Operation Orange Cone Blog

Pratt Street Construction Detours and Updates

Just wanted to remind you about recommended routes as we’re working to improve Pratt Street:

Motorists driving from the west to the east should use Mulberry Street or Baltimore Street as alternatives to Pratt Street. Parking will be restricted along Baltimore Street from Paca to South Streets so that additional lanes of travel will be open for overflow traffic. Parking will also be restricted along Light Street between Baltimore and Lombard Streets.

Construction Update
Starting on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 the lane closures along Pratt Street between Greene and Calvert Streets will be shifted to the right side of the roadway beginning at 4:00 a.m. Once the traffic pattern is shifted, two lanes of Pratt Street will be closed for construction, which is expected to be complete by the end of October.

In addition to the Pratt Street lane closures, two lanes of traffic are also restricted along southbound Light Street between Lombard and Pratt Streets. On Tuesday, September 07, 2010 these lane closures will be extended further south along Light Street from Pratt to Lee Streets starting at 4:00 a.m. Commuters traveling in this vicinity should be on the watch for changing traffic patterns. This construction work is expected to be finished in approximately four weeks.

We’re reminding motorists Motorists that two lanes of northbound Light Street/Calvert Street will continue to be closed to through traffic from Key Highway to Lombard Street.

We appreciate your patience as we’re working to make downtown streets smoother and safer for motorists. Pass this information along to your friends and coworkers.

Making Bikes Count By Counting Bikes

If you see a weird diamond-shaped groove in the green bike lane on Fallsway, RIDE YOUR BIKE OVER IT!

This is the newly installed ZELT loop detector by Eco-Counter.  The counter uses different parameters like speed, weight, and wheel base distance to distinguish bike traffic from vehicular traffic helping DOT accurately count bike traffic along Fallsway.  The in-ground detector is the first of its kind in Baltimore.

DOT’s first automated bicycle & pedestrian counter has been in use on the Pratt St bike lane since March 2009.  Here the pyro sensor detector tracks everything that crosses the counter’s beam whether bicycles, pedestrians, delivery trucks, taxis etc.  (Yes, I account for a margin of error here.)

Next week, local bicycle traffic verifiers will be tracking bikes “the old-fashioned way” – just by counting them.  I appreciate all the volunteers that are taking time out of their schedule to contribute to this effort.   If you’re riding by Falls & Maryland, Aliceanna & Boston, Guilford & Mt. Royal or Frederick & the Gwynns Falls Trail, be sure to thank them as well.

Through automoted counters & volunteers, the data collected will be used to gauge the increase in bicycle traffic and help give numbers to support inclusion of bicycle infrastructure in future roadway projects.  These numbers are specifically important this year as Maryland Avenue is due for resurfacing next year.  If we have the traffic numbers and public support, DOT may consider a “cycletrack” here.

We’re making bikes count by counting bikes!

Nate Evans is the Bicycle & Pedestrian Planner for the Baltimore City Department of Transportation.

Traffic Advisory: Loch Raven Drive Bridge Replacement

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation would like to advise motorists that construction work will soon begin on the Loch Raven Drive Bridge located between Morgan Mill Road and Dulaney Valley Road in the Loch Raven Watershed. The Loch Raven Drive Bridge, which crosses over Dulaney Valley Branch, is scheduled to be replaced starting on Tuesday, September 07, 2010.

The $670,000 project includes the demolition of the existing structure and the erection of a new bridge. New bridge abutments will be constructed along with bridge decking and parapet. Roadway approaches to the bridge will also be milled and paved.

Throughout the duration of the project, the Loch Raven Drive Bridge will be closed to motorists with detours in effect. The bridge is scheduled to be closed to through traffic beginning at 7:00 a.m. on September 07, 2010. Variable message signs will be placed in the area to alert motorists of the closure and detour signs will also be posted.

Construction of the new bridge is expected to be complete in the winter of 2011.

