Monday, May 8, 2017
New Fairfax County Bicycling Map Released
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is issuing a new
printed version of the Fairfax County Bicycle map. This edition focuses on
stress levels to give cyclists a better sense of the ease or challenge of the
various bike routes and trails connecting Fairfax County. FABB has been given a
stock of these maps and will be distributing them at upcoming events and
meetings.
Of course, you can always go to the Bike Fairfax Interactive Map,
which displays the same information as the printed version. The interactive online format gives users
greater flexibility in locating and creating the best routes for commuting and
recreation.
New maps are a great way to start of Bike Month.
Labels: bike map, FCDOT, interactive bicycle map
Monday, March 20, 2017
What You Missed – FCDOT Progress Report
Last Wednesday at FABB’s March meeting Adam Lind of FCDOT provided an update of ongoing repaving, capital projects, studies and other developments related to bicycling in Fairfax County.
2017 Repaving: 21 miles of bike lanes and sharrows will be added this year in Reston and the Dranesville and Lee Districts. Meetings on Dranesville and Lee repaving will be held on 23 March and 28 March respectively. Details are available on the FCDOT website.
Capital Projects: Bike lanes and shared used paths for Route 1, Lorton Road Extension, and Workhouse Arts Road, which includes a trail that connects to the Cross-County Trail, are almost complete.
Studies: The Little River Turnpike study is complete and will be going to the Board of Supervisors for endorsement. The Cinderbed study for a trail linking the Franconia-Springfield Metro to the Fairfax County Parkway Trail is done and the determination of project phasing is underway. Studies are underway for the Fairfax County Parkway Trail at the Dulles Toll Road, the Monroe Street Bridge over Rt. 267, and neighborhood connections to north side of Innovation Station.
Bikeshare: Twelve stations have been installed in Reston and the remaining three stations should be installed by the end of April. Eleven stations have been installed in Tysons with one more under construction and two more planned to start once locations are finalized. FCDOT is moving forward on trying to acquire TAP funding for ten new stations in Reston to expand the network south of the Dulles Toll Road.
Fairfax County Bike Map: A new map is being finalized with anticipated distribution during the first week of May. The map features routes that show levels of stress and has on-road and off-road routes.
Bicycle Wayfinding: Signs are ready for installation and should be installed by the end of April in Franconia-Springfield, Vienna Metro area, and East Falls Church-Annandale. Mile markers are being added to the Fairfax County Parkway Trail. Design of signs has started for the Fairfax County Parkway Trail and for Tysons-McLean area.
Outreach: FCDOT now has a consultant to assist with campaigns to promote safety, the bike parking program, and responsible use of bike facilities. Tentative plans are underway to conduct bike rides to tour new infrastructure.
The next FABB monthly meeting will be in Falls Church on Wednesday, 19 April, in the Dogwood Room, City Hall, 300 Park Ave. Hope you can join us.
Labels: bike map, capital projects, FCDOT, outreach, repaving, studies, wayfinding
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Post Article on "Level of Traffic Stress" Bike Maps
 |
| Photo: Washington Post |
Some planners in the Washington region — along with a growing number across the U.S. — are beginning to pay more attention to the vast majority of people who they say would bike more often and to more places if doing so felt safer.
Planners in the District and Montgomery and Arlington counties are using satellite maps and street-level data about road widths, speed limits and parking patterns to gauge the “level of traffic stress” (LTS) along local roads. That stress factors in the sense of danger, as well as unpleasant noise and vehicle exhaust.
Fairfax County is developing a similar map as an update to the current Fairfax County Bicycle Map. That map has two primary categories of routes, "Preferred" and "Less Preferred." With only two categories for on-road routes, cyclists who are not familiar with the routes have little information about their comfort level. Many of the Less Preferred routes are not bike-friendly and are avoided by most cyclists. They are shown only to connect the Preferred routes.Planners in the District and Montgomery and Arlington counties are using satellite maps and street-level data about road widths, speed limits and parking patterns to gauge the “level of traffic stress” (LTS) along local roads. That stress factors in the sense of danger, as well as unpleasant noise and vehicle exhaust.
