FABB Blog

 

FABB Bike Education Classes Coming to George Mason University

Labels: bike classes, gmu

posted by Steve Ward at 8:30 AM permalink

 

Faces of Fairfax - Martha Martin

Martha Martin talked to FABB on Bike to Work Day 2015 while taking a break during her regular commute from her home in Burke to her job at George Mason University.  An academic advisor at GMU’s School of Business, Martha told FABB that she rides because it is healthier and more sustainable than driving.  She added that, when it comes to commuting by bike “It’s sort of like being on vacation even though I am going to work.”
When asked what she would like to change to make it easier and safer to ride, Martha replied that more protected bike lanes on area roads would help.
FABB continues to support efforts to implement the Fairfax County Bicycle Master Plan, which envisions the creation of more protected bike lanes and expanded visual cues that show cyclists how to share a lane, ride out of the door zone of parked cars, or move into buffered lanes only for bikes.   

Labels: bicycle master plan, burke, FABB, Faces of Fairfax, gmu

posted by Steve Ward at 9:00 AM permalink

 

GMU encourages students to register their bikes

George Mason University (GMU) wants more students to register their bikes on campus. As an incentive, they are giving away a free OnGuard U-Lock. See the info below from Michael Lagana of the Mason Cycling Club:

Labels: bike registration, george mason university, gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 1:52 PM permalink

 

Successful Fairfax Bike Summit

We had a great Fairfax Bike Summit today at George Mason University. An impressive lineup of speakers discussed how Fairfax could become a more bike-friendly place. As Andy Clarke of the League of American Bicyclists said, it's not rocket science. Provide safe bicycle accommodations and people will ride.

We'll be posting more photos and a wrap-up of the event in the next few days. We'll also post copies of the presentations on the Bike Summit page. The talks were videotaped and we'll try to load some of those videos as well. We'll also post a list of the suggestions we received for moving foreword.

Thanks to all the speakers, volunteers, and participants who took time on a lovely Fall day to explore how Fairfax can become a better place to bike, which would benefit all residents by allowing people to get out of their cars for short trips, get exercise, and have fun.

Here's the list of speakers from today:

• Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, Hunter Mill District - Welcome
• Josh Cantor, Director of Parking and Transportation, George Mason University - Welcome
• Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists and a Fairfax County resident - Fixing the suburbs

• FABB member Kerie Hitt rolls into the Bike Summit at GMU

  Tom Biesiadny, Director of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation - Fairfax County Bicycle Master Plan
• Aaron Georgelas, Partner, Georgelas Group - Remaking Tysons
• Randy Dittberner, Traffic engineer, VDOT - Better Roads
• Christine Green, National Safe Routes to School Partnership - Safe Routes to School
• Chris Eatough, BikeArlington, six time endurance cycling world champion - BikeArlington
• Fionnuala Quinn, Civil engineer, FABB vice chair - Who cycles? Growing Cycling Participation
• Charlie Denney, Alta Planning+Design - Bikesharing for Fairfax
• Anne Mader, Co-owner, The Bike Lane - Sports & Recreational Biking
• Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth - Future Challenge
  
  

Labels: fairfax bike summit, gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 6:52 PM permalink

 

Fairfax Bike Summit is Saturday

Everything is coming together for the inaugural Fairfax Bike Summit tomorrow morning, Saturday October 27 starting at 9am at The HUB at George Mason University. We've got some great speakers lined up who will be talking about how we can convert Fairfax from a car-dominated place to a better place to bike.

We set a goal for 200 people for the summit and there are now 208 people registered. We have room for a few more so you can still register online.

We're encouraging people to ride to the summit. The weather forecast looks good despite the approach of Hurricane Sandy. There will be some indoor bike valet parking supplemented by bike racks outside The HUB entrance.

There will be breakfast snacks, coffee, and tea. Several vendors will have transportation bikes and gear including A-1 Cycling, Bikenetic, bikes@vienna, Spokes, Etc. and The Bike Lane. Bikes for the World will have a table as will Fairfax County DOT, Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts (MORE), REI, Lose the Training Wheels, and Tour de Cure.

