FABB Blog

More than half of the speakers wanted better bicycle, pedestrian, and transit solutions. Roger Deitrick and David Dixon of the Sierra Club testified as did Fionnuala Quinn and myself from FABB, Pat Turner of BikeLoudoun, and Jenifer Madden of the Tysons Metrorail Station Access Management team. Chairman Bulova, Supervisor McKay and several other speakers stressed the need to fund Tysons access projects, including those in the Tysons Bicycle Master Plan.

Notably, even Sen. Tom Coburn - author of the last attack on TE - specifically noted in his floor speech supporting McCain’s language that “this is not about attacking the bicycle community.” He also seemed to commend McCain for excluding from his measure the active transportation elements of TE that Coburn said appear to be important to many people. (That means he got an earful from a lot of walking and biking advocates last time around!)

Goal 1: Increase the use of bicycling in Virginia to include a full and diverse range of the population for all trip purposes „

Goal 2: Improve safety and comfort of bicyclists throughout Virginia, reduce bicycle crashes

However, further guidance is needed to determine the appropriate type or level of bicycle accommodation that may be needed in different roadway environments. This is a particular issue for large suburban roadways because land use changes due to development create an even greater need for non-motorized transportation accommodations and safety countermeasures.

This should include strategies to ensure that piecemeal development results in bicycle facilities that are contiguous and functional in both the short- and long-term, see example policies and procedures in Appendix A.

During road construction and rehabilitation projects, VDOT will investigate nearby bicycle facility connections and make all reasonable attempts to close gaps and facilitate transitions between different bikeway types.

VDOT will study and, where appropriate, implement new types of bikeways that are being used effectively in other jurisdictions, including bike signals, bike boxes, cycle tracks, buffered bike lanes, contra-flow bike lanes, and bike boulevards, among others.

VDOT should establish benchmarks needed for future tracking of bicycle-related implementation efforts and changes in ridership numbers over time. Measures that can be considered include the number of bikeway miles implemented, the number of bicycle crashes, the number of bicycle parking spaces, percentage of students bicycling to school, and other measures.

VDOT should establish a long-term pedestrian and bicycle facility inventory and counting program, in coordination with towns and cities, Regional Planning Commissions, Planning District Commissions, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations.

VDOT should consider issuing an Instructional and Informational Memorandum (IIM) that encourages the inclusion of bike lanes during road reconstruction and resurfacing projects by narrowing travel lanes to 10-foot (where possible). This IIM should explain when 10-foot and 11-foot wide travel lanes can be utilized without decreasing safety for motorists

Police in Vienna, Virginia say they have recovered quite a few stolen bikes. But no one has come forward to claim them. The bikes have generally been found around town, recovered by an officer and then stored at Vienna Police Heaquarters.

A recovery database for stolen bike exists, but police can’t track down the owners if they have not contacted police or registered the serial number. In such cases, the bike is placed into storage.

Police now have what they describe as "a large number of unclaimed bicycles.”

They’re hoping the rightful owners will come and pick them up. But as one might expect, there is a decided emphasis on “rightful.”

At the end of a long trail ride, my friend and I faced the daunting challenge of getting from Accotink Creek to the Franconia-Springfield Metro station by bicycle. We soon found out that Old Keene Mill Road in Springfield has a long way to go before it is fully accessible for all users. Sidewalks, at the very least, are needed.

At its meeting today, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors named Tom Biesiadny director of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT). He will assume his new position on Oct. 24.

FCDOT provides public transportation services including the Fairfax Connector and other transit, highway, pedestrian and bicycle facilities and information for those who live, work, travel or do business in the county. It oversees projects including long-range transportation planning and funding and coordinates on regional initiatives, such as the Dulles Rail project.

Biesiadny has worked for FCDOT since 1988 and is currently the department’s acting director. Prior to that he was chief of the Coordination and Funding Division. In that position, he coordinated between FCDOT and other state and regional transportation and air quality agencies. He also served as the county’s transportation lobbyist at the Virginia General Assembly, monitored federal legislation and chaired regional staff supporting the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. He oversaw project funding through grants, legislation, bond issues and tax districts and negotiated agreements for funding transportation projects.

