Friday, July 20, 2018
Faces of Fairfax: Delia Johnson
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| Delia Johnson |
Meet Delia Johnson, a rider from Burke, who kindly spent a few minutes with FABB to talk about bicycling on Bike to Work Day 2018. Delia rides her bike regularly to get around the county. She commutes to her job at George Mason University and uses her bike for trips to the store and her local library. For her, the exercise is great but she also appreciates saving money that might otherwise be spent on gas and parking. In response to our question about what she most likes about riding, Delia told us that she likes the exercise and health benefits along with the feeling that she is doing her part for the environment and congestion by taking one car off the road. She would love to see a bike lane on Braddock Road to make is easier and safer to ride around Burke.
FABB has been supportive of the efforts of Braddock District Supervisor John Cook and members of the Burke community to develop pedestrian and bicycle improvements for the Braddock Road corridor between Guinea Road and I-495. As briefly discussed at a public meeting on proposed pedestrian bridges last month, the plan now includes a shared use path on both sides of Braddock Road. Not a bike lane, but a clear improvement in a heavily trafficked area.
Labels: braddock road, Braddock Road multimodal study, burke, Faces of Fairfax, supervisor cook
Sunday, July 1, 2018
July Meeting Features Braddock and Springfield Districts
FABB is returning to Burke for our July meeting, and we are anticipating interesting presentations on bicycle-related developments and future transportation projects in the Braddock and Springfield Districts. Braddock District Supervisor John Cook will be joining us along with a representative from the Fairfax County Department of Transportation and other speakers. There will be time for questions and answers and the usual lively discussion of bicycle issues.
The meeting will be in Braddock Hall at the Braddock Government Center, 9002 Burke Lake Road, in Burke on Wednesday, July 18, from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. See you there!
Labels: Braddock District, burke, monthly meeting, springfield district
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Faces of Fairfax: Maureen Roche
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| Maureen Roche |
Burke resident Maureen Roche told FABB that she loves to ride. She finds that getting out on her bike just makes her feel better. Maureen also told us that she likes to ride because of the freedom it gives her and because she regularly meets new people while out on her bike.
In response to our question about where she rides, Maureen told us that she usually rides on the W&OD Trail and along Rt. 123 for trips to Occoquan.
Before heading off to finish her ride, Maureen mentioned that she also values biking because when she and others ride it helps reduce local traffic congestion by taking at least a few cars off the road.
Labels: burke, Faces of Fairfax
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Faces of Fairfax: Donald and Susan
Burke-resident Donald Curran and Springfield-resident Susan Demsko have been commuting to work for many years. Since 2015 and on each of the subsequent two Bike to Work Days they have been kind enough to tell FABB a little about themselves and give us updates on their thoughts and concerns.
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| Donald Curran |
Donald tells us that he still enjoys riding, especially for the time it allows him to be outdoors. Susan, meanwhile, says that for her riding is a great way to exercise and reduce stress. She can’t think of a more healthful way to stay in shape.
Both riders express the desire to see more bike lanes. Their morning commute to the Burke VRE station has gotten better over the yeas with the addition of new lanes and trails. Still, there are gaps on some of the local main roads, such as Rolling Road, Burke Lake Road, and Old Keene Mill Road, which could use bike lanes.
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| Susan Demsko |
The good news for the area is that improvements are being made in the area. New bike lanes are being added as part of the VDOT summer repaving program in accordance with the Bicycle Master Plan. This will includes stretches this summer along Greeley Boulevard from Carrleigh Parkway to Old Keene Mill Road and on Hillside Road from Rolling Road to Old Keene Mill Road. In addition, the Burke VRE Station is getting paths connecting it to nearby neighborhoods. Also, Rolling Road will soon get a sidewalk section that completes an important connection near Luthern Church.
We look forward to seeing Donald and Susan next year and hearing their views on these and other changes in the area.
Labels: burke, Faces of Fairfax, springfield
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Reminder: FABB's June Meeting in Burke On Wednesday
Please join FABB this Wednesday, 21 June, at 7:30 pm at the Braddock District Government Center, 9002 Burke Lake Road, Burke, for our next monthly meeting. We have a great program this month featuring Ann Sharp from Supervisor Cook’s office, Nancy-Jo Manney of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, and Nichole Wynands from the Fairfax County Department of Transportation.
See you there.
Labels: burke, greater springfield chamber of commerce, monthly meeting, supervisor cook
Thursday, June 1, 2017
FABB's June Meeting to Focus on Braddock-Springfield Districts
Please mark your calendars and plan to join us on Wednesday, 21 June, at 7:30 pm at the Braddock District Government Center, 9002 Burke Lake Road, Burke, for our next monthly meeting. Ann Sharp from Supervisor Cook’s office will be there to discuss county plans for the area. We also will have Nancy-Jo Manney of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce speaking about the Chamber’s efforts to improve central Springfield’s bike-ability. Nichole Wynands, one of our great bicycle program staffers at the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, will report on recent and planned bicycling improvements for the Braddock and Springfield areas.
