Wednesday, May 30, 2018
I-66 Inside the Beltway Meeting on June 5
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Hey, FABB members and friends in the McLean/Tysons and Falls Church area: the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is holding a “Pardon Our Dust” meeting to discuss upcoming construction in your part of the county as part of the I-66 Inside the Beltway project.
For bikers, the most important part of the project is the plan to build a bridge for the Washington & Old Dominion Trail over Route 29 (Lee Highway) as you leave Falls Church and enter Arlington. The upcoming construction also will add an additional travel lane to I-66 on a four-mile stretch of eastbound I-66 between the Dulles Connector Road and Fairfax Drive (Exit 71) and connect two existing ramps at the I-66 and Route 7 interchange to allow direct access from eastbound I-66 to the West Falls Church Metro Station.
Construction is just now getting underway. Please plan to attend and speak up for making the W&OD bridge the best it can be. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 5, 2018, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Yorktown High School, 5200 Yorktown Boulevard, in Arlington.
Labels: falls church, i-66 inside the beltway, lee highway, route 29, w&od trail
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Van Buren Bridge Construction in East Falls Church
Here’s a heads up for cyclists that there will be street work near the W&OD Trail in Falls Church that will impede through traffic in East Falls Church and could affect your ride for several months.
The City of Falls Church Department of Public Works will begin the replacement of Van Buren Bridge in the first week of October 2017. The current construction schedule has access across the bridge shut down starting October 16th, 2017. The bridge probably will be closed till the end of March 2018. Marked detours will be set up, routing vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic around the work zone.
More information on this project, as well as project updates, are available at the City’s project website: http://www.fallschurchva.gov/1568/Van-Buren-Bridge
If you have concerns or questions at any time please call James Mak at 703-248-5105 or via email at jmak@fallschurchva,gov.
Labels: falls church, van burn bridge, w&od trail
Monday, September 18, 2017
Adult Bike Class This Saturday
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Falls Church is sponsoring an Adult Bicycle Education Class this Saturday, September 23, 2017, from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM that is open to the general public. This 3-hour class is a great opportunity for people who don’t ride but who are interested in joining their neighbors and friends in the joy of biking. Instruction will focus on the basics of how to ride a bike. The class will be held at Cavalier Trail Park Tennis Courts at 590 South Maple Avenue in Falls Church.
FABB is encouraging its members to share this information with friends and neighbors to help promote bicycling in the region.
Sign up for the class using this link.
Labels: bicycle education, falls church
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Faces of Fairfax: Kathleen Kelley
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| Kathleen Kelley |
Kathleen Kelley of Falls Church spoke to us at the Tysons pit stop on Bike to Work Day, telling us that she commutes daily from her home to Tysons. She said that she rides because it is way more fun than driving. In addition to her daily commute, she has a few favorite routes she rides to Shirlington and around the Harper’s Ferry area.
Kathleen told us that one of the things she likes most about bicycling is the friends she has made over a common love of biking.
Kathleen would like to see better transportation planning to correct car-centric networks such as is found in and around Tysons. The good news is that a number of projects are underway in the Tysons area that address Kathleen’s concerns. For example, shared use paths on both sides of Route 7 from Tysons to Reston Avenue are included in the Route 7 widening design. And grade separated ramp crossings for the Route 7 bridge over the Dulles Toll Road are under construction. The 14-foot-wide shared-use path being built for pedestrians and bikes as part of this project will tie into future trails.
Labels: BTWD, Faces of Fairfax, falls church, Tysons
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Falls Church Bikeshare Meeting on Thursday
FABB members in and around Falls Church should plan on attending a community meeting on Bikeshare this Thursday, July 20, at 7:00 pm. The subject will be the status of the project to bring Capital Bikeshare to Falls Church and to discuss the proposed station locations. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 300 Park Avenue.
If you can’t make this meeting, you can still comment on the the draft station locations by using this crowdsource map.
Labels: bikeshare, capital bikeshare, falls church
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Reminder: April Monthly Meeting Next Week in Falls Church
Please plan on joining FABB next week for our April meeting in Falls Church. We have a great program planned to learn about upcoming city and nearby county efforts to make bicycling better. Falls Church Principal Planner Paul Stoddard and FCDOT’s Adam Lind will be there to provide the details. The meeting will be held at 7:30pm, April 19, in the Dogwood Room, Falls Church City Hall at 300 Park Avenue. See you there!
Labels: falls church, monthly meeting
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
FABB’s April Bike Meeting in Falls Church
Join FABB in Falls Church to talk bicycling and learn about upcoming city and county bike plans in and around the Falls Church area. The meeting will be held at 7:30pm, April 19, in the Dogwood Room, Falls Church City Hall at 300 Park Avenue.