Level of Traffic Stress maps usually show several (4-5) .levels of stress. Besides giving cyclists more information, the highest stress routes clearly show where improvements are needed. Many of our neighborhood streets are very low stress but they do not connect to form a complete network. A stress map would show where a few improvements could connect these lower stress roads.
Labels: bicycle route map, bike map, level of traffic stress
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
FHWA Publishes the Bike Network Mapping Idea Book
Federal Highway Administration Bicycle and Pedestrian Program recently published an excellent reference for communities planning to create or update bike route maps, the Bike Network Mapping Idea Book:
This resource highlights ways that different communities have mapped their existing and proposed bicycle networks. It shows examples of maps at different scales, while also demonstrating a range of mapping strategies, techniques, and approaches. Facility types represented on the respective maps and legends are each different because they represent a community’s unique context and needs.
 |
| From University of North Carolina's bike map |
Labels: bicycle route map, bike map, fhwa
Friday, August 12, 2016
Ideas Wanted for Loop Rides on Updated Fairfax Bike Map
If you have ideas for such routes, we want to hear about them. We're collecting routes and that we are adding to a google map that we'll share once we've received a few.
Labels: bicycle route map, bike map
Friday, December 23, 2011
December FABB meeting
Charlie Strunk, the county bike coordinator, told us about the list of bike projects he is compiling in anticipation of a future Transportation Bond. In the past bike and pedestrian projects have been lumped together. As a result, trail or sidewalk projects predominate. Charlie is preparing a list of on-road projects by Supervisor District.
Charlie also noted that the Springfield-Burke Bicycle Master Plan area meeting is planned for January 24 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. at the Springfield District Office.
Jeff Anderson, Hunter Mill rep on the Trails and Sidewalks Committee, mentioned that the committee is preparing a list of mostly off-road projects for the anticipated Transportation Bond. If there are important bike projects, both on- and off-road, that you think should be included in the list, contact your Trails and Sidewalk committee rep. Jeff also reported on the biking and walking to school policy changes being considered by the School Board which we hope will result in more kids being able to bike to school. We are strongly opposing the removal of the Safety Education section.
Jenifer Madden, vice chair of the county Transportation Advisory Commission, discussed the importance of including cycling and active transportation in the Community Transformation Grant awarded to Fairfax County in September. The county received "a grant of $499,559 per year for at least the next three years to build capacity to implement policy, system, programmatic and infrastructure changes to promote health and prevent chronic disease." Bicycling for transportation, getting people out of their cars for short trips, is one obvious way to promote health. You'll be hearing more about this effort in the near future.
The next FABB meeting is planned for Wed. January 18. We hope to have Nicole Wynands of the League of American Bicyclists to discuss the Bicycle Friendly Community program.
Because we ran out of time we didn't get a chance to schedule our annual retreat, which we hope to hold on Sunday, January 8. If you'd like more info contact me.
Labels: bicycle master plan, bike map, community transformation grant, FABB meeting
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Fairfax Bike Map meeting
On Tuesday July 30 the Fairfax bicycle map advisory committee will meet to discuss changes to the Bike Map that was released on Bike to Work Day, May 16. The Bike Map is available on the County website. It has been very popular, with the first limited printing of 3,000 gone in the first couple of weeks.Proposed changes include correction of spelling and labeling, correction of the location of facilities, and whether some routes should be included or removed. In the area with which I am most familiar, some routes included on the map are rarely used by cyclists, such as Fox Mill Road. It is a narrow, hilly road with no shoulder. Cyclists do use short stretches to connect to other side roads, but rarely do they ride the length of the road. Without it, there are many gaps in the route network. Including it may give some cyclists the false notion that it is a common bike route, albeit "Less Preferred".
In another case a trail is located on the wrong side of the road. Errors can be expected in any map, especially one with the rapid production of the county bike map that was schedule for release on Bike to Work Day. Now that most of the map work is completed, including the design, color scheme, route network, etc., the changes should be able to be made quickly and a new edition should be out by late summer.
If you have used the map and have comments, please send them to me at chairman@fabb-bikes.org and I will bring them to the advisory committee.
Labels: bike map
