AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
Seated at a table at Tom Caraker Plaza, Bicycle Advocates for Annapolis and Anne Arundel County (Bike AAA) president Jon Korin was enthusiastic as he noted the progress the organization has made promoting safe cycling for transportation, recreation and fitness since being launched as a Leadership Anne Arundel project in 2013.
With cyclists’ safety an overarching goal, Bike AAA has created many beneficial programs and initiatives or partnered with other organizations and agencies to make them happen. A simple but especially effective initiative was the creation of three Children’s Bike Safety Parks at Lindale Middle School in Linthicum Heights, Seven Oaks Community Bike Park in Odenton, and Bacontown Park in Laurel.
In fact, following our meeting, Korin would be heading to Lindale Middle School to officiate at a “bike rodeo”.
Ensuring the safety and well-being of riders of every age is important though. At the urging of Bike AAA and the Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails, Bicycle Repair Stations and pumps have been installed on the B&A Trail at the Ranger Station and at Jones Station Road. In fact, there is now at least one repair station on every major Anne Arundel County trail.
One of Jon Korin’s favorite projects is Bike AAA’s long-standing Wheels of Hope Bike Refurbishment Program based at Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park.
“Our volunteers collect donated bikes and service them after which they are given to children or adults who need them along with a helmet, bike lock and light,” he said. “Many of our adult bikes are given to people in substance recovery programs because transportation is a huge problem for them since they can’t drive to get to a job interview or to work or a meeting. They rely on bikes.”
A much newer but very popular program, according to Korin, is Cycling Without Age founded by Sandy Bishop. Now in its fourth year of operation, Cycling Without Age provides rides for seniors with mobility limitations or dementia patients and generally uses the B &A Trail. (From pick-up to drop off the rides last an hour and the passengers love it.)
The program uses three adaptive trishaw bikes that have seats in front with good visibility for passengers while a pilot operates the bike from the back. All the pilots are Bike AAA volunteers.
As president of Bike AAA and chair of the Anne Arundel County Bicycle Advisory Commission, Korin says the most important goal by far has been the creation and expansion of the Anne Arundel Trail Network.
With the completion in 1990 of the county’s first rail-to-trail project, the 13.3 mile B&A Trail following the route of the former Baltimore and Annapolis Railroad from Glen Burnie to Annapolis, the desire for a system of connected trails was born.
Recognized as a “destination trail”, the B&A Trail was immensely popular from the outset.
“Before moving to Severna Park, the B&A Trail was definitely a destination for my wife and I. We’d drive over here, park and ride our bikes to Annapolis for a crab cake lunch and ride back,” Korin said.
“The B&A Trail remains incredibly popular and is now part of the East Coast Greenway and American Discovery Trail. It has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors.”
The Bike AAA president added that he believed its popularity was based, in part, on being next to Tom Caraker Plaza where we were sitting that backs on shops like Crepe’s in the Park, The Big Bean, Jenos Steaks, and The Froyo House frozen yogurt. It’s the only county trail that has anything like it.”
The major trails that followed beginning in 1992 included the WB&A Trail built over the old Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Railroad and the BWI Trail encircling BWI Marshall Airport. The recently completed Broadneck Peninsula Trail along with the about to be completed South Shore Trail in Odenton add to the trail network. As can be seen from the Anne Arundel Trail Network map below, the major trails almost connect with each other but there are gaps.
Korin would ideally like to see the Broadneck Trail extended all the way to Sandy Point State Park ending on the beach and providing cyclists the opportunity to see the Chesapeake Bay.
There already are plans to extend the WB&A Trail to connect with the South Shore Trail at Odenton. When complete, this trail will extend from Odenton to and across the Patuxent River and ultimately connect to an existing rail trail (also WB&A Trail) in Prince George’s County.
Working in conjunction with Recreation and Parks | Anne Arundel County Government and the Maryland State Highway Administration, Bike AAA looks to fill the remaining gaps including extending the South Shore Trail to Annapolis.
Bike AAA is also strongly advocating for a separated bicycling and walking path across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Replacement.
With bike safety a pressing issue on not only the roadways but on the county trails, Bike AAA, the Anne Arundel County Bicycle Advisory Commission and Recreation and Parks are confronting new challenge – what to do about E-Bikes.
As you can see from the opening photo, when I arrived to meet Jon Korin, he’d been pouring over a hot-off-the-presses brochure explaining the differences between E-Bikes, E-Scooters and E-Motos and the legality of each. Handing one across the table to me, he explained that E-Bikes are the biggest challenges faced by the network of Anne Arundel County trails at present.
Korin explained that E-Bikes are bicycles equipped with operable pedals and an electric motor of 750 watts or less. There are three classes and all are “pedal assist only”. They are legal on the trails. E-Scooters are two-wheeled devices with handlebars, a floorboard for standing and an electric motor.
As we spoke, we saw rider on a road bike followed by a rider on what was likely a Class 3 E-Bike.
E-Scooters are limited to 20 mph on level ground and, though a helmet is required, they are allowed on Anne Arundel County trails. There are dangers involved if two people are riding them or if they are engaged in reckless behavior like wheelies.
E-Motos are electric motorcycles or mopeds which exceed the power and speed limits of E-Bikes. A valid license, registration and insurance are required to ride them. They are not permitted on the trails. But there’s a big problem. They are often marketed deceptively as electric bikes. Nevertheless, they are often seen on the trails.
We spotted an Ouxi V8 parked at the end of Tom Caraker Plaza. It’s hard to tell, but we believed it to be an E-Bike.
According to Korin, enforcing the laws for E-Moto use on the trails is a very difficult issue. Users can enter or depart the trails at any given point, and the police are limited in what they can do. However, the problem is being worked on now.
Meantime, Bike AAA continues to encourage county residents of all ages to cycle the Anne Arundel County trails for transportation, recreation and fitness.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center. Jing Ying also offers a homeschool Kung Fu program this fall. From health-defense to self-defense, Jing Ying provides fitness with a purpose for the whole family!
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high-quality consistent care.
