Charles Co. Cardin Urges Governor to Fulfill Commitment to Include Bike and Pedestrian Lanes on Nice Replacement Bridge In Chas. Co.

[Editor]

This just in from Cardin's office.

Senator underscores regional economic importance of protected crossing for hikers and bikers on Harry W. Nice/Senator Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), today urged Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to honor the state’s original commitment to include a protected lane for bicycle and foot traffic when rebuilding the Gov. Harry W. Nice/Senator Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge, which provides an important Potomac River crossing in Charles County.

In a letter sent to Gov. Hogan today, Senator Cardin applauds the state’s planned investment in upgrading this critical aspect of Maryland’s transportation infrastructure. The senator also lauds the foresight of including separate lanes for non-vehicular traffic in the November 2016 announcement of plans for replacing the bridge, and expresses his willingness to work to find additional federal funding to ensure that the final plans for the bridge include lanes for hikers and bikers. But Senator Cardin cautions, “Failure to expend every reasonable effort to deliver this bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure as part of a new Harry W. Nice Memorial/Sen. Thomas ‘Mac’ Middleton Bridge would be to pass up a key opportunity to shape our transportation systems of the future.”

“Tourism and recreation are pillars of our economy, and a protected bicycle and pedestrian crossing on this bridge would expand ways for residents and visitors to connect with and explore the scenic and historic values of our state and region,” writes Senator Cardin. “Such a trail would substantially expand the bridge’s benefits for our economy and our transportation networks.”

Here's some more background info:

Cardin Urges Hogan to Include Bike Lane on New 301 Bridge - Maryland Matters

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin urged Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. to include a protected bike and pedestrian lane on the new Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial/Sen. Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge.

www.marylandmatters.org

In a nutshell, Hogan initially pledged that the bridge would have 4 traffic lanes and a "separate trail for non-vehicular traffic." Later, the state pulled backed on this feature.

County Government Briefing: Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial/Senator Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge

https://go.boarddocs.com/md/chrlsco/Board.nsf/files/BCTFLP3FAA87/$file/Nice-Middleton Bridge Presentaion June 4 2019.pdf




Dear Governor Hogan:

As your administration considers options for construction of a new Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial/Sen. Thomas -Mac" Middleton Bridge, I am eager to work with you to ensure that funding is available to include a protected trail for bicyclists and pedestrians. Such a trail would substantially expand the bridge's benefits for our economy and our transportation networks.

The Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial/Sen. Thomas "Mac" Middleton Bridge is a critical component of our state and regional infrastructure. I applaud your administration's commitment to the much needed rebuilding and widening of the bridge to meet our current and future growth needs as well as your initial inclusion of a protected bike path in your vision for this project. Planning the construction of a new bridge that will serve generations of Marylanders to come presents a rare opportunity to expand and diversify our transportation options and to incorporate access for active, non-vehicular transportation modes. Tourism and recreation are pillars of our economy, and a protected bicycle and pedestrian crossing on this bridge would expand ways for residents and visitors to connect with and explore the scenic and historic values of our state and region, a goal that enjoys strong support from local elected officials.

As you know, the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) was established by Congress through a set aside of federal funds to provide states with funding to facilitate non-vehicular modes of transportation by improving infrastructure such as sidewalks and bicycle paths. The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) has administered the TAP program in Maryland to provide funding for projects such as bicycle paths, bringing walkways into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and safety improvements for street crossings for students. The funding through this program could be used to support part of the construction costs of the bridge. Other federal programs may also play a role in this effort.

As the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure with jurisdiction over the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization for highways and bridges, I worked to include a new grant program in the America's Transportation Infrastructure Act (S. 2302) to invest in our nation's bridges, and the evaluation criteria for proposed projects will include the benefits that projects will have for non-vehicular and public transportation users. This five-year reauthorization was unanimously voted out of the Environment and Public Works Committee on July 30.

I understand that funding large infrastructure projects such as this one presents a challenge, and I am eager to partner with you to meet this challenge. Failure to expend every reasonable effort to deliver this bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure as part of a new Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial/Sen. Thomas "Mac" Middleton Bridge would be to pass up a key opportunity to shape our transportation systems of the future.

Thank you for taking these views into consideration. I look forward to continue working with you in support of Maryland priorities.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

I wonder if Cardin can even find the bridge let alone walk or ride a bicycle across it. And you guys vote for him every election because, like Steny, "he saved the base".

 

[officeguy]

I wonder if Cardin can even find the bridge let alone walk or ride a bicycle across it. And you guys vote for him every election because, like Steny, "he saved the base".

That was my first thought. The bike lane is $75 million extra. Nobody would use it.

 

[Rommey]

Tourism and recreation are pillars of our economy, and a protected bicycle and pedestrian crossing on this bridge would expand ways for residents and visitors to connect with and explore the scenic and historic values of our state and region

Does he understand that this bridge crosses into Virginia? How are residents (implying Maryland residents) going to "explore the scenic and historic values of our state" when they are in Virginia?

 

[Gilligan]

What the L for?? How many "pedestrians" would use that expensive feature??

 

[Hessian]

But its GREEN solutions folks!...it will help delay climate change. We must find creative ways to spend tax dollars (while already deeply in debt) to reduce our carbon footprint so the people of the Maldives don't have to drown. Doesn't this make sense?

