Discussion of Tom Palermo’s killing and road design at GGW.org

[PotomacCyclist]

I wonder what approach Maryland state agencies will take with the new governor, Hogan, in office. He seems to be hostile, or at least indifferent, to multimodal transportation, including mass transit and bike infrastructure. He seems to be a highways-first guy. Maybe even a highways-only guy, if he has anything to say about it, which he now does.

[dasgeh]

@PotomacCyclist 105686 wrote:

I wonder what approach Maryland state agencies will take with the new governor, Hogan, in office. He seems to be hostile, or at least indifferent, to multimodal transportation, including mass transit and bike infrastructure. He seems to be a highways-first guy. Maybe even a highways-only guy, if he has anything to say about it, which he now does.

Someone should invite him on a Kidical Mass ride..

[Terpfan]

@PotomacCyclist 105686 wrote:

I wonder what approach Maryland state agencies will take with the new governor, Hogan, in office. He seems to be hostile, or at least indifferent, to multimodal transportation, including mass transit and bike infrastructure. He seems to be a highways-first guy. Maybe even a highways-only guy, if he has anything to say about it, which he now does.

I would be carefully labeling people, particularly by viewing them through a narrow prism. I wouldn’t be surprised if he delayed the Purple and Red Lines. I don’t think he will outright cancel them. The reality is that the state has been stuck in what seems like a never-ending cycle of spending, deficits, and new taxes. The guy ran against it and won with that message. Dig a little deeper or if you come with the knowledge of his business background; in it you would notice he’s partnered in developing areas tied to mass transit (eg, http://www.hogancompanies.com/recent_news/press_release/hogan-sells-smith-farm.aspx, http://www.hogancompanies.com/resources/VV_flyer.pdf). Ditto on attempting to say therefore he’s anti-cycling (eg, noticing he bought his granddaughter a tricycle for her birthday, knowing he’s close to Chip DiPaula who himself is an avid cyclist, etc.).

[PotomacCyclist]

Well, he has been very vocal about shifting transportation spending to highways, whatever that means, and he has been critical of the Purple Line, although he hasn’t made any recent proclamations about the project.

Most politicians who are very critical of mass transit spending tend to be dismissive of bike infrastructure too. If Hogan doesn’t fall into this category, he would be a very rare individual. Buying a tricycle for a granddaughter doesn’t really say much. Many of the people who are anti-bike infrastructure think of cycling as a children’s activity, or at best, a recreational activity that should be limited to trails in the woods (like Courtland Milloy’s suggestion). Some of the people who are stridently anti-bike infrastructure spending are also enthusiastic recreational cyclists. But they don’t believe that cycling is for commuting or other transportation, so they don’t want to build any bike lanes, protected bikeways, trails or bike/pedestrian bridges.

Hogan is a public figure who has been vocal about transportation spending. At this point, there’s no reason not to be suspicious of his support for multimodal transportation and transit-oriented development. The hope among some is that he campaigned to win support from certain rural and exurban communities, but he will quickly realize that he can’t afford to alienate the dense population centers of suburban Maryland and Baltimore city (although there is some division in the attitudes toward the Purple Line and the Baltimore Red Line.)

[Terpfan]

@PotomacCyclist 105814 wrote:

Well, he has been very vocal about shifting transportation spending to highways, whatever that means, and he has been critical of the Purple Line, although he hasn’t made any recent proclamations about the project.

Most politicians who are very critical of mass transit spending tend to be dismissive of bike infrastructure too. If Hogan doesn’t fall into this category, he would be a very rare individual. Buying a tricycle for a granddaughter doesn’t really say much. Many of the people who are anti-bike infrastructure think of cycling as a children’s activity, or at best, a recreational activity that should be limited to trails in the woods (like Courtland Milloy’s suggestion). Some of the people who are stridently anti-bike infrastructure spending are also enthusiastic recreational cyclists. But they don’t believe that cycling is for commuting or other transportation, so they don’t want to build any bike lanes, protected bikeways, trails or bike/pedestrian bridges.

Hogan is a public figure who has been vocal about transportation spending. At this point, there’s no reason not to be suspicious of his support for multimodal transportation and transit-oriented development. The hope among some is that he campaigned to win support from certain rural and exurban communities, but he will quickly realize that he can’t afford to alienate the dense population centers of suburban Maryland and Baltimore city (although there is some division in the attitudes toward the Purple Line and the Baltimore Red Line.)

I don’t know where to begin. At the bolded comment right after I told you he’s invested his personal money in Metro developments or about the presumption that he’s kept up at night about alienating some fictitious base among the inner-DC and Baltimore City suburbs?

