CommuterPageBlog

300 Miles for the Climate

This year I have committed to riding my first long distance bike ride - 300 miles from the city that never sleeps to our nation's capital - all in the name of Mother Earth.  I am participating in the Climate Ride 2012, a charity bike ride that supports "sustainable solutions, bike advocacy and environmental causes", to not only raise money for our local bicycle advocacy group WABA, but also to spread awareness about the bicycle being one of many solutions to the climate crisis.

Photo: Kip Pierson, Climate Ride 2011

Last night I attended a Meet & Greet for Climate Ride 2012, hosted by Rails to Trails, and WABA.  I attended primarily to convince other interested people to register and to join team WABA, but I got much more out of it than I expected.  Blake Holiday, the Ride Director, gave a presentation on all we need to know about the ride.  He began with the tale of how Climate Ride came to be and then shared stories of riders biking next to a horse and buggy in Pennsylvania's Amish Country.  In answering someone's question, he described some of the dynamic and colorful bikes he's seen complete the ride (300 miles on a recumbent anyone?).  He praised the chefs who feed 150 hungry mouths with locally sourced and organic food, despite some of the interesting dietary restrictions (vegan: meat ok). 

Lastly, he painted a picture of rural New Jersey "they don't call it Garden State for nothing"; of the silos and farms that are sprinkled throughout the Pennsylvania countryside; and of the rolling hills encapuslating the mighty Susquehanna River into Maryland before approaching the behemoth that is the US Capitol.  It's clear that this is the countryside that you can only appreciate on a bike.

I was so inspired by his presentation that I wanted to register again!  Of course I can't do that so I made a pact to myself that I will participate in the Climate Ride every year. WABA deserves the support and welcomes anyone interested in joining their team!

Now if only I had a training plan...

 

 Zanna is the Events and Outreach Coordinator for BikeArlington.  She is a full time bike commuter and is looking forward to putting some miles on her new road bike.  Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or visit the Washington Area Bike Forum.

Future of Transportation: Notes from a Workshop

 

Yesterday, I spent a lively afternoon with a diverse group investigating the Future of Transportation at a workshop hosted by GovLab of Deloitte in their Arlington, VA, offices. The conversation was similar to many others I have been part of in the transportation industry. But the discussion confirmed that the vision of Arlington County's Mobility Lab is on the right track. Here are the ideas discussed at the workshop that I found compelling:  

• Adam Greenfield of Urbanscale said that there is no such thing as a seamless transportation system. In fact, what we are trying to acheive is a system with "beautiful seams".
• Reducing waste, whether through Collaborative Consumption such as Avego's real time ridesharing community or through GM's EN-V, should be a focus in designing future systems.
• Improvements in connections and reliability through provision of real-time transportation information on multiple mode choices and advances in design of technology are of prime importance. While much can be done on the policy and funding levels to encourage innovation and advancement, there is no need to wait. All sectors, but especially the private sector, can start on this critical job today.
• Behavioral economics can help identify the reasons for mode choice by various types of travelers. This knowledge can help design a system that better serves travelers' needs, and help travelers make good mode choices for their trips. 

At the end of the day, the most popular "solution" for the future of transportation was the one that was simple - one based on a single philosophy, easy to explain and understand, flexible enough to serve all types of trips, and as reliable as possible in a world replete with technology and information.

Sonali Soneji, AICP, Research Manager, Arlington County Commuter Services (ACCS). Mobility Lab is an initiaitve of ACCS.

Outfitting for a winter ride (or run)

The Washington Post published a story the other day that featured this guy:

The article gave advice on how to dress appropriately for outdoor weather when exercising.  Some of the advice would also be useful for bike commuting.  However, as someone who bike commuted year round for many years, I don't think it's necessary to make the hundreds of dollars investment in expensive gear like this.  There's plenty of ways you can meet your needs at reasonable cost.  Talk to cyclists you know first.

Or visit the Bike Arlington bike forum.   Lots of experienced cyclists will be happy to lend you their advice. 

But whether you want to keep REI in business or not, it's not bad to ride through the winter in the DC area.  It gets cold sometimes, but there are many, many days this time of year when the low temperature doesn't even drop below freezing.

