Betsy Gardner, Candidate for City Council-5th District

In an effort to educate voters, we will be posting responses to our candidate questionnaire. Questionnaires were emailed to each candidate running for City Council, President of City Council, and Mayor. Candidates have until March 4th to submit. We are publishing results in the order they are received. 

How frequently do you use a mode of transportation other than your car to navigate the city? Based on your experience, where should the city prioritize resources for transportation? 

BG: The only form of transportation I currently use is my automobile due to my physical limitations.  Under previous administrations the City was favorable to people being more activate and biking.  I believe the City/County need to do a regional traffic study to determine the needs of the City and where to prioritize resources.

What role do you believe biking and walking improvements can play in creating a safer, healthier, more livable Baltimore? 

BG: It's imperative that by making improvements for biking and walking that Baltimore will become a healthier more sustainable City. One way to make Baltimore a safer City is by encouraging the BPD to increase their Bike patrol in which would get them out of their patrol cars and where they would be able to interact with the citizens more directly.  

Often road redesigns that improve the safety for people on bikes or people walking do so in a way that removes priority for single occupant vehicles. This can look like removing lanes for travel or decreasing available street parking. Can you describe how you would manage public expectations during project implementation, and handle any backlash from constituents that don’t share in the City’s vision for complete streets? 

BG: The only way to manage these expectations is when all interested parties are at the table discussing such proposed projects.  There must be a comprehensive plan that is well thought out, researched, and vetted before being implemented.  When Baltimore City streets and neighborhoods were initially designed, they weren't designed for the type, or number of vehicles much less bicycles that travel them on a daily basis. 

Recent audits have discovered that the Department of Transportation struggles to measure key performance indicators. The city’s procurement and project management processes have also faced scrutiny. This has led to significant delays of key improvements to bicycle infrastructure in Baltimore. How will you work to improve performance and accountability of city agencies like the Department of Transportation under your leadership? 

BG: We must insure that there is transparency, accountability and audits not only for DOT, but for all the agencies across the board if we are to move Baltimore forward and regain the citizens trust and respect.  For the past 14 years, I have worked tireless to hold agencies accountable to the citizens that that are paid to serve.

The percentage of people choosing to take public transit or ride a bike for transportation is increasing in Baltimore, while the percentage of residents without access to a vehicle is over 30%. How would you rate the city’s current investment in sustainable transportation solutions for its residents, and as a council person what would you do to support increased investment? 

BG: Unfortunately with cuts to transportation funds from the Federal, and State levels Baltimore has not been able to invest in many sustainable transportation projects as would be beneficial to the City.  Thru recent studies on global warming it has shown that by decreasing the carbon foot print we will have a more sustainable environment.  I will do everything possible on the City's level to decrease these emissions to help insure the health for generations to come. 

A recent study by Harvard economists found that the single strongest factor affecting the odds of a child escaping poverty is not the test scores of his or her local schools or the crime in the community; it is the percent of workers in his or her neighborhood who have long commutes. How do you plan to improve transportation options and commute times for our most vulnerable residents? 

BG: I would work with the  business and proposed business for my District to ensure there is a community benefit agreement that would ensure employment opportunities for the residents so they would not have to travel long distances to reach their work.  Therefore, they would be working closer to home and spending their dollars locally ensuring more business have an opportunity to thrive,

What other information about your candidacy would you like to share with our members? 

BG: I have worked for the past 3 administrations as a neighborhood liaisons fighting tireless for the good of the citizens of Baltimore on many issues such as high water bills, pot holes, and water main breaks,  As the representative of City Council 5th District I will hit the ground running and will fight tirelessly for a healthy community, a safer community, and a community that has educational opportunities for our children to thrive and grow.

Connor Meek, Candidate for President of City Council

In an effort to educate voters, we will be posting responses to our candidate questionnaire. Questionnaires were emailed to each candidate running for City Council, President of City Council, and Mayor. Candidates have until March 4th to submit. We are publishing results in the order they are received. 

How frequently do you use a mode of transportation other than your car to navigate the city? Based on your experience, where should the city prioritize resources for transportation? 

