Saturday, April 12, 2014
FABB testimony at county budget hearings
Last week the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors held their public hearings on the budget for the coming year (FY 2015). Below is testimony I gave on Thursday evening. I asked that the bike coordinator position be funded and that the bike program be expanded to include dedicated funds and additional staff.April 15 is the deadline for commenting on the budget:
Fairfax County FY 2015 Budget Testimony
Bruce Wright
Chairman, Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling
April 10, 2014
Chairman Bulova and members of the Board. Thank you for this opportunity to speak tonight. I am chairman of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling and am speaking on behalf of Fairfax cyclists. I'm here to urge you to fund the bike coordinator position. While the position is included in the FY 2015 budget, we were disappointed to see that it appeared on the list of possible budget reductions submitted by County Executive Long.
I had planned to speak tonight about the need to expand the bike program by increasing staff and having an operating budget, which would include funding for Bike Fairfax, which is envisioned to be a program for encouraging employees and residents to use bikes for short trips, similar to Bike Arlington.
The Bike Coordinator currently doesn't have the resources to have an effective bike program, with no operating funds and limited staff.
That being said, you allocated extensive resources to bicycle and pedestrian capital projects in January, and we're very thankful for those funds. The bike coordinator is essential to ensuring that the bike projects succeed.
The Fairfax County Bicycle Master Plan was completed in July 2012 and will come before you later this spring. The DRAFT Plan recommended that the county have an active bicycle program with dedicated funding and " a minimum staff of three full-time employees."
Think about how many resources are devoted to moving people by bus in the county. Fairfax Connector has a $90 million budget with 25 county staff and I estimate over 200 Connector staff. The schools spend $144 million on busing kids using approximately 1200 bus drivers. We think it makes sense to have more than one person devoted to encouraging residents to travel by bike and ensuring they can do so safely.
Bicycling as a mode of transportation continues to grow each year. Participation in Bike to Work Day has gone from around 300 cyclists at 2 events in 2002 to 1800 cyclists at 10 events last year with two events being added this year in McLean and Fair Lakes. More people are looking for ways to get around using active transportation and relying less on cars.
You're focusing growth around activity and transit centers, including Tysons, and bicycling is a critical component to the success of those places.
A major priority of yours is for the county to have an "Efficient Transportation Network" that includes "comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian initiatives." Without a bike coordinator that goal is not possible. In fact, bicycling touches on at least 5 of your 8 priorities including Safe Streets, Sustainable Environment, Livable Communities, and Recreational Opportunities.
Arlington County, with 1/5 our population, has 6 full time people devoted to building bike facilities, encouraging people to bike, and educating cyclists and motorists.
I was pleased to hear that at their monthly meeting last night the Trails and Sidewalks Committee approved a memo to Chairman Bulova in support of the bike coordinator position.
It will be difficult to attract bright, ambitious professionals for the bike program if the coordinator position keeps appearing on the budget reductions list. Please fund the position and the bike program so you can continue the good work being done to promote bicycling in the county.
And I hope you all can attend the Bike to Work Day events in your districts on Friday May 16.
Labels: arlington county, bicycle coordinator, budget hearings, fairfax county board of supervisors
Monday, March 31, 2014
Arlington to unveil Bikeometer tomorrow - Update
I believe these counters first appeared in Copenhagen where one of their counters includes access to a bike pump. A similar counter was installed in San Francisco in 2013. The first visual bike counter in the U.S. was installed on the Hawthorne Bridge in Portland in 2012.
It would be great to have one of these counters on the W&OD Trail in Fairfax, maybe at Route 123 in Vienna, visible to the many people stuck in rush hour traffic.
Update: See the 4/1/2014 Post article on the unveiling, Arlington County’s new ‘bikeometer’ tallies cyclists on busy Custis Trail.
Update: See the 4/1/2014 Post article on the unveiling, Arlington County’s new ‘bikeometer’ tallies cyclists on busy Custis Trail.
Labels: arlington county, bikeometer, custis trail, visual bike counter
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Second meeting on proposed Phoenix Bikes education center
Phoenix Bikes and the Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation will co-host a second public meeting tonight to discuss various options for a new education center for Phoenix Bikes and public restrooms along the W&OD trail and Walter Reed Drive.This meeting will give you background on Phoenix Bikes and its work to empower youths as well as information on developing a new facility. The meeting is Wednesday, December 4 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Park Operations Building Conference Center, 2700 S. Taylor Street.
