New Skills Park! (Fairland Regional Park)

 Ribbon cutting on Oct 29th, see details in the link.  I've been walking through here, watching the build-out and it looks amazing.  Guess I'll need to get my bike out for a spin through the park, or "The Pit" as it is being named.

https://montgomeryparks.org/montgomery-parks-completes-mountain-bike-skills-park-at-fairland-recreational-park/

It is pretty easy to ride from Burtonsville, down Greencastle Rd (watch that US-29 crossing, though) and connect up with Fairland Regional Park.   Looks like they may be building some limited parking right near the skills park which will likely fill up quickly.  

Close to location of new parking area for bike park.  https://www.google.com/maps/dir//39.0791678,-76.92957/@39.0800504,-76.9296472,433m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e0

The reckless driver 2021-09-27

Frustrated with the way drivers are behaving, I'm more compelled to keep adding to the following page in recent days.     

Another update to the Poor Decisions Page.

People are still Driving Recklessly

 Sadly -- it's still happening.   Apparently our driver education initiatives aren't working.  

Another update to the Poor Decisions Page.

Electric Mowing Equipment?

 This is amazing!   MCDOT is experimenting with all electric mowing equipment which could mean cleaner air and less noise!

Read about it here: https://montgomerycomd.blogspot.com/2021/04/montgomery-department-of-transportation.html

Powerline Trail Funded!

Great news! On Monday, Montgomery Parks announced additional funding to extend the powerline trail which will connect South Germantown Recreational Park to Cabin John Regional Park. I'm not going to be utilizing it much since I don't live or work that close to it, but I'm hopeful that similar actions will be taken in other parts of the county.  

• A little history: https://www.thewashcycle.com/2015/02/montgomery-county-power-line-trails.html
• Examples of existing powerline trails: http://www.pedestrians.org/topics/row-gallery.htm

As stated, thanks go to "Delegate Korman, the entire Montgomery County Delegation, and the Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts."

Cheers!  Looking forward to seeing parts of the trail getting built in 2022.  

Pedestrian Master Plan for Montgomery County

I just received notification about the new initiative for a Pedestrian Master Plan (much like the previously adopted Bicycle Master Plan) and the first community meeting will be in September 2019.  Sign up on this website to stay informed. 

https://montgomeryplanning.org/planning/transportation/pedestrian-planning/pedestrian-master-plan/

Ride On (MCDOT) Allows Children to Stay in Strollers While Riding the Bus

It's a start, Ride On is now allowing strollers to board using the boarding ramp (https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=23381).  Though with the limitations of the policy it still doesn't meet the standards I found in Stockholm many years ago which allow parents to travel with many children under 7 and for parents with buggies (strollers) they can board through the exit door and there isn't any fees for parent or child (https://sl.se/en/eng-info/fares/children/).

When I traveled with my young children in Stockholm, not only did the culture there permit me to board the bus with stroller, all current passengers were required to make room for me and the stroller, similar to our priority seating policy.   Everyone was very accomodating and even helped ensure I boarded and alighted the bus, with child still in stroller, without any problems.

I'd like to see this type of accomodation made on all of our region's buses in support of families. Traveling with children can be chaotic, and having to deal with payments for yourself, or your children, while keeping them safe and accounted for can be too much for most parents.  The choice of using public transportation would be much easier to make if using it was as easy as it was in Stockholm. 

How Did This Traffic Light Slip Under My Radar?

When I took these couple of photos on July 25th, I kind of figured out that the bus stops located on either side of Old Columbia Pike were getting platforms and probably lighting.

I did not come to understand, until today, that a full-blown traffic light was getting installed.  Living less than a 1/4 mile from this "new" traffic pattern, I'm shocked that I had no previous knowledge of the plans.  In my experience with any of the DOTs in the region, getting a request to completion usually takes a mound of paperwork and years of persistence.    I have no opinion on the light location itself, as it wasn't even something I considered on this section of road. 

I can't believe that the neighborhood, community, and regional interest groups were not involved in the development of the design for this traffic light.   As you can see from the first photo above, the southbound shoulder is now blocked by a raised bus platform.   This is great for people waiting at the stop, but now bicyclists must move out in to traffic at this intersection.   If the design was put forth for public comment, I certainly would have asked for the platform to be moved back off the shoulder to leave room for bicyclists, especially during commute hours. 

Finally, I'd like to know why this light became necessary.   At the trail crossing of the Matthew Henson trail at Viers Mill Road, multiple people were killed and yet it still took a strong, active community quite some time to persuade SHA to move forward with a better crossing option.  Newspaper articles were widely written, advocacy letters distributed, but that was not the case with this traffic light.   
(http://www.waba.org/blog/2016/07/matthew-henson-trail-crossing-at-viers-mill-road-is-still-deadly/) So what was the justification for this light?   Who requested it, and what community backed it up?   Why did it get installed without local community input? 

I would like to see documented and consistent processes in Montgomery County and the State of Maryland.  Transparency will lead to better ideas and community involvement. 

