Sunday, June 24, 2018
DC Premier of North Of Nightfall This Saturday
FABB wants people to know about a cool bike-related event this coming Saturday, June 30, at the Angelika Film Center in the Mosaic District. For our members who like to mountain bike or just enjoy movies about nature, you should plan now to attend the local area premier of the Red Bull Media House film, North of Nightfall, a breathtaking look at mountain biking among glaciers far above the Artic Circle. The film features freeride mountain bikers doing amazing things among some of the most spectacular landscapes and dramatic ecosystems imaginable. You can catch the official trailer here.
The premiere will be at 8:15 pm on the 30th at the Angelika Film Center at 2911 District Avenue in Fairfax. Tickets are $15.00 and are available here.
The best part of this event is that some of the proceeds from the premiere will go to support the Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE), who are well known for their work advocating for and maintaining trails. Plus ticket holders will be eligible for drawings for a prize box, a Canyon bike, or a VIP Red Bull Rampage Experience. The ticket includes a welcome reception that runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm when the doors open for the screening.
Labels: MORE, mosaic district
Monday, September 25, 2017
Merrifield Bike Lanes Meeting in October
The new bikeway will consist of wayfinding signage, sharrows, bike lanes and buffered bike lanes on Merrilee Drive from Prosperity Avenue to Strawberry Lane. The project is limited to striping changes, and the proposed striping plan will be available soon.
FABB encourages members to attend the hearing and support this cost-effective approach to adding bike facilities to the Merrifield area. If you can’t attend, you can still provide your comments on the project by using the comment form on the FCDOT project page, by writing the FCDOT Bicycle Program at 4050 Legato Road, Suite 400, Fairfax, VA 22033, or by calling 703-877-5600. Even a short message stating your support for and appreciation of FCDOT efforts to expand biking infrastructure in the county helps build and maintain momentum for better bicycling in Fairfax.
Labels: dunn loring, FCDOT, merrifield, mosaic district, public meeting
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
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Wednesday, April 12, 2017
FABB Social Ride from Tysons to Mosaic District
- Refreshments and Giveaways at Tysons Corner Center from 9:00am – 9:30am.
- PROMPT departure at 9:30am.
- 20 – 30 minute ride to Mosaic District
- Approximately 1 hour of free time at Mosaic District
- Group Departs Mosaic District to return to Tysons Corner Center at 10:30am.
- Register on Eventbrite.
The Distance: We’ll ride 8 miles round trip, or about 40 minutes. All levels of biking experience are welcome – this is not a race!
Registration: FREE!
Don’t have a bike? No problem! A Capital Bikeshare station is located at Tysons Corner Center. Note there is not a Capital Bikeshare station located at the Mosaic District, so those renting bikes will need to make plans to return their bike back at Tysons Corner Center or at another bikeshare station nearby.
FABB and Access Tysons representatives will be biking back to Tysons Corner Center at 10:30am.
Participants will need to sign releases from both Tysons Corner Center and FABB before participating.
Helmets are required for all group ride participants.
For those who do not wish to return to Tysons Corner Center, the Dunn Loring Merrifield Metro station is less than a mile from the Mosaic District.
Rain Date: May 7th.
Labels: access tysons, capital bikeshare, mosaic district, Tysons
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
FABB Holiday Celebration Tonight
The meeting is at 7:30 p.m. at the Mosaic Community Space, a meeting room in the Mosaic District around the corner from DGS Deli, near the intersection of Merrifield Town Center and Merrifield Cinema Dr. Here's a map of the approximate location. If you have questions you can send me a note or call at 703-328-9619.
Labels: holiday party, mosaic district
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
More on Business, Millennials, and Biking
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| HZDG's new space in DC. Photo by Capitolcommunicator.com |
HZDG made the decision after discovering “almost by accident” last year that its employees preferred to work in a small temporary office in Chinatown rather than the Rockville headquarters because of the Chinatown location's accessibility. HZDG also is trying to make its Rockville headquarters more attractive to millennials and that effort has included providing bike racks and exercise boot camps.
Finally, this isn't just a Maryland business phenomena. The Post mentions that HZDG’s initiative comes at a time when, according to a recent study by the Brookings Institution, city leaders across the United States are moving away from traditional economic growth strategies that promote suburban and “far-flung industrial parks” to revitalizing downtown and urban areas. The Post also noted that CustomInk, a millennial-heavy T-shirt company with more than 1,000 employees, last year moved from Tysons Corner to Fairfax County’s Mosaic District, which re-creates a downtown with offices, restaurants, theaters and residences.
Fairfax County is moving in the right direction by planning major bike facilities in Tysons as part of the summer repaving schedule and completion of the Bicycle Master Plan. However, it is going to be a major challenge to remake many of our activity centers into walkable, bikeable places.