CM: I don't own a car.  I ride my bike often, and I occasionally ride the bus and the light rail.  Since I've been running for office I've been walking more often than not, as it's easier to talk to people.  The City certainly needs to improve it's public transit system.  We also need a more comprehensive network of protected bike lanes.  I often hear from people who would LOVE to go for a bike ride, but they're afraid of the traffic or afraid of being robbed.  The police need to do a better job of patrolling the parks and the bike paths.  To be fair, I have actually seen officers on the Gwynns Falls Trail several times in the past few months.  We also need to enforce our Share the Road law.  Impress the importance of that law on officers and instruct them to enforce it.  We need to do everything we can to get the residents on their bikes.  For the environment, for the budget, and for our health and sanity. 

What role do you believe biking and walking improvements can play in creating a safer, healthier, more livable Baltimore? 

CM: These improvements will be key.  Not only will the city be healthier and safer due to a reduction in drivers and fitness benefits, but biking also helps you connect with your surrounding environment.  That's something many drivers are either intentionally or unintentionally avoiding.  When you roll up your windows and turn on the radio you're missing a lot of what's going on around you, and as a result, overlooking many of the city's most urgent issues.  Biking has made me more engaged.

Often road redesigns that improve the safety for people on bikes or people walking do so in a way that removes priority for single occupant vehicles. This can look like removing lanes for travel or decreasing available street parking. Can you describe how you would manage public expectations during project implementation, and handle any backlash from constituents that don’t share in the City’s vision for complete streets? 

CM: That change in perception won't be easy to make in the short term.  But if done correctly, it will be incredibly easy to make in a generation.  It starts with education and access.  I'd like the City to offer free bicycling lessons to anyone interested, any age.  More support for organizations like Velocipede and responsible fundraising can help ensure that bicycles are available for children whose family's might not be able to provide them.  The more people we engage and the more bikes on the roads, the easier it will be to convince people that one lane for each is a fair compromise.

Recent audits have discovered that the Department of Transportation struggles to measure key performance indicators. The city’s procurement and project management processes have also faced scrutiny. This has led to significant delays of key improvements to bicycle infrastructure in Baltimore. How will you work to improve performance and accountability of city agencies like the Department of Transportation under your leadership? 

CM: All city agencies need to be audited immediately.  And Department heads that are found incapable of allocating resources in a productive and transparent manner should be removed.

The percentage of people choosing to take public transit or ride a bike for transportation is increasing in Baltimore, while the percentage of residents without access to a vehicle is over 30%. How would you rate the city’s current investment in sustainable transportation solutions for its residents, and as council president what would you do to support increased investment? 

CM: I would give the City a C+.  There are improvements being made.  And with the help of organizations like Bikemore the needs of cyclists are not being ignored, and the argument for more sustainable transportation solutions is an easy one to make.  I believe that cycling is the best mode of transportation.  As President of the City Council I would support any initiatives to get more people on bikes and less in cars.  The cost of protected bike lanes is well worth the reward. 

A recent study by Harvard economists found that the single strongest factor affecting the odds of a child escaping poverty is not the test scores of his or her local schools or the crime in the community; it is the percent of workers in his or her neighborhood who have long commutes. How do you plan to improve transportation options and commute times for our most vulnerable residents? 

CM: That's an interesting study.  We need reliable public transportation.  Many people leave for work much earlier than they'd need to if our buses ran on a more predictable schedule.  And riding a bike in this city is faster than taking the bus.  If we can encourage more riders and protect them from traffic and crime, we could all spend less time traveling and more time home with our families.

What other information about your candidacy would you like to share with our members? 

CM: My candidacy is a quest for information and a greater understanding of our electoral process, which I've found to be quite bizarre and counter-intuitive.  I'd like to run a model campaign.  I want you to make your own decision.  I will not ask for your vote, and at this point I have not accepted a single campaign contribution.  I am interested in speaking with you about our City and I want to hear your ideas for the future.

What Snow Teaches Us About Livable Streets in Baltimore

Nearly two weeks ago, Baltimore was covered in a record snowfall. Maryland Transit Authority cancelled services for only the third time in forty years. Baltimore City schools were closed for six days. In the days and now weeks that followed we have learned a lot about how our Department of Transportation responds in snow emergencies. And the prioritization of certain road users over others has had disastrous consequences. 

