Bicycle Master Plan Staff Report released

Fairfax County staff have released the Staff Report that contains their analysis of the Bicycle Master Plan which includes the Bicycle Master Plan Attachment, Bicycle Network Map Attachment, and Trails Plan Map Attachment. Public hearings on the plan are scheduled for October 1 before the Planning Commission and October 28 before the Board of Supervisors.

Adoption of this first-ever bike plan will be a major milestone for cycling in Fairfax. We are encouraging all residents to sign the FABB Bicycle Master Plan petition and to attend the public hearings.

From the Staff Report (emphasis added):

The bicycle facility and policy recommendations included in this Comprehensive Plan amendment represent a shift in how bicycle planning and design will be approached in Fairfax County. Moving forward, it is assumed and expected that bicycles will be treated as valid users of the roadway and accommodated as a necessary element of all roadway improvement projects. Private and public development along roads included within the Countywide Bicycle Network will be expected to contribute to the vision of a place that meets the needs of bicyclists today while encouraging more people to ride in the future.

This expectation is fully consistent with direction established in the county’s adopted Transportation element of the Policy Plan, VDOT’s Statewide Bicycle Policy Plan, and other local, regional, state, and national documents. The information in the Fairfax County Bicycle Master Plan provides direction and guidance on how to implement policies already established and adopted at the highest levels of Fairfax County and VDOT.