The Howard County Sierra Club supports The Bikeway
The Bikeway effort was launched by the Horizon Foundation and the Bike Advocates of Howard County, with the goal of make biking an easy and attractive choice for short trips in Howard County. We support this as a way of reducing motor vehicle use and our contribution to atmospheric warming. The Bikeway is part of the Howard County Bike Master Plan. Check out the Horizon Foundation's new website on the Bikeway for more information.
March 8, 2018: More than 100 supporters of The Bikeway, including Sierra Club, attending the budget hearing on March 8. Testimony was presented asking for full funding for the Bikeway.
February 15, 2018: The Horizon Foundation made the following announcement.
The County Executive has announced his plan to build the Bikeway! But will the funding follow?
This week, Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman announced a plan to put $8 million in county and grant funding over the next three years to build projects aligned with the Bikeway. This plan is an encouraging development. Thanks to the support of local advocates -- like you! -- we are elevating and advancing the issue of bicycling in Howard County.
But is this a real commitment?
The County Executive's next budget, to be released in the spring, will show whether this commitment is real. As you know, last year Howard County put in only $600,000 for Bike Master Plan projects and received two small grants totaling $240,000.
To reach an $8 million goal and fulfill its commitment, the county will need to substantially increase its investment. This is reasonable. Among our neighbors last year, Arundel County budgeted $7.5 million and Montgomery County budgeted $26 million in county funds for bike improvements.
Tell our county leaders you want to see the $$!
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November 20, 2017: The Horizon Foundation announced: The county executive is working on his proposed budget for FY2019. Now is the prime opportunity to let county leaders know you support $3 million in funding for the Bikeway and want to see an increased investment in building a more bikeable community. Our advocacy made a difference last year, as the county went from $136,000 in funding for new bike facilities in FY17 to $600,000 in FY18. However, this is still very underfunded.
More than 1,500 people and 20 community institutions and businesses have endorsed this request. Every person, organization and business that supports the Bikeway makes a difference.
April 3, 2017: The County Council failed to fully fund The Bikeway in 2017. See the announcement from The Horizon Foundation.
January 27, 2017: The Horizon Foundation announces the Bikeway funding campaign:
Although our county contains an extensive pathway system, the lack of connections between segments often makes it difficult or unsafe to reach your destination by bicycle. Our Sierra Club is supporting The Bikeway, a proposal for funding pathway and roadway improvements to connect our existing trails into a 50-mile network of routes that will making biking easier and safer in Howard County.
We need your help! County Executive Allan Kittleman needs to hear why you want a greener, more bikeable Howard County. Together, we can urge him to fund $3 million for three years to make this project – and a smaller carbon footprint for the county - a reality. Add your support now: http://bit.ly/HCbikeway.
According to a NASA analysis, motor vehicles are the greatest contributor to atmospheric warming.·One-third of the Chesapeake Bay’s nitrogen load, which contributes to dead zones, comes from airborne pollution. A significant portion comes from cars and trucks on Maryland’s roads and highways.·The Rails to Trails Conservancy found that increasing the share of all trips made by bicycling and walking from 10 percent to 13 percent could lead to fuel savings of 3.8 billion gallons a year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33 million tons per year. This is equivalent to replacing 19 million conventional cars with hybrids.·If 20 percent of children living within two miles of school were to bike or walk instead of being dropped off in a car, it would save 4.3 million miles of driving per day. Over a year, that saved driving would prevent 356,000 tons of CO2 and 21,500 tons of other pollutants from being emitted.