Arlington County Board Member Chris Zimmerman was recently a live chat guest on GGW and a few of the questions he fielded were bike related. Unfortunately there were a few questions that were too specific for him.
Mark M: Mr.
Zimmerman, I'm a VRE rider that lives close to the Rippon stop. I would
love to ride my bike to the station, but there aren't any bike racks!
Is VRE looking into improving the facilities available for cyclists at
this and other VRE Stations?
Michael Perkins: I'll note that there are bike racks at most of the stations I looked at online, they're just missing from the Rippon stop.
CZ: There has been much discussion of bikes and VRE, and there is interest in improving bike access. I confess I'm not familiar with the Rippon station issues, but I will be happy to bring it up at VRE.
Mark M: An additional VRE Question: I heard that the new VRE cars will be large enough or have facilities to take regular sized (non-folding) bicycles. When do you expect to see these cars in service or a policy change that will allow me to bring my bicycle so I can ride from my destination to work?
CZ: I'm sorry, I don't recall exactly, I will have to check on that.
Rob: Some of the most problematic roads in Arlington, from a pedestrian perspective, are VDOT-maintained (to name two near my home, N. 10th St. and Washington Blvd.). Does VDOT grasp the idea and utility of remaking them into "complete streets" that welcome pedestrians and bicyclists? How much utility does the county have to push VDOT towards that goal?
Michael Perkins: I'll note that there are bike racks at most of the stations I looked at online, they're just missing from the Rippon stop.
CZ: There has been much discussion of bikes and VRE, and there is interest in improving bike access. I confess I'm not familiar with the Rippon station issues, but I will be happy to bring it up at VRE.
Mark M: An additional VRE Question: I heard that the new VRE cars will be large enough or have facilities to take regular sized (non-folding) bicycles. When do you expect to see these cars in service or a policy change that will allow me to bring my bicycle so I can ride from my destination to work?
CZ: I'm sorry, I don't recall exactly, I will have to check on that.
Rob: Some of the most problematic roads in Arlington, from a pedestrian perspective, are VDOT-maintained (to name two near my home, N. 10th St. and Washington Blvd.). Does VDOT grasp the idea and utility of remaking them into "complete streets" that welcome pedestrians and bicyclists? How much utility does the county have to push VDOT towards that goal?
CZ: This is a big, and perennial, issue for us. VDOT
has gotten better in recent years. They do now at least have a concept
of urban streets. (They even do some traffic calming.) Nonetheless,
they are still years behind where we want to be, and even when they are
willing to do the right thing, they are very resource-constrained.
Guess what gets cut first?
Michael Perkins: You're a regular Metrorail and Metrobus rider, right? And are you planning on participating in "Bike to Work Day" festivities on May 15?
CZ: Yes, I ride Metrorail (mostly Orange, Yellow, and Red), Metrobus (especially 16) and ART (especially 41). I almost never miss Bike-to-Work Day. To my great regret, this year it is the same day as the VRE Board meeting, and since I am the Chair this year, I probably can't skip the meeting.
Michael Perkins: You're a regular Metrorail and Metrobus rider, right? And are you planning on participating in "Bike to Work Day" festivities on May 15?
CZ: Yes, I ride Metrorail (mostly Orange, Yellow, and Red), Metrobus (especially 16) and ART (especially 41). I almost never miss Bike-to-Work Day. To my great regret, this year it is the same day as the VRE Board meeting, and since I am the Chair this year, I probably can't skip the meeting.
It's nice to see what makes the top of Zimmerman's list of transportation goals.
So the VRE board meets at 9:30 AM in a location that's four miles (a 40-minute bus ride) from a VRE station that has no outbound service in the morning? Pathetic.
Posted by: Cap'n Transit | April 23, 2009 at 08:53 AM
4 miles is a 20 minute ride for me by bike-- if the goddamn car traffic isnt in my way...
VRE is and will remain a piece of crap-- Virginia is still FAR too backward in everything. Too bad Jefferson is long dead...
Posted by: mr smith | April 23, 2009 at 10:58 AM