Cycle Track Coming to Covington Street in Federal Hill and Riverside

The Covington Street Cycle Track/Bike Boulevard is coming soon to Federal Hill and Riverside with installation likely happening this summer. The project, led by the Baltimore City Department of Transportation’s (DOT) BikeBaltimore program, is part of the Baltimore City Bike Master Plan. The project is funded by a State Highway Administration grant.

The Covington Street Cycle Track connects to an under-construction extension of the Gwynns Falls Trail along Key Hwy. adjacent to Rash Field (it is included in the reconstruction plans for the Key Hwy. and Light St. intersection). The cycle track travels from Key Hwy. to Randall St. It runs along Federal Hill Park, passes in front of Digital Harbor High School, and ends at Riverside Park.

Moving south, the cycle track from Key Hwy. to E. Cross St. will be a protected two-lane bike lane along the east side of the street. This section of Covington St. currently has angled parking on the west side, a southbound travel lane, and no parking against the curb on the east side.

Renderings courtesy of DOT

From E. Cross St. to Gittings St., Covington St. is a two-way street. The cycle track will not have dedicated bike lanes, but sharrows in the middle of the street. These are painted bike logos with arrows which will direct cyclists to ride in the right lane.

From Gittings St. to E. Clement St. there will be a painted southbound bike line and a sharrow in the driving lane for northbound travelers.

From E. Clement St. to Randall St. there will be sharrows in the right and left driving lanes.

The cycle track will not eliminate any parking spaces.

DOT held a community meeting last week to gather input on the project. Residents in attendance expressed a desire to see a new stop sign on Covington St. at E. Gittings St. which DOT is currently looking at. Attendees described the meeting to SouthBMore.com as “enthusiastic” and “surprisingly uncontroversial.”

District 11 Councilman Eric Costello told SouthBMore.com the following in an email:

“I am pleased that DOT agreed to my request to have multiple meetings with the community to discuss the proposed changes. Increasing bicycle infrastructure is absolutely critical as more and more of our residents rely on cycling on a daily basis for transportation to work, recreation, and other needs. That said, installation of additional bicycle infrastructure must be done carefully in areas where we have severe parking issues like the South Baltimore.”

DOT is currently applying for grant funds to “establish a better conception between the Middle Branch trail and the Inner Harbor.” This would go through Solo Gibbs Park.

The South Baltimore Peninsula also has a bicycle “main route” on Fort Ave. which includes painted bike lanes form Jackson St. to Fort McHenry. There is also a bicycle trail on Key Hwy. from Anthem House to McComas St.

Port Covington has a growing network of bike paths and lanes, and an additional trail network has been proposed along the train tracks in Locust Point.

The South Baltimore Peninsula currently has five Baltimore Bike Share stations.

Form the Baltimore City Bike Master Plan (click to enlarge)

 

 

via http://www.southbmore.com/2018/05/14/cycle-track-coming-to-covington-street-in-federal-hill-and-riverside/