The following report lists accomplishments related to Bicycle and Pedestrian infrastructure and related projects in the city of Bath, Maine. The Bath Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee works closely with municipal departments and other organizations to get this work done. We like to share Bath’s accomplishments each year, but somehow during all the disruption in March of 2020, we we never had an opportunity to share our 2019 accomplishments, so this report includes items from the past two years.

2020 Accomplishments

Sidewalk Construction and Maintenance

The Bath Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee works closely with Bath Public Works to prioritize the City’s sidewalk rehabilitation and new construction projects. 

• New sidewalk construction on Western Avenue near Dunkin Donuts
• New sidewalk construction on Congress Avenue at tennis courts
• Sidewalk rehabilitation on Spring Street
• Sidewalk rehabilitation on Crescent Street
• Engineering for new sidewalk on Crawford Drive (started)

Other Bicycle and Pedestrian Related Accomplishments

New 10 foot travel lanes

• High Street from route 1 south to Winnegance.
• Washington Street from Route 1 south. 

Downtown Bike Racks

Bike Safety Class for Bath Middle School students
The Committee organized a Bike Safety Class for all 6th graders at Bath Middle School scheduled for April/May 2020 in collaboration with BCM and volunteers. Due to COVID it was canceled and will be rescheduled.

Complete Streets Policy Updated
The Committee delivered an updated Draft of Complete Streets Policy for Adoption by Council

Crosswalk Survey
The committee completed a survey of 350 crosswalks in the city, assessing location, curb ramps, detectable warning fields, lighting and sight lines.

Partial Closure of Front Street 
During summer, parking on the west side of Front Street was eliminated to widen the walkway to ensure social distanced pedestrian traffic and to allow for popup parklets. 

Slow ME Down Campaign
We have signed onto the Bike Coalition of Maine’s Slow ME Down campaign and are encouraging all members of the Bath community to sign on to the campaign as well.

2019 Accomplishments

Sidewalk Construction and Maintenance – 2019

• Sidewalk rehabilitation on Clifton Street
• Sidewalk rehabilitation on Mechanic Street
• Path rehabilitation from Fisher Mitchell School to Middle Street
• Sidewalk rehabilitation on North Street from High Street to Washington Street
• New sidewalk construction on High Street from Marshall Street to Getchell Street
• Sidewalk rehabilitation on Oliver Street Circle

Other Bicycle and Pedestrian Related Accomplishments – 2019

Popup Bike Rack on Front Street
A temporary bicycle rack was placed in the 30 minute parking spot at the corner of Front and Centre Street, in celebration of National National Bike month, May 2019. The rack accommodated 6 – 8 bicycles and the usage was monitored by Bath Middle School Students, led by teacher Monica Wright. At the completion of the project,  students presented their findings to the committee and citizens at Bath City Hall.

Google Map of Bath Maine Bike Racks
Committee member Carl Zies developed a map of Bath that displayed the location of all bicycle racks within the city. 

Bike to Work Day: Community Ride
On Friday, May 17th, a bike ride was held to celebrate Bike to Work Day. Approximately 6 citizens participated in the ride. Departure was from the Bath YMCA at 7am. Cyclists were joined by 12 Bath Middle School Students who are learning bicycle safety skills, through the Riding For Focus Program, led by BMS teacher, Lawrence Kovacs. 

Committee Blog
Tim Blair, Committee Member, developed a Bike/Ped blog. The intent is to promote news, education, advocacy and issues of importance pertaining to pedestrian and bicycle activities in Bath.

Community Involvement Day
The Committee had a display at the 2019 Community Involvement Day. Due to rain, the event was held at the Bath Elks Club, instead of the usual, more scenic location  of Waterfront Park. Participation  in the day increases visibility of the committee and gives citizens the opportunity to voice concerns on bike/ped issues. 

Bath Safety Day
Bath Safety Day was held, Saturday, June 1st at the Water Street parking lot next to the Bath Police Department. Committee members assisted in fitting helmets, tuning up bicycles and directing a bicycle skills obstacle course.

[Event Announcement from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine]

The 20th anniversary of the Bicycle Film Festival is going virtual and arriving in Maine March 12-21, hosted by us, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine.

Have you bought your ticket yet?

Click here to get one now before it’s too late!

