Thursday, March 14, 2013
Biking to the Wiehle Ave Metro Station
The following article, Biking to the Wiehle Avenue Metro Station, was posted on the Reston Patch today. Note in the comments section that two of the first three commenters joke about hitting cyclists. I don't find it amusing: |
| Reston bike routes from county bike map |
Leading up to Bike to Work Day two years ago, I challenged our neighbors Del. Ken Plum and the Reston Association President Kathleen Driscoll to a commuter challenge from our neighborhood to the Reston Town Center.
I can remember waving at Ken as I passed him on the Wiehle Ave bridge; he was waiting at one of the traffic signals as I rode by on the trail. I beat Ken to the Town Center by a few minutes and we beat Kathleen, who took the connector bus, by about 20 minutes. For short trips bicycling is often faster than driving, especially when you consider the time to park and walk to your destination.
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| 2-mile radius around Wiehle station |
What are the best bike routes to the station? The W&OD Trail is located less than one-quarter mile from the north station entrance. There is a multi-use trail that connects the W&OD Trail to the station entrance, although it needs to be repaved and widened. It also needs to be extended north to Baron Cameron. Unfortunately the shared bus/bike lanes that were recommended as part of the Reston Metro Access Group report (see chapter 3) are not being constructed on the western entrance to the station. Better bike facilities are needed in the immediate station vicinity to avoid conflicts between cyclists, pedestrians, buses, and cars.
From the south, the new bike lanes on Soapstone Dr and Lawyers Road will connect most cyclists living south of the Toll Rd and east of Reston Parkway. Those cyclists can use neighborhood streets or connecting trails to reach Lawyers or Soapstone and ride to Sunrise Valley Dr. The existing mutli-use trail along Sunrise Valley Dr will soon be upgraded. Bike lanes on Sunrise Valley Drive, recommended in the RMAG report, are a longer term travel option. Most Reston residents should be able to safely ride to the station. See the Fairfax County Bike Route map for details.
For some Metro passengers traveling to Reston, getting from the station to their destination will be a challenge. Cyclists could leave their bikes overnight in the bike parking room and retrieve them on their way to work in the morning.
Bike sharing is another possibility and is a great last-mile solution and could be implemented in Reston. The Capital Bikeshare system is very popular in DC and many people are using it as a supplement or alternative to public transit. There are also other, less costly systems like ViaCycle at George Mason University.
Bike sharing stations could be scattered around denser parts of Reston including the Village Centers, major employers, and the Town Center. Users of Capital Bikeshare pay an annual membership fee of $70. Any trips of 30 minutes or less are free. I'm a member and when I use the system I time my trips to ensure they take less than 30 minutes. Daily membership is available for $7. See the CaBi website for details.
While it's difficult for some people living here in the suburbs to consider using bicycles for transportation, there are a few of us who rely almost solely on bikes to get around. Before you say that it's not a viable solution, why not give it a try. I'm willing to ride with anyone who wants to know a safe route to the station. Contact me at chairman@fabb-bikes.org.
Or consider riding on Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 17.
Labels: bike/car/bus challenge, dulles metrorail, wiehle ave
Monday, May 2, 2011
FABB chairman arrives first in Bike/Car/Bus Challenge in Reston
| Delegate Plum, Bruce Wright RA President Driscoll McKee, and Hunter Mill District Supervisor Hudgins Photo: Reston Patch |
Another bicyclist who took the same route but rode at an easier pace, Kerie Hitt, also of FABB, arrived next 3 and a half minutes later. Delegate Ken Plum's trip in his hybrid car took him 19 minutes. Taking the long route with a ride through Hunter's Woods Village Center on the RIBS 2 bus on her way to the Town Center was Reston Association President and School Board candidate Kathleen Driscoll McKee. She had a leisurely trip of 50 minutes.
