A welcome summer deluge of news in Virginia! (August Newsletter)

Last month’s newsletter highlighted the new bicycle and pedestrian bridge carrying the W&OD Trail over Wiehle Avenue in Reston, now officially open to much acclaim. 

This month, Fairfax County is back in the news with perhaps an even more consequential and far-reaching (if in-the-weeds) announcement – initial details of the long-awaited ActiveFairfax Transportation Plan that seeks to combine and update the County’s Bicycle Master Plan, Trails Plan, and network map. Check out the draft StoryMap for a cool overview and the initial schedule of upcoming open houses beginning in September – opportunities for YOU to help shape the bike network. 

We’ll have more details for you in the coming weeks on how to most effectively weigh in during the critical public engagement window. You can also join the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling (FABB) monthly call via Zoom tomorrow night (Wed, August 21st) to hear more from FCDOT about what’s to come – register here. 

Read on below for more exciting bicycling-related news and things to do to support and celebrate bicycling in Northern Virginia. 

Good news

• Another round of applause to Alexandria advocates who spoke up for speed limit reductions, lane removals and other changes on key roads. Next step is City Council approval in September so stay tuned. 
• Speaking of applause, how about Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail receiving the Impact Award from the National Parks Service for their tremendous volunteer service?!
• The Friends may soon have new access to the MVT, too, with the CC2DCA bike/pedestrian bridge successfully clearing a key environmental review hurdle.
• In positively electrifying news, Arlington was awarded a federal grant to explore an e-bike voucher program to expand access to lower-emission transportation options. 
• Arlington also released its Custis Trail Needs Assessment. TLDR: a much-loved trail that needs much short- and long-term love.
• Lastly, a horrid stretch of bike lane on N Lynn St in Rosslyn is getting a parking protection upgrade as part of roadway resurfacing (a sneaky important way to add bike facilities). It’s only ~2 blocks but every segment counts.

Reading material

• Eager to see safety improvements in your neighborhood? Our friends at Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets have put together a resource guide on Fairfax County’s Residential Traffic Administration Program (RTAP) to help residents navigate the often-Byzantine traffic calming request process.
• From our friends at Streetsblog: How to Debunk the ‘Need’ for Destructive Road Widenings  
• And from our friends at GGWash: Survey: Most shopkeepers, shoppers overestimate car use

Take action  

• Have a flexible schedule and want to help instill the love of bicycling in the next generation? Alexandria City Public Schools is looking for Bike Buddies to help with its Biking In the Schools (BITS) program. Email bikebuddies@acps.k12.va.us for more info.
• Fairfax County isn’t the only jurisdiction doing a tuneup of its bike plans – Falls Church is updating its Bicycle Master Plan, with a City Council debate and decision expected in September. Bike Falls Church is leading the way (their comments here) and is encouraging residents to weigh in, too. Sign up for BFC emails and/or reach out to bikefallschurch@gmail.com for more info.

Other things to do

• Tune in next Tuesday, August 27th for a free webinar on GIS for Bike Lane Safety, with yours truly kicking off the conversation by highlighting the hidden and not-so-hidden challenges we encounter out on our streets!
• Check out the Northern Virginia Regional Commission’s two-part Trails Summit on September 5th (virtual) and September 9th (in-person @Lubber Run Community Center), featuring panel discussions with agency leaders and trail advocates.
• Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the W&OD Trail on Saturday, September 7th @10AM (intersection of N West St and the W&OD) with WABA, Bike Falls Church, NOVA Parks, and Falls Church’s bike-loving City Mayor. 
• Join the 9/11 National Memorial Trail Alliance for a fundraising walking tour from Crystal City to the Pentagon Memorial on Saturday, October 5th. 
• Register for the 9th Annual Tour de Mount Vernon on Saturday, October 19th! We’ll be out at the finish line under the Capital Trails Coalition banner – be sure to stop by and say hello!

In addition to further details on how to engage with the ActiveFairfax Transportation Plan and support the bike improvements projects in Alexandria, be on the lookout for an invitation to an upcoming advocate social gathering! I’m eager to hear what you have been up to, news I may have missed, and to brainstorm together how we make use of the opportunities before us. As always, feel free to email me with your questions, concerns, and thoughts.

Respectfully,

—Kevin O’Brien, Virginia Organizer