Your Guide to Experiencing Light City by Bike

Light City is back! The festival is full tons of activity from March 31 to April 8, including large-scale installations, events, performances and more downtown and throughout Baltimore's neighborhoods. With popular festival like this, riding your bike can help you avoid the traffic and parking headache, and make it easier to get to more of the nearby activities and sites  — and there are even a few bike related events and rides! 
 

Getting to and around Light City

Biking to Light City

The majority of the activity is happening in the Inner Harbor, which is accessible via the protected bike lane on Maryland Avenue, The Guilford Avenue bike lane, the Jones Falls Trail, the Gwynns Falls Trail or the Waterfront Promenade. The area around the harbor will have higher vehicular and pedestrian traffic than usual, so use caution and plan to dismount and walk your bike accordingly.

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Bike Parking

Public bike parking will be available behind the Baltimore Visitors Center located at 401 Light Street, and marked on the map to the right.

 

Baltimore Bike Share

The closest bike share stations to the main festival location are Harbor East, the Aquarium, and the Visitor Center. Use Bike Share to get there, to participate in one of the rides below, or to get back to where you started after walking through the festival! Find out more at www.bmorebikeshare.com

Bike Events & Rides

Baltimore Bike Party: Light Up the Night
March 31
6:30pm, Saint Mary’s Park

Bike Party’s monthly ride will feature a special “light” theme.  The ride starts in St. Mary’s Park and will end with an after party hosted by Waverly Main Streets at artist Jose Andres Rosero-Curet’s Neighborhood Lights installation. Get a free Bike Share bike an any station for this ride using the promo code "bbpmarch".

Baltimore City Recreation & Parks Neighborhood Lights Ride
April 1
6:30pm, Lake Montebello

Join local cyclists for a BCRP lead bike tour of artist Maura Dwyer’s Neighborhood Lights collaboration with Hamilton-Lauraville, and artist Jonathan Taube & Iman :Djouini’s collaboration with Coldstream Homestead Montebello.  BCRP will have loaner bikes on-hand, arrive before 7pm to check out a bike.

Kinetic Procession & Bike Glow Rally
April 7, Rash Field

6:30pm — Light your Bike Workshop

Show up early to decorate your bike with LED lights. You're encouraged to bring and share supplies for bike decorating, and a limited number of free battery powered LED string lights will distributed.

8:00pm — Kinetic Procession Parade

Then join Bikemore and other bike groups in the parade, walking your bike alongside wheeled contraptions and a variety of kinetic sculptures. The parade starts at Rash Field at 8pm, goes through the Harbor, and ends at the Aquarium.

9:15pm — Bike Ride to Neighborhood Lights

We'll then go on an illuminated group bike ride from the Aquarium to the Little Italy and Waverly Neighborhood Lights, ending back at the Inner Harbor around 10:45pm. The route sticks mostly to city designated bike trails and will be supported by experienced volunteers and Race Pace Bicycles staff.

Baltimore Bike Share will also be lending free bikes at the Aquarium for the ride. 

See route for the ride →

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Why is family biking important for Baltimore?

On Saturday we welcomed 75+ kids, adults, and cargo-bike enthusiasts at our Family Biking Open House in partnership with Baltimore Family Bike Party! Peabody Heights Brewery was overflowing with local bike shops and advocacy organizations, and with a wide range of bikes — from bikes with kids seats on the front and back to custom cargo bikes to trailers. Attendees roamed and mingled among the bikes, asking questions and comparing notes on what has and hasn’t worked for biking with their own families.

Some of the questions we heard included: What helmet is right for this age? I used to bike all the time before I got pregnant, how do I get back into it now that I have a little one? My kiddo moved around too much in this seat for me to feel comfortable; are there other options? At what age can they ride on their own bike in the street? Where are good places to ride with kids in Baltimore?

And the most common answer to most of these questions? There are best practices and recommendations (many of which are in Family Bike Party's resource guide), but there’s a wide range of options and what works for your family is dependent on your own needs, level of comfort, and your own kids. The mentality we heard was very much "if this doesn’t work, try that." But it was clear that creating a friendly space for families to discuss pinch points with each other was a step in the right direction to getting more families riding.

WHY IS FAMILY BIKING IMPORTANT FOR BALTIMORE?

A city that is bike friendly, means one that's great to ride in no matter your age. And in order to make Baltimore this bikeable city, we need families to keep on riding. We need you riding in a park or on trails on the weekend, we need you riding to school or to the grocery store, we just need you out there, in whatever way your family enjoys.

Because families who bike stay connected to the city in a way that changes how they view transportation and how they view the design of our streets and sidewalks and trails. And families are a constituency that has significant political power, creating the demand for policy that creates more bikeable and walkable neighborhoods.