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| Proposed building rendering Image from Phoenix Bikes |
Labels: arlington county, phoenix bikes, W and OD Trail
Thursday, September 12, 2013
FABB bike counts at seven Fairfax locations
FABB volunteers were out counting bicyclists today at 7 locations around the county as part of the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project. We often say that based on our casual observations, we're seeing more cyclists in Fairfax, but we need some concrete data to prove that assertion. |
| Bike count volunteer |
- W&OD Trail/Maple Ave
- W&OD Trail/Gallows Rd
- W&OD Trail/Fairfax Co Pkwy
- Chain Bridge/Westmoreland St
- George Mason Blvd/University Blvd
- Sunrise Valley Dr/Soapstone Dr
- Sunrise Valley Dr/South Lakes Dr
W&OD Trail counts - It's surprising that there are no automated counters on the W&OD Trail in Fairfax County. Arlington County has several. The trail is the most popular bicycle facility in the county and we'd like to show that usage is increasing.
Chain Bridge/Westmoreland Dr - Bike lanes were striped on Westmoreland a few years back and we want to track usage over the years.
George Mason Blvd/University Blvd - We'd like to know if bike use is increasing at Mason. They are a Bicycle Friendly University and have added bike lanes and good bike parking over the past several years. Students are currently in session. The spring count period recommended by the documentation project often doesn't work for Mason because students are usually on break.
Sunrise Valley Dr - With the coming of Metrorail to Reston, we expect bicycle usage to increase. We want to get some counts before rail comes to see if there is an increase afterwards. We also want to count on Soapstone Dr because bike lanes were installed there a couple of years ago.
We hope to have some summary data together in a week or so.
Labels: arlington county, bicycle counts, national bicycle and pedestrian documentation project, nbpdp
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Counting bicyclists on the Mt. Vernon Trail
Keeping track on the Mount Vernon Trail is the print title of a good article in today's Post. The online title sums up the gist of the article: Tracking the trail: Sensors on Mount Vernon path collect data to aid transportation planning. The most recent counters are part of Arlington County's Bike Pedestrian Automatic Count program. Arlington ensured funding for the program by increasing their vehicle decal fee from $25 to $33 which provides $1.151 for Complete Streets, bike counting, wayfinding signage, and Capital Bikeshare stations. Fairfax County could do the same with their vehicle registration fees.
As the rising sun breaks over the Potomac River, Pickett pedals northward along the Mount Vernon Trail. He is one of the Washington area’s growing number of bicycle commuters, and he’s due at work in Rosslyn in about an hour.
Getting into his rhythm near Dyke Marsh, the 57-year-old Pickett barely notices passing a brown wooden post. He has no sense of breaking a light beam, but this is where the National Park Service first detects — and counts — him.
It happens over and over again to Pickett and the approximately 2,000 others who use the trail each day. As they bike, run and walk the 18.1-mile path, they unknowingly trip a series of sensors. Those dozen sensors are connected to counters, which over time will tell a tale of who is using the route and at what times.
In the traffic-snarled capital region, where transportation alternatives are becoming increasingly important, this bike and pedestrian route and others like it across Northern Virginia, Maryland and the District have become “a secondary nervous system” for commuters.
“We know a lot about cars,” said Ralph Buehler, an associate professor of urban affairs and planning for Virginia Tech who has consulted with the Park Service. “Suddenly, we have data that enlarges what we can see about how bicyclists and pedestrians behave.”
Bike-friendly Arlington County, which works closely with the National Park Service, has placed the newest sensor, an expensive, state-of-the-art, French-made device, on the trail near Reagan National Airport.
Unlike older counters, this one can distinguish between humans and machines, using an induction loop embedded in a double-diamond pattern in the pavement. It senses when a bicycle passes over. That is paired with a passive infrared sensor that notices the direction of travel when a warm body passes by, creating a disturbance much like a boat’s bow wave. That minute-by-minute information is wirelessly uploaded each quarter-hour to a central database and sent to the county daily.
While pedestrians and bicyclists share the trail, reports show that two-thirds of the users are on two wheels. No one knows how many are commuter, but bright red Capital Bikeshare bikes are popping up with regularity.