We Don't Need as Much Space For Cars

"Sneckdown" by Naparstek - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sneckdown.jpg#/media/File:Sneckdown.jpg

Snow on roads and on sidewalks can teach us a lot about how we use our road ways. The popular urbanist hashtag #sneckdown always pops up on social media after a big snowstorm. A Sneckdown is essentially a neckdown or curb extension created by unplowed snow. It creates instant traffic calming, narrowing lanes, shortening pedestrian crossings, and slowing turning traffic. 

It also shows how little space cars actually use. Even when snow is plowed, often you can see that the travel patters are much tighter and smaller than how we build out our roads. This is an important point considering that often people opposed to building more bike or pedestrian facilities on roadways point to scarcity of space. 

When You Eliminate or Calm Traffic, Streets Become Places For People Again

One of my favorite outcomes of the blizzard was how many people I saw out walking both during and the days that followed. With cars still buried, side streets unplowed, and MTA service suspended if folks wanted to combat cabin fever they had to use their feet. With cars mostly off the road, folks felt free to walk in groups down the center of the street, people chatted with neighbors as they shoveled. All of sudden people were hanging out outside again--together. 

While some businesses reported being negatively impacted by the snow, some other businesses hit record sales as folks looked to leave the house. It would be really interesting to look at sales numbers of those businesses in more dense walkable neighborhoods, versus those that require you to drive there. What implication does that have for our future zoning decisions? What really drives economic growth? Is it really the number of parking spaces, or is actually the number of people who can easily access the space? 

We know that activating public spaces with people walking and biking can improve public safety. We also know that communities that make it easier and safer to bike and walk places have improved public health outcomes. But the solution--restricting or calming traffic is often met with opposition. In the snowy days following the blizzard when traffic was light, we got a glimpse of what could be. 

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City Residents Pay for Snow Removal, But County Residents See Most Benefit

In the days before the blizzard, DOT was mobilizing resources. To the extent that we were in communication, we knew that resources existed to plow both protected bike lanes and sidewalks. Once snowfall accumulated in excess of two feet however, those resources were reallocated to continue to move snow along "gateway routes". 

We understand and support the need to prioritize snow removal to ensure emergency vehicles have access. We also don't expect to have bike lanes cleared mere days after an historic record snowfall. What we don't understand is why there is no written prioritization when it comes to facilities. One third of residents in Baltimore City don't have access to a vehicle. There is an average of 300K Transit trips per day. At what point in the snow removal process do we devote resources to city residents who choose another mode of travel? Who have to get around inside the city and not just on "gateway routes"?  When do we send bobcats to clear sidewalks and cross walks that lead to the schools where Baltimore City taxpayers send their children? 

In the week following the blizzard, there were two separate pedestrian collisions in Baltimore City. One with an MTA bus, and another a hit and run that was fatal. Both were walking to the bus and were forced to walk in the street due to uncleared sidewalks. These incidents didn't occur one or two days after the blizzard. They happened five and seven days after storm clean up began. So when we are talking about prioritization, this is what we mean. We believe it's reasonable to demand the city clear public walkways or enforce the clearing of private ones 72 hours after a storm--yes, even a "historic" one. And the reason we demand this--it saves lives. It prevents injury. It serves our disabled residents who depend on our sidewalk system to navigate to public transit and mobility services. It ensures our school children remain safe, educated and fed without missing a week or more of school.

Why is the priority to ensure a County resident can get to their office job downtown via our "gateway" roads, while a Baltimore school child had to remain at home because we couldn't figure out how to transport him to his neighborhood school? 

Many residents and business did clear their sidewalks and crosswalks only to have massive amounts of snow piled there by contractors. Many of those piles still remain, obstructing crosswalk access and visibility. Why not store in a mid block parking space on a snow route, versus cutting off access to hundreds of people that cross the street each day? 

Mount Saint 27th Street. 

A modern Department of Transportation has to adapt to give consideration to all modes of travel. We shouldn't allow them to use the record snowfall as an excuse. A city should function at it's best during an emergency because the stakes are so much higher. But without a written plan for prioritization, without thoughtfulness in regards to how taxpayers actually move around this city, we can expect more of the same. And that could have continued deadly consequences. 

