Parking wrong on Roland Avenue will cost you $75
DOT plans signage and friendly warning cards to aid Roland Parkers on their learning curve about the do’s and don’ts of parking next to the new cycle track
Above: A cyclist (seen in the distance in red) has chosen to steer clear of the zig-zag parking in front of Eddie’s on Roland Avenue.
Judging by the number of cars still parked along the curb on Roland Avenue – instead of in the new “floating lane” closer to moving traffic – drivers in North Baltimore have not quite embraced the controversial new cycle track.
City transportation officials say there will be “a few weeks grace period” as they try to educate drivers about the new infrastructure, intended to open up a safe space for bikers between parked cars and the curb.
But after the mercy, get ready for the hammer:
The fine for parking in the bike lane will be $75.
“We are attending the Parking Enforcement roll call on Monday and Tuesday to explain the new parking pattern and how after the grace period, we will need to start issuing tickets for vehicles parked in the bike lane,” wrote DOT’s Kohl Fallin in an email to community members sent earlier this week.
Potential hazards that face bicyclists who use the curbside cycle track on Roland Avenue: leaves in the fall, snow in the winter and periodic stormwater runoff year-around. (Photo by Mark Reutter)
Fallin’s memo explains what the city is doing to smooth the transition to the newly configured stretch of Roland between Northern Parkway and Cold Spring Lane.
Outreach and Enforcement
Here’s the full text that was posted by Roland Park Civic League president Chris McSherry on the neighborhood listserv:
I know there has been a lot of frustration around the learning curve for parking and the new cycle track this past week. Please keep in mind the striping and signage are not complete. That said, we have been working to coordinate education, outreach and enforcement for the new parking pattern that’s being put in for Roland Avenue. The below outlines the plan as succinctly as possible for the next few weeks.
• Social media/electronic education: We will be releasing a traffic advisory about the project and the new way to park on Roland Avenue early next week. We will be including the below video in the Traffic Advisory, on our Facebook Page, DOT web page and City web page to provide a short visual that shows how to park next to the new bike lane. We can provide a full advisory message on Monday for the community leaders to circulate.
https://vimeo.com/20302720
• Temporary signage: We will have temporary signage put on traffic cones in the buffer. These signs will only be out for 2-3 weeks until we can get the flex posts up and/or people learn the new parking pattern. We expect to have the temporary signage out where striping has already occurred within a week.
• Education and outreach, prior to enforcement: We are issuing a few week grace period for people to learn the new parking pattern before issuing citations. In the meantime, we are developing small cards that can be placed under windshield’s [stet] of folks who park in the bike lane by Parking enforcement officers or volunteers. The cards will be friendly, non-legal warnings that will explain the grace period and have an info graphic of how to properly park next to the new bike lane. We can also have the community associations and schools circulate it to parents and neighbors. We will be setting the grace period date on Monday and will circulate that with an update then as well.
• Enforcement: We are attending the Parking Enforcement roll call on Monday and Tuesday to explain the new parking pattern and how after the grace period, we will need to start issuing tickets for vehicles parked in the bike lane. The fine for parking in the bike lane is $75.
The BCDOT will send an advisory and details on the grace period for enforcement on Monday.