Maryland lawmakers to discuss legislation that would provide more protection for bicyclists

BALTIMORE - Congestion is common along Gwynns Falls Parkway. There are two lanes, often packed with commuters in a rush.

"If anything, we need to widen the streets, not make it more narrow," said Lawrence Bell,  a representative for Gwynns Falls neighborhood.

Gwynns Falls residents have spoken out about the busy street, especially against activists, including Bikemore, who are pushing to add bike lanes along the road. 

Bell says adding bike lanes means narrowing the road and eliminating parking spots and it will only create more chaos during rush hour.

 "We feel that it's dangerous because it violates the international fire code that says streets should be 20 to 25 feet wide at least and we have ambulances and firetrucks that can't get through."

But Susan Cohen says bike lanes could be the difference between life or death.

Her son, Nathan Kransopler, was a 20-year-old student at Johns Hopkins University when he was killed while riding a bicycle on University Parkway 13 years ago.

Cohen says the driver, an 83-year-old woman, turned across the bike lane and collided with her son.

He died a few months later.

"He died of a brain injury, lack of oxygen to the brain, and because of that, it's very difficult that such a smart person died by losing his brain," Cohen said.

Data shows 650 cyclists were involved in car crashes in Maryland last year. Eleven of them were deadly.

Activists from Bikemore say any number over zero is too high.

"Vulnerable people exist too and are on the roadways too and they deserve to be safe," said Jed Weeks, from Bikemore.

Legislation is headed to state lawmakers in Annapolis.

The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Memorial Act would provide the same protection to users of bike lanes that exist for pedestrians using crosswalks. 

The bill is named after a Bethesda woman who was hit and killed by a flatbed truck while riding her bike home from a back-to-school event.

Cohen says if the bill passes, she hopes this will make drivers think twice while on the road.

"It's important for road users to understand that those that are outside of a vehicle need to be, there's a duty of care to those individuals," Cohen said.

Bikemore sent WJZ this statement about bike lanes for Gwynns Falls Parkway: "We have not advocated for bike lanes on Gwynns Falls Parkway. We supported a city proposal for a shared use walking and biking trail in the median, which was supported by a majority of community meeting attendees during outreach. It would not have affected travel lanes or fire clearance. The city did not move forward with that proposal and we haven't pushed for any alternatives like bike lanes." 

The bills are set to go before the House and Senate on Thursday.