Biesiadny also has been Fairfax County’s liaison to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) and the Virginia Railway Express (VRE). His Fairfax County recognitions include the A. Heath Onthank Award (the highest honor Fairfax County bestows on its employees), a Transportation Advisory Commission Award and several outstanding performance awards.

His prior FCDOT positions include chief of the Coordination and Funding Section; head of the Liaison and Contract Services Section; head of the Liaison and Technical Analysis Section; and a transportation planner. He began his career as a transportation planner with the city of Port Authur, Texas.

Biesiadny received a bachelor’s degree in transportation, with a minor in management, from Parks College of Saint Louis University, Cahokia, Ill.

He is a resident of Fairfax. His salary will be $147,270.

TRAFFIC/INFRASTRUCTURE: Long term we need to be focused on modes of transportation other than cars. To that end, we must complete the Silver line to Dulles Airport and expand bus service on the HOT Lanes. Land use decisions need to consider public transit and pedestrian and/or bicycling routes. One simple solution for Braddock residents is to link the Burke VRE station to the over 75 miles of bike and pedestrian trails that exist within a 3-mile radius of the station.

GROWTH: We need light rail, modern rail that is quieter than buses, and can travel 70 miles per hour on the beltway, on all major right-of-ways, like Little River Turnpike, Braddock Road, Route 50, rail along Columbia Pike. Greatly expanded rail should be accompanied by bike lanes, and pedestrian friendly communities. The new bike rental program that is so successful in Washington D.C. and Arlington must be expanded across Fairfax County. We need smarter, more intelligent choices for future development.

TRAFFIC/INFRASTRUCTURE: There are four broad categories of critical infrastructure needs in Fairfax County School renovations, road construction and maintenance, storm water facilities, and a new public safety complex. There are additional needs for parks, libraries, trails, and other county buildings.

It will be imperative that good bike facilities be provided to link the most popular paved trail in Northern Virginia, the W&OD Trail, to the future stations. The connections should reduce conflicts with people walking to and from the stations. The W&OD Trail will also likely need to be widened in the near future. It is currently being used to capacity on most fair weather weekends and there are already many conflicts between cyclists traveling at different speeds, pedestrians, runners, and others. The road crossings on the Trail could be made safer by having raised crosswalks that force motorists to slow down.

Where the W&OD Trail crosses Wiehle Ave near the Sunset Hills Rd intersection, not far from the future Reston-Wiehle Ave station, is one of the most dangerous locations in Fairfax for bicyclists and pedestrians. A bridge over, or tunnel under Wiehle Ave would be a major improvement. Prohibiting right on red at the Wiehle/Sunset Hills intersection would also help cyclists and pedestrians trying to reach the station. A bike box, which would allow bicyclists to cue up in front of traffic, would also help; it’s a short ride to the station entrance from Sunset Hills Rd.

The last stop of the tour was the Herndon-Reston West station, current site of the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride lot. This is another example of good bike parking, with several inverted U racks and bike lockers. Bikes on the roads approaching the station in the south, on Sunrise Valley Dr, and on the north, on Herndon Parkway, will provide good bicycle access to these stations. The Town of Herndon is even considering creating cycletracks on Herndon Parkway.

The ride was a good chance to enjoy a beautiful Fall day seeing firsthand what bike access is like today, and envisioning a bike-friendly future.

County planners want to make Fairfax a more bicycle-friendly place. They want residents to have more choices for getting around rather than having to rely on cars for most of their trips. Using bicycles for short trips is a healthy transportation option and a proven way to relieve traffic congestion and reduce air pollution. It’s also an easy way to save money. The county is currently developing a bicycle master plan.

The plan is structured around several major areas of emphasis, often referred to as the 5 E’s: Engineering (bike lanes, trails, bike racks), Education (bike safety classes in school, adult bike ed, motorist education), Encouragement (events such as Bike to Work Day to encourage more people to ride), Enforcement (for motorists and bicyclists), and Evaluation & Planning (counting bicyclists, tracking planning goals and milestones).