That rent-by-the-hour bike program started with 100 stations in the District and 14 in Arlington in 2010. It now has more shared bikes in circulation — 1,890 — than any other region in the country, having just flown by the 4 million trip mark, with 22,000 members and expanded networks in the District, Arlington, Alexandria and, soon, Montgomery County. Bike commuting in Arlington has more than doubled between 2006 and 2011, and the D.C. Department of Transportation estimates an average of 87,000 bike trips per day in the region.
Labels: arlington county, bicycle counts
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Bike facilities on Route 50: Beltway to Arlington
On Tuesday three of us took a brief tour of bike facilities along the south side of Route 50 from Providence District Park just inside the Beltway to Fort Meyer where Route 50 makes a sharp turn north in Arlington. The Route 50 corridor is a major commuter route. The road is located in the center of the county and leads from the suburbs into the city. What would it take to create a first class bike facility along Route 50 along the lines of the recently created "cycle superhighways" in Copenhagen?
The Beltway/Route 50 interchange is a major barrier for bicycle travel in Fairfax. At the interchange Route 50 contains 4 lanes in each direction with high speed exit and entrance ramps to the Beltway.
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| Route 50 at I-495/Beltway |
We left the rec center and entered Route 50 at Jaguar Dr adjacent to Falls Church High School. We followed a narrow sidewalk along 50 to reach the first segment of service road to the east. Service roads are the best option for traveling by bike along Route 50 in this area.
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| Closed service road at Annandale Road |
We continued on the service road to the Graham Road intersection, which in the past has been one of the most dangerous locations for pedestrians in the county.
Just east of Graham Road the service road turns into Woodley Lane that we followed back to the service road. Just before the Annandale Road intersection the service road is closed with no accommodations for bicyclists or pedestrians. A lane is being added, the median was shifted, and it looks like the service is going away which is
The other side of the intersection was also under construction. You can see from the second photo that orange cones and barrels are blocking the curb ramp and there are no accommodations for pedestrians or bicyclists.
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| Castle Rd/Rt 7 at Seven Corners Note bike route sign on the right |
At Glebe Road we encountered one of the worst sections of the route, a narrow stretch of unmaintained sidewalk immediately adjacent to the Glebe Rd exit ramp. Another cyclist was riding in the opposite direction so we bailed out to let him pass. This section needs to be fixed soon. The sidewalk should be expanded into a paved trail, with better separation from adjacent traffic.
We followed the paved trail just east of Glebe Rd and continued to our turnaround point at S. Washington Blvd and Arlington National Cemetery.
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| Sidewalk just west of Glebe Road |
According to the NoVa Bikeway study, "Arlington Boulevard is recommended as a key regional commuter route. As such, bicycle facilities along Arlington Boulevard should provide a high quality, direct, and safe connection for bicycle users – in effect, serving as a principal arterial for bicycle travel. As such, improvements along this corridor should provide a coherent and clear path of travel for bicyclists, using a combination of trails, pathways, and service roads."
The NoVa Bikeway study does not go into detail regarding needed improvements. Instead it suggests that a new study be undertaken to determine specific recommendations. We hope to work with our colleagues in Arlington County to begin to address the need for better bike facilities along Route 50 by advocating that VDOT conduct a detailed study of the corridor to determine the best solution for bike access. Is it possible to create a cycling superhighway parallel to Route 50? How much would it cost? We'd like to know.
Labels: arlington county, northern virginia regional bikeway and trail network study, route 50
Friday, June 29, 2012
Apartment renters want good bike parking
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| Photo: Washington Post Express |
In a crowded marketplace, apartment buildings in the D.C. area can stand out by offering bike amenities that complement the region’s improved bike lanes and trails and rapidly increasing ridership. The District — recently named the fourth-most-bike-friendly U.S. city by Bicycling Magazine, up nine spots in just one year — and Arlington County are both leading the way. Nearby areas including Fairfax County are learning from those examples and developing plans to become more bike friendly, too.
I'm quoted as agreeing with the statement that in the suburbs "You often have to drive your car somewhere to bike." While bike conditions aren't great in burbs, there are many bike-freindly streets and trails near where most people live. The first and last miles of many trips can be the worst because we don't have a connected network. Riding from home often does require riding on roads with no bike facilities, but unless the road is a major arterial, skilled cyclists can navigate most of these streets without too many problems.I guess the main point is that it should be easier for everyone from 8 to 80 to be able ride from home to our destinations. That's the goal of the County Bicycle Master Plan. It will take political will to make it happen.