Falls Church Principal Planner Paul Stoddard is scheduled to attend to discuss planned infrastructure improvements for the city and the pending arrival of Bikeshare. Adam Lind of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation will also be there to provide one of his regular updates on developments in the county with a focus on areas surrounding Falls Church.
This will be our first gathering in Falls Church as FABB continues to meet around the county in an effort to hear from local residents about their bicycling needs. The meeting, of course, is for all FABB members from all areas. Sharing knowledge and ideas for improving bicycling and the interconnected trails and routes throughout northern Virginia is a major FABB goal. Please plan on joining us.
Labels: falls church, FCDOT, monthly meeting
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
FABB November Meeting Next Week
Please plan on joining FABB for our November meeting, which will be held at the McLean Governmental Center next Wednesday, November 16, from 7:30 to 9:00 pm.
We will be welcoming Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust for a discussion of bicycling and related transportation developments in the areas around McLean, Tysons, and Falls Church. Adam Lind, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation Bicycle Coordinator, also will be there to talk about current and future bicycling projects in the southern part of the district. And, of course, the meeting will provide an opportunity for riders and other to raise questions and share their ideas about bicycling in the southern part of Dranesville District.
We are hoping to have a great turnout, so please help spread the word about this upcoming meeting.
Labels: adam lind, dranesville district, falls church, mclean, supervisor foust, Tysons
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Southern Dranesville District Focus of Next FABB Monthly Meeting
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| Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust will be speaking at November FABB meeting. |
Mark your calendars to join FABB in welcoming Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust for a discussion of bicycling and related transportation developments and needs at our November meeting. The meeting will be held at the McLean Governmental Center on Wednesday, November 16, from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. This is the last in a series of meetings in 2016 in venues around the county.
Because of the extensiveness of Dranesville District, November's meeting will focus on the areas around McLean, Tysons, and Falls Church. Adam Lind, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation Bicycle Coordinator, will also be there to talk about current and future bicycling projects in the southern part of the district.
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| New signage in McLean. |
FABB plans to have a separate meeting in early 2017 to cover developments in and plans for the Great Falls and Herndon areas of Dranesville District. The McLean Governmental Center is located at 1437 Balls Hill Road in McLean, near the intersection of Route 123 and Lewinsville Road.
Please help spread the word about this upcoming meeting to talk about ways to make bicycling better in this area.
Labels: dranesville district, falls church, mclean, monthly meeting, Tysons
Monday, August 1, 2016
Meeting to Discuss Falls Church Bike Routes
The City of Falls Church is working on its next set of bike routes, the summer 2016 routes.A community workshop will be held on Wed., August 3 at Falls Church City Hall, 300 Park Ave, from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Interested residents are encouraged to review the marking options, attend the workshop and provide feedback. There are two routes under consideration. See the Bike Routes Implementation page, Meeting Flyer, and Meeting Presentation.
| Proposed Summer Bike Routes |
Labels: falls church
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Faces of Fairfax - Michelle Neyland
Of the things Fairfax County could do to make biking easier and safer, Michelle offered that she would like to see more snow clearing and de-icing of trails in winter. In addition, she thought that more needed to be done to improve safety at street crossings. Finally, Michelle said that she would love to see more trails like the W&OD and Custis Trails.
Although not something people are likely to think about in July, FABB has been a longstanding advocate for snow removal policies and ordnances in the county. The heavy snows of the past two winters appear to have increased the profile of the issue with the Board of Supervisors. But more public support is needed to push the county and Virginia Department of Transportation to treat pedestrians and cyclists fairly when it comes to clearing snow from trails, sidewalks, and bike lanes.
Labels: bike to work day, Faces of Fairfax, falls church, health, snow plowing, w&od trail
Thursday, June 2, 2016
9 June Public Hearing on Funding Falls Church Capital Bikeshare
Falls Church hopes to expand Capital Bikeshare to the city, but the plan may be stopped short if necessary funding is not approved. Your input can help make the difference. The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) is holding a public hearing next week on whether to fund the Falls Church program as part of its FY2017 program.
FABB is encouraging members and interested citizens to speak up in support of bringing the popular bike share program to Falls Church. The public hearing will be held at 7pm, June 9, at 3040 Williams Drive, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA. Comments can also be submitted by email to FY2017Program@TheNoVaAuthority.org .
Falls Church submitted an application to the NVTA, which is a regional body that works to fund transportation initiatives that provide cost effective congestion relief, like Capital Bikeshare. If approved, NVTA funding would support the installation of up to 16 bikeshare stations in Falls Church, providing residents and visitors additional travel options to Metro and points around the city. It would also serve to connect the city to the regional bikeshare network that already covers the District, Arlington, Alexandria, and soon the Reston-Herndon and Tysons areas. Falls Church plans to have its bikeshare program online by late spring or early summer of 2017.