"This was a good simulation that demonstrates real alternatives to the automobile for short trips in Reston and the rest of our community" noted Delegate Plum. He also said that short car trips are the least efficient, even for his hybrid car, which only averaged 30 mpg on the 3 mile trip.
The group was met at the Pavilion by Supervisor Cathy Hudgins who is a long-time supporter of transportation alternatives for Hunter Mill District residents. She has supported Bike to Work Day in Reston from the beginning in 2002. The last several years she has appeared at the event on her folding bike. Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 20. The Reston event will be held at the Town Center Pavilion. Susan Stillman, who is a member of the Vienna Bicycle Advisory Committee and a FABB member, rode from Vienna to greet the group at the Pavilion and to congratulate Bruce.
According to Bruce, "Riding a bike for transportation is a viable option for many people. What we showed today is that bicycling and driving travel times are very comparable for short trips, and bicycling costs much less and is better for the environment. I didn't use any foreign oil on the trip."
While RA President Driscoll McKee had the longest trip, she noted that the RIBS 2 bus was nearly full during the trip. The fare was $1.50. As a bus rider she could read, check her email, or otherwise make productive use of her time. To schedule her trip we used WMATA's Trip Planner, entering an origin, destination, and either arrival or departure time and selecting from the options. When Metrorail arrives in Reston local bus routes will be modified to provide more frequent service for accessing the Wiehle and Reston Parkway stations, making them a much more attractive alternative to driving and paying to park.
See coverage of the event on the Reston Patch, including a video segment.
See additional photos from the event. Photos by Mike McKee.
Labels: bike to work day, bike/car/bus challenge
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Bike/Car/Bus Challenge
To prove that bicycling is a good option for short trips we've challenged some local officials to compare travel time for bike/car/bus for a 3 mile trip to the Reston Town Center. Starting near South Lakes HS I will be bicycling on roads and trails. Delegate Ken Plum will drive his hybrid car, and Kathleen Driscoll McKee will take the bus. We'll compare travel times and we'll compare the cost of the trips, including the direct cost of the trip (breakfast for me, gas for Del. Plum, and bus fare for Ms. McKee), the cost of annual maintenance (bike/car), and other indirect costs such as "free" parking and air pollution. See our news release for more info:
Bike/Car/Bus Challenge to be held on Monday, May 2, 2011
Reston, VA, April 26, 2011 - Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 20 at the Reston Town Center Pavilion. To promote traveling by bicycle, on Monday, May 2, several residents of Reston are holding a bike/car/bus commute challenge. The purpose of the challenge is to compare the cost and travel time of the three modes during a typical short commute within Reston. For short trips, bicycle travel time compares favorably to car and bus travel times, and the cost of the trip is much less. National surveys indicate that nearly 50 percent of all trips are 3 miles or less.
The event will begin at 8:15 a.m. on May 2 and will last approximately an hour. The participants will leave from Cobblestone Lane in south Reston and travel to the Reston Town Center Pavilion, slightly more than 3 miles away. Each participant will be timed. The motorist must park in long term parking, as if he is going to be working at the Town Center for the day, and walk to the Pavilion. The bicyclist must also park and lock his bike and walk to the Pavilion. The bus rider’s time includes walking to and from the bus stop. People can choose their own route and must obey traffic rules.
Bruce Wright, Chairman of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling, will ride his bicycle, Del. Ken Plum will drive his hybrid car, and Reston Association President Kathleen Driscoll McKee will ride the bus. "I'm confident I can get to the Town Center before Ken and Kathleen. On a bicycle I'm not affected as much by congestion on the road," said Bruce. "Plus, I'll have fun, save money, and get a workout at the same time." Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins has been invited to meet everyone at the Town Center.
