Friday, May 8, 2009
Citizens of bike-friendly communities most satisfied
In a survey recently commissioned by Greater Washington 2050, area citizens were asked: "In general, how would you rate the Washington region as a place to live? Excellent, good, fair, or poor?" The highest rankings went to the only bike-friendly communities in this area, Arlington (97% Excellent or Good), Alexandria (91%), and D.C. (86%). The community with the highest satisfaction ranking, Arlington, also has the highest bike-friendly ranking (Silver).It should be no surprise that people want options for getting around their communities. Bike-friendly communities are more likely to provide those choices. Bike facilities are not expensive when compared to mega-road projects. It's not a matter of spending more on transportation, it's a matter of spending smarter, putting funds where they make the most difference. We obviously need some road improvements, but those roads should be bike-friendly, complete streets.
For Fairfax County to be more competitive in the future, we need better, more mature transportation choices. As more people have options regarding how and where they work, they will have more flexibility in deciding where to live. Bikeable, walkable communities with a good quality of life will be much more attractive than spread-out communities having wide, high speed roads to move cars.
See the full results of the report: Priorities for a Growing Region: A Comprehensive Survey of Residents Conducted for the Greater Washington 2050 Coalition
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