Baltimore neighborhood leaders, elected officials and DOT learning together in Memphis

Last week Bikemore staff traveled with neighborhood leaders, elected officials, and DOT staff members to Memphis to learn together with PeopleForBikes. This study tour was part of Baltimore’s Big Jump grant from PeopleForBikes.

Our Baltimore delegation consisted of Keshia Allen (Westport Community Association President), Councilman Kristerfer Burnett, Rita Crews (Belair-Edison Community Association President), Fabienne Dorceus (community organizer), Celena Owens (Oliver neighborhood leader), Corey Paige (office of Councilman Dorsey), Ashiah Parker (No Boundaries Coalition/Bikemore Board President), Charles Penny (Baltimore City Department of Transportation), Councilman Leon Pinkett, and Delegate Melissa Wells.

Why Memphis? Memphis has a comparable population to Baltimore, and faces many similar challenges of long term disinvestment, poverty, and historic racism. But it’s also similar in that that are visionary leaders at both the neighborhood and city level striving to do things differently. We intentionally didn’t talk to any bike advocates, but everyone we spoke with shared that mobility was a key component to the success of their vision for Memphis, and they worked to advocate and include improved mobility for people who walk and bike in all their projects.

Here are some of the things we saw, and lessons we’re brining back to Baltimore with us:

First stop: National Civil Rights Museum

To set the context for the trip, the first stop we made was at the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Hotel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. We were reminded of the role transportation played in both giving activists a platform, as well as how those with power used restricting access to public space for protests as a form of control to advance racism.

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South Memphis bike tour of their Big Jump and a learning farm

We rode bike share bikes and visited Green Leaf Learning Farm at Knowledge Quest, which will be piloting local grown produce delivered locally by paid youth on cargo bikes. Knowledge Quest runs a learning farm and various youth and family programs. When Director Marlon Foster spoke with us, he emphasized being thoughtful about being invited into spaces vs. inserting themselves, as well as creatively using a single highly recognizable paint color to mark the spaces they use and are developing in the neighborhood.

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On mobility and leadership from a former mayor and an affordable housing developer

Former Mayor A C Wharton, Jr. shared how he stuck to his instincts and committed to building bike infrastructure because he understood the related economic, health, and community benefits that would result in better connectivity. There were a lot of people who questioned his leadership, but by having a clear vision and supporting his staff to carry it out, that vision became reality.

Roshun Austin, President/CEO of The Works Community Development Corporation, shared the innovative housing and lending programs they run to provide affordable housing and provide new sustainable pathways to home ownership. Roshun didn’t learn how to ride a bike before she started partnering with PeopleForBikes, but they now lead regular rides as a key component of their community work. They also run the South Memphis Farmers Market, setting up creative partnerships with local farms and grocers to make it financially possible to access local food.

Making a park surrounded by highways accessible

Executive Director Tina Sullivan took us on a tour of Overton Park, which much like many parks in Baltimore, is struggling from being surrounded by wide streets that serve as highways on three sides. By creating artistic gateways and connecting entrances with planned bike paths, and being intentional about where in the park to create activation with things like playgrounds and dog parks, they are making real strides in inviting more neighbors into the park. Future plans include high-visibility crossings tied with further traffic-calming in addition to direct connections to separated bike paths.

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A former Sears warehouse turned into a mixed use vertical development

Porsche Stevens from Cross Town Concourse and Crosstown Arts took us on on a tour of the mixed use Cross Town Concourse development, which houses everything from doctors offices to a school to arts organizations to small retail businesses. After the building sat vacant for years, it took 30 funding sources and commitment of nearly 40 founding tenants to get the project off the ground. She talked about how small things like the choice of music in the space has the ability to make various people feel welcome and invited into the space. We visited their state-of-the-art theatre space, and talked about the dignity and pride in bringing the best of the best resources to a historically disinvested neighborhood.

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Placemaking in a medical district

In a creative partnership between the city and Memphis Medical District Collaborative, a five lane road was narrowed to three lanes. They installed quick build artistic crosswalks, bike lanes protected with flex posts, and planters to reduce crossing distances and slow traffic. The City paid for basic markings and resurfacing and the Medical District Collaborative paid for all of the extras: delineators, planters, and art.

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Public art in an automotive district

In the Edge District we checked out a a traffic calming and placemaking road diet at a previously dangerous intersection. It reclaimed part of the road at a confusing intersection though installation of planters, tables and chairs, a bike fix-it station, and bike parking — and put an artistic, movement-filled shade structure above it.

