At their June meeting, the Executive Board of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland (TCCSMD) appointed Walter Roscello as chairman of the Bicycle Infrastructure Advisory Committee (BIAC).

A long-time resident of Charles County, Roscello has been an avid cycler since he was a teenager. Since 2005, Roscello turned this passion into advocacy when he began attending public hearings for roads projects and learned to reach out to legislators through the Bike Maryland annual legislative day.

In 2017, Roscello further expanded this advocacy when he became one of the founding members of the newly formed Bicycle Infrastructure Advisory Committee (BIAC).  After reviewing the goals of the committee, Roscello was excited that the committee could better address the “third factor” in Southern Maryland bicycling safety. According to Roscello, while bicycle and pedestrian safety campaigns usually focus on cyclist/pedestrian behavior, the third factor focuses on the built environment design to address safety, to increase access for all bicycling skills and to better connect different types of land uses with bicycle routes and trails.

“My goal/challenge for the BIAC is to ensure that we improve facilities for all types of cyclists: casual, recreational, utility (commuting and errands), and long-distance, as well as pedestrians. To serve that goal I plan to have the BIAC give equal attention to conditions in urbanized areas as well as trails,” Roscello said.

“What the BIAC should mean for the average citizen: working to have a safe non-motorized path wherever you want to go: from your doorstep to parks, shopping, recreation facilities, and out to the natural parts of our counties,” he continued.

TCCSMD established the BIAC to promote, plan, and implement bicycle and other non-motorized transportation in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties This group’s mission is to promote and increase bike trail connectivity throughout the southern Maryland region while increasing safety.

Regular meetings of the BIAC are held from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the offices of TCCSMD, located at 15045 Burnt Store Road, Hughesville, MD 20637. Meeting notices will be posted on TCCSMD’s website. Members of the public are encouraged to attend!