Here is the list of speakers:

• Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, Hunter Mill District - Welcome
• Josh Cantor, Director of Parking and Transportation, George Mason University - Welcome
• Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists and a Fairfax County resident - Fixing the suburbs
• Tom Biesiadny, Director of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation - Fairfax County Bicycle Master Plan
• Aaron Georgelas, Partner, Georgelas Group - Remaking Tysons
• Randy Dittberner, Traffic engineer, VDOT - Better Roads
• Christine Green, National Safe Routes to School Partnership - Safe Routes to School
• Chris Eatough, BikeArlington, six time endurance cycling world champion - BikeArlington
• Fionnuala Quinn, Civil engineer, FABB vice chair - Who cycles? Growing Cycling Participation
• Charlie Denney, Alta Planning+Design - Bikesharing for Fairfax
• Anne Mader, Co-owner, The Bike Lane - Sports & Recreational Biking
• Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth - Future Challenge

Labels: fairfax bike summit, george mason university, gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 11:54 AM permalink

 

Sharrows in Fairfax City

‘Sharrows’ Remind Motorists to Share the Road With Bikers is a recent article in Fairfax News about planned sharrows on Old Lee Highway:
Minor correction: The sharrows on George Mason Blvd and University Dr are not bike lanes. The sharrows are used because there is not enough space for bike lanes. They indicate where cyclists should position themselves in the lane and they signal to motorists to expect cyclists riding in the lane.

Labels: city of fairfax, gmu, shared lane markings, sharrows

posted by Bruce Wright at 8:56 AM permalink

 

Central Fairfax area bike plan meeting on Thursday

The last of eight bike plan meetings focusing on different parts of the county will be held in Central Fairfax on Thursday, March 29 starting at 6pm at Daniels Run Elementary School, 3705 Old Lee Hwy, Fairfax. Technically the planning area does not include the City of Fairfax, but given it's central location and the fact that several countywide bike routes pass through the city, it makes sense that the city be included in the process.

While there will be additional public meetings, this is one of the last chances to make detailed comments on the bicycle route network, on bike parking needs, and on any bicycle-related policy recommendations. Comments need not be limited to just the Central Fairfax area.

As a side note, the photo that has been used for most of the fliers advertising the bike plan meetings (the center photo in the flier on the right) was taken in the City of Fairfax on a ride organized by city residents to review possible bike routes between the city and the Vienna Metro station.

George Mason University is located nearby and the potential for future bike use is significant. We just need better, safer bike facilities and having a good bike plan is a critical part of the process. See the Central Fairfax meeting flier and the Bike Plan website for more details.

Labels: bicycle master plan, city of fairfax, gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 10:26 PM permalink

 

GMU recognized as Bicycle Friendly University

Bruce Wright (FABB) and Josh Cantor (GMU Trans. Office) at Bike to Mason Day this year

George Mason University was recently recognized for the many bike-friendly improvements they are making. The League of American Bicyclists awarded them the Bronze level of Bicycle Friendly University. Congratulations GMU! The Transportation, Sustainability, and Human Resources offices have worked hard to encourage more students, faculty, and staff to go by bike. It's a challenge given that many students also work full or part time and often travel longer distances than students at other campuses.

GMU has held Bike to Mason Day for the past several years. This year they held regular Bike to Campus days coordinated by the bicycle program. The next event is scheduled for tomorrow Oct. 12. They are also holding bike classes and we'll be teaching a bicycle safety class as part of the bike to campus event.

Staff can apply for the bicycle benefit and receive $20/month toward purchase of bike supplies and maintenance. Patriot Circle now has bike lanes or shared lane markings on most of the loop. Shared lane markings were recently striped on George Mason Blvd leading to campus. Covered bike parking with inverted U racks are available in many locations.

Now the challenge is to get more students, faculty, and staff to consider using bikes for transportation. It's a slow culture shift, but it's happening.

Labels: bike friendly university, gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 11:21 AM permalink

 

Bike to Mason Day today

Bruce Wright and Josh Cantor

About 100 people participated in Bike to Mason Day this morning. It was a cool, sunny day as students, faculty, and staff rolled in to the registration check-in area where they were provided t-shirts, metal water bottles, fruit, pastries, coffee, and juice. Oasis Bike Works and The Bike Lane were both present. Oasis provided free tune-ups to a steady stream of cyclists throughout the morning.

Rick Holt of PW Co on the left

We spoke to several cyclists who said one of their main reasons for living nearby was so they could easily bike to campus and other nearby locations. One woman said she used the Fairfax County Bike map when her family was deciding where to live.

At mid-morning a group of Prince William County cyclists appeared, led by Rick Holt of the GMU Human Resources office. Rick is organizing bike commuting and bicycle skills classes that are being available to faculty and staff for the first time this year.

Nick Turner is pictured on the right with his prototype velomobile that he designed and built himself. Nick was a GMU student for a couple of years but left to gain some very practical real-world skills by building the pedal-powered car that he hopes to market some day.