 A major part of the planning process is to hear from local bicyclists about where they would like to ride and how their trips can be made more safe and convenient. Is there enough bike parking in the community? Is the parking the proper type, such as inverted U racks which are a standard in many communities? What are your top priorities for making biking better? I

f you’d like to help Fairfax become a more bike-friendly place, come out to Sunrise Valley Elementary School on Thursday evening and participate in the discussion. For more information about the planning process see the Bicycle Master Plan website.

Two cyclists claim they saw a case of road rage this week on the George Washington Parkway.

A driver in a gold Cadillac Seville caused an accident Sunday morning that seriously injured cyclist Phil Hepburn of Alexandria, and then fled the scene, said two of his cycling companions, Max Rogozinski of Woodbridge and Jim Strang of Fairfax County.

"There was no doubt he was either trying to scare us and went too far or actually was doing it just to hurt someone," said Rogozinski.

Hepburn was hospitalized after falling under the car, which pulled over and braked in front of him and four other cyclists, according to Rogozinski and Strang. In the fall, Hepburn fractured his hip socket and pelvis area, they said.

Fairfax County Police spokesman Officer Bud Walker on Friday referred all questions about the case to the U.S. Park Police. A call to a U.S. Park Police spokesman was answered by a voice mail message that did not leave an after-hours phone number. A U.S. Park Police news blog does not mention the incident.

"I've been cycling in the area for 40 years and I've seen some aggression, but never to this extent," said Strang, owner of Spokes Etc., a group of bicycle shops in Northern Virginia.

Vienna Police are looking for a female driver who allegedly hit a youth bicyclist on Maple Avenue and then fled. Police said Wednesday a white Honda Civic with Maryland license plates struck a juvenile bicyclist around 3:45 p.m. Sept. 29 at the intersection of Maple Avenue SE and the Washington and Old Dominion Trail.

 The crash left the bicyclist with only minor injuries, police said. The only description police have of the driver is she was a Hispanic woman. Any residents who have more information or may have witnessed the incident should contact MPO Sheeran at jsheeran@viennava.gov or 703-255-7826.

WE’RE LOOKING FOR THE ULTIMATE UTILITY BIKE FOR MODERN LIVING!

The Oregon Manifest Constructor’s Design Challenge is a one-of-a-kind design/build competition, in which some of the country’s best custom bike craftsman and select student teams vie to create the ultimate modern utility bike.

 OUR MISSION IS THREEFOLD

FIRST, to inspire and foster real design innovation around a bike that recognizes the needs of modern living. SECOND, to celebrate and champion the resurgence of American craft—bicycle craft in particular. THIRD, to show riders and enthusiasts that a well-crafted bicycle isn’t just for sport and recreation, but can also be a tool integrating seamlessly into everyday life.

In a world of skyrocketing gas prices and diminishing oil reserves, the option of discarding the Range Rover in favor of a bicycle doesn't seem that ridiculous—especially if it is a bright magenta bicycle with an electric assist, a stereo and a lockable metal box. A bike fitting that description won the title of "ultimate modern utility bike" at last month's Oregon Manifest's national bicycle design competition and grueling 50-mile course.

Presided over by judges including Nike innovation chief Tinker Hatfield (an Air Jordan designer), Breezer Bikes founder Joe Breeze, Design Within Reach head Rob Forbes and Bicycling magazine editor Bill Strickland, the challenge included hauling boxes and groceries over patches of gravel and up 3,000-foot-elevation hills to test their contraptions.

The winner: that magenta model with a sound system (including an amplifier and speakers) fed from an iPhone that also serves as a navigation and communication device, and an electric assist battery for tough pedaling reprieves, by Portland, Ore., custom-bike builder Tony Pereira (see sidebar for other entries and details). Second place went to a retro-looking bike that had an extended back topped by a seat with a leather cushion and handlebars and foot rests for the passenger, made by industrial designer Silas Beebe and bike builder Rob Tsunehiro.

Clad in snappy white matching Pearl Izumi bikewear, Mr. Paul said he “dared” his GOP rivals to break from the campaign trail for time on the bike paths.

