OCEAN CITY – Efforts to secure a national designation, as well as a discussion on bicycle and pedestrian safety in neighboring communities, highlighted a resort committee meeting this week.
In a meeting of the Ocean City Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee on Wednesday, President Paul Mauser announced the town has yet to receive news on efforts to secure a Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) designation.
“They say early November on their application, but I searched everywhere and could not find there were any announcements made,” he said.
In August, the town submitted its application to become a Bicycle Friendly Community, a national designation program that provides guidance to cities and towns wishing to develop a bikeable community.
For Ocean City, the BFC designation aligns with its efforts to establish a continual bike route along the resort’s side streets and minimize the need for bicycles to interact with vehicles on major roadways throughout town.
Since Mauser first presented the program to resort leaders last year, officials have taken necessary steps to achieve the BFC designation. They argued the designation could enhance the town’s ability to secure grants for bike-friendly projects, as well as benefit tourism and the town’s reputation as a green community.
But gaining entrance into the program is challenging. As of 2018, more than 850 communities have applied, and 431 have been awarded a bronze, silver, gold or platinum designation, according to the Bicycle Friendly Community website.
Mauser told the committee this week he was hoping the town would know more information in the coming month.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t heard back yet,” he said. “I would certainly expect by our next meeting we’ll have news.”
Mauser also told members this week he would like to spend the winter months building a website for the committee, which would contain information on bike and pedestrian projects in town, maps of resort bike routes, committee bylaws and more.
“I think a good project for this group for the wintertime would be developing our online presence, at least establishing a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee website …,” he said. “I would like to put this on our next agenda.”
The idea was supported by members of the committee as well as by Worcester County residents Patti Stevens and Martha Denk, who attended this week’s meeting in search of ideas to support countywide bike and pedestrian safety efforts.
Stevens, an Ocean Pines resident, said she and Denk were hoping synergy between the town and neighboring communities would help to improve safety among bicyclists, pedestrians and drivers.
“Most people aren’t just riding in one jurisdiction, they are also riding from one place to another …,” she said. “It seems like we can begin to build those connections.”
Denk, a West Ocean City resident who lives off Keyser Point Road, said she was concerned with the lack of infrastructure for those biking or walking in the areas of Keyser Point, Center Drive and Golf Course Road.
“We have a few more lights and we have a sign,” she said. “But kids can’t get to the school because there’s no bicycle path, there’s no walkway. They don’t even cut the grass half the time.”
Denk said she had hoped attending the resort committee meeting would lead to ideas and suggestions she could bring back to the West Ocean City Pedal and Pedestrian Committee, a group of residents and business owners who advocate for a more bikeable and walkable community through education, outreach, improved infrastructure and political action.
“We just feel like we don’t want to wait until somebody has a serious accident before we look into it,” she said. “You guys have been doing so good, and we’re so small I just thought I wanted to see what was going on with what you all are doing. I’ll take that back to my little committee, and we’ll continue until we feel like we have something to offer to this.”
Committee members noted they were able to complete several bicycle and pedestrian initiatives in Ocean City with the support of the Mayor and Council, several resort departments and the residents.
State Highway Administration Assistant District Engineer Jana Potvin encouraged Denk and Stevens to reach out to county representatives and departments.
“There’s got to be commitment from the residents and the local government as well …,” she said. “They need to be part of the solution.”