The seasons are rushing by, can Fall be far away? CPABC usually slows down in Summer, but this Summer we certainly didn’t! We were busy at many meetings with MD SHA and the DPW&T (our County Highways Department), University of MD and with planners from IKEA and others to ensure that the bike/ped element was included in all new construction. We took a lead role in trying to convince our neighbors here that a roundabout would be a good solution for our traffic woes at Rhode Island and Edgewood and allow for safer Bike/Ped crossing. Along with the North College Park Civic Association, we still don't know the outcome of our efforts. Many do not understand the concept of slowing auto traffic down/calming so that others can exist in the auto world. Car traffic will be increasing on University Blvd adjacent to the new Comcast Center with more traffic pouring onto Rt.#193 after games and us fighting to keep the shoulders/bike lanes on this busy main east/west Bike/Ped connection. We have assurances from MDOT’s Michael Jackson that the bike lanes will remain (meeting 8-19-02), but we’ve been fooled before.

We’re working with SHA on the new Powder Mill & Cherry Hill Rds intersection where the bike lanes were NOT installed and only half the sidewalks were. All these improvements are in the transition period and more times than not they seem to be left out when construction is completed.

Maryland wants to be the "Best Bike/Ped State in the Nation," but we have a long way to go! You only have to go downtown to 14th Street NW to see the difference. New bike lanes extend from Adams Morgan/Park Rd north to Colorado Ave, striped at 5' wide on both sides along parking lanes, and many are already using them. In talking with Jim Sebastian, DC 's Bike/Ped Coordinator, the new lanes were put in with paint and NO major reconstruction. We’re still lacking bike lanes of any major length in MD. There are many projects on the books but very few on the streets. CPABC has been quite busy for nearly 15 years and it’s way past time some of these projects came out of the pipeline. SHA funds are drying up and they are talking 3-5 years delay in construction. We suggest that Michael Jackson and Harvey Muller talk to Jim Sebastian to see how he gets things done while Maryland is perpetually in the planning process.

We are very disturbed and frustrated that the Powder Mill & Cherry Hill Road intersection was NOT done to AASHTO guidelines. Bike/Ped construction does not cost that much, it would only take leadership at SHA/MDOT to see that Maryland provides access for all user groups, Auto-Bus-Bikes-Peds. Maryland really wants to accommodate all its citizens but somehow the folks in charge don't get it done. We only make these statements after many years of trying so hard to make Maryland a leader in Bike/Ped Transportation. Read on in your newsletter, let us know what you think, and come out to our next meeting on Monday the 9th!

Remember Our Good Bike/Ped Friends When Voting

CPABC,MNCPC Met with IKEA to Discuss Bikes

A Pleasant Critique of LINKING UP
“A superb guidebook for biking from Pittsburgh to Washington on trails”

by Morris Warren

In this world of mediocrity, where even poor quality is praised so as not to offend someone’s psychic, it is a real joy to read something so well done, so clearly thought out and nicely arranged that it sets a new criteria for excellence and becomes truly the state of the art for a biking travel guide. The authors of “Linking Up” have been able to translate their biking experiences on the trail from Pittsburgh to Washington into an exceptional guide book for even the most novice hiker/biker. Just reading it sets the mind dreaming. When I can I make the trip?

“Linking Up” somehow shortens the distance between these two cities; biking to either one becomes doable with no “unknowns.” The way the trip is broken down into segments for both the casual biker/family and the accomplished biker-athlete is part of the “Linking Up” magic. Campsites, lodging and food stops are named, described, rated and cost-analyzed. Even directions to lodging, with distances, dangers and advice, are given. This is not a guidebook made from an office with maps and “hearsay.” The trail surface is fully described, hotels visited and even detours are rated with comments that may advise the biker to seek commercial transportation—then names the taxi or transport company with phone number, etc...

“Linking Up” is a tribute to every person or organization that developed a trail because in each sponsor’s mind their trail is created to link with another. I call these trails “Dream Trails” because one dreams of the day their trail will be coupled to another trail of someone else’s dream. The beauty is that the dream is never complete, it just keeps expanding.

