Jay Fisette is the new chair of the Arlington County Board. He announced recently that Arlington County would focus on sustainability this year.
At its annual New Year's Day organizational meeting, the board elected Jay Fisette (D) chairman, and Fisette immediately announced the creation of a 28-member Community Energy and Sustainability Task Force. The panel is to make recommendations to the board about how to reduce carbon emissions in the private and commercial sectors.
A big part of that involves encouraging more cycling.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Access and Safety Program
Also on the agenda for 2010, I hope to expand bicycling in Arlington. Arlington has a longstanding commitment to become one of the best places in the nation to bicycle. I love cycling and at different times in my life have done all my commuting on a bicycle. I have also traveled extensively by bicycle, including many vacations, as well as a three-month ride from England to Greece. I have always found the bicycle to be a wonderful compromise between walking and driving – as you can truly experience your surroundings while covering good distances. Bicycling is good for one’s health, great for the environment and a sustainable form of transportation.
Our 2010 Bicycle and Pedestrian Access and Safety Program will build upon existing efforts to educate residents and commuters about the benefits of bicycling and walking, as well as to implement planned infrastructure and facility improvements --such as additional bike lanes, improved bike signage and bicycle parking facilities in major business districts.
I was impressed with the large numbers of cyclists on trips to Portland, San Francisco, Boulder and Paris. Each year it becomes easier and safer to bicycle and walk in Arlington. Congressman Earl Blumenauer, dedicated cyclist, recently asked, “How many people, right now, are stuck in traffic on their way to ride a stationary bicycle in a health club?” It is time for Arlingtonians to rediscover their bicycles, and I plan to lead the way. Look for me in the bike lane! I commit to riding my bicycle to work at least once a week throughout 2010.
What does it mean though? I absolutely worshipped Arlington's bike facilities when I was a commuter/came to the R-B corridor for nightlife. But now that I've lived in a couple places in Arlington, more realistically it seems that as soon as you pedal out of the east-west oriented "urban villages" all bets are off.
Every major north-south arterial I can think of (George Mason Dr, Glebe Rd, and east end of Washington Blvd for starters) is too harrowing for all but the most dedicated/crazy/showoffy vehicular cyclist. Getting between Ballston/Clarendon and Pentagon City involves two underpasses that are downright scary: Columbia Pike under Washington Blvd, and S Joyce St under 395.
Columbia Pike lacks bike lanes and is generally unfriendly to bikes, especially on the hilly western end, and no improvements are apparently planned, only bike boulevards on 9th and 12th Streets -- which is really treating cyclists as second-class citizens. The destinations aren't on 9th and 12th Streets, they're on Columbia Pike. So that's where the bikes belong, too.
Even in the celebrated R-B corridor, many bike lanes are so close to parked cars they're almost useless -- the entire lane is in the door zone. Quincy St between Wilson and Fairfax Drive, for example. Or Clarendon Blvd between Highland St and Edgewood.
It's nice that Arlington's leaders are publicly so gung-ho about encouraging cycling, but so much more needs to be done to make the whole county truly bike-friendly.
Posted by: Scott F | January 04, 2010 at 01:42 AM