The transformation of Tysons from a car-dominated place to a more bike- and pedestrian-friendly place is mentioned in the article. There are major battles currently being fought to ensure that the excellent Tysons Plan is implemented. It won't be easy but with the transformation Tysons will be a better community, better able to compete with surrounding jurisdictions like Arlington and Alexandria.
Labels: alexandria, arlington county, bicycle parking
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Guide to grocery store bike parking in Arlington
It seems that Arlington has many of the same problems with substandard bike parking as Fairfax, despite having good bike parking standards. Several of the racks shown are either incorrectly installed or not the recommended type of rack indicated in the standards.
We need a similar guide in Fairfax but given our size and the number of grocery stores in the county, it will be a challenge to put it together. It would also be nice to have a group like BikeArlington to support cyclists in Fairfax.
From the guide:
Sixteen grocery stores in Arlington County were surveyed to assess their bike parking (both bike parking provided by the store and bike parking facilities placed by the County) in terms of quantity, quality (type of rack) and location (proximity to entrance). Each store is rated on a scale of 0 to 5 "gold bikes" with 0 gold bikes being worst and 5 gold bikes being perfect. Those three categories scores are added up and averaged for an overall score.
Labels: arlington county, bike parking
Friday, August 5, 2011
FABB conducts first volunteer Fairfax bike count
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| W&OD Trail at Maple Ave - Saturday |
On July 7 and 9 we counted bicyclists at the intersection of the W&OD Trail and Maple Ave/Route 123 in downtown Vienna for 3 two-hour time periods. The weekday two hour data were extrapolated to a 24 hour count estimate of 1,855. VDOT's 12 hour weekday bicyclist count at the same location in 2008 was 337, which is not much more than the 5-7 pm time period count (273). Assuming that the VDOT 12 hour count was close to the 24 hour count, the 2011 count represents an increase of 550%!
We have good official estimates of how many people commute by car. According to the American Community Survey data for Fairfax Co, 454,099 drove a car, truck, or van out of a total of 542,126 trips. According to ACS, only 1,166 commute by bike. The problem with that number is that it only includes those who ride a bike every day for their entire trip. Many more people ride some days or combine a car or transit trip with a bike trip. People also use bikes for many other purposed than going to work.
Fairfax doesn't have a bike counting program. Arlington County has been counting bicyclists for several years. They installed their first automated, 24 hour counters in 2009 on the Custis Trail and the Four Mile Run Trail.
They use a combination of in-ground loop detectors and infrared beam to collect data on trail usage, both pedestrians and cyclists (ok, the occasional deer might get counted as a pedestrian also). There is a huge amount of data being collected by these counters, and it will become most useful once several years worth can be compared.
See the link above for a good discussion of the data that has been collected.Arlington also uses volunteer counts to supplement the automated counter data as part of Arlington's contribution to the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project (NBPD). Last September volunteers counted weekday bike/ped traffic for a two two-hour time periods, 7-9 am and 4-6 pm. Pedestrians and other trails users are also counted. That effort is lead by David Patton, Arlington County's Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner.
This year the Alexandria Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee began participating in the Documentation project by conducting several volunteer counts in the city. Andrea Hamre is leading that effort which included two volunteer training sessions. They will also conduct counts in September.
Ideally Fairfax County will implement a bike counting program in the future. VDOT currently conducts a few counts and we hope those will expand. We may expand to several volunteer count locations in the future, possibly by September.
Labels: alexandria, arlington county, bicycle counts
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Cyclist killed in Arlington near W&OD Trail
According to WashCycle and WJLA news a cyclist was killed in a collision with a motor vehicle after the cyclist, who was traveling south on Walter Reed Dr, turned onto the Four Mile Run Drive service road. This locationis near where the W&OD trail crosses Walter Reed Dr, but from the WJLA story it appears the cyclist was not using the trail. There is a steep slope on Walter Reed Dr and the cyclist was likely traveling fast when he turned.
According to the police statement, "Investigation revealed that an adult man was riding his bicycle south on South Walter Reed Drive and turned right onto the access road of Four Mile Run Drive.
