FABB Blog

 

Emergency Medical Services Bicycle Team Wins Grant

Photo courtesy of Fairfax Times/Transurban

Labels: EMS bike team, fairfax county fire and rescue, Transurban

posted by Steve Ward at 7:00 AM permalink

 

FABB receives bike light giveaway grant

FABB has conducted bike light giveaways for the past several years. We provide free front and rear lights to cyclists, many of whom depend on bicycles as their main form of transportation. This year we received a very generous grant from the 495 Express Lanes Community Grant Program to conduct another free bike light campaign. Thanks to Transurban for supporting our work.

This winter we've been giving out lights to unlit cyclists we encounter on the roads and trails and now we have the resources to purchase more lights. We are using Beam Bug lights which are much simpler to install than the lights we used previously. We will also be handing out highly reflective pants straps to cyclists and others. We often encounter walkers and runners at night who have no reflective gear and the straps help make them more visible.

A special thanks to bikes@vienna who give us a good price on the lights.

Labels: bike lights, bikes at vienna, Transurban

posted by Bruce Wright at 9:57 PM permalink

 

FABB purchases bike racks for Falls Church community

FABB recently purchased 4 inverted U racks that will provide bike parking cyclists at a local pool in Falls Church. Two years ago FABB received a grant from the Transurban Community Grant Program for bike light giveaways, purchasing bike racks, and conducting bike commuter classes. We've held several bike light giveaways, conducted bike commuting seminars in Tysons, and provided racks for cyclists in Vienna and Falls Church.

From the folks at Glen Forest:
With the purchase of these racks, we've used all the grant funding for lights, classes, and racks. We've applied for additional funding for conducting bike light giveaways this Fall and Winter.

Labels: bicycle parking, bike racks, Transurban

posted by Bruce Wright at 8:52 AM permalink

 

Vienna bike racks installed today

FABB has been working with the Vienna Bicycle Advisory Committee to help get better bike parking for residents and visitors to the Town of Vienna. Thanks to a generous grant from the Transurban-Fluor Community Grant program we were able to purchase and have installed 3 inverted U racks at Red Mango frozen yogurt and Maple Ave Market.

The Vienna BAC developed a streamlined application form for businesses that wanted to install bike parking. They worked with the Town Council to get the form approved and then helped the two stores fill out the applications. The racks were installed today.

The racks at Red Mango are in front of the store and are mostly visible from inside. There is almost no concrete or asphalt space for the racks so they were installed in concrete in the grassy area. Mulch will eventually be put down to keep the area under the racks from getting muddy.

Behind Maple Ave Market there is one inverted U rack also installed in concrete in a parking space that is currently unusable. The rack is very close to the edge of the asphalt so that the area behind the store can be used for loading and unloading. The items to the right of the rack will be moved and mulch will likely be used where there is no asphalt.

Thanks to both of these bike-friendly shops for providing bike parking for their customers. We suggest that you check them out and at the same time purchase some of the tasty frozen yogurt at Red Mango (serve yourself and then pay by the ounce), and the fresh produce and other goodies at Maple Ave Market.

Thanks also to the hard-working folks at the Vienna BAC. They are currently working with other businesses in the Town to get more bike parking installed. Maple Ave Shopping Center recently applied for permission to install 11 inverted U racks, which should be in place by this spring.

Labels: bicycle parking, bike racks, maple ave market, red mango, town of vienna, Transurban

posted by Bruce Wright at 10:30 PM permalink

 

Soggy bike light giveaway

Luckily the rush for bike lights at tonights' bike light giveaway at the W&OD Trail and Route 7 occurred during the first hour when we were dry. Workers at the nearby car wash place brought about 10 bikes that needed lights. These are just the people we are trying to reach. They use their bikes for transportation at all times during the day and many of the bikes do not have lights. They were very pleased with their new lights.

We installed a total of about 20 lights on bikes over the course of two hours. The rain started during the second hour and we were thankful to be able to get under our newly donated REI canopy to avoid the rain. Thanks to the FABB volunteers who helped out. The light giveaway is made possible by a generous grant from the Transurban and Fluor Community Grant Program.

Labels: bike lights, Fluor, grant, Transurban

posted by Bruce Wright at 10:34 PM permalink

 

Another successful bike light giveaway

FABB had a great turnout for our first bike light giveaway of the season tonight at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. We installed 80 sets of lights on bikes during the event, reaching people who use their bikes for transportation in the Culmore area, many of whom have evening jobs; now they have lights. Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross, who stopped by to greet the cyclists and volunteers, said she was impressed to see all the bikes with their lights flashing as she approached the church.

Thanks to Transurban-Fluor; they provided the grant money for purchasing the lights and they turned out in force to help install the lights. They even provided hot chocolate for the volunteers. Thanks to Spokes, Etc. Brian of the Alexandria location came and help with the light installations. Fortunately most of the bikes were in good condition and didn't need mechanical work, but Brian was prepared in case they did. Thanks also to REI Fairfax; this was our first chance to use the Alcove canopy that they donated earlier this year. And thanks to Fionnuala who did most of the legwork in setting up the event and provided baked goods, tables, chairs and tools.

Our next giveaway event is scheduled for Tuesday, November 30 from 5-7pm at the W&OD Trail and the Route 7 bridge, on the east side next to West  End Park.

Update: See the Annandale Patch article about the giveaway.

Labels: bike lights, Fluor, rei, spokes etc., supervisor penny gross, Transurban

posted by Bruce Wright at 8:07 AM permalink

 

FABB bike light giveaway

FABB will be holding their second annual series of bike light giveaways, thanks to a generous grant from the Transurban and Fluor Community Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to reach riders who depend on bicycles for transportation and for whom it is difficult to afford bike lights. We'll be installing free lights on bikes at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, 3305 Glen Carlyn Road, Falls Church, VA 22041 (map), from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, November 22. See the flier.

In the picture at the right FABB members are installing free lights on bikes at St. Anthony's Catholic Church last year. Thanks to support from Spokes, Etc. we were able to huddle under their tent during the light drizzle. We're hoping for better weather this year. This year we are lucky to have a canopy donated by REI that we can use.

Labels: bike lights, Fluor, Transurban

posted by Bruce Wright at 12:15 PM permalink

 

FABB receives grant for bike light giveaway, bike racks, and bike commuting seminars

Today FABB learned that we received funding from Transurban, one of the companies involved with building the HOT lanes project, for bike light giveaways, purchase and installation of bike racks, and funds for conducting bike commuting seminars.

Last year FABB received a grant from Transurban for our first bike light giveaways. Many people depend on bicycles for transportation and must ride at night. Providing front and rear lights helps ensure they will be visible and safe. Last year we installed approximately 160 sets of lights at four bike light giveaways.

This year FABB again applied for funds to purchase lights. We expanded our application to include funds for the bike racks that will be installed in places lacking adequate bike parking along the HOT lanes corridor. We will also be conducting bike commuting seminars at large corporations in the corridor. At the seminars we talk about bikes and other gear needed for commuting, clothing strategies, safe cycling skills, and bike route map resources.

Thanks to Transurban for supporting bicycling in Fairfax.

Labels: beltway, bike lights, hot lanes, Transurban

posted by Bruce Wright at 3:46 PM permalink