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Beautiful and busy public space and a day-lighted stream

We checked out Loflin Yard, a restaurant featuring an outdoor space that felt a lot like a friend’s backyard, that was filled with people playing games and relaxing, and featured a beautiful view of a stream, one of the only parts of the waterway that is not contained into a drainage pipe.

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We learned a lot from this trip. We learned (or were reminded!) that change is possible, but it takes times and visionary leadership to do it well. Many of the projects we saw started 10 years ago and were just being built, but we saw that they are possible in Memphis and they’re possible in Baltimore.

And we were reminded that we need to ride bikes and have more fun together. One of the most valuable parts of the trip was the informal time we spent walking, biking, eating and just hanging out together, when we got to know each other as people. When leaders from different neighborhoods shared their stories, when elected officials and advocates shared their challenges and resources, we were reminded that together we are much stronger, and that we have the knowledge and vision within Baltimore to create the change we want.

Many thanks to PeopleForBikes for providing this amazing experience, and to the Baltimore delegation that saw the value in taking the time out of their busy lives to learn with us. We collectively came up with lots of ideas for continuing this energy in Baltimore — so stay tuned!

Dockless Vehicle Update

Baltimore’s Shared Mobility Coordinator Meg Young talking about the scooter program:

Last Spring, scooters launched in Baltimore. The city quickly adopted a pilot program, originally intended to last six months, to explore and evaluate dockless shared mobility vehicles on Baltimore Streets. The initial pilot program rules and regulations were based on a white paper provided to the Pugh Administration by Bikemore.

As of February 28, 2019, the original proposed end date of the pilot program, dockless scooters and bikes had seen almost 756,000 rides by over 190,000 riders. At that time, Baltimore City officials decided based on a detailed survey showing strong support for continuation of a dockless mobility program to extend the pilot while formal rules and regulations were drafted and adopted for a permanent program.

This came in three parts. First, Baltimore City Council drafted authorizing legislation formally legalizing the use and regulation of scooters, e-bikes, and other shared mobility devices in Baltimore City. Second, Baltimore City Department of Transportation drafted rules and regulations based on the City Council’s authorizing legislation. Third, a weighted permit application was produced for vendors to apply for license to operate under the new permanent Dockless Vehicle for Hire Program.

The permit application was released this week. Companies have until July 24th to submit applications to be one of four vendors selected to operate in Baltimore City. Recipients will be announced July 29th, and the new permits will run from August 1, 2019 to July 31, 2020.

Rules and Regulations

We believe the adopted rules and regulations to be some of the best in the country, and can be revisited annually to adopt best practices learned in other cities. The majority of Bikemore’s comments on the rules and regulations were adopted.

Here are some highlights from the rules and regulations (the full rules and regulations can be found on the Baltimore City Department of Transportation website):

• Providers operating one vehicle type may operate up to 1,000 vehicles, and must operate a minimum of 150 vehicles.

• Providers operating multiple vehicle types may operate up to 2,000 vehicles, and must operate a minimum of 150 of each vehicle type.

• Adaptive vehicles (for use by those living with disabilities) are not counted toward vehicle maximums.

• Providers my operate vehicles 24/7 if they can demonstrate a maintenance and safety plan that ensures vehicles are regularly serviced and safe.

• Ride purchase must be made possible with cash and without use of a smart phone.

• Vehicles must be located in every city planning district, vehicle density is regulated, and additional equity priority areas are defined for placement.

Permit Application

The permit application allows up to four vendors to be selected. Eight sections of the permit application are scored to rank applicants based on vehicle information, maintenance, operations, education/engagement, hiring, data, sustainability, and company history.

Scored sections on the permit application

Each vendor will be required to pay a $70,000 permitting fee, a $10,000 performance bond, and a $0.10 excise tax per rental.

