Thursday, November 30, 2017
Participants Still Needed for Travel Study
Participants are still needed for a Virginia Tech study of non-motorized travel behavior in the DC Metro area. Participants will receive a $25 gift card. Use of an Android phone is required. For more information about the study and to sign up, visit http://www.uap.vt.edu/travelmood:Wednesday, November 22, 2017
FABB Needs You!
FABB volunteers have been an effective voice for more bike infrastructure, bike commuting, and education for bicyclists and motorists for many years. There is so much more we can do if more members get involved in our wide range of advocacy and supporting efforts.
Check out our new informational video and then send us a note.
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| FABB Needs You! |
Labels: video, volunteers
Rolling Road Public Hearing Next Week
Springfield-area FABB members have an excellent opportunity next week to speak up to make bicycling better in Fairfax County. VDOT is holding a public information meeting on Thursday, November 30, on the Rolling Road widening project, which includes bicycle and pedestrian improvements.
The project aims to reduce congestion and improve safety by widening Rolling Road (Route 638) from two to four lanes between Viola Street and Old Keene Mill Road. This project is being planned in two phases with the pedestrian and bicycle facilities being added during the second phase.
The public information meeting will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Rolling Valley Elementary School, 6703 Barnack Drive in West Springfield. We hope a number of local FABB members will attend to share their ideas on making the planned bike facilities as safe and easy to use as possible.
If you would like to provide feedback but are unable to attend the meeting, please send your thoughts to meetingcomments@vdot.virginia.gov. Please include “Rolling Road Widening” in the subject line.
Labels: old keene mill road, rolling road, springfield, vdot, west springfield
Saturday, November 18, 2017
I-66 Public Meetings Wrap-Up
The I-66 meetings last week went well with good turnouts and support for the parallel multi-use trail. FABB President Jeff Anderson provided the closing remarks at the November 13 meeting, and other advocates made comments in support of better trail design at each of the meetings.
Some key points mentioned at the meetings that should continue to be emphasized with VDOT were:
- There are still opportunities to make additional improvements to reduce the length of trail between the sound walls and the highway to limit health concerns and permit greater access to nearby neighborhood.
- In particular, cyclists and pedestrians need protection from road debris and vehicle exhaust.
- Increasing the height of the Jersey barrier above 32-inches when the trail is on the highway side would enhance safety;
- User experience would be improved by measures on the highway side section to limit exposure to air pollutants.
- Ensure that the trail has reasonable and convenient connections to bike facilities on bridges that cross I-66.
- Some attendees noted that proposed trails at the Vienna Metro Station (south side) and Fair Oaks Mall do not appear to actually connect with each other or the local destination. The trail in the Fair Oaks area the trail is not in the I-66 right-of-way and instead circuitously follows nearby roads.
- Proximity to mixed-use trails increases residential property values.
- Steps should be taken to ensure that the shared use path has good drainage and design so there will be no standing water and ice will not form in freezing temperatures.
- If done well, the parallel trail will help our county compete for the best employers.
Labels: i-66 parallel trail, transform66
Park Authority Allocates $ 4.6 Million for Trails
FABB member Howard Albers reported that late last month the Fairfax County Park Authority Board approved the allocation of 2016 bond fund for various trail projects. FABB has been engaged with the Trails and Sidewalks Committee and the Bicycle Advisory Committee to better understand how trail funding decisions are made and to make recommendations for needed facilities. Several FABB members attended a park strategic plan meeting this fall to press for a new stream valley trail in the Mason District.
Among the projects to be funded by the allocated $4.6 million are multiple repairs and additions to the Cross County Trail, a section of the Flatlike stream valley trail, completion of the Huntsman Lake Dam loop, and improvements to the South Run stream valley trail. A full list of projects to be supported by the new funding can be found on page 17 of the Planning and Development Committee memorandum on the FCPA website. Hopefully, your neighborhood trail will benefit from some of the $4.6 million allocation or some of the 2012 trail funding that has been approved but not yet completed.
If projects you support were not funded, do not give up. You can join with FABB and take advantage of our group’s ongoing opportunities to raise ideas with the Park Authority staff and decision makers about needed trails. FABB is happy to work with local parties to develop productive and effective advocacy efforts to get funding for needed trail repairs and improvements.
