Baltimore Ciclovía, Periodic Event or Established Program

It could have been via luck- something I never have- or chance that an invitation to a meeting on the 3rd Baltimore Ciclovía was extended to me. As I sat in a room of maybe a dozen people, among those who seemed to be of an exclusive group of appointed members, I learned so much more about ciclovias and the process than I anticipated. I entered knowing very little about what a ciclovia even was, but left with anticipation and excitement about the direction in which our city could be headed.

Two years ago, on October 25, 2009, Baltimore held it's first ciclovía, or Sunday Streets Program. It was the first city on the East Coast to launch ciclovía. Organized by The BMore Streets for People Coalition, this event was intended to spark interest within the city for hosting a series of ciclovías, perhaps every Sunday in the Summer, or a few Sundays in a year. Last October, the second event was hosted. Being scheduled on Halloween may have hurt the event more than they anticipated, but there is an opportunity to build even more support as they plan an event for May 15, 2011.

Ciclovía translates from Spanish to mean "bike path," but the programs of most ciclovías includes more than usage by bicycle. More than opening the streets for pedestrian use, the ciclovía is about closing the streets to automobile traffic. The Ciclovía, though a basic concept, is usually accredited back to Bogotá, Colombia. Having started in one city back in the 1980s, the ciclovía has come a long way. Today, there are a number of ciclovías throughout six countries across the world. At least 18 cities in the United States have held or continually hold ciclovía type events.

The main issues the advisory board of the Baltimore ciclovía encountered were of funding and security. The need for security seemed questionable by most in attendance, though it appears this is more a concern of the city than the board. And the need for funding was rooted mostly in the need for security. Without the cost for security, a ciclovía could afford operation with only the funding from the local businesses along the route. Though some businesses may be hesitent at first, they'll begin to notice increased sales due to the ciclovía.

At first, security might be a good idea. Drivers not expecting a road closure could get frustrated. Lack of proper barricading could leave pedestrians open to the risk of an accident. But with the right amount of barricading, which can be figured out by looking at the Baltimore marathon that closes down 26 miles of city streets, the need for strict security could be relaxed. And rather than pay police or crossing guards, the city could train STEOs (Special traffic enforcement officers). Cheaper, and easier than city police. Or, we could operate like Miami does, where Police Officers volunteer for these events.

By following the examples of Miami and other cities hosting ciclovías, it wouldn't take much to transform the Baltimore Ciclovía into a continuous event. In Portland, OR, residents enjoy Sunday Parkways. Funded by sponsors and donors, and held together by 300 volunteers, Sunday Parkways connects people from all neighborhoods.
In New York, rather than Sunday Streets, you'll find "Summer Streets", on 3 consecutive Saturdays in the Summer of 2010.

In 2008, San Francisco hosted its first ciclovia. For 2001, they already have 8 events planned. The San Francisco Sunday Streets program has an event each month. Like many others, this event relies on donations and volunteers in addition to sponsorship from the government.
With these, and many other precedents, it shouldn't be hard for Baltimore to build a program that endures. Last week, I knew virtually nothing about ciclovías. In one week, I have come to discover the wonderful benefits of holding ciclovías and have built great interest in promoting it in my own city.