“17 speakers testified at the public hearing in support of the proposed plan. Only one person spoke in opposition. “By giving me [transportation] choices, you literally have changed my life” said Jenifer Joy Madden, a County resident speaking about connecting to new bus and Metro service in Tysons on bicycle.”
WABA has the story (Thanks Greg!), with more from FABB (Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling).
Also important is the $100M smart growth transportation bond issue for Fairfax County residents to vote on next Tuesday, Nov. 4. According to the Coalition for Smarter Growth, who endorse it:
“…Fairfax will be able to upgrade sidewalks, trails, and bike lanes; improve safety around schools; and make local spot improvements to roads throughout the county. These local investments will improve access to transit, schools, stores, parks, and libraries; and offer many other benefits, including:
- A sustainable future: By providing more opportunities to walk and bike for daily trips, the projects will help reduce the amount we have to drive. With 1/3 of climate change pollution coming from transportation, this is an important way for Fairfax to fight climate change and improve the air we breathe.
- Improved safety: The bond measure will support many pedestrian and bicycle projects in Fairfax County, including sidewalks, bike paths, and crossing signals. These investments, along with proposed turn lanes and signal improvements, will make county roads safer for all users.
- Safe Routes to School: Approximately $17.5 million of the bond measure will pay for projects that make it safer for children to walk or bike to and from school. These projects will help reduce the growing traffic around our schools at arrival and dismissal, and even allow for high school students to walk or bike instead of driving.
- A healthy Fairfax: Lack of physical activity is contributing to growing rates of obesity and obesity-related health problems, such as diabetes — even among our children. The walking and bicycling projects included in this bond measure will make it easier for children and adults to walk and bike to work, schools, stores, parks, and libraries, integrating healthy physical activity into our daily lives.”
So if you’re a Fairfax resident, make sure you get to the polls. If you have friends there, please share this with them and get them to the polls too.
Congrats to Fairfax County for passing their first bike master plan ever; and many thanks to the supremely competent and hard working bike advocates there who pushed get it done.
Updates
Fairfax County now has a Bicycle Master Plan – Update (FABB)
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