We would love see a good turnout from all of our members. Also, please invite interested friends and neighbors to join you in learning about county plans and sharing concerns about other local needs for bicycling and multimodal transportation improvements.
See you there!
Labels: Braddock District, burke, fcdot bicycle program, greater springfield chamber of commerce, monthly meeting, springfield district, supervisor cook
Monday, May 29, 2017
Liberty Bell Trail Ribbon Cutting This Saturday
The Liberty Bell Trail, the newest segment of the Pohick Stream Valley Trail in Burke, will be opened on Saturday, 3 June. Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Park Authority Board, and Fairfax County Park Foundation Board will be there for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:00 am. The Trail is located at 9239 Burke Road and can be accessed from Burke Road near Liberty Bell Court.
FABB encourages our members in the area to go out and show some love and support to the new trail and the various county officials and board members who made it happen. Saturday also is National Trails Day, so this is a great opportunity to show your support for all trails with a nice ride along the new trail.
Labels: burke, liberty bell trail, pohick stream valley trail
Monday, February 6, 2017
Braddock Road Widening Project Meeting Tonight
FCDOT will be holding a community meeting tonight, Monday, 6 February, 2017, in the cafeteria of the Lake Braddock Secondary School at 9200 Burke Lake Road at 6:30 p.m.
The meeting will begin with an open house and an opportunity to review information and talk to FCDOT staff the Braddock Road Widening Project and Multimodal Study. At 7:30, the Braddock Road Task Force will present recommendations for improvements to Braddock Road from Guinea Road to the Beltway. These will include options to connect all of the trails and to run mixed use paths down both sides of Braddock. The meeting will conclude with time for questions and answers.
The meeting will begin with an open house and an opportunity to review information and talk to FCDOT staff the Braddock Road Widening Project and Multimodal Study. At 7:30, the Braddock Road Task Force will present recommendations for improvements to Braddock Road from Guinea Road to the Beltway. These will include options to connect all of the trails and to run mixed use paths down both sides of Braddock. The meeting will conclude with time for questions and answers.
This is an important meeting for bicyclists and others interested in improved multimodal transportation options in the Burke area. Please try to attend.
Labels: braddock road, burke, FCDOT
Sunday, November 13, 2016
The Liberty Bell Trail
FABB Board member Alan Young, who also is the Springfield Trails and Sidewalks Representative, sent us the following update on the Liberty Bell Trail:
If you live in West Springfield/Burke near Shiplett Boulevard, Burke, Burke Lake or Coffer Woods Roads, you may have noticed the construction in the Pohick Stream Valley behind the Burke Post Office and Burke Nursery. This is the long awaited Liberty Bell Trail. It will allow pedestrian and bike connections between Shiplett Boulevard at Hatches Court (near White Oaks Elementary), Burke Road at the 90-degree bend called fondly by many "Dead Man's Curve,” and Burke Lake Road at the Coffer Woods Signal.
The trail is a joint VDOT and Fairfax County Parks project designed to connect neighborhoods in the Pohick Valley Stream Park area to the Burke Road bike lanes leading to the Rolling Road VRE station. It also connects to the Burke VRE Station via the Burke VRE trail and to businesses along Roberts Road and Burke Lake Road, including the Burke Post Office. This new bicycle and pedestrian facility will provide local residents and visitors with much needed recreational and nature access to the Pohick Stream Valley. By extending the trail network to the Burke VRE station, the farmers market there will just be a short and fun Saturday morning run/ride away!
Watch this blog for more information about the scheduling of and participation in the opening celebration.
Labels: burke, liberty bell trail, pohick stream valley trail, west springfield
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Faces of Fairfax - Jeanne Brown Leonard
Jeanne Brown Leonard of Burke enthusiastically endorsed biking when she spoke to FABB on Bike to Work Day. Jeanne said that she rides because she loves the exercise. She added that she likes the fact that she is saving the environment and money by not driving a car. But, most of all, Jeanne just loves the therapeutic effects of being outside on her bike. Asked what changes she would like to see to make bicycling easier and safer in Fairfax, Jeanne said that, in addition to more bike lanes and trails, she would like to see all cyclists follow the rules of the road.
FABB is working with Fairfax County to do more on the education and enforcement elements of the Bicycle Master Plan (check out pages 65-75). We encourage members to reach out to their supervisors and other representatives to press for more attention and resources for these critical foundations for making Fairfax a true bicycle-friendly community.
FABB is working with Fairfax County to do more on the education and enforcement elements of the Bicycle Master Plan (check out pages 65-75). We encourage members to reach out to their supervisors and other representatives to press for more attention and resources for these critical foundations for making Fairfax a true bicycle-friendly community.
Labels: bike to work day, burke, Faces of Fairfax
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Faces of Fairfax - William Clougherty and Donald Curran
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| Donald Curran and William Clougherty |
William Clougherty of Oak Hill and Donald Curran of Burke posed together when FABB approached them on Bike to Work Day in Burke. William said he does most of his riding on the W&OD Trail. Donald, who was featured in Faces of Fairfax last year, regularly bikes to work but also rides for enjoyment. He said that he enjoys the feeling of freedom he gets when he bikes. Both men said they would like to see more bike lanes and trails to make riding easier and safer in Fairfax County.