We really need to fix Old Columbia Pike

Recently, I we had some nice weather in the area, so I just wanted to take my bike out for a little shake down before I begin my summer commutes on it.   Living in an area surrounded by busy, high volume roads, I generally seek out the safest, quietest routes.   

This was an unplanned route, but in my head, I thought I could get down to Randolph Rd, then turn around and return via Old Columbia Pike.   So I started out heading south knowing I was going to ride under the ICC via the bike trail on the east side of the interchange.    It's a bit isolated for me, generally, it's not visible from the road, and therefore I find this trail to be unsafe.   In retrospect, this trail should have been built for better visibility, either up higher, next to the roads, or along the neighborhood streets.  Hopefully in the future, new trails will be built keeping visibility in mind. 

Click image for larger image of the area I rode in the Fairland Area. 

Additionally, as you can see from my route, I didn't quite make it down to Randolph.  Unfortunately, there's no direct route southbound once I made my way south through the ICC interchange.   I would have had to ride through Calverton Park, local streets, and generally take a long way to get where I wanted to go.  I would be better if we just connected a trail to Randolph along the property frontage of Verizon on the east side of US-29 from Fairland Rd.   Certainly, explore the map in detail more to see the roads and connections that are needed. 

On my return, I wanted to avoid Old Columbia Pike, so I crossed and road zig-zagged through some neighborhood roads to avoid the narrow or non-existent shoulders and high volume of traffic.   North of Fairland Rd, and especially the point where Old Columbia crosses over the ICC, there is no extra room on the road for vulnerable users.   The section northbound on Old Columbia Pike could use a shared-use-path along the east side.   Even if it was a sidewalk, I would be on it as drivers failed to give me even 3-ft of clearance.   

Looking North on Old Columbia Pike at the ICC Bridge

Old Columbia Pike is a major connector for biking in the area between Burtonsville and White Oak.  Planning phases come and go, yet I still have no safe place to ride. 

Who is going to take the lead and get the money needed to build safe riding paths along Old Columbia Pike? 

Only Shared Use Path Available -- BLOCKED

The only semi-safe route available along MD-198, and it's blocked!

It's bad enough that this path along MD-198 doesn't connect all the way to Cedar Tree Rd, stopping at Dino Dr.   Now there is construction that appears to be daily now and constantly blocking the only shared use path my kids and I would like to use. 

The path (shown below) west of the construction connects to the Downtown Burtonsville area and considering the basically non-existent shoulder, speeding cars (rarely enforced along this stretch), and groups of motor vehicles jockeying for position as they leave the US-29 intersection by cutting around each other in the right hand merge lanes, I have no place to safely ride along this stretch of road. 

The Lorenzo Construction LLC appears to be doing the construction (410-984-1935) but unfortunately, feels the need to park their vehicles on the path.  The road at this point is essentially 5 lanes, with the merge lane ending.  It would be simple enough to put up cones and block the end of this merge lane without blocking the path.  It would not cause any problems for traffic either.

Additionally, it appears Lorenzo is also doing some construction at the U-turn at Dino drive where they are parking all their trucks and filling the U-Turn extension that I believe was put there to allow larger trucks the ability to make the U-Turn. 

I would love to see a better policy created and adhered to prevent blocking of sidewalks and paths for vulnerable road users.   Those walking and biking have no choice.  Vehicles have 5 lanes of options.  Please keep the sidewalks and paths open whenever possible.

Coffeeneuring 2017

Coffeeneuring 2017 - It's a wrap, read all about it.

The coffeeneuring challenge has run for 7 years, you can read the rules, comments and start planning for next year at chasingmailboxes.com.

Better Routes to Schools - Courtesy Delegate Eric Luedtke

Do I want better routes to walk and bike to schools? Yes!   Moreover, I want better routes for getting to the stores, to work, and to school.       

Here Del. Eric Luedtke stands near MD108 in Olney (video published in Aug 2017).   Both Sherwood HS and Sherwood ES are close by, but without a safe way to get to school, due to no sidewalks or bike paths, the students must get there either by bus or car.  Del. Luedtke states that there are a number of schools around the state in this situation and he would like to hear from you.      

Which schools have this problem?  

Tell him about your school.   What is preventing you from getting to/from school on foot or bicycle?  

Please feel free to comment here or send email directly to Del. Luedtke.   

   

 List of Schools

1. Burtonsville ES, Burtonsville MD
• MD198 poses crossing problem
• No sidewalks between US29 and School along MD198
• No bike parking at the school
2.  

I'm too important for a parking space!

Here's what must have run through this drivers mind.

Hi,

I need to pick up my takeout, and I'm in a hurry.   Instead of parking in one of the open spaces that would take me an extra ten seconds, I thought I might just park here which is right in front of a stop sign, on a crosswalk, and a pinch point for people trying to get in and out of the parking lot. It's OK, my time is way more important than the 20 vehicles that had to maneuver around me and probably wait 10-15 seconds before they could pass in the single file lane I left for them.

My license plate is from Maryland:

R

A 5812

V

And I drive a nice white Mercedes.

Harris Teeter at Eden Brook Dr and Guilford Rd. in Howard County MD (2017/10/27)

 Have a nice day.