Labels: millennials, mosaic district, Tysons
Monday, December 9, 2013
FABB/WABA Holiday Shopping Ride -- Sunday, December 15th. 10:30am
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| Pete's cargo bike on FABB social ride |
"What if I purchase more than I can carry on my bike?" you ask? NO PROBLEM! Pete will be riding his cargo bike with cargo trailer attached to carry anything you've purchased that won't fit on your bike.
You'll have experienced ride marshals to help guide the ride and someone at each stop that will help lock the bikes and keep an eye on them while you're shopping.
To make it more fun, Tyson's Corner Shopping Center and the Freshbikes shop in Mosaic District have chipped in VIP Shopping and Dining discounts and a shopping/gift bag for each rider.
- When: Sunday, December 15th at 10:30am
- Where: Vienna Train Station along the Washington and Old Dominion Trail. Near the intersections of Ayr Hill Ave. NE and Dominion Rd. NE in Vienna, Virginia
- Distance: The ride is 13 miles in all and will include some Multi-Use trail as well as public roads.
- What to bring: A helmet is required for this ride! You'll need a bike, a bike lock and clothes/shoes that are suitable for riding and shopping. Please have a mobile phone so that you can be contacted to regroup to continue the ride. All riders will be asked to sign the ride waiver.
Please RSVP to Pete at Pete.Beers@gmail.com or on the Facebook Invitation.
Labels: cargo bike, fabb social ride, mosaic district, pete beers, Tysons, vienna
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Bicycle recommendations in EQAC Annual Report
3. Transportation
This year the General Assembly passed legislation raising additional revenue for transportation. As the county enters a community dialogue to prioritize the allocation of these funds, EQAC recommends that the county provide priority for non-motorized/multi-modal transportation options (emphasis added). The county has been developing a comprehensive bicycle master plan that is ready for implementation. This complements requirements for pedestrian facilities in mixed-use centers. Proper implementation of the non-motorized/multi-modal master plan needs to include:
FABB is mentioned in the report:This year the General Assembly passed legislation raising additional revenue for transportation. As the county enters a community dialogue to prioritize the allocation of these funds, EQAC recommends that the county provide priority for non-motorized/multi-modal transportation options (emphasis added). The county has been developing a comprehensive bicycle master plan that is ready for implementation. This complements requirements for pedestrian facilities in mixed-use centers. Proper implementation of the non-motorized/multi-modal master plan needs to include:
- Implementation of the bicycle master plan. Bicycle paths provide healthy and effective options to move about the county and between connected destinations.
- Expanded bicycle parking guidelines modeled on successful programs such as the new secure bicycle parking facilities at Silver Line stations and other county park-and-ride/transit facilities.
- Funding for implementation of both capital and non-capital elements of the county’s bicycle master plan.
- Implementation of an outreach and education program for encouraging/promoting bicycling as a transportation mode. This could be called “Bike Fairfax!”
- Engagement of the private sector. One example of this can be seen in New York City, where CitiBank underwrites 100 percent of the cost of a bikeshare program. This could work today in several suburban and transit centers.
Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling is focusing on the need for good bicycle infrastructure in mixed-use, transit-oriented developments. The county is going through a difficult transition, in that it is promoting this type of development in the context of big suburban roads. A prime example is the Mosaic District surrounded by Lee Highway and Gallows Road. Both of these roads are not friendly for pedestrians or bikes. http://www.fabb-bikes.org.
There is also an interesting discussion of urban street design guidelines and the concept of a multimodal system plan for Fairfax County. Streets in urban areas should have slower speeds, narrower turning radii, have a grid of streets, and be Complete Streets that are safe for bicyclists, pedestrians, and other modes:
Urban vs. Rural standards
An example of decision making can be seen in the designation of urban street standards and applying them in county urban centers. EQAC supported such a principle in a formal memo earlier in 2013 (see Appendix B of this report). Overall, the community has been advocating for a series of improvements that include narrower lanes, pedestrian/bicycle paths on either side of the road, tree buffers between the street and path, reduced speed limits and safe crossings. The county has had success using road diets, which slim down roads to make them more appropriate for urban traffic. These were implemented on Lawyers Road in Reston.
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation has developed statewide guidelines for multi-modal planning and design at the regional, community and corridor scales.18 The guidelines are now in final draft form and can be downloaded from DRPT’s website at: www.drpt.virginia.gov/activities/MultimodalSystemDesignGuidelines.aspx.
Fairfax County staff has been meeting with VDOT and with DPRT for the past 13-14 months to develop formal urban street standards. VDOT created an appendix to its road design manual that will adopt state-wide urban design standards. Concurrently, DRPT is working towards adoption of its Multimodal System Design Guidelines.
