At the end of March 2014, FABB made note of the fact that the Fairfax County Public Schools staff had recently installed new visitor bike parking at the entrance to their headquarters offices located on Gatehouse Road in Merrifield. FABB had requested the racks the year before and were please that the property management staff were receptive to the request. They also met with FABB and the county bike coordinator to discuss the installation and specifications of the rack.
FABB had been active since its founding in helping to get bike racks installed around the county. The experience taught us many lessons about the numerous factors involved in getting the right rack installed correctly in the right location. Bruce Wright, in particular, became a local resource for the public and private sectors on the proper selection, installation, and use of bike racks. He also assisted the county in preparing its bicycle parking guidelines.
We have found over the years that if you ask for bike parking at businesses you regularly visit, the owners are often receptive to the idea. You can offer them this guide on bike parking at commercial locations from our Resources page to help get them started.
Another way to improve bike parking in the county is to help map existing bike racks using the app Rackspotter. The application allows you to identify the rack type, capacity, and location. You also can add a photo of the rack. This information is used by local departments of transportation as well as fellow bicyclists.
