FABB Blog

 

FABB July Meeting This Week in Vienna

Labels: monthly meeting, town of vienna

posted by Steve Ward at 6:00 AM permalink

 

Town of Vienna Awarded Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community Status

The Town of Vienna recently was designated a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. Congratulations Vienna! Along with Reston, they are the second bicycle friendly community in Fairfax.

Labels: bicycle friendly community, town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 3:06 PM permalink

 

Town of Vienna Bike Survey

From the Town of Vienna Facebook page:
The survey is short and asks a number of basic questions about biking in Vienna. The best part about applying for Bicycle Friendly Community status is going through the application with Town staff, letting them know what it takes to be a good place to bike. Communities then receive feedback from the League of American Bicyclists on ways they can improve their biking environment, including infrastructure, bicycle safety education, enforcement, counting of bicyclists, and ways to encourage more people to bike. Good luck Vienna.

Labels: bicycle friendly community, town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 1:00 PM permalink

 

Have a Wheely Fun Time on Sunday in Vienna

The Town of Vienna is holding a series of Afternoons on Church Street on Sundays from 1-5 p.m. This Sunday's event is sponsored by bikes@vienna and is called "Wheely Fun Time." A short stretch of Church St between Dominion and Mill, where the W&OD Trail intersects Church St, will be closed for the event.

There will be a kids bike parade and decorating contest and other kids events, live music in the Town Green, and various food options. Inova has some bicycle helmets they'll be handing out to those who need them.

From Vienna Patch, Afternoons on Church Street Returns with Bicycle Theme

Labels: bikes at vienna, church street, town of vienna, wheely fun time

posted by Bruce Wright at 1:16 PM permalink

 

Vienna 2015 legislative agenda

The Town of Vienna recently published their 2015 legislative agenda. We were encouraged to see the following:
The Town and Fairfax County are receiving considerable transportation funding based on HB 2313 and it's important that pedestrian and bicycle projects be eligible for that funding. Fairfax County has determined that most of their ped/bike projects do not qualify for those funds. We're pleased that Vienna thinks that sidewalk projects are a critical part of their transportation network. It's unfortunate that their request didn't include bike projects.

Also included in the legislative agenda is Vienna's support for "a change to the composition of the Commonwealth Transportation Board to have greater representation to the urban/dense suburban areas of the Commonwealth." The CTB plays a significant role in determining which VA projects receive funding and as Virginia's urban areas grow it's important that those areas are well-represented on the CTB.

Virginia Bicycling Federation is developing their legislative agenda but the information has not been made public. We assume it will include topics such as dooring, following too closely, and motorists stopping for bicyclists in a crosswalk. We hope their agenda is published soon.

The  Board of Supervisors included the crosswalk bill in Fairfax County's legislative agenda along with a statement regarding the need for multimodal transportation options in growing employment centers: "That transformation has already begun in Tysons, where significant improvements in transit access have been made, but additional resources are needed to ensure that pedestrian, bicycle, and transit modes thrive and roadway congestion is addressed."

Labels: legislative agenda, town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 9:00 PM permalink

 

Bike lane proposed on Marshall Road in Vienna

Image from Google Maps

At their meeting on Monday, Dec. 15 at 8pm the Vienna Town Council will vote on adding a climbing lane to Marshall Road from near Nutley St to the top of the incline to the east. The Transportation Safety Commission recently asked staff to “conduct a study and recommend potential traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements to Marshall Road SW.” Marshall Road extends from Nutley St, past Marshall Road Elementary School, northwest to Hillcrest Dr. As part of the recommendations to calm the street, a bike lane on the uphill section of road, referred to as a climbing lane, is being proposed.

Please consider emailing your support or comments to council@viennava.gov or if possible attend the meeting Monday night that begins at 8 pm. The Council chambers are on the second floor of Town Hall.

See details about the Marshall Road project and info about the council meeting.

Labels: climbing lane, marshall road, town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 8:38 PM permalink

 

Vienna approves Maple Ave Vision plan

At their September 22 meeting the Vienna Town Council approved the Maple Avenue Commercial Zone Regulations that will "Encourage compact, pedestrian-oriented development along Maple Avenue East and West that collectively accommodates residents, visitors, and businesses."

We hope the new regulations will help remake Maple Avenue from a thoroughfare for commuters to a more vibrant, livable place.

