Baltimore City Department of Transportation issued the following announcement on Aug. 27.
Mayor Catherine Pugh and Department of Transportation Director Michelle Pourciau were joined by Councilman Leon Pinkett III, Bikemore, project partners and biking enthusiasts to celebrate the installation of the Big Jump project. The Big Jump is an initiative by the Department of Transportation and community partners to create a safe and comfortable pedestrian/bicycle connection between the Reservoir Hill and Remington neighborhoods.
“The Big Jump provides a new community connection that residents have not experienced in many years, and adds to the quality of life and livability of city neighborhoods,” said Mayor Pugh. “This project helps us to achieve a better balance of our public space and provides residents with an innovative connection to local parks, trails, businesses and employment opportunities.”
Baltimore was among 10 cities nationwide selected for the Big Jump Project, which is an initiative from the bike advocacy group PeopleForBikes. By quickly building and connecting bicycle networks, the program aims to increase bike ridership in targeted neighborhoods.
“We are proud to have been selected for the Big Jump project which will help us improve access and provide a safe connection across the expressway for residents of these communities,” said Michelle Pourciau, Director of the Baltimore City Department of Transportation. “With diverse concepts such as the Big Jump, we are working to connect citizens with urban transportation networks that transform the quality of life in city neighborhoods.”
The Baltimore grant focuses on improving the biking network in Central and West Baltimore communities, the heart of which are geographically divided by the Jones Falls Expressway (I-83). The connection of communities such as Remington, Reservoir Hill, Station North and Hampden will serve as a model to the rest of the city for smart investments in biking and pedestrian infrastructure.
"The Big Jump demonstrates the scale at which we can all work together to quickly and cost effectively reimagine public space,” said Liz Cornish, Executive Director of Bikemore. “Projects that make it safer to walk and bike don't have to take millions of dollars or decades of planning to have a major impact. But you do need committed and imaginative partners. We are grateful for the leadership and support of Councilman Pinkett and the Department of Transportation without whom The Big Jump would not have been possible."
With the Big Jump project, a temporary “pop up” mixed use trail was constructed along Druid Park Lake Drive proceeding west from Madison Street, across the 28thStreet Bridge, and along 28th Street to Atkinson Street. This trail is separated from traffic using water filled and concrete traffic channelization barriers. A bike lane delineated by flex posts also runs along Sisson Street from 28th Street to Wyman Park Drive. This creates a buffer between the sidewalk and motor vehicles, includes intersection improvements at 29th and Sisson to ease crossings for people walking and biking, and reconnects a larger version of the recreational trail loop in Druid Hill Park that is currently closed due to construction. The Big Jump allows people who use mobility devices to safely and easily cross the expressway for the very first time.
"Change is hard,” said Councilman Leon F. Pinkett, III. “But I imagine it was equally hard, if not harder, for the residents who had invested in this neighborhood when these beautiful homes lined the park to witness their front yard become a six or eight lane thoroughfare for suburbanites."
Though these neighborhoods are experiencing the largest growth and investment in Central Baltimore, 56 percent of households do not have access to a car. Despite being adjacent in nature, these communities can feel like geographical islands for pedestrians and bicyclists due to the existing infrastructure barriers.
As a participant in the program, Baltimore will annually receive $200,000 in technical support from PeopleForBikes, as well as an additional $50,000 in matching funds or financial commitments from local organizations.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Baltimore City Department of Transportation
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