Labels: and bicycle advisory committee, Fairfax County Park Authority, sidewalks, trails
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Participants Needed for Non-Motorized Travel Study
We received an email from a Virginia Tech researcher asking that we help them find participants for a study of non-motorized travel behavior in the DC Metro area. Participants will receive a $25 gift card. Use of an Android phone is required. For more information about the study and to sign up, visit http://www.uap.vt.edu/travelmood:
Participants Needed:
Mood State in Transport Environments
About the Study
- This pilot study explores the relationship between transportation mode, trip purpose, route, built environment, and mood.
- We use Daynamica mobile app (Android only) to measure travel behavior and mood after each trip.
- A trip is a movement between two locations (beyond the building boundary) to accomplish an activity, such as commuting, shopping, socializing, recreation, etc.
An Android smartphone is required for this study.
Step 1: 1-2 minutes
- Download and install Daynamica.
- Turn on your WiFi & GPS.
Step 2: 8-10 minutes
Answer a short entry questionnaire on Qualtrics (embedded in the app).
Step 3: 1-2 minutes/trip for 7 days
Answer the questions that pop up in the app after you finish each trip. Upload all trips after a week.
Your Benefits
- You will be able to review your miles traveled, number of trips completed, and how your mood changed throughout the week.
- A $25 Amazon gift card if you (1) complete the entry questionnaire on Qualtrics, (2) answer the trip survey for at least five trips, and (3) upload all the trip data for one week.
For questions or comments about the study, please contact Steve Hankey, Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor in UAP at hankey@vt.edu, (540) 231-7508.
For technical support, please contact Huyen Le (huyenle@vt.edu).
Labels: mood state, virginia tech
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Call for Donations for Herndon MS After-School Bike Shop
By FABB Member Kelley Westenhoff
Did you know that Fairfax County has an after-school bike shop where students learn how to fix bikes? Meeting on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, Herndon Middle School students learn by doing, fixing donated bikes for others. The program has three components.
-Students fix and clean donated bikes that are returned to the community as gifts via Cornerstones Neighborhood Resource Center in Herndon during the holidays, helping out families whose cannot otherwise provide bikes for their children. Each child also receives a helmet courtesy of Reston Bicycle Club and parents receive information about bike safety.
-Students fix and clean donated bikes to sell at the Reston Association Yard Sale twice a year generating funds to continue the program.
-Students can earn the opportunity to build up a bike for their own use or to give to a friend or family member who needs one.
The program runs with the school year, and right now students are as busy as Santa's elves working on the holiday donations. The shop needs bike donations, particularly small adult bikes.
Labels: bike shop, donation, herndon middle school, students
Act Now! - Bike Commuter Tax Benefits
The League of American Bicyclists is asking riders in select states to contact their Senators about the latest legislative attack on the limited support provided to bicycling as part of the country’s transportation options.
The Senate tax reform plan, released last Thursday, eliminates the bike commuter benefit while keeping commuter benefits for driving and riding transit. The Senate Finance committee plans to vote starting on Monday, November 13, and an amendment is needed to reinstate the bike benefit.
Two local senators, Mark Warner (D-VA) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), are on the Finance Committee and can take action to reinstate the bike benefit.
The League is asking Virginia and Maryland bicyclists to reach out to their Senator this weekend. Ask your Senator to reinstate the bike commuter benefit because:
- If Congress is going to offer commuter benefits to some commuters, they should offer them to all commuters.
- Commuter benefits cost over $8.6 billion each year.
- If every bike commuter in the United States used the bike commuter benefit it would cost less than 2.5% of that amount.
- Eliminating the bike benefit alone does not significantly address revenue lost to commuter benefits.
- The bike commuter benefit is a low cost way to promote healthier, livable communities.
- The average consumer spends over $4,500 each year on gas and other vehicle expenses.
- The average cost of bike commuting is $350 per year. The bicycle commuter benefit covers up to $240 each year to defray costs of purchase, maintenance, and improvements for commuter bicycles.
Please support the reinstatement of the bicycling commuter benefit in the tax reform bill. The bike commuter benefit is a low cost provision that supports commuter choices and improves communities. Bicycling commuting is growing across the country and those commuters should receive equitable benefits to other commuting modes.