The new regulations include bicycle parking requirements. While we're encouraged by the new requirements, they are minimal compared to those in Arlington although similar to those proposed in Fairfax. As an example, visitor parking can be located as far as 150 feet from the building entrance compared to 50 feet in Arlington and 50-100 feet in Fairfax.

Arlington requires "One (1) resident bicycle parking space for every three (3) residential units." Vienna will require only one parking space for every ten units, the same as what is being proposed for Fairfax. That means that 9 out of 10 units will likely have no bike parking. Also, we saw no reference to the type of racks required.

Inadequate bike parking is one of the major hurdles to resident's ability to use bicycles for short trips. If it's difficult and inconvenient to park and access your bike, chances are you won't ride.

Changing the character of Maple Ave will be a challenge. With so many people still relying on cars to get around, the street will continue to be congested throughout the day. Better transit, more bike-friendly streets, and more mixed-use development will eventually help but it will be a long, slow process. The Maple Ave Vision is a step in the right direction.

Labels: bike parking guidelines, maple avenue vision, town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 8:51 AM permalink

 

Public hearing on Maple Avenue Vision includes bike parking requirements

The Town of Vienna is holding a public hearing on the Maple Avenue Vision on Wed., June 11 starting at 8 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 123 Center St. S. Included in the Vision are recommendations for bike parking requirements. In Tysons, Fairfax County requires 1 bike parking space for every 5 residential units. Alexandria requires 3 bike parking spaces for every 10 residential units.

The current Vienna proposal for bike parking in the Vision document is minimal. Only multifamily residential developments of 30 units or more are required to provide bike parking at a rate of 1 bike parking space for every 30 units. The W&OD Trail is one of the most popular bike trails in the country, and many future Vienna residents will own bikes, not only to ride the trail but to use for short trips around town. We think that one space for every 30 units (with each unit likely holding more than one person) is insufficient. We also think that all multifamily developments should provide secure, covered bike parking that meets accepted standards.

Cyclists are encouraged to attend the public hearing and speak out for the inclusion of safe, convenient bike facilities in the Maple Avenue Vision that includes sufficient bike parking requirements for future developments. If you cannot attend the meeting you can contact the Planning Commission.

Labels: maple avenue vision, town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 10:10 PM permalink

 

Vienna survey includes bike questions

The Town of Vienna is sending out a survey to town residents to get their feedback on town issues. We've heard there are several questions related to bicycling, so we encourage Vienna residents to complete the survey. From the Connection article Vienna Seeks Feedback from Town Residents: Will conduct a survey on its programs and services:
I'd like to know when Church Street will be repaved. The road is in terrible condition and many cyclists use it to avoid Maple Ave. Today I noticed that a few of the larger potholes were roughly patched with asphalt. Much more needs to be done.

Labels: town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 3:53 PM permalink

 

Arlington cyclist struck by motorist at W&OD Trail and Maple Ave - Update

Today at about 5:15pm a cyclist was riding through the crosswalk at Maple Ave and the W&OD Trail when a motorist ran the red light and struck the cyclist. He was thrown forward. He was able to get up and walk but he may have internal injuries. The Vienna EMS people arrived shortly after being called and Vienna police (Officer Mangan) arrived shortly after that. The motorist had New York tags. The cyclist was taken to Arlington Hospital.

The photo on the right shows the cyclist sitting on a planter near the intersection. He said this was his second crash in a month, having been struck in Arlington by a motorist who turned into him.

We'll see if we can find out more information about how the cyclist is doing. The motorist was being issued a ticket as we were leaving.

When we called 911 and reported our location the dispatcher wanted to know the nearest intersection. I had just told her the crash occurred at the W&OD Trail and Maple Ave intersection. She wanted the next street intersection. We've suspected that police do not know how to identify W&OD trail/road intersections, so crashes are often reported for the nearest road intersection. An example is the W&OD Trail/Wiehle Ave intersection, the site of several crashes. The nearest intersection is Wiehle/Sunset Hills, which at one time was the location of the most bike crashes in the county. We suspect many of those crashes occurred at the W&OD Trail intersection but were not logged property. We'll check with Fairfax County police on how they treat the Trail intersections.

Update 9/14/2013 - We called Virginia Hospital Center (Arlington Hospital) and learned that the cyclist  involved in the crash was released from the hospital yesterday, but they had not information about his condition.

