Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Responses to Board of Supervisors Candidate Survey
Dear Board of Supervisor Candidate,
Since 2005 Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling has been promoting bicycle engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation throughout Fairfax County. The Bicycle Master Plan, adopted by the Board of Supervisors in October 2014, contains ambitious recommendations for transforming Fairfax into a more bicycle-friendly community.
Unfortunately, Fairfax County has not provided adequate funding to implement the vision outlined in the Bicycle Master Plan. While significant engineering progress was made this year when several miles of bike lanes were implemented as part of the summer paving program, there is no dedicated funding for education, encouragement, and evaluation programs.
Better bicycling will attract new businesses, provide for safer routes to schools, reduce traffic, and promote a more active, healthier life style for ages 8 to 80. Beginning in 2016, our bicycle advocates will need the support of local elected officials to make meaningful changes in the county. Allocating scarce resources to implement the Bicycle Master Plan will benefit future generations and result in a safer, healthier, and more competitive communities.
So that our supporters and all county voters can be informed about your views and level of support for better bicycling, it would be greatly appreciated if you would complete, sign, date return the attached short survey to Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling, P.O. Box 3752, Reston, VA 20195 or chairman@fabb-bikes.org no later than October 20, 2015. We will compile and publish the survey results as a nonpartisan, educational tool before the November election. Please note that our 501(c)(3) status prohibits us from endorsing candidates and contributing to partisan election campaigns.
Should you have any questions please contact me at chairman@fabb-bikes.org.
Sincerely,
Bruce Wright, Chairman
1. Do you agree with the following statement? "I support safe bicycling as an integral part of the overall transportation options in Fairfax County.”
2. One of the recommendations of the Bicycle Master Plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors in October, 2014 is to “Allocate an annual budget dedicated to bicycle planning and programming initiatives, and small scale capital projects such as: installation of bicycle parking racks and lockers; signs for signed bicycle routes; curb ramps; and small bicycle and trail access projects.”
A. Do you support implementation of this recommendation?
B. If so, how will you support it?
3. Would you sponsor or support a motion for Fairfax County to seek recognition as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists?
4. The Bicycle Master Plan also recommends development of an encouragement and education program call Bike Fairfax with dedicated staff separate from the Bike Program staff. The program could be funded using Transportation Demand Management (TDM) and Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) sources. Will you support Bike Fairfax funding in the FY 2017 budget?
5. Please comment on your bicycling experiences and your efforts to support better bicycling to places of work, play, study, and worship.
Name:
Date:
Update: We received an additional response that was recently added to the others for a total of 12 of 19 who have responded.
Since 2005 Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling has been promoting bicycle engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation throughout Fairfax County. The Bicycle Master Plan, adopted by the Board of Supervisors in October 2014, contains ambitious recommendations for transforming Fairfax into a more bicycle-friendly community.
Unfortunately, Fairfax County has not provided adequate funding to implement the vision outlined in the Bicycle Master Plan. While significant engineering progress was made this year when several miles of bike lanes were implemented as part of the summer paving program, there is no dedicated funding for education, encouragement, and evaluation programs.
Better bicycling will attract new businesses, provide for safer routes to schools, reduce traffic, and promote a more active, healthier life style for ages 8 to 80. Beginning in 2016, our bicycle advocates will need the support of local elected officials to make meaningful changes in the county. Allocating scarce resources to implement the Bicycle Master Plan will benefit future generations and result in a safer, healthier, and more competitive communities.
So that our supporters and all county voters can be informed about your views and level of support for better bicycling, it would be greatly appreciated if you would complete, sign, date return the attached short survey to Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling, P.O. Box 3752, Reston, VA 20195 or chairman@fabb-bikes.org no later than October 20, 2015. We will compile and publish the survey results as a nonpartisan, educational tool before the November election. Please note that our 501(c)(3) status prohibits us from endorsing candidates and contributing to partisan election campaigns.
Should you have any questions please contact me at chairman@fabb-bikes.org.
Sincerely,
Bruce Wright, Chairman
Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling
November 2015 Candidates Survey
1. Do you agree with the following statement? "I support safe bicycling as an integral part of the overall transportation options in Fairfax County.”
2. One of the recommendations of the Bicycle Master Plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors in October, 2014 is to “Allocate an annual budget dedicated to bicycle planning and programming initiatives, and small scale capital projects such as: installation of bicycle parking racks and lockers; signs for signed bicycle routes; curb ramps; and small bicycle and trail access projects.”
A. Do you support implementation of this recommendation?
B. If so, how will you support it?
3. Would you sponsor or support a motion for Fairfax County to seek recognition as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists?
4. The Bicycle Master Plan also recommends development of an encouragement and education program call Bike Fairfax with dedicated staff separate from the Bike Program staff. The program could be funded using Transportation Demand Management (TDM) and Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) sources. Will you support Bike Fairfax funding in the FY 2017 budget?
5. Please comment on your bicycling experiences and your efforts to support better bicycling to places of work, play, study, and worship.
Name:
Date:
Labels: candidate survey, fairfax county board of supervisors
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