 

[Kyle]

I'd prefer they apply the 75mil to replacement of the ####ing bridge with a new span with more than one lane each way.

Especially when they're gouging everyone for $6 to cross the ####'n thing.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

People will walk from the toll booth or power plant to VA? Cardin clearly is just tossing this against the wall hoping it will stick.

 

[officeguy]

I want to believe that the MDTA buerocrats are smart enough to use the addition of a 'multi use path' as a tool to get additional money out of the feds to add this feature. The bridge deck without the path is 65ft, with the path its 75 and the feds pay 100% for the addition. They wouldn't pay money to add an extra driving lane as that would not be supported by the current traffic study. 5 years in, with traffic accross the Nice bridge exceeding capacity, they do a 'traffic study' and 'suprise suprise, nobody has used the bike path in the past year'. They then can take out the jersey barrier and add a car-only additional lane for the motor vehicle traffic. I hope that that is the scam they have going, other than that, wasting 75 million for a bike path to nowhere should send someone to pound in the ass federal prison.

 

[officeguy]

People will walk from the toll booth or power plant to VA? Cardin clearly is just tossing this against the wall hoping it will stick.

This lunacy is actually contained in the planning for the bridge. When MDTA issued their decision, they had an alternative without the path and one with it as available options. This isn't all Cardins idea, from reading this letter he is trying to put his weight behind getting it funded.

 

[General Lee]

Where are these bicyclists going to commute to? Sheetz? the truck stop? Cardin is as useless as tits on a bull.

 

[jrt_ms1995]

People will walk from the toll booth or power plant to VA? Cardin clearly is just tossing this against the wall hoping it will stick.

Will save them an extra $6 on their next cigarette purchase!

 

[BernieP]

Here's some more background info:

Cardin Urges Hogan to Include Bike Lane on New 301 Bridge - Maryland Matters

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin urged Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. to include a protected bike and pedestrian lane on the new Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial/Sen. Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge.

www.marylandmatters.org

In a nutshell, Hogan initially pledged that the bridge would have 4 traffic lanes and a "separate trail for non-vehicular traffic." Later, the state pulled backed on this feature.

when they did the cost / benefit analysis.
The vehicular traffic pays tolls, Very few people are going to use a bike or pedestrian path, personally, bike & pedestrian are not compatible uses.
They certainly won't want to pay a toll.
Spend the money saved on say, oh, fixing the freaking Thomas Johnson bridge before it reaches end of life.
Which by the way look like it may occur before there is even a plan on the books to replace the span.

 

[nutz]

Why Are we encouraging bicyclists to share the road? The state/county/fed spends tons of money building special bicycle paths. If they’re going to be allowed to share the road make them get licenses, registrations and frickin insurance. Them make them obey traffic signals, right of wa, etc.

 

[BernieP]

Why Are we encouraging bicyclists to share the road? The state/county/fed spends tons of money building special bicycle paths. If they’re going to be allowed to share the road make them get licenses, registrations and frickin insurance. Them make them obey traffic signals, right of wa, etc.

I think you missed the point, Cardin wants a bike / pedestrian lane(s) added back to the bridge design.
I think most people see that as wasteful spending, catering to a very small minority that would want to ride or walk across the bridge.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

I'd prefer they apply the 75mil to replacement of the ####ing bridge with a new span with more than one lane each way.

Especially when they're gouging everyone for $6 to cross the ####'n thing.

Here's a kicker for y'all-there's no federal road money available unless the plans include bike lanes and/or pedestrian lanes. That's why you're getting all these strangely placed bike lanes.

 

[ltown81]

The new bridge is supposed to be steeper. How many people can physically peddle/walk across it. If the intention is to add it for federal funding, then when it is not used make it a lane or something great...just infer it a little better. Acting like no bike lane will hurt the local community is immediatly ignorant to anyone who has been to that area and knows it is not reasonably bikeable or walkable. And the new bridge isn't gonna magically spur development that one that has been there for 70 years has not.

 

[officeguy]

In a nutshell, Hogan initially pledged that the bridge would have 4 traffic lanes and a "separate trail for non-vehicular traffic." Later, the state pulled backed on this feature.

They pulled back because they are not insane and hostage to the liberal mind disease that thinks money grows on trees

It's not like folks working at Dahlgren will say 'hey, look at this bikepath. I can live in Bel Alton and take the bike to work'.

The Florida International University bridge collapse should have taught us that it is dangerous to involve the climate change loons into civil engineering projects.

 

[officeguy]

The new bridge is supposed to be steeper.

The opposite is true. The bridge will be lower and have a much more gradual incline than the existing span. Getting the USCG to back away from their requirement to have the bridge suitable for a tall ship was the biggest achievement to lower the cost . The only commercial river traffic are tug&barge operations. There are no destroyers going in and out of the Navy Yard to get cannons fitted.

 

[BernieP]

The opposite is true. The bridge will be lower and have a much more gradual incline than the existing span. Getting the USCG to back away from their requirement to have the bridge suitable for a tall ship was the biggest achievement to lower the cost . The only commercial river traffic are tug&barge operations. There are no destroyers going in and out of the Navy Yard to get cannons fitted.

Is the Navy Yard anything more than a crappy office space for NAVSEA and the Naval District - home to another Admiral and his staff.