Connecting Columbia By Bike and On Foot: What Do You Think?
Connecting Columbia project will improve town's pathways, according to Columbia Association.
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The Columbia Association will hold two open houses this week to kick off its Connecting Columbia project to make the city more accessible to pedestrians and bike riders.
The gatherings will be held from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Jan. 10, at the Owen Brown Community Center, 6800 Cradlerock Way; and from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Jan. 11, at Slayton House, 10400 Cross Fox Lane.
The goal of Connecting Columbia is to create an improved biking and walking pathway system that will lead to improved quality of life in health and recreation, according to association officials.
The improved network would also create alternate transportation opportunities for residents.
Both meetings will feature the same information. A brief presentation introducing the project team and describing the project, goals and objectives will be held around 8 p.m.
Community members are invited to stop in any time during the open house to learn more about the project and suggest ideas for improving walking and bicycling opportunities in Columbia, and especially to the association's 93.5-mile pathway system.
Before and after the formal presentation, information stations will be available for residents to make suggestions and recommendations.
In October, the association awarded the contract for the project to Toole Design Group, a nationally recognized planning and engineering firm specializing in bicycle and pedestrian planning and design, according to the statement.
A 16-member citizens’ task force has also been formed to provide guidance to the association and consultants as they work to create what the association is calling an "active transportation action agenda."
The project is expected to be completed by June 2012.
For questions about the open houses, contact Scott Templin at
410-715-3166 or Scott.Templin@ColumbiaAssociation.com.
Maggie J. Brown Award Recognizes Teen Community Service
The Columbia Association Maggie J. Brown Spirit of Columbia Scholarship Award is given annually to Columbia high school seniors who have shown exceptional effort in providing community service to benefit Columbia residents and those in the Columbia area.
The association has been recognizing high school seniors for outstanding service to their community for more than 20 years.
This year up to six, $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to graduating high school seniors who live on association-assessed property or have a parent who works full time on association-assessed property; have a minimum of a C average and have a demonstrated history of voluntary service to the Columbia community.
Applications are available online at ColumbiaAssociation.org/.
Completed applications must be submitted by March 15, 2012.
For more information, call 410-715-3161.
Brook Hubbard
5:18 am on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
This is a very good idea, but does have one downside: policing. My crime alerts show me that many crimes happen at common bike/walking paths, even in the afternoon or dusk. Being away from the presence of other drivers makes it easier to prey on people unseen. Will we see an increase in police presence or some sort of camera system to guarantee safety on these paths?
Karin Emery
8:15 am on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
I would really like to see a plan that allows bikers and pedestrians to exist together. The cyclists (including myself) try to be polite and not scare walkers for the most part, but the walkers should not be forced off the path to make way for the bikes and that happens a lot. As a pedestrian I've given dirty looks to cyclists when I hear someone yelling "Excuse Me!! On your left!" and I scurry off to the grass with my dog. As a cyclist I try very hard to give plenty of warning that I'm coming and that I'll go around the pedestrian, but inevitably they hop in the grass along the path anyway and I ride away feeling badly that they felt they had to do that. I've also seen cyclists traveling at high speeds around lakes and ponds and near adjacent tot lots - which is incredibly dangerous. It's incredibly unsafe for the cyclist out on the road with cars and trucks - where cars are traveling at high speeds and not always aware of the cyclist. I saw a cyclist on Thunder Hill Road yelling at a driver while stopped at a light for nearly colliding with the cyclist as he whizzed by. I like to see my neighbors out and about, walking and biking, but I think we need to make the cyclist/pedestrian relationship more harmonious, as well as the car/cyclist relationship.