FABB Blog

"I think there are still areas that we can become more efficient," Herrity said. For example, he said the county should eliminate what he called "political statement positions," such as the bicycle coordinator.

Dear Supervisor Herrity,

I was disappointed to read in your November newsletter that you think Fairfax County should not have a bicycle coordinator. The coordinator works with VDOT to develop low-cost safe on- and off-road bike facilities. He reviews site plans to ensure adequate bike parking and safe bike access are provided. He produced the county bicycle route map, one of the most popular maps published by the county and a key safety tool for bicyclists. He worked with transit officials to get bike racks on all Connector buses. He is leading the effort to develop the first ever bicycle master plan for the county which will improve safety and access for all county residents.

Every large city and populous county in the country has a bicycle coordinator. It is a critical position as local government’s take a hard look at how to address the inequity of the increased risks imposed upon those who cannot afford to drive, are without driver’s licenses or those who choose to travel by alternative modes. Local governments are realizing that they have been bearing the health and safety costs of not providing alternative transportation options which have resulted from the design of their infrastructure that blocks these options. The recent no-cost improvement on Lawyers Road which included bike lanes, decreased the crash rate for cars by 30%. We should be working to seek more of these low-cost options that benefit all residents.

The bike coordinator plays a critical role in safe transportation for all county residents. As you know, the Transportation Advisory Commission agrees, awarding Charlie Strunk the 2009 Transportation Achievement Award at your Board meeting in June 2010. Instead of eliminating the bike coordinator position the county should be doing more to make Fairfax a safer place for biking and encouraging more people to use bikes for transportation so that the roads are safer for all. Please reconsider your position and support the bike coordinator position for the sake of the safety of county residents.

Sincerely,

Bruce Wright
Chairman, Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB)
www.fabb-bikes.org

Fionnuala Quinn of Fairfax regularly hops on her Trek hybrid bike for many local trips, including visits to the dentist, grocery store and book club meetings. A native of Dublin, Quinn grew up bicycling and using public transportation.

Bruce Wright and his wife, Kerie Hitt of Reston, also use their bikes instead of a car for many trips. For nearly 20 years, they bike-commuted to work on a daily basis.

As active members of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB), all three hope to make it easier for the other 200,000 bicycle-owners in Fairfax County to get out of their cars and onto the seats of their two-wheelers in the coming year.

"We often hear 'I wish I could ride my bike to work or to school but it's just not safe enough around here,'" said Wright, chairman and co-founder of FABB, which has a core membership of about 30 residents and an email list of 850 area cyclists.

"Since 2006, Fairfax County has become more bike friendly with the adoption of the county-wide bicycle initiative, but cyclists still need better-connected bike routes, secure bicycle parking and education programs to help them travel comfortably and safely," Wright said.

Herrity said the county cut jobs, services and expenditures to deal with last year's shortfall. Now, he said, "I think we need to cut some senior-level positions, such as bicycle and environmental coordinators. The county should come out of its leased space, consolidate some departments and, perhaps, outsource county trash pickup to save money."

He said 54 percent of the county's budget goes to the schools. "The number-one reason businesses come to Fairfax County is our schools," said Herrity. Elementary-school language programs, band and strings, and sports are important, and we shouldn't be going there [for cuts]."

I see the effects of failed planning daily. My grandchildren live 1.5 miles from their elementary school, but are not allowed to walk or bike to school because they have to cross Rolling Road; they are required to ride a school bus despite growing concerns about fitness, pollution and costs.