Safe Routes to JHSPH?

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MKE2BMORE

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Dec 5, 2012, 10:48:12 AM12/5/12
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I am considering a job offer in the School of Public Health. If I accept the offer, I will be moving from Milwaukee to Baltimore. I have been a bike commuter for almost 2 decades, and the horror stories I hear about biking in Baltimore make me wonder if I will have to abandon my bike if I move to Baltimore. Is it possible and safe to bike commute to Hopkins School of Public Health? What are the recommended routes? Thanks for your help!

Sean Burns

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Dec 5, 2012, 10:51:49 AM12/5/12
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I don't know any good milwalkee to baltimore commuter routes, but there's actually a few decent options for getting in and out o the medical campus area depending on where you wind up living.

The city has gotten quite a bit better in recent years in regards to its biking commuters, so 'horror stories' aside, its actually a decent place to live and ride (I have been commuting to my job at the main campus from about five miles away for the past two-plus years).

If you know what neighborhood you're going to settle in if you accept that job, I'm sure one of us can give you a pretty solid way to get to and from the campus.

Keira Wickliffe

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Dec 5, 2012, 10:57:31 AM12/5/12
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It depends on where you will be living in Baltimore. They are working hard at making Baltimore more bike friendly, putting in bike lanes all over the place. I used to bike from Fells Point and was fine. I don't really bike much from Federal Hill, more because I work in the hospital and my department doesn't have a locker room or shower. There is a bike lane from Federal hill to the Hopkins area, and the lane in the inner harbor has a cement barrier between the bike lane and the car lanes which is nice. The route I use does go through a bit of a dodgy area, but the hours I bike, there are enough cars passing that I don't feel so bad. If you bike safe, than it's not that bad to bike to work. Just don't be the first one into an intersection at a light. Baltimore has very short yellow lights and people blow through red lights all of the time (being cautious goes for cars too), including the MTA buses. Over the last couple of years I have noticed a lot more people biking. 

~Keira

On Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 10:48 AM, MKE2BMORE <jillow...@gmail.com> wrote:

Sajendra

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Dec 5, 2012, 11:04:37 AM12/5/12
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I can echo that this will probably depend on where you are coming
from. It's an easy and ride from Mount Vernon to the medical campus. A
lot of people seem to do it, and in two years I haven't had any
serious problems that I can think of (plus it's faster than the
shuttle ride or driving normally).


On Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 10:48 AM, MKE2BMORE <jillow...@gmail.com> wrote:

Penny Troutner

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Dec 5, 2012, 11:10:10 AM12/5/12
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I just want to jump in and say that although the city government has not gotten very far, I believe that many of the drivers are being more bike friendly.  As everyone says, it would help to know which neighborhood you would be biking to and from, but I can think of a route from almost anywhere.  I live in the Northeast portion of the city, and I work in Fed Hill, and I have biked to JHU from both areas pretty easily.  Just know that there is a bike community here to help when you need us.

Penny


On Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 10:48 AM, MKE2BMORE <jillow...@gmail.com> wrote:
I am considering a job offer in the School of Public Health. If I accept the offer, I will be moving from Milwaukee to Baltimore. I have been a bike commuter for almost 2 decades, and the horror stories I hear about biking in Baltimore make me wonder if I will have to abandon my bike if I move to Baltimore. Is it possible and safe to bike commute to Hopkins School of Public Health? What are the recommended routes? Thanks for your help!



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Graham Redgrave

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Dec 5, 2012, 11:15:56 AM12/5/12
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I live in the northwest suburbs, by Pimlico racetrack. My LBS is on the way and I haven't had any problems. I have seen one slow-speed collision, but it was the cyclists fault, clearly. I think if you have been committed to commuting, it will not be an issue here. I'm happy to send you my route maps if you like. There are more commuters every year, I think, and I agree that the city seems to be in favor of this.