VDOT is adopting the DRPT guidelines into the Road Design Manual by reference. The county is developing its multimodal system map and identifying urban activity centers in accordance with the draft DRPT guidelines. The end result will be a multimodal system plan for Fairfax County that will be reviewed by DRPT and approved by VDOT (emphasis added); this plan will allow for implementation of the VDOT Road Design Manual urban design standards for areas that qualify as urban activity centers per the DRPT guidelines. This work is expected to be completed by early 2014.19
19Transportation Information for EQAC 2013, Kris Morley-Nikfar, FCDOT & Updated June 8, 2011, Dan Southworth, FCDOT.
An example of decision making can be seen in the designation of urban street standards and applying them in county urban centers. EQAC supported such a principle in a formal memo earlier in 2013 (see Appendix B of this report). Overall, the community has been advocating for a series of improvements that include narrower lanes, pedestrian/bicycle paths on either side of the road, tree buffers between the street and path, reduced speed limits and safe crossings. The county has had success using road diets, which slim down roads to make them more appropriate for urban traffic. These were implemented on Lawyers Road in Reston.
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation has developed statewide guidelines for multi-modal planning and design at the regional, community and corridor scales.18 The guidelines are now in final draft form and can be downloaded from DRPT’s website at: www.drpt.virginia.gov/activities/MultimodalSystemDesignGuidelines.aspx.
Fairfax County staff has been meeting with VDOT and with DPRT for the past 13-14 months to develop formal urban street standards. VDOT created an appendix to its road design manual that will adopt state-wide urban design standards. Concurrently, DRPT is working towards adoption of its Multimodal System Design Guidelines.
VDOT is adopting the DRPT guidelines into the Road Design Manual by reference. The county is developing its multimodal system map and identifying urban activity centers in accordance with the draft DRPT guidelines. The end result will be a multimodal system plan for Fairfax County that will be reviewed by DRPT and approved by VDOT (emphasis added); this plan will allow for implementation of the VDOT Road Design Manual urban design standards for areas that qualify as urban activity centers per the DRPT guidelines. This work is expected to be completed by early 2014.19
19Transportation Information for EQAC 2013, Kris Morley-Nikfar, FCDOT & Updated June 8, 2011, Dan Southworth, FCDOT.
Labels: bicycle master plan, eqac, mosaic district, urban street design guidelines
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
FABB Social Ride this Saturday - Merrifield/Vienna tour - Note 10am start time
Date: 7/13/2013 at 10 am. In the case of rain we will notify registered riders via email and a message on the FABB home page.
About the Ride:
- Riders will depart at 10am from Angelica Theater in the Mosaic District. The ride is a combination of neighborhood streets, and multi-use trails. A section of the Cross County Trail is unpaved.
- The ride is a loop of about 12 miles
- This is a no-drop social ride at a 10-12 mph pace. There will be stops along the way.
- The ride is for adult WABA Members. Children 14-18 may participate if they are accompanied by an adult WABA member.
- FABB will provide Ride Marshals for the ride
- Your bike
- Helmet (required no exceptions)
- Lock to secure your bike at the cafe
- WABA membership number
- Water and a snack, sunscreen
- Cash for purchasing an optional lunch at Lost Dog Cafe near Dunn Loring Metro station
The Angelika Theater is located in the new Mosaic District near the intersection of Gallows Road and Lee Highway in Merrifield. Angelika Theater is located at 2911 District Ave, Fairfax , VA 22031. It's a short ride from the Dunn Loring Metro station. Take Prosperity Ave to left on Merrilee Dr which turns into Eskridge Rd after crossing Lee Hwy. Turn left on Strawberry Lane. Angelika Theater is on your right. If you cannot bike to the start, there is free parking nearby.
Optional Lunch/Brunch:
Please indicate whether you plan to stop at Lost Dog Cafe after the ride.
Optional Lunch/Brunch:
Please indicate whether you plan to stop at Lost Dog Cafe after the ride.
Labels: dunn loring, fabb social ride, merrifield, mosaic district, vienna, vienna metro
Friday, May 17, 2013
Fantastic Bike to Work Day
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| Riding from Herndon to Reston |
Kerie and I started at the Reston pit stop that we've helped organize for the past 12 years. Fortunately Reston Association has taken over management of the pit stop which allowed us to check out some of the other events. Reston was the first Fairfax pit stop back in 2002. Now there are 11.
We said hi to Todd from The Bike Lane at the Reston stop. Todd's wife Anne attended the first FABB meeting in 2005. FABB volunteers Rob and Kelley were providing advice on bike routes. As we were leaving Del. Ken Plum, who may have attended almost every Reston event over the years, stopped to say hi.
