Why Don't More People Bike in Reston?

Unlike many suburban communities, Reston has great potential for being a good place for bicycling. Village centers are located within easy biking distance of all residents. We have 55 miles of paved trails that are plowed in winter and lead to all of the village centers and the Town Center.

Everyone in Reston is located within three miles from most destinations including the Wiehle Avenue Metro station, which will have a secure bike room that holds over 200 bikes. It takes about 15-20 minutes to ride 3 miles.

And yet very few Restonians take local trips by bike. Many people ride for recreation but few use bikes for transportation. Even the most environmentally conscious residents think nothing of driving to a nearby destination instead of biking. At community meetings the vast majority of participants drive. Reston is trying to become a Bicycle Friendly Community, and yet most residents rarely consider biking for short trips. We drive to the gym so we can get a workout on a stationary bike. Even Bob Simon is disappointed not to see more kids biking on our paths. Why?

Bike conditions are far from perfect. Even though it's possible to safely bike to most destinations, there are many improvements that are needed. Our trails are not lit at night. There is no wayfinding signage for cyclists. While we now have two major roads with bike lanes, Lawyers Road and Soapstone Drive, most of our main roads are not bike-friendly. The trails along the main roads are often not connected or turn into narrow sidewalks.

Even without ideal conditions, it remains a mystery to me why biking in Reston is so uncommon. I am often met with surprised comments when I bike to meetings. My response is that I'd be embarrassed if I didn't ride my bike the short distance from my home to the meeting.

There are two upcoming events that are great opportunities to ditch the car and ride a bike. Bike to School Day is Wednesday, May 8. Buzz Aldrin, Terraset, and likely other elementary schools are holding events so why not encourage your kids to try biking that day. If you're not sure about the safest route, try riding to their school on a weekend to explore the options. Google Maps bike directions is a great way to find good bike routes. On the day of the event, you could take the time to ride with your child to ensure a safe trip. If you don't think biking for short trips is important, your kids won't either.

The other event is Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 17. Hundreds of cyclists will gather at the Reston Town Center pavilion and thousands will gather at locations around the region to celebrate biking to work. Food, drinks, information displays, and raffle prizes will be available. As mentioned above, one of the best ways to find a bike route is to use Google Maps bike directions. You can also check the Fairfax County Bike Route map or the Reston path maps. Register on the Metro DC Bike to Work Day site.

If you don't think it's safe to bike, then do something about it. Contact Supervisor Hudgins' office and ask about planned bike improvements. Work with Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling to advocate for better bike conditions. Attend a bicycle safety class to learn how to ride on the road with traffic.

Bicycling is a very simple solution to so many of our problems: the obesity epidemic, traffic congestion, air pollution, and the high price of gas. The best part is that it's fun, so why not get outside and try it.