Graham


On Dec 5, 2012, at 10:48 AM, MKE2BMORE wrote:

> I am considering a job offer in the School of Public Health. If I accept the offer, I will be moving from Milwaukee to Baltimore. I have been a bike commuter for almost 2 decades, and the horror stories I hear about biking in Baltimore make me wonder if I will have to abandon my bike if I move to Baltimore. Is it possible and safe to bike commute to Hopkins School of Public Health? What are the recommended routes? Thanks for your help!

--
graham....@gmail.com



Fran Horan

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Dec 5, 2012, 12:27:46 PM12/5/12
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I think this map may help:


Also, read some recent entries in the blog there, and contact Nate Evans at that blog to find recent and upcoming additions that are not in the map.

I would also enter home/work locations in google maps bike there directions and see what it gives you. You could post a screen capture of that and get some feedback here.

Katie

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Dec 10, 2012, 3:27:19 PM12/10/12
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I can relate since I moved to Baltimore after living in 2 cities totally dependend on my bike (no car, relied on bike for transport). It does take some getting used to and figuring out which routes work best, especially since the city is really patchy with good and rough areas scattered about. The bike ride from Federal Hill to SPH is pretty easy (about 20-30 mins) and I never had to worry about showering (coming from a woman, no less!). If you live in Patterson Park, Highlandtown, Brewer's Hill, Canton, Butcher's Hill, Fells Point, or Harbor East, the bike commute is really easy (about 10 mins) and relatively safe.
 
Good luck!
 
Katie

On Wednesday, December 5, 2012 10:48:12 AM UTC-5, MKE2BMORE wrote:

Natanya robinowitz

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Dec 10, 2012, 3:55:58 PM12/10/12
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I agree with everyone else. I've been bike commuting in Baltimore for two plus years, and drivers have only gotten friendlier. However I definitely agree about watching out for yellow
lights. At a lot of lights there is no lag time between one turning red and the other turning green so it can be scary!


On Dec 10, 2012, at 3:27 PM, Katie <kigre...@gmail.com> wrote:

I can relate since I moved to Baltimore after living in 2 cities totally dependend on my bike (no car, relied on bike for transport). It does take some getting used to and figuring out which routes work best, especially since the city is really patchy with good and rough areas scattered about. The bike ride from Federal Hill to SPH is pretty easy (about 20-30 mins) and I never had to worry about showering (coming from a woman, no less!). If you live in Patterson Park, Highlandtown, Brewer's Hill, Canton, Butcher's Hill, Fells Point, or Harbor East, the bike commute is really easy (about 10 mins) and relatively safe.
 
Good luck!
 
Katie

On Wednesday, December 5, 2012 10:48:12 AM UTC-5, MKE2BMORE wrote:
I am considering a job offer in the School of Public Health. If I accept the offer, I will be moving from Milwaukee to Baltimore. I have been a bike commuter for almost 2 decades, and the horror stories I hear about biking in Baltimore make me wonder if I .will have to abandon my bike if I move to Baltimore. Is it possible and safe to bike commute to Hopkins School of Public Health? What are the recommended routes? Thanks for your help!

MKE2BMORE

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Dec 11, 2012, 4:52:26 PM12/11/12
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Thanks everyone for your feedback and support! I guess it shows that one shouldn't ask non-cyclists for cycling advice. I will be sure to use this forum if I do move to Baltimore. You've been extremely helpful.

Kirstie Ducharme-Smith

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Sep 2, 2015, 5:38:33 PM9/2/15
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I have a question! I just started working at Hopkins (Bayview), I would love to bike to work. It's a ridiculously short distance to justify driving/parking every day. A bunch of people have told me not to bike, or bike to an area and then catch a shuttle. I live essentially by the Cross Street Market in Federal Hill. I was wondering if you experienced bikers could map out a seemingly safe route to the East Baltimore Campus from there. I wouldn't mind biking a little bit out of the way (like up Charles and over on Orleans- unless of course that's not recommended). Let me know what you all think! 

Penny Troutner

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Sep 2, 2015, 5:58:10 PM9/2/15
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I have biked to Bayview from my home in NE, and I work in Fed Hill, so give me a bit and I'll put together a route for you.