Next we rode to Vienna which was overrun with cyclists. Liz and Susan, with the help of Jeff Palmer from Spokes, Etc, managed to sign up nearly 60 people for the FABB newsletter. Tim Fricker of bikes@vienna was also there. FABB's first meetings were held at that shop.
Next we visited the Merrifield-W&OD Trail stop that was just closing down, but the Performance mechanic was still working on bikes. From there we rode to the Merrifield-Mosaic stop that
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| FABB at the Vienna pit stop |
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| Final stop in Tysons |
Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to get to Burke VRE Station (Alan), Fairfax Corner (Fionnuala), Fairfax City Downtown (Douglas, Charlie, and Jim), Mt. Vernon-Collingwood Park (Eric), or Springfield/Metro Park (Paul). Thanks to all the FABB volunteers for helping out today.
All in all the day was a huge success. We hope that many more cyclists discovered the joys of biking to work and that they continue to ride throughout the year. We also hope everyone has a safe ride home.
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| Cyclists crossing Maple Ave in Vienna |
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| Vienna pit stop |
Labels: bike to work day, herndon, merrifield, mosaic district, reston, Tysons, vienna
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Ribbon-cutting for Beltway bridge bike facilities
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| FABB members at Oak St Bridge |
The Oak St. bike lanes have been in place for some time but several of the other bridges are just now opening, including the new sidepaths on the Route 7, Westpark Dr, and Lee Hwy bridges. While many of the bike facilities are not ideal, in most cases this is the first time there has ever been a bike facility on those bridges. Starting in 2007 FABB fought hard to ensure some facilities were included in the project.
We initially planned to use the sidepaths on the Lee Hwy bridge, but the side paths were too narrow and aren't really a bike facility. Instead there are supposed to be wide curb lanes on that bridge and it wasn't safe to try to simulate a ribbon-cutting there. The outside lane isn't really wide; there is a painted stripe 3 feet from the curb making it an 11-foot lane with a 3 foot shoulder which isn't very useful for cyclists. I'd prefer to see the lane without the stripe.
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| Mosaic District bike racks |
Finally, as we were leaving the development we decided to use Eskridge Rd to travel north where it turns into Merrilee Dr. We were in the straight through lane with no cars behind us and we waited through 2 full cycles before a car finally appeared. Under VA law we are allowed to go through the light after 2 cycles, but there should be a bicycle-sensitive sensor present. Traffic is so heavy on Lee Hwy that legally running the red light was not an option.
By the way, Eskridge Rd will soon be open south toward Route 50. That means that from Dunn Loring Metro station it will be possible to ride a route parallel to Gallows Rd all the way south to Woodburn Rd using Merrilee Dr to continue on Eskridge Rd to Williams Dr across Route 50 to Willow Oaks Corporate Dr to a new road that leads south past the Ronald McDonald House to Inova Hospital and on to Woodburn Rd.
Labels: 495 express lanes, fresh bikes, hot lanes, merrifield, mosaic district
Monday, October 8, 2012
"Walkable" Mosaic District not so bike-friendly
We've been hearing about the new Mosaic District development in Merrifield that is supposed to be transforming that area into a walkable community. See the Post article "Development transforming Merrifield into more walkable community." Only the first phase is complete, or nearing complete, so we'll hold off judgement about how walkable and bikeable the development is, but we did see what's in store for cyclists who want to ride to that area and it isn't pretty. |
| 5-foot sidewalk on Lee Hwy at Gallows Rd |
When this area was being planned several years ago there were suggestions from cyclists for bike lanes on Lee Highway. I can remember now-Planning Commissioner Earl Flanagan saying to me some time afterwards that those pesky bicyclists wanted too much and they didn't get bike lanes. We'll we didn't get a paved trail either. It looks like we're stuck with a narrow sidewalk on one side and a slightly less narrow sidewalk on the other side. All the more reason to make one of the travel lanes a bike lane by taking it when riding there; but only for the more experienced riders. Shouldn't we be encouraging more people to travel by bike to places like this?
It's depressing to see what has happened in this area. To say this area in general is a walkable place is delusional. Pedestrians will take their lives in their hands trying to cross Lee Highway and Gallows Road. As you can see in the top photo, the right turn lane was designed for maximum speed for motorists and maximum danger for pedestrians. Conditions in the interior of the development should be much better for non-motorists, but they will likely need to drive to get there.
The only consolation is that these roads were planned many years ago. It seems that the county and VDOT do not have the flexibility to modify auto-dominated road plans in what should be walkable places. The roads can be re-engineered, but it's sad that they were built this way in the first place.
As a side note, when browsing the Mosaic District site we noticed that Fresh Bikes now has a shop located there. Maybe they can help make this location more bike-friendly.
Labels: fresh bikes, gallows road, lee highway, merrifield, mosaic district