"It appears that when he turned onto Four Mile Run Drive, he crossed into oncoming traffic and struck an occupied vehicle. The bicyclist was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead. He will be identified once the next of kin has been notified."
The Arlington County Police ask that any witnesses of the accident 703 558-2222, or Detective Don Fortunato at 703 228-4197.
"It appears that when he turned onto Four Mile Run Drive, he crossed into oncoming traffic and struck an occupied vehicle. The bicyclist was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead. He will be identified once the next of kin has been notified."
The Arlington County Police ask that any witnesses of the accident 703 558-2222, or Detective Don Fortunato at 703 228-4197.
Labels: arlington county, bike crash
Monday, April 11, 2011
Allen Muchnick receives award from Arlington Co Civic Federation
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| Allen Muchnick receiving his award from Mark Antell of ACCF |
Labels: allen muchnick, arlington county
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Arlington bikeshare demand map
We created the map by begining with color-coding the County based on a) where the people are, with population and employment density; b) where bike facilities are, such as trails, lanes, and routes; c) where existing transit is and how well it's used; and d) some destinations, such as libraries and community centers that receive a lot of foot traffic.
Fairfax Co. should be doing this in the more dense urban areas such as Reston, Tysons, Springfield, Seven Corners, and Bailey's Crossroads. It would be useful not only for bike sharing but for determining new bike facility priorities. See the full demand map.From TheWashCycle.
Labels: arlington county, capital bikeshare
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Arlington BAC meeting summary
TheWashCycle posted a summary of the August Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting. Items of interest include:Arlington Co Police Department's Sgt. John Ravinaskas of Arlington Enforcement and Bikes: He summarized recent citations to cyclists and answered questions about cyclists getting points on their licenses and access to crash reports. "He will provide further data, from his crime analyst, responding to various questions raised by BAC members, including the number of accidents caused by cars hitting bikes.
Discussion continued on how cyclists are treated in courts and if cyclists can receive points on their license. Sgt. Ravinaskas responded that it depends on how the clerk codes the citation and that cyclists should not receive points on their license. If they do, the clerk coded it wrong so it is important to check the transcripts.
A BAC member inquired about a recent accident on Lee and Cleveland involving a cyclist's death and that the police report was not accessible. Sgt. Ravinaskas responded that unless one is involved in the accident, there is no access to the report, as it is not public information."
David Goodman's staff report: "The county will be hiring a consultant to assess the bike routing in the Columbia Pike area. Furthermore, VDOT has provided them with their preliminary paving plan for 2011 which includes Glebe Road from Military to Lee Highway.
Dave Patton reported that there will be an in-house meeting regarding sharrows and their use. He also noted that the Pentagon’s support of the Boundary Channel Drive project remains an open issue."
FABB will hold our monthly meeting tomorrow (Wed.) night at 7:30pm at Patrick Henry Library in Vienna.
Labels: arlington county
Friday, July 23, 2010
While Fairfax zeros out bike program operating funds, Arlington raises $1million
From TheWashCycle summary of the June Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting (emphasis added):David Goodman presented a draft FY 2011 Pedestrian and Bicycle Programs Funding plan. The decal fee for vehicles will be increased by $8 to $36, and this money is dedicated for bicycle and pedestrian safety and infrastructure improvements. This earmarking of funds is unprecedented and equates to approximately $1 million - $600,000 for arterial improvements, $100,000 for technology enhancements (ped/bike counter, auto bike detectors), $100,000 wayfinding, and $200,000 for infrastructure/installation of bike sharing system.
That's what's available for next year. This is work that is already underway (Are we envious? Yes):Dave Kirschner reported on paving projects including:
- Sycamore – from Fairfax County line to Williamsburg Circle – is being resurfaced, paved and painted. This includes sharrows and bike lanes. Sharrows will be in the center of the lane.
- George Mason – from Columbia Pike to Glebe – lane signage, sharrows in center lane which will connect to bike lane, Northbound
- Arlington Mill Drive - ???– bike lane and parking lane
- Quincy Street – from Glebe to Lee Highway - bike lane improvements, bike lanes, sharrows
- Fairfax Drive – from north of Washington Boulevard through Ballston - sharrows
- Army-Navy Drive – Entrance to Joyce Street, parking/bike lane, this is a long terms project
Friday, June 18, 2010
Arlington bike count data available
Bike to Work Day shows up as a spike in the data with the highest daily total. The four lowest counts coincide with cold and/or wet days. This is excellent data that will be valuable in the future for showing changes in bicycle use. Fairfax should be implementing a similar system. Unfortunately the counts conducted by VDOT the last few years were discontinued due to budget cuts.