I really don’t care who carries cycling’s water–Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders, or in between. In my mind, the right approach is to give them a chance and approach them from a manner in which they can see themselves agreeing. I think people tend to put on blinders. The he’s a Republican therefore he must hate us. Or she’s a Democrat, therefore she’s all for taxing everything. And then they’re all surprised when no one listens to them or considers their issues. Sorry, end rant for me as someone whom has sat on the other side of that table.

[lordofthemark]

1. My vague impression is that transit access to Westphalia is not that good, and that the smart growth types are not that fond of it. But my knowledge of PG geography is not great
2. Even if Westphalia is class A1 TOD, selling a parcel of land to them hardly makes him a TOD developer exactly.
3. OTOH not everyone who is hostile tor rail transit infra is hostile to cycling. Cause cycling is a helluva lot cheaper. See Ms Garvey and Mr Vihstadt in Arlington County for example.
4. There are definitely Republicans who are protransit and pro smart growth. Heck, Mitt Romney was when he was Governor of Massachusetts, and did not have to run in GOP primaries elsewhere. Some folks out in Utah http://www.streetsblog.org/category/cities/salt-lake-city/ (hmm, is there a theme emerging here?) But if Hogan is one of them, he has yet to demonstrate it

[PotomacCyclist]

Well, even though I’m not a Maryland resident, I’m hopeful that he does govern differently from what he more than hinted at during his campaign.

I’m still not sure what those links show. His company buys and sells many real estate developments. Some may be near transit. The Upper Marlboro development doesn’t appear to be near any Metro stations. Just because a press release says it is transit-oriented development doesn’t make it so. The Hogan Companies are separate from Hogan as an individual too. He is not necessarily investing his personal money in these projects. The company is, and the company also relies on outside investors. This is what I’m reading on their own website. It’s standard practice, so I’m not saying this is anything underhanded and nefarious. Just pointing out that involvement with particular developments don’t indicate that Hogan is investing his personal money in particular projects.

I do not have a reflexive like or dislike purely based on party. I have voted for both Republicans and Democrats in the past, but I have noticed a tendency for self-described “fiscal conservatives” to be anti-transit and anti-bike infrastructure. Maybe not all, but it’s a definite trend. That combined with his statements about preferring highways do give me pause.

I have not followed Hogan’s campaign too closely, but I have at least an outside interest because Maryland transportation and land-use decisions do have an effect on the D.C. region.

EDIT: I do recognize that there are some pro-transit/pro-cycling Republicans and I recognize that transit and cycling may be viewed separately by some, but that is not often the case. But at this point, we can only go by Hogan’s own public statements. His company investments don’t indicate any sort of pattern. If anything, that Upper Marlboro development indicates that he favors non-transit-oriented development and more highway spending. I can’t find the Smith Home Farm on Google Maps. But Upper Marlboro is not close to any Metro stations, so I fail to see how any project there can be described as TOD. Maybe buses? I don’t remember if there are plans to extend the Green Line, but I don’t believe there are any such plans. Even if it showed up on the WMATA wish list last year, such an extension wouldn’t be built for many years, maybe decades, so it would not serve to justify calling any project there as TOD. The other projects mentioned in the press release are also very far from any Metro stations, so this appears to be evidence that he is not really interested in TOD. If I’m wrong, I would like to know how. I haven’t read any descriptions anywhere that he is particularly interested in TOD. Those developments are not in cycling centers either. I would be very glad to be wrong about all this. I’m not writing him off (and I’m not even a Maryland resident, so I doubt he would even care what I think). I’m just pointing out that the indicators as of now don’t show him as favoring TOD or cycling.

[PotomacCyclist]

The bishop is out on bail. A friend of hers posted the bail.

https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2015/01/15/bishop-cook-bailed-out-by-her-companion-an-ex-episocpal-priest/

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/blog/bs-md-ci-bishop-cook-posts-bail-20150115-story.html

I really hope she follows the conditions of the release and does not try to drive again.

[Terpfan]

@PotomacCyclist 105842 wrote:

Well, even though I’m not a Maryland resident, I’m hopeful that he does govern differently from what he more than hinted at during his campaign.

I’m still not sure what those links show. His company buys and sells many real estate developments. Some may be near transit. The Upper Marlboro development doesn’t appear to be near any Metro stations. Just because a press release says it is transit-oriented development doesn’t make it so. The Hogan Companies are separate from Hogan as an individual too. He is not necessarily investing his personal money in these projects. The company is, and the company also relies on outside investors. This is what I’m reading on their own website. It’s standard practice, so I’m not saying this is anything underhanded and nefarious. Just pointing out that involvement with particular developments don’t indicate that Hogan is investing his personal money in particular projects.

I do not have a reflexive like or dislike purely based on party. I have voted for both Republicans and Democrats in the past, but I have noticed a tendency for self-described “fiscal conservatives” to be anti-transit and anti-bike infrastructure. Maybe not all, but it’s a definite trend. That combined with his statements about preferring highways do give me pause.

