2012 September » CycleMoco

Montgomery County’s Bikeway Plan

Sep 272012

The quintessential Montgomery County plan for bicyclists is the 2005 Countywide Bikeways Functional Master Plan (CBFMP). This plan says where the county plans to add major bikeways or has already implemented them. Especially useful is the CBFMP’s table of table of existing and planned bikeways. See also this interactive map for a visual companion to the CBFMP document. The map includes updates made to the CBFMP since 2005 except for the most recent, as well as local bikeways (see below) though it’s not guaranteed to be 100% correct. The CBFMP identifies these types of bikeways: On-road bike lanes “Signed shared roadways” (SSRs). These are roads with some feature (like shoulders or wide lanes) that make them more comfortable for cycling. […]

Clear map of the Wisconsin Ave. “Green Mile” path

Sep 252012

Here is an overview map of the planned “Green Mile” sidewalk/sidepath along Rt. 355 (Wisconsin Ave.) in Chevy Chase. This isn’t a redesign since the most recent CycleMoco post, just a clearer map showing the different sections. Click to enlarge. Here are the basics: Magenta on the map represent a 5′ – 5.5′ wide path with no buffer separating the path from the street (besides the curb). Yellow on the map represent an 8′ wide path with no buffer. Teal on the map represents a 5.5′ – 6′ wide path that’s elevated from street level, with a fence or wall between the path and the street. The exact cross-sections are shown in this schematic diagram. A full description of the […]

MCBAG meeting tonight (9/20) at 7 pm in Rockville

Sep 202012

The September meeting of MCBAG is tonight (Thursday September 20th) at 7 pm in Rockville. The location rotates between Gaithersburg and Rockville. This one’s in Rockville. MEETING DETAILS: MCBAG meetings in Rockville are held in the tall Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville, in the large 9th floor conference room. Enter from the lower level entrance off Monroe Street. Ring the buzzer to the left of the door and tell them you’re there for the bike meeting and security will let you in Then you can use the elevators at the far end by the security desk. Bring your bike to the room, take Metro, or park for free in the big garage across East Jefferson Street. There’s some […]

North Branch Trail meeting tonight

Sep 192012

Don’t forget the North Branch Trail meeting tonight! (September 19th, 2012). The Montgomery County Parks Department is holding the meeting to discuss the design of the planned North Branch Hiker-Biker Trail. The Parks Department will discuss possible alignments and alternatives and ask for input from people attending the meeting. The North Branch Trail is proposed to connect the Lake Frank Lakeside Trail to Bowie Mill Park near Derwood. The trail will be located in upper Rock Creek Park and the North Branch Stream Valley Park. For a map and other information, go to this project page. Or you can contact project manager Marian Elsasser by email or at 301-495-3597. All input is welcome and you can send input to her directly […]

Google maps: only as good as its user input

Sep 052012

Various trails around Lake Frank and the Meadowside Nature Center in Derwood are identified in Google maps. Google has them denoted as paved trails, including the segments I’ve highlighted in blue: Is the blue portion really paved? Last time I hiked it it wasn’t. The official trail map (as of August 2012) also says it isn’t: So it appears that Google Maps has some trail mistakes. What is their policy as far as showing natural surface trails? This trail isn’t merely unpaved. It’s a narrow and bumpy natural surface trail. Showing it on a map would only confuse cyclists. (Natural surface is not the same thing as unpaved; some crushed stone trails such as the Georgetown Branch Trail and C&O […]

Wisconsin Avenue “Green Mile” Path – new design

Sep 042012

There is an updated design of the “Green Mile” shared use path along MD 355 (Wisconsin Ave.) north of Friendship Heights. The design isn’t final by any means, but it’s been updated to address concerns over tree removal expressed by the Little Falls Watershed Alliance (LFWA). The State Highway Administration (SHA) is still calling it a sidewalk, though it’s meant to be a shared use path per county master plan. See the links at the bottom of this post for the design diagrams. A very serious problem with the new design is that the path would only be 5′ wide with no buffer separating it from Wisconsin Ave. for the southernmost 250 feet of the project (from Grafton St. to […]

Trail Typology

Sep 012012

Years ago, American planners decided to divide bikeways into three types: Class I: Off-road paths (aka bike paths, shared use paths, or multi-use paths) Class II: On-road bike lanes Class III: Shared roadways This categorization implied that off-road paths were superior to bike lanes, and that bike lanes were superior to roads without bike lanes. Maybe that was the thinking at the time. But it’s well accepted now that shared use paths carry risks of their own and are not suitable for all cyclists at all times. So in Montgomery County planners now use the terms “shared use path”, “bike lanes”, and “signed shared roadway” (SSR), respectively. The terms Class I, II, and III aren’t inaccurate, just out of common […]