FABB Blog

This is the first of three reports.

One week ago students across Fairfax County hopped out of the Kiss & Ride or left their buses empty. Instead, they put on a helmet or walking shoes and joined in the 2017 National Bike to School Day. Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) had 78 registered events. Was your school one of them? 

This year saw the most Fairfax County schools that have ever registered. About 40% of all Fairfax County schools held Bike to School Day events while the 78 registered events represented one-third of all such activities in Virginia.  

Bike trains were rolling all over the county last Wednesday. Some had Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) Bike Patrol escorts while others were assisted by FCPD patrol cars stopping traffic at busy intersections.   

It was only five years ago that many local schools had no bike racks and did little to encourage students to bike. Unanimous support from both the FCPS School Board and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors changed the tide. This ongoing support is now helping to encourage transportation choices that build healthy minds and bodies for our children.   

In the next reports FABB will profile a new bike train that sprang up this year near the Dunn Loring Metro station as well as the Town of Vienna's Bike/Walk Challenge for schools, which is now in it's 9th year.

Submitted by Jeff Anderson.