Bikemore Priorities Update Part III: Bike Share

In our final installment of our Priorities series, we look at the current status of bike share. 

Part III: Bike Share

Summary

Bike share is a public system of bicycles designed to be rented for short term use. The style of bike and technology used for securing and checking out bikes varies by vendor. Some systems use a docking system, while others use smart technology like a geofence. Typical systems offer day passes or memberships that charge a monthly or annual rate to use. Bike rentals are structured so that once you’ve paid to check out a bike, the first portion (typically a half hour)  of your rental is free with a subsequent hourly rate for overages. The key to a high performing bike share system is density. Best practices recommend siting stations no further than a mile apart and along popular routes. Bike share can be a critical component to improving first and last mile transit connectivity. Hundreds of cities around the world have launched successful bike share systems. Bike advocates see public bike share systems as critical to normalizing biking, and building a truly bicycle friendly city. 

Challenges

Baltimore has been attempting to launch bike share for nearly five years. Depending on who you ask, this current ideation is attempt number three or four. The reasons that bike share has failed to launch in previous years are complex. In one instance, the vendor contract expired before the city was able to launch the system. In another, a vendor was selected and then went bankrupt--forcing the city to go through the request for proposals process again. 

There has also been a lot of negative public perception of bike share. Many people in Baltimore have little knowledge of what bike share actually is, and instead choose to make ignorant claims that all the bikes will be stolen or that the heavier bikes won’t make it up our hilly landscape. To date, bike share theft is incredibly rare. The technology makes it incredibly difficult to steal a bike in the first place, and in instances where a bike does come out of the system due to theft, the heavily branded bicycles with specialized components designed to take abuse hold zero resale value. The bikes are categorically different in all ways from the Ride around the Reservoir bikes belonging to Rec and Parks that were stolen two years ago. So any comparison of the two programs is baseless. Vendors also have lots of flexibility when it comes to bike type, so there is no doubt whatever bike is selected for the Baltimore system will take into account things like durability, harsh winters, and hills. 

But this hit to public perception means that our bike share is launching into a political space much less forgiving than other cities.  Which heightens the stakes. 

Where the Project Stands Today

The city has secured $2.8 million in state and federal funds to launch bike share. In September of 2015, the city once again issued the request for proposals. The city stated to the press that they would plan to launch with 250 bikes in the initial phase. 

Bikemore found it hard to reconcile the small scale of the launch with the Mayor stating how bike share was supposed to be “transportation solution.” Other cities typically launch with systems double that size. But given past failures, this conservative estimate seemed to be an attempt to under promise and over deliver. 

Baltimore City DOT is determined to execute the launch of bike share differently this time. The new RFP process created a special layer to the procurement process--a technical review--which will weight each proposal on criteria set forth by DOT. This was a progressive move that allowed them to attract the top vendors in the country rather than base the decision purely on cost. Currently there are six proposals under review. Additionally, Bikemore was able to advocate for community members to be part of the technical review team. Greg Henchcliffe and Chris Merriam, both former Bikemore Executive Directors serve on the committee. Members of the technical review team are assessing proposals on many factors but some key items they are discussing are ability of the system to integrate with Capital Bike Share in DC and the ability to accept cash payment for membership--improving bike share access to the unbanked. Baltimore City DOT also hired a full time bike share coordinator, James Decker to oversee the project. 

Currently the launch is in the proposal review stage. While we do not know an exact date that a contract will be awarded, we suspect it will be before spring. BCDOT also hired Comcast Spectra to help solicit corporate sponsorship of stations. They are the firm responsible for assisting with the launch of Indego--Philadelphia’s Bike Share system. 

The work of securing sponsorship is key. Understanding how much money is available will ultimately drive the size of the phase I launch. In a move that surprised everyone skeptical of the Hogan’s administration track record of investing in Baltimore, included in the new Baltimore Link plan is $500 thousand for bike share stations or hardware at transit stops throughout the city. This investment, plus early sponsorship projections have led the city to increase its estimated phase I launch to 300-400 bikes. The sooner sponsorships are confirmed, including a potential title sponsorship, the numbers will continue to increase. 