In 2016 FABB has been active advocating for Fairfax County and VDOT to continue making multimodal improvements to improve side trails and ramp crossings and add bike lanes, shoulders and wide curb lanes to routes such as the Fairfax County and Franconia-Springfield parkways and the Little River Turnpike inside the Beltway. FABB continues to encourage people who ride bikes or love someone who does to make their voices heard on improving bicycling infrastructure and safety at public hearings publicized on this blog site.
Labels: bike to work day, burke, Faces of Fairfax, fairfax county parkway, fairfax county parkway trail, franconia-springfield parkway, little river turnpike, oak hill, w&od trail
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Faces of Fairfax - Ricardo Estevez
Ricardo Estevez of Burke is a bike commuter who rides in part to honor his daughter, who is a leukemia survivor. In addition to his regular commute to work in Rosslyn, he likes to participate in charity rides. Asked what he likes most about biking, he responded that he enjoys not being in his car. He would like to see more trails and more funding for education on sharing the road for motorists and cyclists.
FABB applauds the progress Fairfax County has made in engineering more bike facilities, but our group continues to advocate for the unfunded education and encouragement aspects of the Bicycle Master Plan. We need cyclists and other concerned citizens to tell their supervisors that Fairfax County has to do more to promote biking and to educate cyclists and motorists about bike safety and the “rules of the road.” Funding the BikeFairfax office, as proposed in the Bicycle Master Plan, to handle such encouragement and education activities would be a good place to start.
FABB applauds the progress Fairfax County has made in engineering more bike facilities, but our group continues to advocate for the unfunded education and encouragement aspects of the Bicycle Master Plan. We need cyclists and other concerned citizens to tell their supervisors that Fairfax County has to do more to promote biking and to educate cyclists and motorists about bike safety and the “rules of the road.” Funding the BikeFairfax office, as proposed in the Bicycle Master Plan, to handle such encouragement and education activities would be a good place to start.
Labels: bicycle master plan, bicycle safety, bike to work day, bikefairfax, burke, Faces of Fairfax
Monday, February 1, 2016
Faces of Fairfax - Robert Sohl
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| Robert Sohl |
Labels: burke, FABB, Faces of Fairfax, w&od trail
Monday, January 4, 2016
Faces of Fairfax - Don Curran
Cyclists can notify VDOT of issues like these by submitting work requests on the myVDOT page or by calling 1-800-367-7623 (FOR-ROAD). VDOT is good about responding to requests for repairs, especially if there is a safety hazard involved.
Labels: burke, FABB, Faces of Fairfax
Monday, December 21, 2015
Faces of Fairfax - Martha Martin
Labels: bicycle master plan, burke, FABB, Faces of Fairfax, gmu
Monday, November 30, 2015
Faces of Fairfax - Beth Gamble
Labels: burke, FABB, Faces of Fairfax
Monday, November 16, 2015
Faces of Fairfax - Derek
FABB: Why do you ride?
Derek: Exercise and commuting.
FABB: Where do you ride?
Derek: All over Fairfax.
FABB: What do you most like about riding?
Derek: Freedom!
FABB: What would you like to change to make it easier and safer for you to ride?
Derek: Widen the shoulders on area roads.
Labels: burke, FABB, Faces of Fairfax
Monday, October 19, 2015
Faces of Fairfax - Canaan Merchant
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| Canaan Merchant |
Canaan is a regular contributor of blog posts to the Greater Greater Washington website, where he writes about transportation and urban design issues.
Labels: burke, burke vre station, FABB, Faces of Fairfax
Monday, October 5, 2015
Faces of Fairfax - Bryan Sweeney
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| Bryan Sweeney |
Asked what he likes most about biking, Bryan responded “Everything!” In response to another question about what he thinks would make cycling easier and safer in the county, he suggested that efforts to increase motorist awareness of bicyclists would be helpful.
FABB continues to work with Fairfax County government and local law enforcement to expand public consciousness about safely sharing roads and to increase knowledge of the “rules of the road” that protect law-abiding cyclists from motorists who do not understand or choose to ignore the law.
Labels: burke, burke vre station, clifton, FABB, Faces of Fairfax
Monday, September 28, 2015
Faces of Fairfax - USAF Lt. Col. Paul Ferguson
US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Paul Ferguson finds riding a fun and cost-effective way to commute from his home in Burke to the Burke Centre Virginia Railway Express station. During his Bike to Work Day pit stop, Lt. Colonel Ferguson said he was very happy with his ability to commute safely and with ease, possibly because he is able to take advantage of the paved Burke VRE Trail and the bike racks or enclosed bike lockers available at the train station.
By the way, VRE permits collapsible bikes on all cars, on all trains, as long as they are completely folded and safely stored in overhead luggage racks or under seats. Full size bikes are allowed only on the last three northbound, mid-day, and last three southbound trains.
Labels: burke, burke vre station, FABB, Faces of Fairfax