If you're a parent or caregiver that wants to feel safer riding with your own kids, or if you envision a future Baltimore where kids and adults alike can ride comfortably throughout the city, consider a donation to Bikemore. 
 

Interested in getting more involved in family biking in Baltimore? Join our Bikemore Family Committee!  

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Check out the full Facebook album for more photos.

Want Baltimore to be a safer place for kids to bike?

Many thanks to all the families that shared their experience and knowledge, Baltimore Family Bike Party, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Baltimore City Department of Transportation, Race Pace Bicycles, Baltimore Bicycle Works, Peabody Heights Brewery, and Side A Photography!

What you need to know about the Maryland Avenue Bike Parade

On Saturday, November 5th we're celebrating the new Maryland Avenue cycle track with a celebration and bike parade! Event details are here, but you can find some FAQs we've been hearing below. 
 

Is the cycle track finished? Isn't there a sinkhole?
The cycle track was originally scheduled to be finished by Saturday, but the sinkhole temporarily halted construction. The contractor will be working hard this week to complete as much as possible before the parade. In the event storm grates or other fixes haven't gone in by Saturday, we'll have any hazards marked with cones and spray painted orange. In short, we're not going to let a sinkhole stop us from celebrating this BIG win for biking in Baltimore.

What's the revised route? 
Check out the modified sinkhole-avoiding bike parade route below, starting at Wyman Park Dell and ending at Mt. Vernon Market Place. 

Did I hear something about free coffee and donuts?
You heard right! At Wyman Park Dell from 10 to 11am we'll be serving up free apple cider donuts from Weber's Cider Mill Farm and coffee generously donated by Zeke's Coffee.

Who can ride?
EVERYONE! This is a slow roll and all are welcome. Kids and families are especially encouraged to come!

What should we wear? 
This is meant to be a fun and silly bike parade, so we encourage costumes and general goofy decorating of yourself and your bike. And we'll have a bike decorating table at the park from 10 to 11am, lead by the amazing Charlotte Hager! 

Are we obeying traffic signals?
Yes! This is a ride to enjoy the new protected bike infrastructure, and as such, we'll ride the cycle track as it's designed to be ridden. This means stopping at red lights and obeying rules of the road. 

What if I'm not a morning person? 
Can't make it to the ride? Plan to have lunch at Mt. Vernon Market Place, where the bike parade will be ending! From 11am to 2pm, Mt. Vernon Market Place vendors Fresh Mondays, Juniper, Local Oyster, Pinch, and Taps Fill Station will be donating 10% of their proceeds to Bikemore.

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You can check out the rest of the event details below, and be sure to RSVP and invite your friends on Facebook!

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Still have questions about the event? Email Danielle@bikemore.net.
 

Pop-Up Cycle Track on East Pratt Street

DOT is installing a "Pop-Up" cycle track this Thursday!

This Thursday, August 4th, Baltimore City Department of Transportation will be installing a pop-up cycle track on East Pratt Street between South Central Avenue and South Broadway Street. This two-way protected bike lane will remain in place through Friday, August 26th. 

Baltimore City Department of Transportation welcomes community members to join them from 8:00-9:00am and from 5:00-6:00pm on Friday, August 5th at the corner of Caroline Street and East Pratt Street to try out the facility and learn more about bicycle projects in Baltimore.

What are pop-up bike facilities?

Pilot projects, such as pop-up protected bike lanes, are becoming increasingly popular in cities. These projects allow agencies to engage with the public--testing what works and what doesn't in an affordable manner before substantial capital investments are made. The conventional project development process proceeds from plan to capital construction over a number of years, while pilot projects only take a few weeks to organize and construct. These projects help communities try new treatments, re-envisioning what their streets and communities can look like without the commitment of a capital project.

Ride it, show support!

Definitely try to stop by in the morning or evening on Friday and check out the installation, and make it a part of your commute if you live in the area. Showing support for this kind of creative testing means we will see it more frequently. And, if you want to ensure that more projects like this turn into full-time bike facilities, donate to Bikemore.

Bikemore 2015: A Year in Review

This year was an incredibly important year for bikes in Baltimore. From memorializing the life of Tom Palermo to galvanizing people who bike to get to the polls through the launch of our I Bike, I Vote initiative, our members have turned out in ways that leave no doubt that we are growing as a movement--that bikes and Baltimore fit together a little better than the year before.  As 2015 comes to a close, let's look back on all that we've accomplished together! Want to help us grow and do bigger and better things in 2016? Consider a year end gift. Together, we are building a force for biking in Baltimore! 

And now our year in review...