Good luck.

===========================

Steve Offutt, Arlington, doesn't mind riding in the cold

2012 Arlington Bike Culture Forum Recap

On Wednesday, BikeArlington hosted the 2012 Arlington Bike Culture Forum, which brought together various entities in Arlington County and the region.  In attendance were representatives from Arlington County Commuter Services, Arlington County's Department of Environmental Services, planners, engineers, Arlington County Police Department, local BIDs, bike shops, bike advocates, and many more.

The meeting started with a warm welcome from Chris Hamilton, Arlington County Commuter Services Bureau Chief and Dennis Leach, Arlington County Director of Transportation.  Kate Ryan of WTOP fame followed, sharing her entertaining experiences of riding a bicycle in the greater Capital region and then Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists spoke on what Arlington can do to improve its bike friendliness.

The meeting then broke into smaller groups to brainstorm ideas and next steps to help guide what future efforts should focus on. The four areas to work on include:

• Education and Encourage for Children and Parents
• Education for Adults
• Infrastructure
• Enforcement 

Following the meeting, Mark Blacknell who is President of the Board of Directors for the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and Chair of the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee wrote a short piece on his take away from the meeting, entitled "Bike Culture: It Takes a Village..."

We hope to bring the group together again soon to keep the momentum going. And be sure to check out more photos from the event on our Facebook page! 

 Tim Kelley is the Marketing Manager for BikeArlington. BikeArlington is an initiative of Arlington County, Virginia to encourage and enable more people to go by bike more often. To stay up to date on biking in Arlington, follow BikeArlington on Twitter or visit the Washington Area Bike Forum.

 

Capital Bikeshare Public Data Analysis

Justin Antos, an active member in the regional cycling scene and member of the Washington Area Bike Forum has put together a fascinating analysis of the 1.36 million anonymous trips that has been released by Capital Bikeshare.  

Curious about which days during which seasons are most popular for rides?  Weekdays vs. weekends? What about trips by duration by user type?  Yup! It's all in there.  (I love the "nerd pride" tag...)

Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of an ongoing series.

 Tim Kelley is the Marketing Manager for BikeArlington. BikeArlington is an initiative of Arlington County, Virginia to encourage and enable more people to go by bike more often. To stay up to date on biking in Arlington, follow BikeArlington on Twitter or visit the Washington Area Bike Forum.

Oh, the weather outside can be frightful…

Winter is here, but considering the mild temperatures we’ve been having the last few weeks, you wouldn’t have guessed it. Of course, as much as we hope for more of the same, we know that Mother Nature is unpredictable and real winter weather could be here with the next front. 

We also know that winter in our region can coat sidewalks with everything from sleet and ice to snow and whatever you call that nasty gray slush churned up by cars and plows, making it a bit challenging to get where you’re going.  So, whether you’re walking for exercise or to reach your destination, here are a few winter walking tips to heed from WalkArlington:

1. Be safe and be seen: Follow basic safety rules, like looking both ways before you cross a street, crossing at marked crosswalks, watching for traffic, paying attention to cyclists, and walking to the right on trails and paths. Assume drivers can’t see you and proceed with caution, especially when days are short and weather conditions unfavorable.
   
   
2. Share the way: Be mindful of cyclists, runners, and other trail users. Walk on the right, and listen for bells and audible warnings. Watch for icy spots!
   
   
3. Cover your head and other parts to stay warm: Dress in layers, and don’t forget the mittens or gloves and hat — you lose 35 percent of your body heat through your head.
   
   
4. Wear bright or reflective clothing and stay visible. With fewer daylight hours and often cloudy conditions, it’s important to don a high-visibility outer layer.
   
   
5. Consider the conditions when planning your route. Walk where trees offer some shelter from the wind. In nasty weather, try a shopping mall, where you can walk — and window-shop — without abandoning your walking regimen.

For more safety and comfort tips on walking in winter weather, check out the Winter Walk Guide courtesy of WalkArlington and goDCgo.

 WalkArlington, an initiative of Arlington County Commuter Services within the Department of Environmental Services, gets "more people walking more of the time" by promoting the health, environmental, community-building, and commuting benefits of walking.

