One of the focuses for future development in our area is what is called “Transit-Oriented development. That’s a fancy way of saying that you
should build housing where you also have existing transit. It also means that localities should “enable alternate modes of transportation”. That’s a fancy way of saying that, where possible, localities should build infrastructure to allow people to walk or bike to work or other transit.
Now, what this means in Manassas is that we need to do a couple of things. The most immediate is to facilitate the increased use of our train station. Of course, we’re all out of land for parking garages that are very close to the station so an obvious target is walking or biking. We currently have the bike rack as shown at right. I’ve seen as many as 8-10 bikes there but that isn’t very many.
So, what I’m fishing for is ideas about how to get more people to bike to the train station. Has anyone out there seen a better facility for this in another city? Would putting a cover over the rack be a good thing? Lockers or something? I’ve looked around but haven’t really found anything…
Of course, it’ll cost money but it’s way cheaper than building another garage or buying more land to pave over.
March 6, 2011 at 10:42 am
Andy, I have not seen locally any covered bike racks – seen them in other places though. One of the issues around leaving the bike while off to work found in lots of communities is the issue of security.
The simple solution a lot of communities use is decals are prepared and folks register their bikes with the local PD. The registration includes a photograph being taken. This registration extends to anyone wanting one, and not just a “bike commuter”. A small security blanket like the decal can encourage use.
I have more suggestions, just have to check a couple of them so you have some good references.
March 6, 2011 at 11:29 am
When Christen Zenich and I were at the state neighborhood conference in Roanoke last fall, they made bike tours part of the conference and we met a bike advocate who recommended talking to Mia Burk, bicycling coordinator for the city of Portland. Here’s a link to Burk’s book and contact information. She speaks for herself in a short video at the bottom of her homepage. http://miabirk.com/
March 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
On Mia’s YouTube clips she explains the history of biking advocacy in n the city of Portland. Here’s the guy who hired her:
http://www.blumenauer.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1429
March 6, 2011 at 11:45 am
Andy, providing decent parking is a good first step. The grill racks that you pictured are not the current standard for parking. In Fairfax Co Commuter lots they use a mix of bike lockers (for rent) and inverted-U racks.
See if you can get permission to do a survey of license plates at the station. You can link the cars to a street address similar to the study at Herndon Monroe Park and Ride. http://fabb-bikes.blogspot.com/2010/08/travel-patterns-to-herndon-monroe-park.html
When you get back the license plate address data (zip+4 or address level) you’ll be able to determine the number of people who park there who live within a short ride. You can use this information to help determine what kind of difference bicycling can make in offsetting any future parking construction.
Lastly, how much does it cost to park there? The parking spaces are not free to build or maintain, so parking is being subsidized. Remove the subsidy and more people will bicycle and take transit to the train station.
March 6, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Tom, I think bike racks that are inside the garage may be like you suggest?
Andy…I’ve been inside the garage many times during commuter hours and have NEVER seen a single bike in there on the racks. Do bikers even know they are there? Or are those things not really bike racks?
I’m not a biker so I have little to suggest as to what would increase biking to the stations (downtown and airport). I would think somehow surveying bicyclers would give ideas what would make it better (besides just warm dry weather).
March 6, 2011 at 3:27 pm
With so many other issues facing the City, should this be a topic of discussion? Or, was the last City Council meeting just a show put on by the Council members? Really, if there is no time to talk about the the failing school system, why talk about bikes?
The focus needs to be on the illegals, overcrowding, the needs of the police department and schools. Until we figure out how to fix those problems biking seems to be a topic best left for another day.
March 6, 2011 at 3:45 pm
COM: It’s my blog. i can discuss whatever I want. I pay for this site. Not the City.
March 6, 2011 at 5:22 pm
Andy,
I know that. But, given your response the other day in the school post, that you simply do not have time to discuss schools, I just thought I’d point that out.
March 6, 2011 at 5:44 pm
Rapidly rising gas prices are going to push biking as well as our train station. It’s a good time for us to capitalize on all that. I’m for it. Separately, I understand what COM is getting at but I’ve seen Andy chew gum and walk and maybe even hum a tune all at the same time, and doing all three fairly well (well, maybe not the huming part).
You know, once we’ve identified the elected officials we think are pretty darn good like Andy let’s debate with them without unnecessarily baiting them. It really is quite unnecessary.
March 6, 2011 at 6:04 pm
Andy, Arlington County is very “bike centric” for lack of a better phrase. They identify it as one method for citizens & visitors to get around, to include posting the bike routes on the website.
Barbara works at Virginia Hospital Center, and she told me Arlington has “Bike corrals” – places underground where you ride in and park your bike. Granted, underground is cost prohibitive for us, so DavidB’s suggestion of maybe in the Parking Garage would work.
Check out the website at:
http://www.bikearlington.com/pages/maps-rides/
March 6, 2011 at 7:56 pm
I am a frequent user of the commuter bus and I have seen bike lockers at the metro stations. I feel this would be the best choice as bike chains are subject to rusting when exposed to rainy conditions.
As I said, I use the commuter bus, and usually walk the one mile to the train station from my home to catch the bus to the West Falls Church metro station. This walk takes me down Main Street past Colonial Village, Sandalwood Village, and that wooded area across from Baldwin Elementary. Due to my family’s concern for my safety walking past these areas, I have decided to drive to the ‘Park and Ride’ areas in the County area of Manassas (on Portsmith Road or Manassas Mall) to catch the same bus.