The annual permitting fee covers the cost of Baltimore City Department of Transportation shared mobility program staff, in addition to innovative public engagement and infrastructure:

• A Resident Mobility Advisory Board will be established, similar to the successful Food Policy Advisory Committee. Resident Mobility Advisors will be appointed from communities across the city, and will receive a paid stipend to meet six times a year to discuss mobility challenges in and solutions for their communities. ($6,000)

• 20 shared mobility corrals will be installed annually based on an evaluation of ridership and equity priorities. These corrals will be installed either on the street or sidewalk, and provide designated parking areas for shared mobility vehicles as well as private bikes or scooters. ($20,000)

• Existing mobility lanes will be evaluated and improved through resurfacing and patching to provide safer travel surfaces for shared mobility vehicles. ($100,000)

• Baltimore City Department of Transportation will produce community education materials ($19,000) as well as provide five $2,000 community micro-grants for education and outreach ($10,000)

The refundable performance bond covers anticipated city expenses, including the BPD Special Marine Unit for harbor retrievals, Baltimore City Department of Transportation towing services for improperly parked or damaged/abandoned vehicles, and damage to public property. Any funds not expended on these city services will be refunded to the companies at the end of the permit.

The excise tax of $0.10 per ride goes into the general fund. The Pugh administration committed to restricting these revenues to funding bike infrastructure installation in Baltimore City, however it is unclear if this restriction will be honored given we have a new government.

What’s Next

We look forward to Baltimore City Department of Transportation receiving applications from multiple vendors. We understand that all currently operating vendors plan on reapplying, and several other companies not yet operating in Baltimore have expressed interest.

Baltimore City has been on the forefront of shared mobility regulation and ridership success. We believe the establishment of formal rules and regulation and a competitive application will continue this trend, and hopefully bring more vehicles and vehicle types to more Baltimoreans while increasing our city’s capacity to successfully manage the program, reducing instances of vehicle damage, blocked right-of-way, and the other challenges associated with introducing new modes of transportation in Baltimore City.

Ultimately, the best thing Baltimore City can do to make shared mobility safer and more accessible to everyone is build more protected infrastructure.

Remembering Michael Hughes

On June 17th, Michael Hughes was struck by a pick up truck towing a trailer near the intersection of 36th and Falls Road in Hampden. On June 24th, Michael succumbed to his injuries and passed away. (Baltimore Brew: Hampden bike crash victim, who faced many struggles, recalled as a generous soul).

Over the past week Bikemore has been in touch with the family, connecting them to resources to deal with this difficult time. We are also in touch with police as we wait to learn if charges will be pressed against the driver, and to begin the difficult work of reforming how police respond to and report crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists. This was work that began before the death of Michael Hughes, but it takes on a new sense of urgency knowing that reporting is critical when families are navigating the complex legal and emotional challenges when you lose a loved one to traffic violence. 

We will continue to work with the family on next steps. Our stance has always been to respect the family’s wishes when it comes to how we both discuss and honor the death of someone they cared for deeply. Please be patient as we work to ensure any action taken on our part reflects the wishes of Michael’s family. 

This is undeniably the most difficult but humbling part of our job. We are thankful that, because of your support, we are able to advocate for families in this time of need. Nearly every death that happens on our roadways is preventable. Designs that fail to protect our most vulnerable road users and that fail to slow the speed of cars all contribute to tragedies like Michael’s death. Each time the City resurfaces a road, applies for transportation funding, or even responds to an injury or death of anyone using the road — whether driving a car, riding a bike, crossing the street — is a chance to do better. There is no doubt that the City could do better and we will continue to fight for streets that are built to keep people safe. 

Last chance

Last weekend we rode with neighbors at the Pedal-a-thon in Cherry Hill

By Liz Cornish, Executive Director

Our fiscal year ends on June 30th. Why am I telling you about that? Because we don’t just want to be Bike Advocacy Organization of the year for our advocacy, but because we have built a movement. A key part of that movement is growing our number of grassroots donations. Want to help us do that? Give a donation, in any amount before the end of the month.

People with power love to look at scrappy organizations like ours and say with genuine affection things like, “You’re punching above your weight!” “Small but mighty”. But as a woman leading in nonprofit and in transportation, I can’t help but examine the dynamics at play. 

When people with power make doing a lot with a little sound like a compliment, we become socialized to wear our smallness like a badge of honor. And while that makes our wins feel exciting, like winning the lottery, your safety while walking or biking isn’t something that should be left to chance. 

This year we are taking the leap and adding two more staff. It’s risky, but we know you’ll come through for us like you have in the past. We’re up against an administration that won’t make it easy to make progress over the next year. They have already demonstrated how they will use their power to undermine safety. The days of being small but mighty are behind us. We are ready to match the City pound for pound. Help us get there. 

We're Hiring: Operations Coordinator

Are you detail oriented and resourceful? Are you someone who loves to organize things? Are you good at prioritizing and managing multiple projects at once? Are you excited to join a small but mighty team dedicated to improve the quality of life of all Baltimore City residents through creating city designed for safe biking and walking?

