County Council Adopts Phase One Plan for East Side
The Baltimore County Council adopted the Eastern Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan on November 6, 2006 as part of the County's master plan.
The adopted Eastern Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan is provided below:
Part One: Introduction, Planning Process, Benefits of Walking and Bicycling (PDF)
Part Two: Destinations, Obstacles and Opportunities, East Coast Greenway (PDF)
Part Three: Plan Recommendations and Appendices (PDF)
View the Pilot Project Map (PDF)
View the Bicycle Interactive Map
You can view specific areas and click on road and trail segments to bring up a report containing information on recommended bicycle improvements.
The Eastern County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan was developed by an advisory Action Committee composed of local citizens, elected officials and government staff. Taking input from citizens who live, work and play in the area, the Action Committee's plan identifies future pedestrian and bicycle improvements. The plan, which covers the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Council Districts, is the first phase of what will eventually be a County-wide plan.
The Planning Process
The Eastern County Pedestrian and Bicycle Action Committee held four workshops in the Towson, Perry Hall, Middle River and Dundalk areas during the month of May 2003.
Over 80 citizens provided their thoughts on where pedestrian and bicycle improvements are most needed. They also provided insights on what would encourage people to walk or bicycle more often, and what kinds of things prevent people from bicycling and walking. Since the community workshops, citizens have continued to provide suggestions using an online survey.
The Office of Planning evaluated each suggestion, and returned to the Action Committee with two sets of recommendations, one for pedestrian improvements and one for bicycle improvements. The Action Committee fine-tuned the recommendations to create the draft plan.
County agency comments were then incorportated into the draft. Plans for public meetings to provide an opportunity for public comment are in the works. Once adopted by the Planning Board and the County Council, the plan will serve as a blueprint for constructing pedestrian and bicycle facilities over the next 20 years.
Recommendations for Pedestrian Improvements
Almost 100 locations throughout the study area were identified by citizens as being in need of pedestrian improvements. These improvements largely consist of constructing new sidewallk where none presently exists, or filling in gaps between existing sidewalks. Other improvements include improved crosswalks and bus shelters.
Recommendations for Bicycling Improvements
Citizens identified potential locations for both on-road bicycle facilities and off-road shared-use paths that together would comprise a bicycle facility network providing access to the study area's major destinations, including parks, schools, shopping areas and employment areas.
Office of Planning staff used "Bicycle Level of Comfort" to analyze the potential of using roadways to accommodate bicycles. BLOC is a nationally recogized means of rating how comfortable or safe a bicyclist feels according to varying roadway conditions such as paving width, speed limit, and traffic level. An âAâ rating reflects the best conditions and âFâ reflects the worst conditions. First, the BLOC of existing roadways was calculated. If the rating was in the poor D, E, or F range, a proposed BLOC was calculated with factors adjusted to achieve a BLOC of at least Level C.
It was found that the BLOC rating for many of the roads in the study area could be improved by reducing the width of the vehicle travel lanes within the existing pavement to accommodate bike lanes. Other factors that can improve BLOC are reductions in posted traffic speeds and improved paving conditions.
Recommendations for Supportive Strategies and Funding
The plan includes several recommendations for funding, programs and regulations to facilitate the construction of pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Among them:
- Establishment of a committee composed of citizens and government representatives to oversee the plan's implementation.
- Education programs to promote bicycle and pedestrian safety.
- Establishment of a Sidewalk and Bicycle Facility Waiver Fund (similar to the Local Open Space Fund) to allow developers who are waived from providing these facilities to contribute to their construction at another location or at another time.
- Additional funding for pedestrian and bicycle projects in the County's capital improvement program.
Citizen input on the plan is always welcome by contacting Kathy Schlabach, Project Manager, the Office of Planning, at 410-887-3521 or kschlabach@baltimorecountymd.gov. You may also sign up to receive mailings about the plan by subscribing to the Eastern County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan Newsletter.
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Revised June 16, 2008
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