After a fatal week for bicyclists in Maryland, members of bicycle safety groups met with Maryland Highway officials on Jan. 5 to discuss new ways to protect bikers.
One bicyclist was killed and another was seriously injured on Maryland roads in the last week of December. Road crashes are the the leading cause of death for individuals in the 15-29 age range, and the second leading cause for children ages 5-14. Adding bicycles into the equation tends to increase fatalities.
“I think two things these two accidents highlight is we all just need to slow down,” Nate Evans from Bike Maryland told WBALTV. “Be cautious about other road users, whether they are walking, biking or even driving.”
The bike advocacy groups who met with highway officials on Monday argued that measures like the “share the road” signs on Maryland Route 170 aren’t enough to keep bikers safe on the road. They recommended constructing a buffer between roads and bicycle lanes along Route 170 and encouraged officials to consider bike safety in all major transportation projects.
“Right now, it’s really just about communication and really educating folks on what cyclists need to see on our roadways,” Evans told WBALTV. “A lot of times, engineers are not cyclists, so we can come in and help them make the roadways safer for everyone.”
Currently, the bike lanes on Route 170 provide one of the best bike travel avenues between Baltimore City and Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, but it could still use some work. Route 24, where the second bicyclist was hit on Jan. 2, is also a critical connection (between Edgewood and Bel Air). According to advocates, it’s not as friendly to bikes as it is to cars.
Bike advocates say that other popular routes around Maryland have narrow shoulders that make it difficult for bicyclists to stay out of danger.
In response, the State Highway Administration released a statement that all projects are planned and constructed with safe access in mind for all roadway users, including those in cars, on bikes, or on foot. Route 170 is no exception, according to the State Highway Administration.