Penny

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Sean Burns

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Sep 2, 2015, 5:58:31 PM9/2/15
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I used to live in Pigtown (other side of the stadiums from Fed Hill) and biked to stuff at Patterson Park pretty frequently. 

I would say you'd be pretty safe to bike up light and catch the sheltered lane that runs along light and pratt adjacent to the inner harbor, and then continue along and catch Fleet or Aliceanna east and then head north to the medical campus. Which street you choose would generally have more to do with your comfort level in riding with traffic or not (Fleet is relatively busy, Aliceanna a bit less so), but in terms of general safety, that's probably better than riding a more direct route east from the Harbor through north Fells Pt. along Pratt or north to Mt. Vernon and over Orleans (which I would assume is probably not very conducive to riding regardless of any 'bad neighborhood' concerns once you are off that bridge).

Dissenting opinions may exist, so that's just my two cents. You can definitely go more direct, and I often did - but I'm about 6-0 and 245 pounds, so I'm less worried about local kids screwing with me than others might be.

Went and threw my example into Map My Run so you know what I'm talking about: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/843126471

On Wed, Sep 2, 2015 at 5:38 PM, Kirstie Ducharme-Smith <kducha...@uwalumni.com> wrote:

Sean Burns

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Sep 2, 2015, 5:59:34 PM9/2/15
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Aaaand, I realize now that you said Bayview. easy enough - just take the start of what I plotted, and keep heading East and catch Eastern Avenue to roll to Bayview (there are limited ways to cross the tracks and highways between Highlandtown and Greektown where Bayview is).

Penny Troutner

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Sep 2, 2015, 6:48:30 PM9/2/15
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I know it is a bit out of the way, but I like Bank St. East, through Patterson Park, and on.   There is a walking path on Eastern Ave. (if you turn south at the end of Bank.) that can take you far enough to East take the quieter streets into the hospital complex.

Coming back into the city I like Gough going West, through the park and to the harbor.

To get in and out of Fed Hill, just take the Inner Harbor Promenade in the morning (open to cyclists before 10am) and return on the bike lane around the Harbor.  .

If you wanted company on your first commute, I would enjoy doing it with you and seeing how it goes at rush hour for myself.  I enjoy that sort of thing quite a bit.

thx.......Penny

Paul Converse

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Sep 2, 2015, 8:48:20 PM9/2/15
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Yes, I find there are different ways to read your question. I often bike through Federal Hill (from near Catonsville) and then through (early morning hours, i.e., before 9) or around Harbor Place. You can follow the little green signs on the sidewalk indicating the Jones Falls trail up to Fayette Street. Alternatively, you can cycle to President Street. There you can cross Pratt Street (with the pedestrian light) and then cross President Street. Crossing President St on the south side of Pratt is a problem because the pedestrian light and the green traffic light are on simultaneously and the drivers all seem in a hurry. Only cross there if there is no traffic. You can then cycle along the green bicycle lane up President St to Fayette St. I use the bike mirror to keep an eye on what's behind me. You can then go east on Fayette Street, using the sidewalk after you pass the Post Office. I then turn left on Central Avenue up to Orleans Street, turn right, using the sidewalk, either side, for lack of safe options, to Caroline Street where I turn left and ride a block to the east Baltimore main medical campus. You can park the bike there with a u-bolt lock at one of the racks. There is a shuttle from the main medical campus to Bayview.
We should really press the east Baltimore Hopkins campus for more access to showers. They are available at the School of Public Health and fortunately in the basement of my department. Keira should not have to not bike because of the absence of showers.

Courtney Cook

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Sep 3, 2015, 10:19:04 PM9/3/15
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I used to bike to the East Baltimore campus from Federal Hill for several years (and I'm a female under 100 lbs. and under 5 feet tall).  I usually did Paul's route:  around the harbor, left onto President St, right onto Fayette (used the glass-laden sidewalks for most of it), then left onto Caroline (from the SE corner, so I could go straight through when the light turned green instead of getting in the left turn lane on Fayette). Baltimore St. is another good option with bike markers on the pavement (not sure if they still exist after it has been re-paved). Good luck!

Courtney

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