Detour:

• Northbound Loch Raven Drive traffic will be detoured right on Morgan Mill Road, left on Manor Road, left on Long Green Road back to Dulaney Valley Road.
• Southbound Loch Raven Drive will be detoured left on Dulaney Valley Road, right on Long Green Road, right on Manor Road, right on Morgan Mill Road back to Loch Raven Drive.

Please note that Loch Raven Drive is closed on Saturdays and Sundays from Morgan Mill Road to Providence Road for recreational use from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day.

What is the West Baltimore Bike Pedestrian Loop

DOT is working on a plan to make West Baltimore more green and pedestrian friendly.

The West Baltimore Bike Pedestrian Loop Project is a three-quarter mile loop of recreational park space along the interior of Franklin and Mulberry Streets around the US 40 “Highway to Nowhere”. Though in the early design phases, this plan may also incorporate additional trees and greenery, lighting improvements, community art, community gardens, dog stations, and playgrounds to make the area more safe, vibrant, and comfortable.

Additionally, the loop will connect to a stretch of the Red Line and make the U.S 40 overpasses a more pleasant experience for pedestrians and cyclists.

Check out the concept presentation below to see some graphic renderings of the proposal.

Get Involved
We’re looking for your input so please provide whatever comments you have here. On Tuesday, September 14th there is a Design Workshop happening at Bon Secours Community Center. For details and to RSVP, please visit Socializr.

West Baltimore Bike Ped Loop Concept

Why the Circulator is Great for Local Commuters

At any given point in my adult life, I’ve depended on alternative modes of transportation to get to work. My list includes MTA Local Bus, Light Rail, Metro Subway, carpooling, biking, and walking to work. Recently, I’ve added the Charm City Circulator to that list. And it works!

As a former Mt. Vernon resident (former as of two weeks ago), I was excited by the Purple Line launch. Even before I worked for DOT, I remember reading about the Circulator in the newspaper. I said to my friends, “This is a great idea”. But then there are folks who ask “What’s the point? We already have the MTA.”

There is a good reason why Mt. Vernon needed a Circulator. Being so close to downtown, it didn’t make a whole lot of sense to pay for an MTA Monthly Pass.

I can walk to work, but that depends on the weather. With the sweltering heat, spring rains, blizzards, and cold winter winds, getting to work before the Circulator had its challenges. The fact that the Circulator is free and has fewer stops than the MTA was definitely a selling point.

My favorite thing about the Circulator is the NextBus technology, which allows you to track when the next bus is coming. If I know a bus is coming, I’m more likely to wait for it. And MTA lacks this technology. For busy commuters, it makes it much easier to depend on transit.

We’ve had our challenges with on time performance. Any new transit service will come with growing pains.  But I do see it getting better every time I ride it. I see more folks choosing to ride the Circulator who I wouldn’t normally see on the MTA buses. We take our customer service very seriously and are always looking for ways to improve on time performance.

I recently moved to Washington Hill where I have alright access to the MTA, but a similar problem: I’m too close to work to justify purchasing a Monthly Pass. The upcoming launch of the Green Line will not only connect me to the downtown, but to Fells Point where I hang out on the weekends. I anticipate taking it to work every day.

As Baltimore’s Rideshare Coordinator, I view myself as an advocate for commuters who want better transportation options. We need to improve Baltimore’s public transportation system. The Charm City Circulator is first step in the right direction.

Let’s be idealistic for a moment. I envision a Baltimore with a comprehensive regional rail system that is connected by many neighborhood Circulators, which can take you to shopping, entertainment, and appointments much quicker than ever before. It’s food for thought.

Until we fulfill that vision, the downtown Circulator will better connect the downtown region to its surrounding neighborhoods and give commuters a fast and affordable way to get around downtown.

Paul Day’s official title is Marketing Coordinator. He runs the city Rideshare Program and manages web marketing initiatives for DOT.