing a city safe for biking and walking.” 
— City council passes bill altering fire code to address stalled bike lane, building projects, Baltimore Fishbowl

“This has been a year-long fight to make sure our city advances in progressive transportation planning,” said Liz Cornish, the director of Bikemore. “We think council made the right move and we look forward to the mayor signing this bill.” 
City Council repeals part of fire code to accommodate bike lanes, development, Baltimore Sun

 

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Residents using the new #BigJumpBaltimore connection

Residents using the new #BigJumpBaltimore connection

A post from Liz Cornish, Bikemore Executive Director

It has been a good couple of weeks for bike advocacy. We saw the installation of #BigJumpBaltimore, a one mile walking and biking path that creates a safe connection across the Jones Falls Expressway. One of the highlights has been hearing from residents of Lakeview Towers who can finally travel to Remington to access amenities on their mobility devices--demonstrating once again how our work is about so much more than bikes. This project represents an innovative partnership between Baltimore City DOT, the office of Councilman Pinkett, PeopleForBikes, and Bikemore. It also demonstrates that the city has the capacity to engineer and install transformative projects quickly when the right folks come to the table. We look forward to advocating for this approach to be applied to other neighborhoods seeking solutions to improve safety, calm traffic, and improve mobility of residents.

 

City Council Hearing on BCFD video that deployed a truck in front of Liz Cornish's home.

City Council Hearing on BCFD video that deployed a truck in front of Liz Cornish's home.

Councilman Dorsey introduced Council Bill 18-0259 – Fire Code Appendix D Repeal which is scheduled to be voted out of second reader on August 6th. This would resolve the year and a half long struggle to design streets that follow NACTO guidelines by eliminating the overly restrictive portions of the International Fire Code that require 20-26 feet of clear width. The bill has support from both Complete Streets advocates and real estate developers who want to incorporate Complete Streets in new developments.

But we've also seen setbacks, including the press release issued late yesterday evening from Baltimore City DOT regarding next steps for Roland Avenue. After three years of protracted debate, fiery public meetings, multiple perspectives from residents being shared, and countless DOT resources expended, the Baltimore City DOT has announced they are hiring a consultant to continue the process of finding a permanent solution for Roland Avenue. 

Interim steps will include a pilot to reduce sections of the road to one lane and retention of two speed cameras along the corridor, both of which we support. The plan also calls for restoration of curbside parking on several blocks along the facility, which we do not support. These blocks happen to be where establishments attended by the largest critics of bicycle infrastructure are located. Piecemeal removal of protection on the Roland Avenue facility cripples the all-ages nature of the design and makes a confusing mess for all road users to navigate. New riders won't try biking on Roland Avenue, and existing users will face increased danger. It is a choice to value the convenience of curbside parking over the safety of vulnerable road users.

The opportunity was there for Baltimore City DOT to make a decisive move and select their own preferred option. It had strong citywide and Roland Park community support, and would have reduced the corridor to one lane and widened both the parking and bike lane. This solution addressed all valid stakeholder concerns and would have cost the city significantly less than a full redesign. We see the decision to devote more time and resources to this project as wasteful. DOT has allowed the circus around this small section of street to go on far past what’s appropriate to make neighbors feel heard and included in decision making. It has emboldened residents citywide into believing  if they just shout loud enough, if they deploy egregious scare tactics and disrupt public meetings, that they can get their way. That’s not good community engagement. That’s not how you create an equitable transportation system that considers all users.

Sunset at Lake Montebello

Sunset at Lake Montebello

Last night, I stood out on the edge of Lake Montebello in the evening and counted over a hundred people riding bikes. There was a small child on a pink bike with streamers in the handle bars and training wheels riding ahead of her family walking along the lake. There were dozens of residents using Rec and Parks Ride Around the Reservoir bikes. There were men and women fully kitted out on fancy road bikes. And in one of the most touching displays, a woman pedaled by on a bike that had been adapted so that she could push a young person who I assume is otherwise confined to a wheelchair around the lake, allowing him to enjoy the breeze in his face and a really nice sunset. It’s unlikely these folks even know me or Bikemore’s work. For them, biking isn’t something they even wish to fight for, it’s just a joyful experience they want to share with people they love.

Our work is about ensuring that joy is accessible to every resident of Baltimore, no matter what zip code you live in. Bringing health and joy to Baltimore residents should be an easy choice, not one that sparks endless, divisive debate. Our advocacy for Roland Avenue moving forward will include continued support to neighborhood leaders who have already demonstrated the groundswell of support for a protected lane. We will continue to attend meetings with Baltimore City DOT, including the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Commission, and voice our opinion on appropriate design and next steps. But we can no longer in good conscious continue to direct our limited staff resources to attending every public meeting to push back against residents determined to prioritize their own personal convenience above collaborative solutions that address everyone’s concerns and improve safety for all.

We know many of our members will be impacted by DOT’s decision to remove some of the lane. We know we have supporters who own homes in Roland Park whose quality of life includes having a safe place for their kids to bike to school. We’re going to do our best to continue to advocate for traffic calming and an all-ages protected facility on Roland Avenue, but not at the expense of directing our work in neighborhoods that are excited to re-imagine public space and build inclusive, safe streets for all.

I can’t get that image of the woman at Lake Montebello out of my mind, pedaling for over an hour to allow her child to enjoy the outdoors. There are families facing hardships in neighborhoods throughout the city that want and deserve that access to recreation, that safety, and that mobility. I’m disappointed that the conversations around streets can’t seem to center their experience and needs. With the #BigJumpBaltimore, the City has demonstrated its ability to do innovative work that improves the safety of people who need it most. That should be the standard they are held to moving forward.