Five years ago this week FABB reported that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved approximately $40 million in funding for bike projects over six years as part of a major 6-year transportation funding package. The bike funding was set at approximately $7 million/year. This was a significant increase in funding from previous years although it represented only a small portion of the nearly $1.3 billion in total transportation funding. There also was significant funding for bike projects in many of the road projects that were part of the package. FABB was and is proud to have been a major advocate for their inclusion.
Unfortunately, the transportation package only included a few on-road bike facilities such as bike lanes, cycle tracks, bike shoulders, or wide curb lanes. But, in the intervening years, the network of bikelanes and sharrows has increased by dozens of miles through the annual summer repaving and restriping program.
In the past 5 years some of the major bike-related projects included on the list have been completed, such as the Fairfax County Parkway Bicycle Wayfinding Signage project. Others, such as Mount Vernon Memorial Highway (Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail or Grist Mill Trail) are still in development.
Fairfax County’s needs for bicycle infrastructure are still huge and there is much to be done to build on the momentum of the past five years. FABB remains committed to advocating for more bike facilities and invites all riders to join us in making bicycling better in Fairfax County.