"In 1969, 60 percent of children bike or walked to school. Today, only 13 percent," said Anderson, who began Wolfie's Bike Train and continues to lead it. "It's another tree in the forest of things we're trying to reinstill in our children ... namely a healthy lifestyle, eating well, getting out and walking." 

At Kilmer Middle School — which received a new set of bike racks for its growing population of student bike commuters last June — school staff ran out of the "tickets" they gave to each child that walked or biked to school. The students wrote their name on the ticket and hung it on a banner, in exchange for a granola bar and a bottle of water. "We have a lot of students that just get dropped off by their parents and they live close enough to walk or ride," said Kilmer Middle School employee Brian Herberger. "It seemed like we should encourage them to get some fresh air and get some exercise."

 For Vienna Elementary School, this year's International Walk To School Day kicked off a new program called "Walking Wednesdays," a day that will encourage students to walk to class every week. Caffe Amouri donated coffee to parents who dropped their kids off on foot.

We are excited to launch our brand new website of resources on bike and walking today! The new site was created for advocates, planners, and enthusiasts that want to make lasting change where they live, work, and play. On this new site you will be able to find:

• News and Current Topics 
• Case Studies 
• Expert Voices 
• Planning Resources 
• Assessment Tools 
• Event Ideas 
• Live News Feeds from Organizations 
• Glossary of Related Terms 

Over the past year, interested parents, citizens and representatives of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB), Washington Area Bicycling Association (WABA) and Trails for Youth have been meeting with leaders from Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the FCPS School Board, the FCCPTA and the Fairfax County Education Coalition (FEC) to encourage FCPS to address the decline in children walking and biking to school.

As a result of these meetings FCPS is embracing a system wide promotion of International Walk to School Day on October 5, 2011. Students in Fairfax County public schools will participate in International Walk to School Day in an effort to promote physical activity and reduce traffic congestion and pollution near schools.

Superintendent Jack D. Dale and Fairfax County Executive Tony Griffin are joining forces to encourage county residents to participate in International Walk to School Day. “Walking is a simple way to incorporate physical activity into your day,” said Dale. “We encourage all FCPS students and families to participate in this day and to use walking or biking as a means of getting to school whenever possible.”

All students at all school levels are encouraged to walk or bike to school or walk to their bus stop on October 5. Parents are encouraged to accompany their children to school and to work with their school and PTA or PTO to assemble walking groups for the event. Schools that want to participate can register online at the Walk to School website.

We need your assistance in getting the word out so that local schools can join with the 6 that have already signed up and started their planning for International Walk to School Day. In addition, the FCCPTA passed a resolution earlier this year in support of Safe Routes to School.

In 1969, approximately 50% of children walked or bicycled to school and 87% of children living within one mile of school did. Today, fewer than 15% of school children walk or bicycle to school. As a result, kids today are less active, less independent, and less healthy. So as to better understand how to find solutions to this 35% decrease, FCPS has created a Safe Routes to School working group made up of FCPS and County employees, members of the community from the groups mentioned and the Fairfax County Police Department.

Wolftrap Elementary School and Vienna Elementary School are two of several Fairfax County public schools to establish a Safe Routes to School program and participate in bike and walk to school initiatives. Wolftrap began its program with general bike and walking education for all students, moved its Kiss and Ride drop off and pick up spots in order to separate automobile traffic from pedestrian traffic and established a monthly run Wolfie's bike train where students bike to school together when weather permits. Vienna is embarking on a plan to create Walking Wednesdays and has applied for a grant to install missing sidewalks along many of its walking routes.

Both combined efforts with Cunningham Park Elementary School in May 2011 to have a Bike and Walk to School Challenge between the three schools. Over the course of the week 400 children biked and 2100 walked to school and each school saw KissNRide drop off near 50%. Several public officials joined in during the week and some shared their perspective on walking to school. In addition, you can read about how the installation of a bridge near Kilmer Middle School ultimately led to more bikers and their PTA installing a rack.

For more information, read up on Safe Routes on the FABB site or see the FCPS Walk to School site and Fairfax SRTS Facebook page or contact srts@fabb-bikes.org.