We’e hiring an Operations Coordinator to keep Bikemore running smoothly and to allow us to grow and have a greater impact.

We realize job descriptions and the hiring process are imperfect. We do not hire based solely on experience. If the work sounds interesting to you and you believe you have the aptitude to develop the skills required, we encourage you to apply. We’re looking for applicants with diverse experiences and perspectives that will help strengthen our organization.

Interested but not sure if it’s a good fit, or have other questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us at jobs@bikemore.net or 443-475-0350.

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ABOUT BIKEMORE

For the past six years Bikemore has worked to increase and improve bicycle infrastructure, policies, and awareness to create a safer, healthier, more livable bicycling city. We use the bike as a tool to facilitate discussion around equitable transportation and land use policy. We are a small but mighty staff of three that is growing quickly and the Operations Coordinator will serve an integral role, improving operations in order to deepen our impact.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The Operations Coordinator is primarily responsible for performing duties that support the operations of Bikemore. These duties primarily include CRM administration, assisting with the gift flow process, and providing administrative support to staff. Execution of these initiatives requires strong administrative and time management skills, as well as strength in data management. The ideal candidate is a well-organized, detail-oriented, and resourceful individual with strong task management skills who enjoys a workplace that is fast-paced and varied. You need not be a serious bicyclist, but you must embrace our mission that a city designed for safe biking and walking can improve the quality of life of all Baltimore City residents.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Data Entry and Donation Processing

• Primary point person for updating, adding and maintaining donor, member and prospect constituent records in the NPG Van database.

• Responsible for gift entry process. Includes copying checks, taking checks to bank, and reconciling deposits.

• Assist with creation of donor lists and other reports.

• Perform database maintenance and clean-up projects to improve data integrity and database performance.

Nonprofit Administration

• Manage donation and membership acknowledgement process (sending thank you notes that comply with IRS guidelines).

• Respond to phone and email inquiries.

• Prepare materials for prospective donor and funder meetings and coordinate follow-up.

• Assist with sponsorship proposals, implementation, and reporting. Create invoices, track payments, follow-up to collect as necessary, and provide timely receipts.

• In coordination with the Executive Director, complete all tasks associated with maintaining our nonprofit status.

• Keep organized calendar of compliance and grant reporting.

Operations

• Perform general clerical duties including but not limited to: answering phones, maintaining office supplies inventory, mailing, filing, photocopying.

• Assist Executive Director with Board meetings, scheduling, and keeping files of minutes and contacts.

• Assist with managing vendor relationships including suppliers, banks, landlords, consultants, or other third parties doing business with Bikemore.

• Provide support to our community programs and events (ordering food, keeping attendance list, writing thank-you’s, etc).

• Complete monthly corporate credit card reconciliations.

• Serve as staff liaison to Accountant, responding to inquiries as needed.

GENERAL DECORUM

The Operations Coordinator will operate in a professional manner that reflects well on Bikemore. Namely, email and in-person contact should be professional, and the Operations Coordinator dress / attire should be consistent with that of other officials at the meeting.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Basic understanding of Bikemore’s mission, vision, values, and programs.

• Ability to effectively use and maintain standard office equipment (Mac OS and Printers).

• Possesses strong interpersonal skills as demonstrated by compassionate, courteous, cordial, cooperative, and professional interaction with diverse groups of co-workers, external business partners, and the community.

• Ability to troubleshoot software programs.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to effectively communicate with individuals and groups.

• Ability to effectively manage competing priorities and multiple tasks.

• Valid Driver’s License or State ID and ability to lift upwards of 50 lbs.

SCHEDULE AND PAY

This is a full time position. Weekly hours will average 40 hrs weekly. Salary range $32-34K

Majority of the time will be spent in an open office environment. Occasional evening and weekend work required.

BENEFITS

Health Benefits and Health Reimbursement Account

160 hours of paid time off in addition to state holidays and accrued comp time. These hours may generally be used for vacation, sick, personal, or other leave at the employee’s discretion.

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL

Entry level

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications will be accepted until June 28th, 2019. We are looking to fill this position as soon as possible.

Candidates should email a resume and cover letter to jobs@bikemore.net with “Operations Coordinator” in the subject line. Candidates we interview will be required to provide 3 references.

Bikemore provides equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, sex or age.

PDF of Operations Coordinator Job Description (Full Time)