Maryland announces 28 Bikeways Program Grants winners

From the press release

As part of the O’Malley Administration’s Cycle Maryland Initiative, Governor Martin O’Malley today announces 28 winners of the Bikeways Program Grants.  The Maryland Bikeways Program, administered by the Maryland Department of Transportation, was established in November 2011 as a program to support planning, design and construction of projects that create and improve bicycle connections in Maryland to key destinations, like work, school and shopping.

Local projects getting funding include

• The 0.4 mile connection of Anacostia Tributary Trail to the Washington D.C. River Trail ($1,000,000 Bikeways funding in 2012, $500,000 Bikeways funding in 2013)  
• Feasibility assessment and preliminary design of WB&A Trail bridge over Patuxent River ($560,000)
• Three Notch Trail Phase VI construction,  through Mechanicsville ($470,000 Bikeways funding)
• Clopper Road sidepath closing gaps in Germantown ($100,000)
• Sidepath to close gap on River Road. Grant funding contingent on ROW acquisition by Montgomery County ($100,000)
• Woodglen Road bike lanes and sidepath in White Flint ($100,000)
• College Park Shared Lane markings near metro station and University ($58,000)
• Anacostia Tributary Trail wayfinding system design ($50,000)
• Path connection between Indian Head Rail Trail and town green and local businesses ($40,000)
• BWI trail signing and wayfinding enhancements ($30,000)
• Bike route connecting C&O trail, Brunswick MARC station through the town ($25,000)
• Signing bike routes connecting schools, shopping in Takoma Park. ($5,000)
• Lafayette Ave bike route to Laurel MARC ($4,000)

Comments

[T]

The sidepath on Clopper isn't even a MUP, it's a sidewalk. Again with the belief that sidewalks constitute "bike ways."

[TCE]

I don't know the specifics of the Clopper sidepath - but I am kind of amazed that the reaction is always "you haven't done enough" even though MD committed this funding (separate from TIGER/TE) and it is being spent on a lot of projects that eventually will improve the overall network.

Every once in a while shouldn't we recognize that something good is happening (compared to many states that almost go so far to discourage cycling) and at least be a little appreciative? If the reaction is consistently negative, what is the incentive for lawmakers to allocate funds for bike improvements in the future?