This year, BFF Maine is presenting an international selection of the most important short films from the BFF collection. Film fans and bicycle fans alike will enjoy and be moved by stories featuring:

A charismatic Ghanian immigrant in Amsterdam who teaches adult women refugees to ride bikes
The first BMX crew in Nigeria
A bird’s-eye view of a Black Lives Matter protest ride from NYC to Washington, D.C.
New York City through the lens of female bike messengers
The anguish of a father coping with the loss of his son
The struggle of a young woman and her bike in Iran
Cycle sport as relief from genocide

…And more!

BFF Maine will also include a panel discussion following the films, entitled “Everybody Bicycling Everywhere in Maine.” Maine is an amazing part of the world to explore by bicycle! We’ll be sharing resources, advice, and personal experiences that support newcomers to take a chance and try something new, or embolden more avid cyclists to push their boundaries. Topics will cover equipment, skills and safety, route development, commuting, bike-packing and touring, inclusion regardless of age or background, adaptive cycling for people with disabilities, and ideas for blending bicycling into everyday lives. Please join us to celebrate bicycling in Maine!

Wondering how a virtual film festival works? A ticket allows you to view this fantastic series of short films and the panel discussion at any time during the period of March 12 at 6 p.m. ET to March 21 at 11:59 p.m. ET streamed to your computer, tablet, or smart TV by simply clicking on the link provided via email after you purchase.

Ticket prices are on a sliding scale of $10-20, and all ticket prices provide the same content. The Bicycle Coalition of Maine receives a portion of the proceeds.

Buy tickets here

Find out more about BFF here

We hope you’ll join us for some fantastic films!

Interested in having someone make good use of a bicycle that you are no longer using?

Bath resident and retired physician, Mark Wheeler, has been collecting unwanted bicycles and repairing them for asylum seekers. In the past three years, he has delivered about 25 bikes to these appreciative people. Most of these bikes have found new homes in six households here in Bath. Several bikes have ended up in Brunswick.

If you have a bike you do not want and would like to donate it to this project, please call Mark at (207)443-5712.

Photos of Volunteers Preparing Bicycles for Asylum Seekers in the Bath and Brunswick Area Last Year

Several members of the Bath Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee are Community Spokes with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine (BCM). BCM hosts Community Spokes meetings to keep communities in touch with the latest information and to support statewide bicycle and pedestrian advocacy campaigns.

This post provides a few highlights from the April 14th Community Spokes session hosted on Zoom.

Community Projects

Demonstration Bike Rack, Bath, Maine

This demonstration was done in Bath by their Bike/ped Committee, using materials that BCM loaned them to make bike parking in a parking spot on Front Street in downtown Bath.

Traffic Calming Demonstration Projects, Yarmouth, Maine

Traffic calming is one of the most requested measures that communities are looking for, wanting to slow down speeding traffic. This project in North Yarmouth was called “Kite in Sight” – done by the Living Well Committee. This was a type of gateway treatment where eye-catching signage, or art, in this case, is placed on every road that enters the center of town. The slogan was: “Kite in Sight Please Slow Down.”

That campaign in North Yarmouth was followed up with traffic calming demonstration projects – setting up crosswalks, using planters to narrow the travel lanes, and enhance crosswalk visibility.

The data collected before the demonstrations were in place showed that only 33% of the drivers obeyed the speed limit. After the demonstrations were set up, 80% of drivers adhered to the speed limit. This shows how simple traffic calming measures can make a big difference in how fast people drive.

Biking Distance Recommendations

One guideline that continues to evolve during this pandemic is related to the distance we should keep when we are around others – varying from 6’ to 25’. The distance recommendations for when we are exercising outdoors has increased considerably. This illustration shows just how much of a footprint we leave in the air every time we expel air from our lungs through our nose and mouth. This image shows the cloud of droplets from exhaling during exercise which varies depending on the intensity of a person’s workout.

For the Latest COVID-19 Biking Safety Information please visit the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s Website.

Additional Information

Download Slides from April 14, 2020, BCM Community Spokes Meeting [PDF]

If you’ve had a chance to be outside over the past few weeks, you will have noticed a significant increase in the number Bath citizens out and about walking and biking.  One of the outcomes of people staying safe at home is that they are discovering the possibility of getting exercise and just enjoying the outdoors right where they live.  One of the benefits of living in Bath, Maine, is that we can do this simply by walking out our front door, and enjoying miles of roads, sidewalks and as well as access to trails in local preserves.

