Bicycling in Review - 2012

I am very proud to be associated with Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling. Working closely with the County, VDOT, and George Mason University we promoted policies and acitivities that enrich our community life. Here is a summary of accomplishments for this year from the FABB blog. Click through the link to the entire post.

• In 2012, FABB continued to be a strong local voice for all those who want to bicycle comfortably and safely in Fairfax County. 

• Fairfax County Bike Master Plan:  This past year saw the completion of the Fairfax Bicycle Master Plan. At the start of the year, 70 residents attended the Burke-Springfield bike plan meeting (go Burke and Springfield!), just one of eight regional meetings held around the county to receive public input. An important goal is to ensure that the plan is approved by the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors in 2013.

• Successful Fairfax Bike Summit: The Fairfax Bike Summit was on Saturday October 27 with almost 140 attendees. Andy Clarke, the president of the League of American Bicyclists, was the keynote speaker at this inaugural event held at George Mason University. Speaker after speaker detailed ways to bring better and safer conditions to Fairfax.

• Safe Routes to School (SRTS) for Fairfax kids:  For several years, FABB has been working with both Fairfax County government and Fairfax County Public Schools, encouraging them to embrace a system-wide effort to get more children to walk and bike to school. In January, the Fairfax County School Board adopted a policy that clarifies that parents make the final decision as to whether their children bike to school. This policy also added language that encourages kids to walk and bike to school, and the school system encouraged participation in the inaugural Bike to School Day in May.

• FABB volunteers out and about in the community:  FABB volunteers attended almost 100 meetings over the course of the year, including 30 directly related to the bicycle master plan. Volunteers came out in all weather for bike rodeos, bike valets, bike counts, Bike to Work Day events, Tour de Fat festival, and more.

• First bicycle fatality since 2010 - reemphasizing safety:  A cyclist was killed crossing Columbia Pike in November when she was hit by a motorist driving a pickup truck. At this location, Columbia Pike is a high speed arterial road with no bike facilities, and apparently the cyclist was trying to cross over to the Barcroft Plaza Shopping Center. FABB subsequently placed a ghost bike near the site of the crash. As well as acting as a memorial to this cyclist, the ghost bike is intended to remind passing motorists to share the road. We continue in our on-going efforts to improve the safety of county roads for all cyclists.

• Thank you:  We couldn’t do what we do without the support and assistance we receive from our volunteers, supporters, donors, and well wishers. A big thank you to all of you; we always appreciate people giving their time, energy, and skills. Thanks also to the public officials who patiently work with us on an on-going basis. We all are working for safety, access, and the health and well-being of our community.