Make Rt. 1 Safe for People on Bikes

Subject:

Your Letter:

I bicycle in northern Virginia, and I write to express deep concern over the current proposal to force bicyclists to ride alongside full-speed traffic on a 14 foot wide outside lane along Route 1 through Ft. Belvoir.  This widening project presents ample opportunity to do better.

As you know, this portion of roadway is part of US Bicycle Route 1, which runs the length of the east coast from Florida to Main, and therefore is an important thoroughfare for bicyclists nationally, as well as regionally.

This project should include bike lanes.  If it will not include bike lanes and will instead require the sharing of an outside lane between fast-moving motor vehicles and bicycles, that outer curb lane should be at least fifteen feet in width to allow for safe sharing as such highway speeds.

Either option would be am improvement for bicyclists and for overall roadway safety, and would not require additional overall width.

Thank you for your efforts to improve transportation in our region.  Please ensure that bicyclists are considered and made safer by your efforts by including bike lanes or sufficient width for bicyclists to share the roadway at the proposed speeds.

Thank you,

MWCOG Transportation Planning Board

Gregory Whirley

VDOT Commissioner