 Memorial Ride for Tom Palermo 

2015 began on a somber note. On January 1st, hundreds of bicyclists gathered to pay tribute to Tom Palermo. His death was tragic, and he will be forever missed. But his passing also deepened the resolve of those in the bicycling community to work harder to ensure another family doesn't have to suffer the same immense loss. 

Hundreds of people on bikes gather to pay tribute to Tom Palermo. Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun

Baltimore City Adopts Bicycling Master Plan 

The long overdue update of our city's bicycle master plan solidified Baltimore City's commitment to growing a bicycle network. And while our work has just begun to ensure this is a plan that doesn't simply exist on paper--but is implemented--this was a critical first step in mapping out the city's future as one where all modes are considered on our roadways. 

Mayor Signs Executive Order Forming Bicycle Advisory Commission

The Mayor's Executive order breathed life into a dormant committee by drawing on talent from the private and public sector to ensure the Bike Master Plan comes to fruition. Bikemore has been a part of the commission since its creation in March, and has been able to see firsthand the dedication of these commission members as they work to ensure the city better coordinates agency efforts and allocates proper funding for future projects. 

Hired a New Executive Director    

After an extensive national search, Bikemore hired Liz Cornish to lead Bikemore in its next phase of growth. Cornish came to Bikemore after working on national advocacy issues at the League of American Bicyclists. 

Community Bike Rides 

We upped our game when it came to providing programs that brought people together to share in their love of bikes. We hosted five new community rides that hosted over 200 participants. We hosted rides with the 29th St. and North Barclay Green Community Centers that brought youth and adults together, we hosted women from D.C. as they rode the MARC bike train to explore Baltimore with other ladies who ride, we toured architectural sites by hosting a ride for Doors Open, and partnered with Brewer's Art to host the Future of Biking in Baltimore ride that explored all the places slated to get improvements in 2016-2017. We know that group rides are a great way to introduce folks to urban riding, and build community among existing riders. We look forward to planning more rides in 2016! 

Charles Street Complete Street 

Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun

October saw the long awaited completion of the Charles Street "complete street" construction. The project created much needed pedestrian improvements, traffic calming, and the addition of buffered bike lanes. Charles Street is now much safer for all road users, and we hope this public-private partnership to create livable streets can become a model that is replicated elsewhere in the city to spur safer street projects. 

I Bike, I Vote Kick Off 

On November 8th, 2015 we threw a party to share our platform for the 2016 election. Our goal was to get people stoked on connecting their transportation and recreation choice--biking to voting. The event exceeded our wildest expectations. We had 5 Mayoral Candidates, 16 Council Candidates and over 200 constituents attend our rally to get out the bike vote. In the coming year, we have more opportunities to engage in the upcoming election and educate voters about where each candidate stands on creating a more bikable, walkable Baltimore. 

Baltimore's First Annual Cranksgiving

We hosted over 80 riders, who went on a scavenger hunt to procure $1000s in groceries to donate to Moveable Feast. We had a ton of fun, and learned a lot about how to grow and strengthen this new bikey holiday tradition. Can't wait for next year to be even bigger and even better! 

Transform Baltimore 

Sometimes fighting for livable streets means getting a little wonky and organizing against policies that don't directly relate to biking, but facilitate a way of thinking about growth that undermines the creation of bikeable places. Our new zoning code has been awaiting City Council adoption for years. Just when we are getting close to the finally adopting a form based code that will ensure that all neighborhoods are developed in a way that considers things like walkability, historic preservation, and safety, the Council began voting on hundreds of amendments at a rapid pace. Thanks to your support, we were able to mobilize dozens of Bikemore members to send emails to the transportation and land use committee and ensure that the amendments most harmful to livable streets were opposed. 

Roland Avenue Cycletrack

Christmas came early with the installation of the Roland Avenue Cycletrack. This two mile stretch of parking protected bike lane taught us a lot of lessons.  First, in what took only 14 months from project concept to completion--it showed the value of local dollars in speeding up the implementation of new bike facilities. To our chagrin, it lapped the installation of the Maryland Avenue Cycletrack--which spent the entire year under State Highway review due to use of Federal funds. So while this facility had some challenges in design and community support, as Baltimore's first parking protected bike lane, we decided it was important to throw our support behind the project and ensure its installation. As the Roland Park community and city continue to work out the kinks in terms of parking compliance, maintenance, and signage, the result is a beautiful reminder of what a complete street in Baltimore can look like. Change is hard, and we knew wherever the first facility of this kind was installed we would face some opposition. But seeing BCDOT's commitment to the project despite some divisive community opposition gives us hope that whatever opposition future projects face, we have turned a corner in terms of the city leading on complete street issues. And that is cause for celebration. 

Thank you for helping us build a force for biking in Baltimore in 2015!