FABB Blog

Hey, all, if you live or just occasionally ride through the City of Alexandria, here is an opportunity to provide input about and show your support for bicycling in our region. 

Alexandria has applied to the League of American Bicyclists to be recognized as a Gold Level Bike Friendly Community. This is really important and FABB encourages everyone (you DON'T have to be a resident) to help the city and the League gain a better understanding of local bicyclists' experiences in and around Alexandria by taking this survey. 

Alexandria has made significant strides to improve bicycling, including new bike lanes on King Street, Van Dorn Street, Prince Street and Cameron Street. Other recent improvements include:

We still have a long way to go to become a truly bicycle-friendly place. There are significant barriers to bike travel including the Beltway, I-66, I-95 and other major roads. Many businesses and retail establishments have no bike parking and what parking exists is often inadequate. See the county's Report Card prepared by the League. Let's hope we can overcome some of these problems in the near future to reach the next BFC level.

Today, the League of American Bicyclists recognized Fairfax County with a Bronze level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFCSM) award. The Bronze level BFC award recognizes Fairfax County’s commitment to improving conditions for bicycling through investment in bicycling promotion, education programs, infrastructure and pro-bicycling policies. The BFC program provides a benchmark for communities to evaluate these conditions and policies, while highlighting areas for improvement. The national scope of the program also promotes competition and comparison between communities - with 416 currently recognized BFC there is always a model for your community to be found.

“The Fairfax County Bicycle Program began just over 10 years ago and receiving this designation is a significant accomplishment," said Fairfax County Bicycle Program Coordinator Adam Lind. "The County has a growing network of off-road trails and on-road bike facilities, and we recently joined the Capital Bikeshare family. We also recently released the updated Fairfax County Bicycle Map just in time for the 2017 Bike to Work Day on May 19," continued Lind. "Receiving a Bronze designation is just the beginning as we continue to design and build safe streets for all, and strive to become a silver level Bicycle Friendly Community.”

The town has a supportive Mayor and Town Council and they have made significant progress in the past several years improving conditions for cyclists. They have bicycle parking guidelines, several designated bike routes, a history of encouraging kids to walk and bike to school, two locally owned bike shops, and an active bicycle advisory committee. The main bicycle asset in the town is the W&OD Trail. Hundreds of cyclists pass through the town daily.

A big advantage for any community to apply for bicycle friendly status is that everyone receives recommendations from the League on how they can do a better job of improving their community to encourage more travel by bicycle. You can see some of that information in the online Town of Vienna Report Card:

The Town of Vienna has applied to be a Bicycle Friendly Community. As part of the process with the League of American Bicyclists, residents are invited to take a brief Bicycle Friendly Community survey.

"One of the great challenges in envisioning a truly bicycle-friendly America is the need to transform suburban communities," said Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists. "Well, that transformation is evidently underway and is being lead by communities like Menlo Park, Calif.; Elmhurst, Ill.; Reston, Va.; and Richfield, Minn."

See the full list of Bicycle Friendly Communities.

Bicycle Friendly Community Action Plan for Reston

Communities across the globe are managing diverse issues such as pollution, congestion, traffic safety, accessibility, social inclusion, and economic growth. Increasing urbanization is generating extra demand for quality public spaces and recreation opportunities. A renewed emphasis on security and the costs of dealing with the emerging epidemics of obesity and physical inactivity are stretching limited resources even further.

Solutions to these many challenges are equally diverse and complex. This Action Plan recognizes one policy initiative that addresses these challenges and contributes to many of the solutions necessary to improve the quality of life in Reston; increasing the percentage of trips made by bicycle by making Reston more bicyclefriendly. Reston Association recognizes that increasing bicycle use can:
In an effort to demonstrate its commitment to improving conditions for and realize the benefits of bicycling in the community, Reston Association’s Board of Directors formally adopted, during its meeting of May 24, 2012 the following Bicycle Friendly Community Action Plan for Reston:
In addition, the Reston Association will advocate to federal, state and county officials the importance of:
ATTEST: This Bicycle Friendly Community Action Plan for Reston was adopted by the Reston Association Board of Directors at its Regular Meeting of May 24, 2012.

Workers no longer prefer to work in them, companies no longer want to occupy them, banks no l onger will finance them, real estate trusts no longer want to own them band planning boards have become reluctant to approve them. In the future, developers say, offices will be part of mixed-use developments, with shops, restaurants, schools, day-care centers, and doctors' offices, preferably within walking or biking distance of condos, townhouses and Metro stops.

Across the region, a generation of baby boomers is getting ready to sell three-bedroom suburban colonials to Gen Xers who either don’t want them or can’t afford them. Add to that a wave of foreclosures and excess inventory left over from a speculative housing boom that has driven home prices in many submarkets to levels below the cost of new construction.

For exurban developers, the implication is pretty clear: The raw land they’re holding isn’t worth much and in any case, and there’s not much point trying to build on it until the excess inventory is worked off. Perhaps that is why developments that were started during the boom but were never finished are selling at 35 cents on every dollar invested in land, roads, street lights, sewer and water lines and half-finished golf courses. Even when the market clears, exurban development is likely to focus on low-cost starter homes.

All that contrasts sharply with what is going on in the District and inner suburbs, where prices have held steady and a construction boom is under way for new and remodeled townhouses and apartments. Despite the absence of bank lending, speculative condo developments have even begun to spring up in the hotter neighborhoods, almost all of them equity financed. This market is driven by singles, young-marrieds and empty-nesters, plus a growing number of families with children, all looking for a more urban, less car-dependent lifestyle.

With more people moving to urban settings, the cities such as Portland and Minneapolis that do the most to build transit and bike-friendly streets will be the economic winners.

The new demographics are found in two generations deeply influenced by suburbia. First there’s the 20-30 somethings who grew up in suburbia and, like all generations, do not want what their parents wanted. The second demographic are their parents, who are now becoming empty nesters with a five-bedroom McMansions in the suburbs.

According to housing and location preference surveys, the younger crowd wants to be in the center of things — downtown. They want cafes, restaurants, entertainment, and other young people to socialize with. They want walkable communities with parks; they want bike trails; they want to bike to work; and they want transit.

At the aging boomer cutting edge, what are they interested in? For boomers, preferences split almost down the middle. Half of the 50-60 somethings want to move to a larger house in a semi rural area. They wanted to build their “Dream House,” the house they wanted all their lives, but deferred it to raise their children. The other half want to move to a central urban area with a walkable, transit-accessible life style. They want easy access to shopping, food, music, art, and health care. I always thought that this split speaks volumes about my generation.

Honorable Mention

Communities that do not yet exhibit the characteristics of a BFC may be recognized with an honorable mention designation because:
  a) The community recently implemented significant improvements for bicycling but sufficient time has not yet passed for this to develop characteristics of a BFC.
  b) The community has a remarkable project or program, but the impact or influence of this has yet to extend throughout the community.

Examples of honorable mention characteristics for the various categories include:
• Engineering Community recently instituted a policy to engineer streets with the consideration of bicyclists and/or is beginning to develop a trail network. Facilities conform to the currently recognized safety standards.
• Education Community holds some type of bicycle safety event.
• Encouragement Mayor proclaims Bike Month or local club opens events to the public
• Enforcement Officers are familiar with laws relating to bicyclists.
• Evaluation & Planning The community is familiar with and responsive to the needs of cyclists. Bicycle mode share is at least an average level for U.S. communities.