Labels: bike crash, town of vienna, W and OD Trail

posted by Bruce Wright at 5:42 PM permalink

 

Vienna disbands Bicycle Advisory Committee

At their June 17 meeting the Vienna Town Council disbanded the Vienna Bicycle Advisory Committee. According to the Sun Gazette, the council "agreed to disband the Vienna Transportation Safety Commission’s (TSC) bicycle advisory committee and a soon-to-be-formed pedestrian committee, saying their functions would overlap."

While there is some overlap between a bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee, bicycle facilities are often very different than pedestrian facilities. In a town like Vienna with many urban sidewalks and few sidepaths, cyclists generally ride on the road, with the major exception of the W&OD Trail. As former chairman of the county Trails and Sidewalks Committee, it's been my experience that combining the two interest groups does not work well. It's difficult for pedestrians, who may not even ride a bicycle, to make decisions that affect cyclists.

The committee is to be commended for developing a number of bicycle routes in the town. They promoted bicycle safety with bike rodeos and safety events, and they did great work getting good bike parking in some of the shopping centers. We're hoping that the bicycle advisory committee is reinstated soon.

Despite not having a BAC, the other day we noticed new wayfinding signs in Vienna. The photo on the right shows the one sign that we noticed at Center St and Locust St where one of the designated routes starts. It points to the Community Center, Downtown, and the W&OD Trail.

To be effective, there needs to be a dense network of route signs leading cyclists to major destinations. The sign in the photo is the only one that we saw. It's a good start and we assume many more signs are coming. Approximately 80 signs were recently placed in McLean that cyclists can use to navigate that town.

Labels: town of vienna, vienna bicycle advisory committee, wayfinding

posted by Bruce Wright at 9:19 PM permalink

 

W&OD Trail Bollards didn't last long

The flexible bollards placed in the center of the W&OD Trail at the intersection of the Trail and Maple Ave/Route 123 in Vienna are gone (the one in the photo is no longer lying there). All that remains is the black base that is now a hazard for trail users. The bollards were installed in late July/early August and lasted less than a month. We're not big fans of bollards on trails. These were installed because of recent incidents of motorists driving onto the trail.

We think better signage is needed. When we recently rode trails in Washington and Idaho we saw large NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES signs at many of the trail intersections. As you can see from the photo, there is no obvious signage stating that no vehicles are allowed. Apparently more than one motorist has turned onto the trail entrance in the photo thinking it is the Whole Foods Market entrance.

We hope a better solution is found and at a minimum, that the black bases are removed.

Labels: bollards, town of vienna, W and OD Trail

posted by Bruce Wright at 10:21 AM permalink

 

Bike lanes to be added to Courthouse Road in Vienna

According to VDOT, "As part of this year’s paving program, VDOT is proposing to add bike lanes to Courthouse Road between Sutton Rd. and Route 123. This is a high-volume cyclist corridor where bike lanes should make a big improvement in the cycling environment. We are also proposing sharrows between Sutton and the Vienna town limits, where the pavement is too narrow for bike lanes."

A community meeting is planned for Thursday, September 12 starting at 6:30pm at Oakton High School, 2900 Sutton Rd, Vienna, VA 22181. Cyclists are encouraged to attend the meeting to learn about details of the project and voice your support.

Labels: courthouse road, town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 3:25 PM permalink

 

W&OD Trail/Tapawingo connection paved

From the  W&OD trail toward Tapawingo

Today we noticed that the connection to Tapawingo Rd from the W&OD Trail was recently paved. Prior to the paving there was a very rough natural surface trail that included some wooden steps.

This is an important connection from the W&OD Trail to the Vienna Metro station and points west. It is one of the Town of  Vienna bike routes. One can take Tapawingo to the end where there is trail that connects to Vaden Dr near the Vienna Metro station. We've heard that the Town of Vienna will be adding wayfinding signs in the future.

From Tapawingo toward the W&OD Trail

The first photo on the right is looking toward Tapawingo from the W&OD Trail. The second photo is looking toward the trail from Tapawingo. We assume the trail was paved by the Town of Vienna. Thanks for completing this connection.