 “Linking Up” includes the Allegheny Highlands Trail, the Youghogheny Trail North and South, the Steel Valley Trail, Three Rivers Heritage Trail, and the C&O Canal. Hopefully it will eventually involve our WB&A, B&A, Northern Central Trail and up the East Coast Greenway. There is an online version at http://www.ATArail.org/linkup/trip.htm or you can order copies at ATAmail@atatrail.org.  Cost is $4.50 but proceeds go to the Trail Alliance. I strongly suggest you order your book now for use this fall or to dream over in front of the fire this winter. They would make excellent Christmas presents. Authors Mary Shaw, Roy Weil and Bill Metzger, with the Allegheny Trail Alliance, are to be congratulated for this superb publication.

Patapsco River Grist Mill Trail Approved! A great win for Maryland!

On August 7, the Maryland State Public Works Board approved the construction of a $1.5 Million trail along and over the Patapsco River in Baltimore County. The vote was 3 against and 18 for; Governor Glendening voted YES, Comptroller Nancy Kopp voted YES, and Former Governor Schafer abstained. The project includes 6200' of 10' hard surface trail, a $500,000 Bike/Ped Bridge over the river and $400,000 of intersection improvements for better/safer Bike/Ped and auto travel. There once was a road (River Rd) in this beautiful valley until hurricaned by Agnes in 1972. This off-road corridor up and down the Patapsco Valley from Baltimore Co. to Howard Co. and points North has been planned for close to 5 years by DNR and the Bike/Ped MD travelers have been waiting 30 years for access again into this wonderful valley. CPABC has supported this construction from the beginning.

Jon Robinson, Chair of the MD Chapter of the Sierra Club, claims that the Sierra Club opposes this particular paved "path" (as they did with the Matthew Henson Trail) because it would be environmentally damaging, was primarily designed and pushed by developers for commercial purposes. CPABC, including many Sierra Club members, disagrees with Mr. Robinson. We understand the Sierra Club has filed a law suit against the Governor's decision to built this trail link. We hope to meet with the Sierra Club in the hopes of better understanding each other's views. Considering that bicycling as a mode of transportation has many environmental advantages for communities, for individuals and for the nation, every project that enables bicycling contributes to less traffic congestion and the pollution, noise, frazzled nerves and road rage that accompany it; the conservation of energy, making the US less dependent on acquiring and using environmentally damaging energy sources. For the individual, health and fitness is a significant factor in quality of life and could lead to people more inclined to commuting by bicycle, which would be good for the community!

"What do Bicyclists Want?" When asked by highway engineers, land planners and safety engineers, they do so as though considering bicyclists unreasonable children. They persist in thinking a bicycle is just a toy! Forget that each bicycle trip takes a single-occupant automobile off the road. Forget that some bicyclists log more miles each year on their vehicle than the average motorist behind, (not on), their wheels. And forget that bicyclist-activists are some of the best-trained and professional transportation experts in their field. Just WHAT DO WE WANT?

Pretty easy, Mr. Engineer, Planner, etc... What Bicyclists want can be summed up very neatly as 4 E's: Engineering, Efficiency, Education and Enforcement. To make our roads work, each component has to do its job and that, all too often, is what's missing for bicyclists. A safety professional saying, "If only the engineers would..." followed by doing nothing is of no more use than an engineer saying, "If only enforcement would..." and going about their business as if they had done something useful. What bicyclists need is the same level of professionalism and RESULTS from each profession, in their field, on the road, on their job, every day!

Great Turn-Out For Bike Racks on Busses Start

On August 15 WABA and WMATA had a good turn-out for the first Bike Rack on the front bumper of a Metro City Bus. They will be installing 1450 on all Metro Busses. We hope one of the first one will be on the BWI Flier from the Greenbelt Metro to BWI Airport. You will able to Metro/Bike/Bus to BWI Bike/Light Rail to Baltimore, Great job!

Letter from Gene Townsend
Gene Townsend, Bowie activist, member of the PG County Bicycle Trails Advisory Group, and a long time member of CPABC, is doing more then setting around planning. While working on getting started, Gene is not waiting for an "official" program but started purchasing, at his own expense, red flashing lights to hand out to those without. He's making our communities safer and getting things DONE!