Send Senator Mark Warner a message at his website: https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactPage
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
FABB News - November-December 2017
Bicycle Program Coordinator Adam Lind Departing
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| Adam Lind |
Adam will be sorely missed. However, we take heart that he is leaving behind a strong foundation for ever greater cooperative endeavors between the county and FABB to make bicycling better. Thanks to Adam and his staff, Fairfax County is well positioned to enhance its standing as a bicycle-friendly community.
Providence District Meeting on I-66
Supervisor Linda Smyth is hosting a Providence District community briefing on I-66 this Wednesday. This is an opportunity for local bicyclists to voice concerns about plans for the I-66 parallel trail and their desire for improving its design. The I-66 trail will connect hundreds of thousands of people to neighborhoods, trails, and transit hubs while providing new recreational opportunities all along the I-66 corridor. The meeting will be held at Marshall Road E.S., November 8, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
I-66 Trail Update & Upcoming Public Hearings
Since 2015, FABB has been advocating for the inclusion of the best possible bike and pedestrian trail as part of the Transform66 Outside the Beltway project. In fact, when the project was first announced, there was no parallel trail in the plans but based on FABB's work and significant public pressure, the trail is now an intregral part of the project.
The trail is currently in the design phase. Despite intense advocacy by FABB, WABA, State Senators and Delegates and the general public to improve the trail design, there remains 3-plus miles deemed by many as not meeting that “best possible trail” criteria. These 3 miles, although not contiguous, are next to the highway inside the soundwall. The longest stretch without any access points is the mile-long section between Nutley Street and Gallows Road. Unfortunately, because of intense local pressure and some elected officials’ unwillingness to see the long-term value of the trail, the greater Fairfax community may have to live with this inadequate section.
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| Woodrow Wilson Bridge plexiglass barrier. |
Please let your feelings about improving the trail design and barrier be known. The following officials represent much of the I-66 project area, so please contact them if you live in their district. If not, please contact your representatives. Find out who they are using Fairfax County's My Neighborhood.
- Supervisor Linda Smyth, linda.smyth@fairfaxcounty.gov
- Delegate Mark Keam, delmkeam@house.virginia.gov
- Senator Chap Petersen, district34@senate.virginia.gov
- VDOT Mega Projects, Transform66@VDOT.Virginia.gov
You can also speak up for a better trail by attending one of the three upcoming VDOT Design Public Hearings on the I-66 Outside the Beltway project. The hearings will focus on plans for three segments of the 22.5-mile corridor from I-495 to University Boulevard in Gainesville. All hearings will run from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm with a formal presentation beginning at 7:00 pm. A public comment period will follow the presentation.
I-66 Design Public Hearings
Project Segment 3 (Route 50 to I-495)
Monday, November 13, 2017
Oakton High School Cafeteria
2900 Sutton Road, Vienna, VA 22181
Project Segment 2 (Route 29, Centreville to Route 50)
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Stone Middle School Cafeteria
5500 Sully Park Drive, Centreville, VA 20120
Project Segment 1 (Gainesville to Route 29, Centreville)
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Piney Branch Elementary School Cafeteria/Gym
8301 Linton Hall Road, Bristow, VA 20136
If unable to attend the hearings, you can still review project information, including design plans and project schedule, at www.Transform66.org or at VDOT's Northern Virginia District Office.
Comments can be submitted via email to Transform66@VDOT.Virginia.gov or mailed to Ms. Susan Shaw, P.E., Megaprojects Director, VDOT Northern Virginia District, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030. Please reference "Transform 66 Outside the Beltway" in the subject line of all correspondence. The comment period runs through November 29, 2017.
FABB Uses Ride to Show I-66 Engineers Good and Bad Trail Design
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Tysons Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge & Trail Workshop
The plan includes a shared-use 10' wide asphalt path along Old Meadow Road from Route 123 to a bridge crossing over I-495 near the intersection of Tysons One Place and Fashion Boulevard. Community input is needed on the design details including security, screening, aesthetics, lighting and architectural treatments.
The first workshop will be Thursday, November 9, and the second on Tuesday, November 28. Both workshops will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Westgate Elementary School, 7500 Magarity Road, Falls Church. If you have any questions, contact the project manager, Abi Lerner, by email at Abraham.Lerner@VDOT.Virginia.gov or by telephone at 703-259-3345.