The city is also taking key steps to establish a separate 501c3 that will allow money raised through bike share sponsorships to be held separately from the general fund. This will ensure that money secured for bike share, stays for bike share--regardless of who becomes Mayor next fall. 

The system is scheduled to launch in the fall of 2016. 

What We are Watching For

Station Siting: We know that two things are critical to bike share’s success. 1) a dense system to encourage use 2) cost recovery in the form of day passes and memberships. Cost recovery for bike share is typically highest from day use, which means in order for a system to be financially successful some intention for it to be used as a tourist amenity has to be considered. From an urban planning perspective, and because of where much of the newer bike facilities are being installed over the next year, it becomes pretty clear where phase I stations might go. But if as a city we are going to embrace bicycling, and solve some of the first and last mile connectivity issues plaguing our residents it is going to be critical that bike share service more neighborhoods than just the Inner Harbor and Central Downtown. We know DOT is committed to bike share operating equitably, but we are concerned that with the size of the phase I launch and the planning demands on the system exactly how those goals will be achieved. We will be working with DOT and the selected vendor to ensure neighborhoods in East and West Baltimore also receive the benefit of bike share. 

Delivery: After all of the challenges, it is critical that bike share meets budgetary and scheduling goals. If it were to fail on any of these fronts, the fall out for bicycles in general could be huge. We have an immense opportunity to change how our city thinks about bikes as transportation with this project and we are working with those responsible for delivery to ensure they have what they need to be successful. 

Public Perception: There are going to be plenty of myths to bust, people to win over, and backlash to combat. This is typical of any bike share (or frankly bike) project in Baltimore. But the key to remember is that this time really is different. So far, the project has shown immense promise in both how it has been managed and its capacity to stay on schedule. It has been an incredibly long road to get to this point, but it does seem possible that bike share is finally in Baltimore’s future. 

The Fruits of our Labor

As we wrap our series on taking a look back at our priorities, it is incredibly humbling to see how we’ve grown. What began as a dozen or so folks coming together to build a voice for local bike advocacy has in four short years developed into a network of thousands of stakeholders. After years of building support for concepts, in 2016 we will begin to see many of our original priorities come to life. And that is a direct credit to our members. When we tell lawmakers or city leaders that we have over 500 dues paying members and thousands of stakeholders, it means something. Your support has allowed us to move from the fringes of policy discussions to having a seat at the table, and having our issues taken seriously. 

This year is about growth. Both organizationally as we add staff and secure office space over the next few months (big kid nonprofit stuff!), and as we see our vision for a safer, healthier, and more livable Baltimore take shape. In many ways our work is just beginning, but it is evident that this year will allow us to close the first chapter of our story. Thank you for continuing to be the best part of our story, and helping us build a force for biking in Baltimore. 

More in this series: 

Part II: Mt. Royal Streetscape

Part I: Maryland Avenue Cycletrack

Bikemore Priorities Update Part II: Mt. Royal Streetscape

A person riding a bike crosses Mt. Royal. Photo Credit: Fern Shen-Baltimore Brew 

In Part II of our Priorities series we take a look at the Mt. Royal Streetscape Project. Yesterday in Part I we discussed the Maryland Avenue Cycletrack and the Downtown Bicycle Network. 

Summary

The facility creates a two-way protected cycletrack on the north side of Mt. Royal between Guilford Avenue and McMechen Street. Additionally there are major pedestrian upgrades at each intersection, and sidewalks are improved to be ADA accessible. In some sections the street parking is retained and provides the buffer from westbound vehicle traffic, in other sections flexible posts will be used to create separation. The project is currently at 95% design and scheduled to break ground in 2017. 

Early renderings discussed a traffic circle at Cathedral and Mt. Royal. Citing cost and community opposition, the most recent design of the greenspace stays relatively the same as the current configuration. The traffic circle was removed from the design in 2014. 

Additionally, current designs do not show a cycletrack between St. Paul and Guilford, but instead route bicyclists onto the section of sidewalk labeled as the Jones Falls Trail. DOT explained that Federal rules do not allow for a bicycle facility to be built adjacent to a multi use path. However, the city plans to fund the construction of that section of cycletrack using local dollars maintaining the continuity and safety of the facility. 