Nick Turner and his velomobile

Thanks to Josh Cantor and the Transportation office staff for putting this event together. It was a great chance for GMU cyclists to celebrate biking to campus, get bike literature including copies of the Fairfax Co map, and talk about ways to ride to campus.

Labels: bike to mason day, gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 1:34 PM permalink

 

Bike commuting seminar at GMU

Five GMU faculty/staff took our latest bike commuting seminar on Friday. GMU is making great strides in becoming a more bicycle-friendly university. The entire length of Patriot Circle now has either bike lanes or shared lane markings (sharrows). Bike parking is regularly being added and several new bike shelters are in place with new racks to be installed in the shelters this month and next.

Bike to Mason Day is next week, on Thursday April 21, and we'll be there handing out bike literature and talking to students about biking to campus. Gradually more people are using bikes for transportation at the campus. Thanks to the GMU Transportation Department for sponsoring the class and to Rick Holt, a cyclist and LCI who works with the Human Resources Department, for organizing it. The next two Fridays we'll be doing bike commuting seminars at the Manassas and Woodbridge campuses.

Labels: bike commuting, bike to mason day, gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 3:02 PM permalink

 

GMU looking for transportation coordinator

George Mason University is hiring a transportation coordinator. If you're interested in encouraging GMU students to use bikes, transit, and car pools to get to campus instead of driving, consider applying for the position:The coordinator would be responsible for organizing Bike to Mason Day and other bike events on campus.

Speaking of GMU, Bike to Campus Day is tomorrow from noon to 1:30pm at the Johnson Center, North Plaza, by the clock tower. Bike to Mason Day is April 21, 6am to noon, same location.

Labels: bike to mason day, gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 3:40 PM permalink

 

GMU implements bike commuter benefit

It's surprising how few companies have implemented the Bicycle Commuter benefit. The program has been in existence for over two years and we've only heard of a handful of companies where employees can receive the $20 monthly benefit for bike commuting-related expenses. GMU recently announced that they have implemented the benefit for all Mason full-time faculty and staff.

To qualify a cyclist "must bike to any Mason Campus a minimum of eight times per month to be eligible for the benefit." Qualified employees will receive a "$20 voucher each month good at area bike shops." Most area shops honor the voucher. They also have access to shower facilities. GMU is also planning to hold bicycle education classes in the coming year. Congratulations to GMU for implementing the benefit and encouraging more employees to commute by bike.

Labels: gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 12:13 PM permalink

 

New bike lanes at George Mason University

According to Josh Cantor, Director of Parking and Transportation at George Mason University: "bike lanes have been added around most of Patriot Circle. In a few places where the road doesn't have the width for a dedicated bike lane, sharrows (share the road bike markings) have been painted on to remind motorists of bicycle traffic." As you can see from the  map, Patriot Circle is a major route encircling the campus. Congratulations to GMU for creating dedicated space for cyclists on campus.

GMU has been making great strides promoting bicycling on campus. We've worked with them in the past on planning the initial Bike to Mason Day in 2008, handing out literature to students, and discussing options such as bike sharing to reduce student parking. There's great potential for cycling on campus and thanks to the support of Transportation staff, more and more people are choosing to go by bike.

Labels: bike lanes, gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 6:46 PM permalink

 

Bike to Mason Day 2010

It was a beautiful but cold Bike to Mason Day yesterday. We talked to many students, faculty, and staff about our work, to hand out county bike maps, and to tell them about our newsletter.

Josh Cantor of the GMU Transportation Department has done a great job of holding this event for the past several years. Due to conflicts with the academic calendar it's held earlier than the regional Bike to Work Day events. Josh is working with Commuter Check to provide vouchers for bike commuters who are Mason employees as part of the GMU Commuter Choice program.

We also had a chance to check out the GMU Bike Village. Christi gave us a tour of their space, located in the ground floor of one of the parking garages. Soon they hope to have donated bikes ready for their bike share/rental program.

Labels: bike to mason day, bike village, gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 10:46 AM permalink

 

Bike to Mason Day part II

George Mason University celebrated it's first Bike to Mason Day a couple of years ago. Not content with just a spring event, they've scheduled a Fall Bike to Mason Day next Tuesday, October 27. If you plan to be on the GMU campus that day, join students, faculty, and staff for free continental breakfast, a free Bike to Mason T-Shirt and water bottle. Then at noon at Mason Hall join the bike ride around Patriot Circle led by Dr. Maurice Scherrens, GMU Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Dr. Sandy Scherrens, Vice President for University Life. Open to all students, faculty, staff, and contractors.

Labels: bike to mason day, gmu

posted by Bruce Wright at 2:53 PM permalink