Bikers Surveyed in Annapolis to Boost City-Wide Trail Plan

Bike enthusiasts are gathering info on cycling activities in Annapolis to bolster an effort for expanded trails and programs.

On Wednesday, volunteers from Bike AAA sat at seven high-traffic intersections across Annapolis, counting each cyclist they saw. These numbers will be tallied up and checked again in six months to see whether the city has a growing or declining population.

Iain Banks, the City of Annapolis' mobility and parking specialist, said proving there is a growing population of cyclists in the city would lend support to new programs outlined in a plan the city has sat on for more than two years.

"If we can show ridership is growing then we have a case," Banks said.

In 2011, Toole Design Group worked with cycling enthusiasts to create the Annapolis Bike Master Plan, which wrangled together dozens of bike paths, trails and streets across Annapolis into a city-wide network.

Review the completed 2011 Bike Master Plan on the City of Annapolis' website.

Most of these paths already exist, but the plan charts a course that cyclists of any level of experience can follow with ease, giving them options and information on the best routes to their destination.

"Cycling isn't just for people who like to wear spandex—it's a viable transportation option," Banks said.

Some of the bike plan's recommendations are costly, while others are fairly inexpensive, such as painting roads with more shared bike lanes and signage, or programs that reinforce the rules of the road.

Such educational programs are vital to keeping the streets safe for both cyclists and drivers, Banks said.

"It's not a one-way street. Both need to realize the road is a shared resource," he said.

However, the funding to begin such programs hasn't made it into the city's budget yet.

Getting the ball moving requires the attention of the City Council, and this week's cyclist count is just one piece of data that Banks and Bike AAA advocates hope will start some forward momentum.


Learn more about Bike AAA at the group's website.

County Has Separate Bike Plan

Cycling advocates have also pushed for the completion of several planned trails in the county, which Banks said should work hand-in-hand with the city's.

The largest projects include the South Shore Trail, stretching from Odenton to Annapolis, as well as the completion of the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail from the south edge of Odenton to the Patuxent River, adjoining with Prince George's County. 

The Broadneck Hiking and Biking Trail's first phase was opened to the public in September.  The .8 mile stretch of the trail stretches between Green Holly Drive and Cape St. Claire Road. Future phases of the trail are in the design stage, but have not yet received funding. The ultimate goal of the project is to span College Parkway and link up with the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail near Ritchie Highway.

For several years, trail projects were on hold due to a lack of funding. But there is more than $6 million set aside in the county budget in 2014 and 2015 for the completion of the South Shore Trail, and land acquisition is happening now. 

The extension of the WB&A Trail, meanwhile, will be funded and completed largely by the builder of the Two Rivers housing development. Preliminary work on the development has begun, and trail work could begin soon. 

The trails would be part of the broader East Coast Greenway, a 2,500 traffic-free path linking Maine to Florida. 

Odenton-Severn Patch Editor Tim Lemke contributed to this article.