I have not followed Hogan’s campaign too closely, but I have at least an outside interest because Maryland transportation and land-use decisions do have an effect on the D.C. region.

EDIT: I do recognize that there are some pro-transit/pro-cycling Republicans and I recognize that transit and cycling may be viewed separately by some, but that is not often the case. But at this point, we can only go by Hogan’s own public statements. His company investments don’t indicate any sort of pattern. If anything, that Upper Marlboro development indicates that he favors non-transit-oriented development and more highway spending. I can’t find the Smith Home Farm on Google Maps. But Upper Marlboro is not close to any Metro stations, so I fail to see how any project there can be described as TOD. Maybe buses? I don’t remember if there are plans to extend the Green Line, but I don’t believe there are any such plans. Even if it showed up on the WMATA wish list last year, such an extension wouldn’t be built for many years, maybe decades, so it would not serve to justify calling any project there as TOD. The other projects mentioned in the press release are also very far from any Metro stations, so this appears to be evidence that he is not really interested in TOD. If I’m wrong, I would like to know how. I haven’t read any descriptions anywhere that he is particularly interested in TOD. Those developments are not in cycling centers either. I would be very glad to be wrong about all this. I’m not writing him off (and I’m not even a Maryland resident, so I doubt he would even care what I think). I’m just pointing out that the indicators as of now don’t show him as favoring TOD or cycling.

We’ll see what he does. Frankly, I never understand the concept of pursing the Red and Purple Lines simultaneously. Is DOT going to give federal dollars for both? Where’s the money in MD’s TTF? I always felt it was an irresponsible approach to begin with. Doubly so when you consider the state is in a deficit despite increasing various taxes, new gambling revenues, etc. You can’t money from the schools, the locals were already bled to the point of near-death, so what exactly do you do… funnel numbers exceeding your total deficit into two different mass transit options?

At the same time, I do know he’s invested personally in transit-oriented developments. Once his disclosures are somewhere searchable, it should be easier to spot. He’s a businessman. I know folks on both sides of the aisle out there and suspect that they can be approached. It’s just a matter of finding the silver linings.

[Terpfan]

@PotomacCyclist 105851 wrote:

The bishop is out on bail. A friend of hers posted the bail.

https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2015/01/15/bishop-cook-bailed-out-by-her-companion-an-ex-episocpal-priest/

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/blog/bs-md-ci-bishop-cook-posts-bail-20150115-story.html

I really hope she follows the conditions of the release and does not try to drive again.

Ditto on the sentiment. Then again, she seemed to have trouble following conditions of release on the last one (those pleaes always carry a 5-10 yr no serious driving infractions rule).

[PotomacCyclist]

@Terpfan 105852 wrote:

We’ll see what he does. Frankly, I never understand the concept of pursing the Red and Purple Lines simultaneously. Is DOT going to give federal dollars for both? Where’s the money in MD’s TTF? I always felt it was an irresponsible approach to begin with. Doubly so when you consider the state is in a deficit despite increasing various taxes, new gambling revenues, etc. You can’t money from the schools, the locals were already bled to the point of near-death, so what exactly do you do… funnel numbers exceeding your total deficit into two different mass transit options?

At the same time, I do know he’s invested personally in transit-oriented developments. Once his disclosures are somewhere searchable, it should be easier to spot. He’s a businessman. I know folks on both sides of the aisle out there and suspect that they can be approached. It’s just a matter of finding the silver linings.

I’m not too familiar with transit usage in Baltimore, but I’ve read statements that the existing light rail lines in Baltimore do not see that much usage. I’ve only ridden on those lines a couple times, and that was years ago, so I have no idea what the ridership levels are there. I’ve also read that the proposed Red Line route does not travel through the densest areas and neighborhoods likely to attract as many riders.

So based on this limited info (which might not be correct at all), I could see the Baltimore Red Line being postponed or canceled, and perhaps the Purple Line going forward. Or maybe both lines are postponed or canceled. Since I don’t travel too often in Maryland, the Purple Line wouldn’t affect me directly, but the planned upgrades to the Capital Crescent Trail extension would be nice. I could see myself riding that. I’ve ridden on the existing gravel trail, on skinny tires. It’s not that pleasant, especially when I rode on it a couple winters ago. (I slipped while walking my bike over the ice, during the Vasa Ride, and scraped up the handlebars and brake lever, although there was no serious damage to the bike or to me.) Then again, the gov’t agencies might backtrack on the trail improvement the way they did with the promised ICC bike trail.

[PotomacCyclist]

The drunk driver/bishop has been asked to resign by the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-cook-resignation-20150128-story.html

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