The cost of maintaining a bike is around $200/year. By comparison AAA estimates that the cost of maintaining a car is about $8,000/year, more than most people spend on clothing, health care and entertainment combined. Driving also has many indirect costs as well. Nationwide, motorist user fees pay for about half the cost of building and maintaining roads. All of us pay for the rest of the cost. Most of us also pay for “free” parking by paying higher prices for goods and services. The cost of one structured car parking space is around $15,000. The cost of a bicycle rack is approximately $300 installed. Transit costs are more difficult to quantify, varying by type and usage.
For more information contact Bruce Wright at 703-328-9619, chairman@fabb-bikes.org.
Resources
Bicycle trip planning:
Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/
Walk Score: http://www.walkscore.com/
Ride the City DC Metro: http://www.ridethecity.com/dc
Transit:
WMATA’s Trip Planner: http://www.wmata.com/rider_tools/tripplanner/
Reston, VA, April 26, 2011 - Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 20 at the Reston Town Center Pavilion. To promote traveling by bicycle, on Monday, May 2, several residents of Reston are holding a bike/car/bus commute challenge. The purpose of the challenge is to compare the cost and travel time of the three modes during a typical short commute within Reston. For short trips, bicycle travel time compares favorably to car and bus travel times, and the cost of the trip is much less. National surveys indicate that nearly 50 percent of all trips are 3 miles or less.
The event will begin at 8:15 a.m. on May 2 and will last approximately an hour. The participants will leave from Cobblestone Lane in south Reston and travel to the Reston Town Center Pavilion, slightly more than 3 miles away. Each participant will be timed. The motorist must park in long term parking, as if he is going to be working at the Town Center for the day, and walk to the Pavilion. The bicyclist must also park and lock his bike and walk to the Pavilion. The bus rider’s time includes walking to and from the bus stop. People can choose their own route and must obey traffic rules.
Bruce Wright, Chairman of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling, will ride his bicycle, Del. Ken Plum will drive his hybrid car, and Reston Association President Kathleen Driscoll McKee will ride the bus. "I'm confident I can get to the Town Center before Ken and Kathleen. On a bicycle I'm not affected as much by congestion on the road," said Bruce. "Plus, I'll have fun, save money, and get a workout at the same time." Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins has been invited to meet everyone at the Town Center.
The cost of maintaining a bike is around $200/year. By comparison AAA estimates that the cost of maintaining a car is about $8,000/year, more than most people spend on clothing, health care and entertainment combined. Driving also has many indirect costs as well. Nationwide, motorist user fees pay for about half the cost of building and maintaining roads. All of us pay for the rest of the cost. Most of us also pay for “free” parking by paying higher prices for goods and services. The cost of one structured car parking space is around $15,000. The cost of a bicycle rack is approximately $300 installed. Transit costs are more difficult to quantify, varying by type and usage.
For more information contact Bruce Wright at 703-328-9619, chairman@fabb-bikes.org.
Resources
Bicycle trip planning:
Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/
Walk Score: http://www.walkscore.com/
Ride the City DC Metro: http://www.ridethecity.com/dc
Transit:
WMATA’s Trip Planner: http://www.wmata.com/rider_tools/tripplanner/
Update: See Dr. Gridlock's blog post on the challenge
Wright is hoping that the Reston competition will encourage commuters not only to participate in the annual Bike to Work Day on May 20 but also to consider biking as a realistic alternative to motor vehicles.
He says the annual cost of maintaining a bike is about $200. (Which tells me he maintains his bike a lot better than I maintain mine.) By comparison, he says, it costs about $8,000 a year to keep a car, citing an AAA estimate.
"Wright has challenged me several times now to set up one of our Post "Which Way?" commuting features as a bike vs. car competition, and I do plan to take him up on that."
He says the annual cost of maintaining a bike is about $200. (Which tells me he maintains his bike a lot better than I maintain mine.) By comparison, he says, it costs about $8,000 a year to keep a car, citing an AAA estimate.
"Wright has challenged me several times now to set up one of our Post "Which Way?" commuting features as a bike vs. car competition, and I do plan to take him up on that."
Labels: bike to work day, bike/car/bus challenge