Dear Reader,

I would like to have the help of any/all of the readers of the CPABC newsletter. I don't like cars running over hikers, bikers or pedestrians (HBP's). As a driver I have seen way too many HBP's traveling unsafely along local two-lane and even divided high ways near sunrise or sunset. These HBP's often wear dark clothing and travel the wrong way (i.e. they walk with and ride into traffic). They are very hard to see under the best of conditions, let alone with a distraction such as headlights from oncoming traffic, emergency vehicles or an issue with other vehicles going in one's own direction.

As I was waiting to check out at a local Home Depot recently, I saw something called a "Safety Strobe" light (description below). I thought about these lack of visibility problems and Baltimore's free smoke detector program. I started wondering if PG County or the State of MD could start a program involving local police, PG County Police, and/or Maryland State Police to stop people they see practicing unsafe HBP activities around sun-up or sunset and provide them with some literature (in the form of a handout on safe walking and riding habits) and a free "Safety Strobe"!

I would like to ask for your help and your ideas about how we might put together a program (or 'piggy-back' on some existing program) to:

1. Develop a package consisting of safety instructions (multilingual?) and a strobe light (or anything better or complimentary which anyone would care to suggest such as maybe reflective arm-bands, hats or joggers vests, etc. ??) to test and demonstrate what we are talking about!

2. Decide how and when to get various police precincts/jurisdictions 'on-board' (this could be a nice way to 'touch' their communities and not be threatening) and,

3. How can we get the "correct set" of rules on a very short handout that people might actually keep and use?

4. What else should be in such a package?

5. How can we get large numbers of these packages of instructions and safety devices made (i.e. where do we get the money - grants? charities? county, state or federal safety/public service programs, other suggestions?) and out to the police/public?

So, please send your suggestions to:

Gene P Townend
12311 Stafford Lane
Bowie, MD 20715-3127
Email gptowne@bellatlantic.net

or:
The College Park Area Bicycle Coalition
5206 Paducah Rd
College Park MD 20740

The Safety Strobe is a small, red plastic light about 1 ' " in diameter and about %z " thick and only weighs a couple ounces at most. According to the manufacturer, it:

• can be seen up to 1/2 mile
• clips onto belt / clothes
• has 2 replaceable watch batteries
• works in water
• strobes 96 hours
• has a 5 year limited warranty

New 10 Mile Western Maryland Rail Trail Extension

Superb, unbelievable, beautiful, and wonderful were words I heard from everyone I talked with while biking this new section over the July 4^th weekend. What an addition! DNR is to be greatly complimented for creating the incredible recreational facility. The new 10 mile Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT) section runs west of Hancock along the C & O Canal and offers a fascinating wilderness journey through woods, fields and steep gorges cut into ancient slanted seams of rocks that were up-heaved millions of years ago while forming the Appalachians. Stone gorge walls with trees vaulting over form a natural nave of a rugged weathered cathedral. For everyone, including the handicapped, gentle curves and grades offer beautiful overlooks of nearby mountains (looking like they’d block the way), and the upper Potomac River, well used by happy campers, paddlers and peaceful fishermen. The historic C&O canal and towpath is visible for much of the trail, augmenting the WMRT’s versatility. Indeed, we traveled to the end of the trail and dropped down to the C&O Canal by Lock 55 for the return trip to Hancock. Weary Marylanders hiking or biking from Cumberland to Washington, D.C. now have the best of both worlds.

Dan Burden is the master at getting folks to understand Walkable/Livable/Bikeable/Cities. Dan is from Gainesville, Fla, and has been traveling the country for the past 6 to 7 years giving seminars to any and all who were interested in seeing their cities become more livable for all residents to travel sometimes without their autos. Wash-COG along with Pro Bike is setting up a schedule with local groups to sponsor Dan Burden's 4 hour presentation for their elected officials and local transportation planners. CPABC has been asked work on a presentation here in Prince George's Co.

Monday Dec. 2, 7:30 PM CPABC Meeting College Park REI