The effort to bring bikeshare to Falls Church follows the City Council’s unanimous adoption of the City’s Bicycle Master Plan in 2015. The plan identifies several bikeshare corridors and recommended bike routes and infrastructure that will help increase access to the East and West Falls Church Metro stations and improve connections throughout the region.
FABB supports bikesharing as a way to expand transportation options and promote better bicycling in the area. By making bicycles readily available in the community, bikeshare encourages more people to make their trips by bike. More people biking, in turn, increases demand for better bike infrastructure. It also serves to increase motorist awareness of bicyclists contributing to a safer biking environment.
Labels: bikeshare, capital bikeshare, falls church, nvta
Monday, February 15, 2016
Faces of Fairfax - Robert
Labels: ballston, FABB, Faces of Fairfax, falls church
Monday, December 28, 2015
Faces of Fairfax - Team D-Rock
Labels: FABB, Faces of Fairfax, falls church, Tysons, vienna
Monday, November 23, 2015
Faces of Fairfax - Sarah
Sarah added that she would like to see improvements in the bicycle facilities for Rt. 7 from Tysons to Bailey's Crossroads. And, she would really like to have more protected bike lanes in Fairfax to make riding safer.
Labels: dc, FABB, Faces of Fairfax, falls church
Monday, November 2, 2015
Faces of Fairfax -Sunil, Ariji, and Paresh
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| Sunil, Ariji, and Paresh |
FABB continues to work with Fairfax County to implement the county’s Bicycle Master Plan, which includes recommendations to expand on-road and off-road facilities as part of a larger bicycle transportation network that will make Fairfax County more bicycle friendly.
Labels: bicycle master plan, FABB, Faces of Fairfax, falls church, w&od trail
Monday, September 21, 2015
Faces of Fairfax - Four FCPS Friends
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| Elaine Tholen, Jennifer Allard, Erin Sylves, and Evie Ifantides |
Jennifer and Erin were taking advantage of Bike to Work Day to try out bike commuting. while Evie, who is a member of the City of Fairfax Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, and Elaine, an environmental educator for the county, said they regularly commute by bike to the FCPS office in Merrifield.
Evie said “I love riding to work because I see so many more people. People say hello… I have much more interaction with people than when I drive.”
Labels: FABB, Faces of Fairfax, falls church, merrifield
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
First Kidical Mass ride in Falls Church on Sunday
From Kidical Mass Falls Church:
Our very first Kidical Mass ride!
Sunday, May 25at 11:30am, Bikenetic, 922 W Broad St., Falls Church, Virginia 22046.
For those of you in town that want to join us for a short bike ride, we'll be starting at local bike shop Bikenetic - Full Service Bicycle Shop and riding through the quiet streets of Falls Church ending up at Lincoln park where the kids can play. Here's the route! http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4709349
Get in a nice family ride before the Memorial Day Parade, fun run and festival on Monday!
Labels: falls church, kidical mass
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Comment on Falls Church mobility plan
The draft plan speaks to the need for multiple modes of transportation and specifically discusses "increasing the potential to walk and bicycle to local destinations." The meeting will be held at the City of Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls St Falls Church, VA 22046.
Labels: falls church, mobility for all modes
Friday, April 12, 2013
Beware when riding through Falls Church on the W&OD Trail
According to the Falls Church Patch article Falls Church Police Out Patrolling W&OD Trail, citations are being given to cyclists who don't come to a complete stop at the W&OD Trail STOP signs. There is a Falls Church ordinance that requires bicyclists to stop at all stop signs: Article IV, Sec. 26-109, 3. Stop signs. All persons operating a bicycle shall stop at all stop signs. The state code, 46.2-821, only applies to a cyclist on a roadway, not on a trail, so if you're issued a ticket, hope that the state code is used since there's a good chance the ticket will be dismissed if contested.Thanks to Senator Favola, upon the request of Loudoun County officials, the Virginia legislature recently passed a law, Senate Bill 959, which "Allows local governing bodies to adopt ordinances requiring users of shared-use paths to stop before crossing highways at marked crosswalks." One problem with such an ordinance is that police tend to have a very literal definition of what "stop" means, often using a double standard, requiring cyclists to put a foot down while most motorists roll through stop signs. The other problem is the contradiction between having a STOP sign adjacent to a crosswalk, and knowing when a cyclist can enter the crosswalk where a motorists is required to yield.
Here's a video of an interview with one of the Falls Church officers:
Labels: falls church, stop signs, W and OD Trail