Labels: tapawingo road, town of vienna, W and OD Trail

posted by Bruce Wright at 9:09 PM permalink

 

Cyclist struck by motorist in Vienna on July 6

According to Vienna Patch, a cyclist was struck by a motorist while the cyclist was riding on Maple Ave near Courthouse Road, about a block and a half west of the W&OD Trail. Vienna Police are seeing more information on the crash:

Labels: bike crash, maple ave, town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 4:40 PM permalink

 

FABB Social ride wrap-up

We were lucky the predicted rain held off yesterday for the FABB Social Ride in the Vienna/Merrifield area. Fourteen of us gathered at the Mosaic District in front of Angelika Theater where families were watching cartoons on the outdoor theater screen and playing in the fountain. Thanks to Pete of Fresh Bikes for bringing a bike stand, pump, and tools to offer help to any cyclists in need. It was impressive that he hauled all the gear on his cargo bike.

Shortly after 10 the group headed south on Eskridge Rd toward the Cross  County Trail. The trail had been flooded earlier in the week but by Saturday the water had receded. The trail alternates between potholed paved sections and gravel. Given there are so few options for traveling between Gallows and Pickett Roads south of Lee Highway there's a strong argument for paving that entire section of the CCT.

At Pickett Road we saw the location of a new tunnel under Pickett that will provide a great connection across this busy road. Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority recently received a grant to help fund this connection. From there were headed north to the Vienna Metro station, then to Tapawingo Rd which is a connection to the W&OD Trail.

We turned onto Cottage St. and rode to Gallows Road and south past Dunn Loring Metro station to reach Lost Dog Cafe where most of us stopped for a good lunch.

We'd like to hold a few more Social Rides in the next couple of months. Thanks to everyone who came out to join the ride.

Labels: cross county trail, fabb social ride, merrifield, town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 7:58 AM permalink

 

Mayor agrees that bike access should be part of Vienna's Maple Ave vision

W&OD Trail at Maple Ave

A consultant hired to develop a new vision for how Maple Ave/Route 123 in Vienna should grow in the future, recently presented early results of their work. The busy street, with narrow brick sidewalks, currently sees few pedestrians or bicyclists. Many shops have turned their backs to the street and have entrances in the rear or off the street.

The vision includes taller buildings, parking garages with street-level retail, and better pedestrian and bicycle access. Bike lanes are not in the current "big picture" vision: "Consultants also left bike lanes on Maple Avenue out of its recommendation, instead using side streets to feed cyclists onto the corridor, where bike parking would be made available."

While the Maple Ave corridor is relatively narrow, bike lanes would help calm traffic and provide a more human feel to the street. We think they should be part of the plan. If the center turn lane were reduced or eliminated there might be an option for adding bike lanes. Thousands of cyclists travel through the town on the W&OD Trail and few linger, especially along Maple Ave, because it is not a bike-friendly place. The Town could do much more to attract cyclists to enjoy the many shops and restaurants located near the Trail, including installing better wayfinding signage.

We're encouraged that the Mayor sees the importance of bike access:

Labels: aggressive driver, maple ave, route 123, town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 6:10 AM permalink

 

Town of Vienna bike route sign meeting notes

Last night the Vienna Transportation Safety Commission agreed to work with the Fairfax County Bike Coordinator, Charlie Strunk, a Town resident, to improve the existing bike route signage, based on public comments received at the meeting. They agreed with the chairman that it is best to make sure the initial phase is done well before moving on. Once the Town is satisfied with the existing signage they will begin signing an expanded bike route network in the second phase of the project.

Bob McCahill of the Bicycle Advisory Commission submitted numerous detailed comments about the current signs. The BAC is currently not meeting pending a review of their mission by the Mayor and Town Council. Several of Bob's comments involved the need for a few additional signs to help route cyclists. He also suggested that more wayfinding and destination signs be used.

We submitted the following comments:
---

• Need signs at important intersections of the W&OD Trail leading to major destinations. Signs should show direction and mileage to destinations and should be bi-directional (to and from Vienna).
• Destinations:
• Metro stations (Tysons, Dunn Loring, Vienna)
• Library
• Town Hall
• Schools
• Parks
• Playgrounds
• Tysons
• Downtown Vienna
• Need better route to Vienna Metro station. (We were later told that the "official" Metro route was along Tapawingo)
• Courthouse/Locust route is incomplete
• Courthouse is not bike-friendly
• Courthouse needs shared lane markings or Bicycle May Use Full Lane signs where the road is narrower
• I think the standard green and white bike route signs work better than the unique Vienna bike route signs.
• Incorporate Vienna bike routes into the Tysons microfiber bike route map.
• Install a kiosk at the Town Green showing information about the bike routes including a map.
• Distribute handouts/maps of the bike routes at W&OD Trail kiosks, Vienna Community Center, merchants, and so forth.
• Develop some scenic or historic signed bike routes/loops highlighting interesting sights.

