Catonsville Residents Turn Out to Support Bike Plan

When Catonsville cycling enthusiast Charlie Murphy leads novice groups on bike rides, he says they feel more secure on Baltimore city roads than county ones. He hopes an ambitious trail plan will change that.

“I take them there because it’s safer. It’s safer than Baltimore County," said Murphy, who spoke Thursday at a public hearing for a comprehensive master plan for biking in western Baltimore County.

“They have an infastructure like no one else around, Murphy said, referring to the city's greater number of bike lanes and bike paths.

Advocates of cycling said the plan is the first step to rectify the inequalities and start adding more biking trails, walking paths and pedestrian-friendly improvements to county roads.

While many who spoke on Thursday at the hearing acknowledeged that the western pedestrian bicycle plan for Baltimore County was a little pie in the sky, it doesn't make it any less important.

“What we’re simply saying this is a vision for Baltimore County. It’s a blueprint for where you can go," said Councilman James Marks.

The planning board was holding the hearing ahead of its vote, which has not been scheduled. After the planning board approves it, the Baltimore County Council will vote on , which is a master plan for bicycle and pedestrian improvements for the western portion of Baltimore County.

The major improvements for southwest Baltimore County include:

1. creating a Patapsco River Path from the Baltimore city line through the edge of Southwest Baltimore County that could link UMBC to the city,
2. Extending the Short Line trail into Baltimore city
3. Trails that connect UMBC to both downtown Arbutus and Catonsville

Many Catonsville residents and cycling advocates were at the meeting, including members of Catonsville Rails to Trails.

Rails to Trails President Tom Aljuni said the plan will help the organization continue to advocate for biking and apply for grant funding to help construct new trails and pathways. So far this year, the group has applied for more than $300,000 in grants.

“The trails are an economic engine for economic development and success," he said. “This plan will really enable us to leverage forward on federal and state grant applications.”

At this point no funding is tied to any of the projects, and politicians acknowledged that many of the projects may take years to fund or rely heavily on grants.

Nevertheless, advocates believe that creating more biking and pedestrian-friendly communities are a key part of the county's economic development.

Councilman Tom Quirk, who represents Catonsville and has worked closely with the cycling advocates, said that this is something people in the community are asking for.

“They want livable sustainable communities. They want trails. They want to be able to walk. They want to be able to bike."