BALTIMORE CITY DOWNTOWN BICYCLE NETWORK Building Innovative Facilities for a Multimodal Future Baltimore City Department of Transportation

March 18, 2014

OVERVIEW The Downtown Bicycle Network Project Importance of Building a Bicycle Network The Maryland Avenue Cycle Track What to Expect Timeline

Map Source: Google Maps

Planned Cycle Track

Planned Bike Lanes

Map Source: Google Maps

Planned Cycle Track

Two-way cycle track protected by parking

Planned Bike Lanes

Conventional bike lanes

Conventional bike lanes

Map Source: Google Maps

WHY BUILD A BICYCLE NETWORK? • Shifting priorities from automobile to multimodal • Complete connection gaps for bicyclists in Downtown Baltimore

Sources: Nate Evans (top) and Brian O’Doherty (right) via Baltimore City Bike Master Plan

TYPES OF CYCLISTS Strong and Fearless 4% 9% No Way, No How

31%

56% Interested but Concerned

Source: Dill, Jennifer, and Nathan McNeil. “Four Types of Cyclists? Testing Typology to Better Understand Bicycling Behavior in Portland.” 2012

Enthused and Confident

Photo Source: Brian O’Doherty via Baltimore City Bike Master Plan

TYPES OF BICYCLE FACILITIES

Source: Alta Planning & Design

CYCLE TRACKS – THEY’RE NOT A NEW CONCEPT!

132 cycle tracks in the U.S. …and counting!

15TH STREET CYCLE TRACK, WASHINGTON, DC •

Baltimore’s Cycle track will be modeled after the 15 th Street Cycle track

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (RESIDENT SURVEY) I support the 15 th Street cycle track

10%

10%

6% 22%

62%

The 15th Street cycle track is a valuable asset to my neighborhood

59%

I see many people riding bicycles in the 15 th Street cycle track

10%

6% Strongly Disagree

62%

22%

Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Strongly Agree

7% 24%

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME Bicycle Volumes increased over 200% following cycle track implementation on 15th Street in Washington, DC

Bicyclists per hour

200 180 160 140 120 100 80

K St & L St P St & Church St T St & Swann St Cycle Track Installation*

60 40 20 0 Jul-09 Oct-09

Jan-10 May-10 Aug-10 Nov-10 Feb-11 Count Date

The one-way and two-way cycle tracks were installed in November 2009 and November 2010, respectively.

Jun-11 Sep-11

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO CHANGE? – PARKING ALONG MARYLAND AVE • Peak hour restrictions implemented from Mount Royal to Fayette Street • Minimal parking impacts o Approximately 20-30 spaces will be removed over 2.6 miles

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO CHANGE? – PARKING ALONG MARYLAND AVE Planned Cycle Track

AM Peak Hour Restricted Parking introduced on West Side of Maryland Avenue/Cathedral Street from Tyson Street to Hamilton Street

10 permanent spaces removed on Cathedral Street

Planned Bike Lanes

20 Spaces removed on Maryland Avenue

Full time parking added on east side of Cathedral Street from Lexington Street to Franklin Street

Map Source: Google Maps

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO CHANGE? – PARKING Street Maryland Avenue Cathedral Street Monument Street

Number of Parking Spaces Lost 20 10 18

Centre Street Madison Street Biddle Street Preston Street

0 197 0 0

Total

250

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO CHANGE? – PARKING Planned Cycle Track

Planned Bike Lanes

No Parking removed on Preston Street or Biddle Street

75 Spaces removed between Eutaw Street and Guilford Avenue

125 Spaces removed between Greenmount Ave and Wolfe Street

18 Spaces removed between North Caroline and Broadway

Map Source: Google Maps

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO CHANGE? – TRAFFIC OPERATIONS • Traffic impacts associated with removing a travel lane • Expectations for congestion • North of I-83 – minimal congestion impacts • South of I-83 – additional delay during the peak hour • Restricted parking on west side of street preserves travel lane in the peak hours • Buses stop in curbside travel lane

CATHEDRAL ST & EAGER ST: TODAY

CATHEDRAL ST & EAGER ST: AFTER Two-Way Bike Lane

Sharrow Symbols through Intersection

On-Street Parallel Parking

Green Bike Boxes for Driveway Cuts and Left Turns

MARYLAND AVE & 29TH ST: TODAY

MARYLAND AVE & 29TH ST: TODAY On-Street Parallel Parking

On-Street Parallel Parking

Green Bike Boxes for Driveway Cuts

Two-Way Bike Lane One-Way Drive Lane

QUESTIONS?

Planning Division Baltimore City Department of Transportation 410-396-6856

-or-

Caitlin Doolin Bicycle & Pedestrian Planner [email protected]