IMPORTANT: Re: MdTA Nice Bridge award announcement Nov 21

[Jim Durham]

Friends, particularly those in Maryland,

The note below (and attached) should be of interest, particularly if you agree that all Potomac River crossings should have Bike and Pedestrian accommodations. Urgent action suggested. Please excuse the author’s use of All Caps. He is clearly incensed (as am I) that the Maryland Transportation Authority is about to make a decision that will preclude Bike/Ped accommodations on the Nice-Middleton Bridge for the foreseeable future.

Thanks,

Jim

 

“THE MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY WILL BE MEETING ON NOVEMBER 21 AT 9:00 AM TO VOTE ON THE DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED NICE-MIDDLETON BRIDGE REPLACEMENT CONNECTING CHARLES COUNTY WITH VIRGINIA ON ROUTE 301.  IT APPEARS THEY DO NOT SUPPORT A REQUIREMENT FOR A SEPARATED BIKE/PED LANE. THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE AS THE BRIDGE WILL BE DESIGNED TO LAST 100 YEARS.

PLEASE CONTACT GOVERNOR HOGAN AND THE MD TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY TO URGE THE ADOPTION OF A SEPARATED BIKE/PED LANE.

 

YOU CAN SPEAK AT THE MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY MEETING ON THURSDAY, NOV. 21 AT 9:00 AM.  THE ADDRESS IS 2310 BROENING HIGHWAY, BALTIMORE, MD 21224.  IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND CALL 410-537-1002 or EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS TO emo...@mdta.state.md.us  “

…

 

Thanks

 

                                                           David G. Brickley, President

                                                           Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail Association

                                                           brick...@comcast.net

[Eli Allen]

Anyone know the speed limit on that bridge and the design? I seen to recall it's one of those big arching designs so a long slow uphill to get to the middle of the bridge

(Not sure that showing up as a cyclist will help when they have a plan to share the road with cyclists. Seems like we need to show how bad that idea is)

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[Allen Muchnick]

The replacement bridge will have four 12-foot wide travel lanes, two 2-foot-wide paved shoulders per direction, a 50 mph posted speed limit, and a 4% maximum grade.  MDTA has estimated that an 8-foot wide separated shared-use path (not "bike/ped lanes") would add about $60 million to the cost of construction.

See: [ https://vimeo.com/251515167 ].

The vote this Thursday is on whether it would be "cost effective" for the Hogan administration to spend ca. $60 million (plus interest) in motorist tolls to add an 8-foot wide shared use path to the replacement bridge.

Numerous citizen and governmental transportation groups have repeatedly advised the MDTA that only allowing bicycling access via shared travel lanes would be unacceptably dangerous and exclusionary.

Allen

Allen Muchnick
Manassas VA
allen22204@gmail.com
703-625-2453 mobile

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[Stephen Szibler]

This is the email I sent to the posted address. I really wanted to just get something out if the meeting is tomorrow morning, but please correct any mistakes if I didn’t suss it out properly.

My experience with the Solomon Island bridge, which has a similar narrow shoulder, has been that the police (state, I believe it was) will stop you and claim that it is illegal and posted as such. This is not true (and we didn’t take the time to debate it with them - much - as it was in the middle of the bridge), but it shows that even our legal representatives are willing to promote a view they believe is safer than the established rules and use their authority to promote it.

The email:

I’m voicing strong support for separated pedestrian and cyclist accommodations that would impress planners for the 100 year life expectancy of the new bridge.

A 2’ wide shoulder is an absurd proposal for a highway with a 50 mph limit that will essentially translate to 65 mph. That wouldn’t even accommodate the 3’ passing law.

No bridge without multi-modal transportation accommodations!

Stephen Szibler
Washington, DC 20001

PS I hope this list can continue as a resource affiliated with Potomac Pedalers. I think most people understand that it’s a place for posts like this and lightly moderated discussion. It’s not a representation of official PP policy. If that isn’t posted as part of list membership it should be 🤷🏻‍♂️