Challenges

Since first being introduced to the community in 2012, the project faced opposition from the Lyric Opera House and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). A recent news story characterized the Lyric’s opposition as not being informed about the project. However, Bikemore and Baltimore City DOT both have documentation of communication with Lyric staff and board members that date back to 2012 and continue through 2015. When DOT attempted to provide this documentation to the media this week, no correction to the story was made. DOT states, 

“The final design of the Midtown Streetscape/Traffic improvements project is almost complete. With the Mount Royal Cycle Track in its final design stages, it is anticipated that the curbing in front of the Lyric will be adjusted by about 11 feet in order to accommodate the new cycle track and maintain two lanes of travel along with area parking. While the original sidewalks are up to 24 feet wide along this stretch of Mount Royal Avenue, the newly designed pedestrian walkway will continue to be spacious and ADA compliant.

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation has had discussions with the Lyric about this project and held several meetings since the planning stages. Lyric [representatives were] invited to a public meeting held on February 20, 2014. 95% plans in electronic format have been provided to Lyric staff for their review and comment on January 30, 2015. The BCDOT will continue to engage stakeholders and the public as we move forward with final design and construction.”

Like the Downtown Bicycle Network, this project is funded through state and federal grants and is subject to State Highway Administrative review. Mt. Royal has faced similar challenges in terms of the time required to turn around revisions between engineers and project managers at the state and city levels. 

Where the Project Stands Today 

In December of 2014, Bikemore reviewed and gave comment on the plans at the 95% design phase. Our key concern was ensuring that traffic exiting I-83 at the St. Paul exit be placed north of the cycle track and permitted only right turns onto Charles St. Current designs have the off ramp traffic crossing the cycletrack in a way that we believe to be unsafe to those on bikes. 

At this stage it is critical we continue to work closely with DOT to implement changes in designs that can be “redlined” (added once construction has begun) in order to ensure our recommendations are included in the project. 

One of the biggest shortfalls of the project is that it does not extend to North Avenue. Knowing that the new West North Avenue Streetscape plan which was developed through a great community based process led by our friends at the Neighborhood Design Center includes bike lanes on the near west side, this seems like a critical gap to close. Rather than stall the project at this stage and forcing further review, we will be pushing for local dollars to connect the Mt. Royal plan to North Avenue. 

No further revision of the designs dated 12/2014 have been made available. But conversations continue to ensure our comments are included in the final product. 

Lessons Learned

When this project began, Bikemore and many other grassroots initiatives to encourage biking in Baltimore were in their infancy. This made organizing stakeholders to stand up to opposition from institutions like the Lyric and MICA challenging. But as bike ridership has increased and become more visible, and leadership at University of Baltimore and MICA have become more openly supportive of bike amenities for students and staff, the political climate for moving forward with this project is much more favorable today. 

This is also a really good example of not letting “great be the enemy of good.” Knowing that we are better positioned politically than in 2012, with more resources to deploy to activate our members, we are more confident in being able to advocate for upgrades during the construction process, rather than be strict about changes being in the plans. We know that the SHA approval process is a real sticking point for progress in our region. So while we work to make that process more efficient, it’s important to be creative and flexible in how we advocate for improvements. Pushing for local dollars to fund the North Street connection rather than demanding they be included in the Mt. Royal project is a great example of this type of compromise. 

Advocacy Next Steps

• Encourage UB and MICA students, faculty and staff who ride to join Bikemore. Our student memberships are just $25 annually, and having a list of students and staff we can activate when this project gets moving will be critical for success. 
• Lookout for community meetings. We know this is where the “not in my backyard” folks get really fired up. It’s going to be critical that we organize, and show up to demonstrate to the city the amount of people in favor of protected bike lanes. 
• Register and Vote in the 2016 Elections. We’ve said it before, and we will say it again. Political leadership that understands livable streets is critical to get these projects to completion. The 11th district, where the majority of this project is located is a council race to watch. The person elected will need to be an ally to this project and work with us to bring any remaining opposition on board to ensure there are no further delays. We will be releasing candidate questionnaires with their positions on future projects later next month, so read up on the issues and help us secure strong leadership for livable streets in the years to come. 

Tomorrow: Bike Share!