(From The WashCycle)
Labels: arlington county, bicycle counts
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Arlington County Sustainability task force
The first act of the new Arlington County Chairman, Jay Fisette, was to form a 28-member Community Energy and Sustainability Task Force. According to the Post, "The panel is to make recommendations to the board about how to reduce carbon emissions in the private and commercial sectors."As the WashCycle pointed out, bicycling is a key part of a sustainable Arlington:
Bicycle and Pedestrian Access and Safety Program
Also on the agenda for 2010, I hope to expand bicycling in Arlington. Arlington has a longstanding commitment to become one of the best places in the nation to bicycle. I love cycling and at different times in my life have done all my commuting on a bicycle. I have also traveled extensively by bicycle, including many vacations, as well as a three-month ride from England to Greece. I have always found the bicycle to be a wonderful compromise between walking and driving – as you can truly experience your surroundings while covering good distances. Bicycling is good for one’s health, great for the environment and a sustainable form of transportation.
Our 2010 Bicycle and Pedestrian Access and Safety Program will build upon existing efforts to educate residents and commuters about the benefits of bicycling and walking, as well as to implement planned infrastructure and facility improvements --such as additional bike lanes, improved bike signage and bicycle parking facilities in major business districts.
I was impressed with the large numbers of cyclists on trips to Portland, San Francisco, Boulder and Paris. Each year it becomes easier and safer to bicycle and walk in Arlington. Congressman Earl Blumenauer, dedicated cyclist, recently asked, “How many people, right now, are stuck in traffic on their way to ride a stationary bicycle in a health club?” It is time for Arlingtonians to rediscover their bicycles, and I plan to lead the way. Look for me in the bike lane! I commit to riding my bicycle to work at least once a week throughout 2010.
Also on the agenda for 2010, I hope to expand bicycling in Arlington. Arlington has a longstanding commitment to become one of the best places in the nation to bicycle. I love cycling and at different times in my life have done all my commuting on a bicycle. I have also traveled extensively by bicycle, including many vacations, as well as a three-month ride from England to Greece. I have always found the bicycle to be a wonderful compromise between walking and driving – as you can truly experience your surroundings while covering good distances. Bicycling is good for one’s health, great for the environment and a sustainable form of transportation.
Our 2010 Bicycle and Pedestrian Access and Safety Program will build upon existing efforts to educate residents and commuters about the benefits of bicycling and walking, as well as to implement planned infrastructure and facility improvements --such as additional bike lanes, improved bike signage and bicycle parking facilities in major business districts.
I was impressed with the large numbers of cyclists on trips to Portland, San Francisco, Boulder and Paris. Each year it becomes easier and safer to bicycle and walk in Arlington. Congressman Earl Blumenauer, dedicated cyclist, recently asked, “How many people, right now, are stuck in traffic on their way to ride a stationary bicycle in a health club?” It is time for Arlingtonians to rediscover their bicycles, and I plan to lead the way. Look for me in the bike lane! I commit to riding my bicycle to work at least once a week throughout 2010.
Labels: arlington county, sustainability
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Arlington County bike sharing for employees
Bikes are now available for Arlington County employees to use for short trips during the day. According to the Post article Eco-Agenda Goes the Next Mile on 3 Wheels, both upright bikes and trikes are available:"I know it sounds nutty," said Mary Curtius, a county spokeswoman, but it's part of the eco-friendly county's efforts to lower health-care costs and help the environment. "Instead of jumping in a car and driving across town, people can bike. We're looking for every way we can think of to work on prevention and wellness."
Actually, it doesn't sound nutty to me, or to the millions of people around the world who use bikes for basic transportation. Why the county spokeswoman thinks it's nutty is surprising.The Fairfax County bike coordinator tried to implement a similar bike sharing system at the county government center only to be told that there were too many liability issues. If Arlington has found a way to do it, so should we.
Labels: arlington county, bike share