---
We learned that Vienna Police have increased patrols on the W&OD Trail after a recent groping incident was reported by a female jogger near Talahi Rd SE.

Route signs will soon appear on Cottage St, a popular bike route leading to the Dunn Loring Metro station and the Merrifield area.

Driver wayfinding signage

It wouldn't be a bike meeting if someone didn't discuss scofflaw cyclists. J. Leonard Ignatowski said that he was a pedestrian and driver advocate and that if cyclists want rights then they need to stop at stop signs (of course all motorists stop at all stop signs and at red lights when turning right).

Motorists don't need signs to tell them where to go so why do we need all these bike route signs (I see three driver wayfinding signs in the image at the right of the Nutley St/Virginia Center Blvd intersection, and it was pointed out that cyclists need to know where the safe routes are located), and the classic, I pay gasoline taxes but cyclists get a free ride (we all pay taxes used to fund roads, especially local roads). His was a lone voice. Other commissioners seemed very supportive and willing to help cyclists find safe, convenient ways to navigate Vienna's streets.

Kudos to the Town for implementing their bike route network and continue to refine it. We look forward to riding in a more bike-friendly Vienna in the future.

Labels: bicycle route network, town of vienna, transportation safety commission, vienna bicycle advisory committee, wayfinding

posted by Bruce Wright at 9:01 AM permalink

 

Case against motorist who struck cyclist in Vienna

The saga of the motorist who was alleged to have intentionally struck a cyclist with his vehicle continues. The cyclist was riding on Maple Ave. in Vienna. We attended the court hearing once again this morning. This is the third scheduled hearing for this case. It was delayed in October and November and there was supposed to be "one more postponement" that was scheduled for today.

After sitting through around 75 cases, the case against the motorist, John Thorpe of Bristow, was the last one called. Once again the bicyclist did not appear although there were two witnesses present. After discussing the case with the Town Attorney, the aggressive driving charge was amended to reckless driving. The Town Attorney will move to null process the assault charge. Null process means that the prosecutor will take no further action on the charge.

There is a hearing scheduled for April 1 on the aggressive driving charge. The presence of witnesses was waived. Without any witnesses for the prosecution, there won't be much of a case. The lesson here is that if you're going to seek charges against a motorist, you've got to follow through and be willing to appear in court. Otherwise it's a waste of everyone's time.

Regarding the other cases heard this morning, most were for speeding that resulted in fines. Three DWI cases were heard. According to Judge Michael Cassidy, the maximum penalties were $1,500 fine, 180 days in jail, and 12 month license suspension. These were the penalties in the three cases: $500, $750, and $250 fines, 0 days, 4 days, and 5 days (min. sentence given the high blood alcohol level) prison sentence, and no license suspension if an Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP) class was completed. It doesn't matter if Virginia has the "toughest DUI laws in the country" if only the minimum sentences are given.

Labels: thorpe, town of vienna

posted by Bruce Wright at 10:14 PM permalink

 

Vienna meeting on W&OD Trail safety on Tuesday

The Vienna Transportation Safety Commission will hold a public hearing on W&OD Trail safety. According to signs like the one on the right that are posted along the trail in the Vienna area, the meeting will start at 8pm, Tuesday the 27th at the Vienna Town Hall, 127 Center St. The text on the signs reads: "W&OD bike trail safety solution - cyclist pedestrians: All interested individuals are invited to attend."

See our notes about an earlier W&OD Trail safety meeting held in Vienna. Many ideas have been proposed, many of which are not enforceable. Probably the best idea is for everyone to be courteous and respectful. If you have constructive ideas about W&OD Trail safety, consider attending the meeting.

Update: The agenda for the TSC meeting has been posted on the Town website.

Labels: bicycle safety, town of vienna, W and OD Trail

posted by Bruce Wright at 1:41 PM permalink