Join FABB's Tysons-Mosaic Farmer's Market Social Ride
FABB is partnering with Access Tysons to hold the Tysons to Mosaic District social ride on Sunday, November 12. The ride starts promptly at 9:30 am from the Capital Bikeshare station in front of the VITA apartments, but arrive early for refreshments. Riders will travel at a comfortable pace over an 8-mile round trip ride between Tysons Corner Center and the Mosaic Farmer's Market. There will be approximately one hour of free time at Mosaic before the group returns to Tysons Corner Center. Register for the event here.
Tour de Mount Vernon Ride a Success
FABB teamed up with Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck and Fairfax County for a successful second annual Tour de Mount Vernon last Saturday. FABB helped promote the ride and register the nearly 200 local cyclists who signed up for the 35-mile ride. The ride also helped raise much needed funds in support of better bicycling. FABB received a $5 donation from each registration fee. With the cancellation of Tour de Fat and the Clips Beer and Film Festival this year, the Tour de Mount Vernon was FABB's best fundraising event of 2017. Thanks to everyone who participated in the ride!
"Ironman" Board Member Collects Donations for FABB
Looking for a way to creatively support FABB? How about raising donations while meeting a challenging personal goal?
The successful campaign raised $677, all of which is being used for ongoing FABB activities. FABB is always looking for more creative fundraising events. If you want to organize a similar campaign or have other fundraising suggestions, please contact info@fabb-bikes.org.
Communications and Volunteer Coordinators Still Needed
FABB continues looking for two volunteers to help us advance our goals of growing the organization and making it an even more effective advocate for better bicycling in Fairfax County. Both positions can be performed at home and require as few as 5 hours to no more than 15 hours per week. The Volunteer Coordinator will support FABB’s volunteer recruitment and management efforts. The Communications Coordinator will become FABB’s primary social media coordinator and editor of the FABB blog and bimonthly FABB newsletter. For more details on the positions, check out our blog on the positions here. If you are interested and would like to talk about one of these positions, please contact Steve Ward at secretary@fabb-bikes.org.
Upcoming FABB Meetings
FABB’s bimonthly Board Meeting will be held on November 9, at 7:00 pm at the Oakton Library. Interested members are invited to attend. FABB’s next monthly meeting will be November 15, and focus on bicycling in the Sully District. Our lead guest speaker will be Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith. The meeting will be in the Frank Room of the Sully Government Center in Chantilly. Please note that the meeting will start at 7:00 pm rather than the usual 7:30 pm. Plans for a FABB Holiday celebration in lieu of our December meeting are in the works. Details will be announced soon.
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Nov. 8 - Providence District I-66 Community Meeting, Marshall E.S., Vienna
Nov. 9 - FABB Board Meeting, Oakton Library, Oakton
Nov. 12 - Tysons-Mosaic Social Ride, Tysons
Nov. 13 - I-66 Design Public Meeting, Oakton H.S., Vienna
Nov. 14 - I-66 Design Public Meeting, Stone M.S., Centreville
Nov. 15 - FABB Monthly Meeting, Sully Government Center, Chantilly
Nov. 16 - I-66 Design Public Meeting, Piney Branch E.S., Bristow
Dec. 20 - FABB Holiday Celebration (tentative)
Labels: fabb newsletter
Friday, November 3, 2017
Sully District Hosts FABB’s November Meeting
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FABB’s next monthly meeting will be on Wednesday, November 15, in Chantilly and will feature Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith as its guest speaker. The supervisor will share her vision for improving bicycling and pedestrian infrastructure in Sully District. Bicycle Program Coordinator Adam Lind will provide updates on FCDOT’s plans for the surrounding area encompassing Centreville, Clifton, Chantilly, and Oakton. This will set the stage for a group discussion on local concerns and opportunities to advocate for more improvements.
The meeting will start at 7:00 pm (a half-hour earlier than usual) and will be in the Frank Room of the Sully Government Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd, Chantilly.
Although the focus will be on Sully District, cyclists from neighboring locales should join us to share insights on creating a network of connecting trails and routes. We hope to see you there!
Labels: chantilly, kathy smith, sully district