While it may be the case that vehicle traffic is reduced during this time, with an increase in walkers and bikers it’s important, now more than ever, that everyone involved be aware of some basic safety guidelines for biking and walking.

The following resources provided by the Bicycle Coalition of Maine only take a few minutes to review. Please share with your family and friends.

The Basics of Bicycle Safety

Be A Safe Bike Driver – 2 Page Handount [PDF]

The Basics of Pedestrian Safety

Be A Safe Walker – 2 Page Handout – PDF

On a recent episode of the (excellent) podcast 99 Percent Invisible, it was noted that transportation is the single greatest source of greenhouse gasses in the U.S.

It further discussed how buses are an effective, technologically feasible way of reducing these greenhouse gasses.

The Bath Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee works to improve the built environment for bicyclists, walkers, and runners in the City of Bath, Maine. As noted in the podcast, these facilities are a part of the overall transportation network, and buses are a part of this network as well.

In the City of Bath, the City Bus provides transportation from Monday through Friday from 8-5:30 p.m. on both a South and North Loop for $1 / ride.

The bus schedule, map, and additional information on bus operations can be found on the City of Bath website here: https://www.cityofbath.com/citybus

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This post authored by Committee Member, Anne Dunham

One of the goals of the Bath Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee is to make cycling a safe and pleasurable experience for Bath cyclists. Over the past month, three local cyclists have been involved in significant accidents.  Hopefully all involved will fully recover.

The Bike/Ped committee offers these reminders to cyclists of the basics of riding safety.

Wear a helmet!

• Maine State law states anyone under age 16 must wear a helmet.  No matter your age, wearing a helmet protects riders from serious head injury.
• Make sure the helmet fits properly and is certified with an appropriate sticker.

Obey the Rules of the road.

• Ride in a straight line and in single file if riding with a group.
• Always ride with traffic. Take the travel lane to set up for a left turn , to pass a vehicle or avoid an unsafe situation
• Use Hand signals. Extend left arm to signal a left turn, extend right arm to signal a right turn and left arm down to signal stop.
• Obey all traffic signs and signals! It’s the law!!
• Be alert and look ahead to avoid obstacles.
• Leave plenty of room when passing parked cars to avoid opening doors.
• Don’t ride on the sidewalk unless under the age of 12. It puts riders in a position where drivers and pedestrians are not expecting to see them.

Dress Brightly

• Wear brightly colored clothing and reflective materials so you may be easily seen
• Avoid loose fitting clothing, tuck in shoelaces and secure loose straps.
• Maine law requires a cyclist to have a headlight (visible for 200 ft.) and a rear reflector when riding after dark. These are good during the day also.

Quick Check of Bicycle

• Check tire air pressure. Proper pressure is indicated on the wall of the tire.
• Check you brakes. Properly functioning brakes are vital to insure safety. If you are unsure about the brake function, check with your local bike shop.
• Make sure your chain is clean and not rusty. After cleaning your chain some chain lube is a good idea.
• Give your bike a once over and make sure quick releases are secured.

Please be safe, responsible and enjoy your ride.

Happy Trails.
Bath Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee

Come visit the Bath Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee table on Citizen’s Involvement Day, October 12th at Waterfront Park and Register your Bike for Free with the Bath Police Department.

Bring your bike or if you can’t bring your bike, bring 1) the make of your bike and 2) the serial number (stamped into the metal under the bottom bracket).  If you cannot find the serial number there, you can refer to this image for other common locations for the serial number.

Having your bike registered means that if your bike is ever lost or stolen and then recovered, it can be returned to you.

For further information about registering your bike in Bath, Maine, call the Bath Police Department at (207)443-6154.

Bath Public Works recently completed new sidewalk construction on the East side of High Street between Getchell Street and Marshall Street.

Infrastructure is the built environment that supports our walking, running, and rolling transportation about the City.

North Street Sidewalk Updates

Since September 2019, renovations on the sidewalk on North Street between Middle Street and Washington Street has been completed. The north side of North Street features new asphalt sidewalks and curb cuts.

 

Results from Recent Transportation Studies

Results from several studies have been posted on the City of Bath website.

South End Transportation
Richardson and Western Traffic Calming