I used to ride my bike from UMBC to Maiden Choice on Wilkens Avenue to pick up groceries or the like and while it was a bit exciting at some times of day, I never considered it to be an excessively dangerous ride. In the last few years its become a death trap.

This evening Suzy and I tried to bike from Maiden Choice Lane to Valley Road. It may not seem like much of a trip but pretty much all of it was spent within 2 to 5 feet of 45 mph traffic on Wilkens Avenue in the dusk of 19:00 to 20:00, crossing four Baltimore Beltway ramps and bicycling under the overpass while traffic was being diverted onto the shoulder (with us) on the eastbound side.

At points I had to walk my bike due to a lack of ANY pedestrian-type markings. Sharing the road did not seem to be a smart option at any point.

All told our trip was about 4 miles per hour total speed. I did find a shortcut out of the hospital campus over a stream and through a garage-type facility, but it spit me out (on my bicycle) onto I-695 Southbound's construction area between Frederick Road and Wilkens Avenue. Not my first choice for the end of a shortcut, although it would be a perfect connection between Spring Grove and Kenwood Avenue if there was an overpass across the highway. Sadly, this part of Baltimore County was not built with pedestrians in mind. At all.

I apparently owe Suzy about a million beers and dinners out for saying "Oh, that's an easy bike ride," so we're off for some Chinese food.

Follow link to Wilkens Avenue is even worse than I remember it
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