March 6, 2011 at 8:44 pm
Slightly off topic, but does anyone know what is going in at the corner of Wellington and Grant? I know a few years ago an application was denied for a drug store.
March 6, 2011 at 8:46 pm
Dedicated bike paths on the side of the road would be helpful ala europe style. The only problem is that no one is going to bike through GTS to get to the train station. Crime, illegals, and the profound poverty of the area south of the train station affects everything.
March 6, 2011 at 8:50 pm
Arlington is typical of liberal Cities. They just approved a couple of very large high rise office buildings in the Roslyn area, yet the parking situation in the same area is already poor. Do they really expect people to bike in from other areas to work and or do business at these new buildings?
And they have recently dedicated a number of on street parking spaces for zip car parking only. Which tend to be used by single drivers who do not own cars. So, in a way they are encouraging more driving by one occupant cars.
March 6, 2011 at 8:52 pm
I think it’s a walgreens.
March 6, 2011 at 10:22 pm
Andy,
Really? As if the one three blocks away is not close enough? But, we only have what, 6 drug stores, so I guess one more won’t hurt.
Countrydoc,
So true. I’ll walk down Grant, but I’m a guy. I don’t know many women who will want to bike the same way. And, South Main is not that much better. The only option would be to bike down to Prince William and down that way.
March 6, 2011 at 11:30 pm
I pulled the following from a Compost article on the sale of the Hastings property.
“Leasing momentum has picked up significantly since Harris Teeter opened,” Farrell said. “We signed a lease with Medifast Weight Loss and are negotiating a number of leases with excellent, neighborhood-serving uses.” These retailers, whose names Farrell would not divulge, include a casual dining restaurant, hair salon, pizza shop and spa.
We could do without the hair salon, spa, and pizza shop. I wonder which casual restaurant it is?
March 7, 2011 at 8:47 am
@COM
Arlington is a County – no idenpendent cities within its borders. And on top of the reduction of parking spaces, they are also looking into restoring street cars. Arlington also is revamping their Master Plan to focus on retaining the younger folks within its borders, to include a just completed Affordable Housing Exercise. They know they have a problem, and are trying to find solutions. One being making it a place people want to be a great place to be born, raised, and grow old. Hmmm, sounds like a goal Manassas has. Their intent is to focus on Public Transportation vs. the “must drive” mentality.
March 7, 2011 at 10:48 am
I wouldn’t leave my bike in such an illegal alien infested area. The weight of the chains and locks that would be needed to secure it would make it too hard to pedal. Besides, if it did get stolen, the police chief would be too concerned with offending a certain segment of the population to do anything about it.
March 7, 2011 at 11:07 am
Raymond,
I don’t know why I called it a City, when it is clearly a County. Just a typo, I grew up there. So, I know first hand how much it has changed over the years.
Before they went too liberal, Ballston was Parkington. But I guess that does not sound as fancy as Ballston.
Of course people must still drive. Or, do they really expect the only people who will work in the two new high rise office buildings all live on the metro line or bike trail?
Deloitte and Touche is one of the major employers in Roslyn, most of their employees work at client sites, but do need to come into Arlington for meetings etc. There are a number of DOD offices as well, that receive visitors who do not live within the County.
And as someone who works from home but does have to drive all over NOVA, I see the issue first hand. It simply is not always possible for me to take the metro, etc.
So, while there is nothing wrong with adding public transportation, and making it easier to ride a bike to work if one chooses, they need to realize the vast majority of people still need to be able to drive and find a place to park.
March 7, 2011 at 7:32 pm
The suggestion to somehow canvas or otherwise identify those who currently use VRE to glean how many folks WOULD bike if something were different is a good one. I’d think your normal biker would have considered it already, but the casual biker might not have thought of it. I believe that folks who feel secure enough to bike to the station through any part of town is the kind of guy/gal we want living in our fair city.
Nice one Andy. Shows you’re always thinkin.
March 8, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Building and maintaining parking lots/garages are a cost to the City. Adding a small commuter parking fee could be considered. It would reduce the entitlement mentality and teach all nothing is free.
About local VRS users to transport themselves via walking or biking…..the weight of briefcases and age and ability of commuter is something to be considered. Many commuters are pulling large briefcases. Now how would biking work for these folks?
Time is another factor for commuters. Local VRE riders would need another 30 minutes to add on to their commute time. When catching the first train at 5:10AM, getting on the road at 4:30AM is more than most are willing to give, especially when then return on the last train. Out of City riders would not participate in a ride to the train on your bike method.
It would be interested to identify just how many commuters are driving into the City, parking and taking the train on a daily basis.
In my opinion, more telecommuting seems like a more realistic option and goal.
March 8, 2011 at 12:49 pm
I’d like to add that my family’s concern for my safety is that I walk by these areas in the dark at 5:10 in the morning to catch the 5:28 from the train station. I’d prefer to walk because….well let’s just say that I could use the walk.
My next door neighbor has a house in Manassas soley for commuting. He stays there during the week and walks to the VRE station (through the backside of the schools). Then he returns to his home in Culpeper for the weekends. Unfortunately, our different work schedules do not allow for us to walk together.
March 8, 2011 at 2:08 pm
Di:
Get a bike. Nobody’s catching you on a bike and it’s way faster than walking. ‘Course biking is way more efficient than walking so you wouldn’t get the same exercise if that was the original point…:)
March 14, 2011 at 7:43 pm
Good idea, Andy. The only problem is that I wouldn’t want to leave a bike just chained for 10+ hours. No offense, but I live in this neighborhood and know how things ‘vanish’.