New bike/ped bridge connecting W&OD to East Falls Church under construction

Arlington County is replacing the footbridge across Four Mile Run that connects the

Existing bridge as approached from the east

W&OD/Custis Trail east of Sycamore Street with the East Falls Church Metro station.  The current footbridge is very narrow, very old and has become obsolete. Its replacement is necessary for safety reasons. However, with input from the Arlington County pedestrian and bicycle advisory committees, the County has taken advantage of this opportunity to improve the bridge.  The replacement bridge will meet ADA standards, will be wider and is in a better location for reducing confusion among trail users.

On numerous occasions I have offered confused trail users directions at this location, because it is not obvious which direction is the main trail. Obviously, better (or any) signage would be helpful as well.  Signage is not included in the current project budget. This map shows the locations of the original bridge and the new bridge and estimated placement of the new trail connector.  As noted on the map, a significant area of asphalt will be removed and replaced with landscaping.  The total amount of permeable surface is likely to be increased even though the new bridge and trail connector will be wider than the original. View East Falls Church trail bridge replacement in a larger map

The new bridge will be 50 feet long and 14 feet wide with a concrete deck (the existing bridge has a wooden deck). The cost for this project is $240,000, with half coming from Arlington's bridge replacement funding and half from pedestrian improvements.  Expected life of the bridge is 75 years and the project is planned for completion in mid-March. Below are some photos (click on any photo for a larger view).

Existing bridge as approached from the direction of the East Falls Church Metro station

W&OD trail passing by construction zone. Sycamore Street can be seen in the back left.

Current pathway to the footbridge. Construction zone is to the right of the existing bridge

Location of the new bridge. Traffic signals at Sycamore and N. 19th St can be seen in the background.

View of the construction as of Dec. 31

--------------

Steve Offutt, Arlington

The Ultimate Arlington Grocery Store Bike Parking Guide

In an epic collaborative project BikeArlington has teamed up with Brian McEntee, local celebrity bike blogger of Tales From The Sharrows, to bring to you the Ultimate Arlington Grocery Store Bike Parking Guide (UAGSBPG).

Over the past couple months, Brian dutifully visited each of the sixteen grocery stores in Arlington to photograph and rate their bike parking facilities. Check out the UAGSBPG for detailed pictures, ratings, and commentary, complete with interactive Google Map!

 BikeArlington is an initiative of Arlington County, Virginia to encourage and enable more people to go by bike more often. To stay up to date on biking in Arlington, follow BikeArlington on Twitter or visit the Washington Area Bike Forum.

 

 

WalkArlington Invites Arlingtonians to Nominate Neighborhoods for Our Next Walkabout!

In honor of Arlington County’s designation as a Gold-Level Walk Friendly Community — one of only 11 cities nationwide to receive this Walk Friendly Community recognition and one of only four cities honored at the Gold Level­—WalkArlington is planning our first-ever Walk Friendly Community Walkabout.

Walkabouts are self-guided walking tours of Arlington neighborhoods. Since 2005, WalkArlington has developed 19 Walkabout routes, highlighting the history, cultural attractions, natural resources, transportation options, and overall character of Arlington neighborhoods, from the ground up. The 2012 Walkabout will be the 20^th in our series and our first official Walk Friendly Community Walkabout so we want it to be extra-special!

In honor of Arlington County’s Walk Friendly Community designation, in keeping with Arlington County Board Chairman Mary Hynes’ call for civic engagement in 2012, and in preparation for development of our 20^th Walkabout, WalkArlington is pleased to open the Walkabout selection process for 2012 by issuing a call for nominations for our inaugural Walk Friendly Community Walkabout!

WalkArlington will work with the selected neighborhood to develop a Walkabout route and to plan a Walkabout event, featuring a guided tour of the neighborhood to be held later in 2012.

The nomination process opened January 1, and the deadline for submissions is Wednesday, February 29, 2012.

For more information, an overview of the nomination process, tips on nominating a neighborhood, and a link to the online nomination form, visit WalkArlington.com.

If you have a question about WalkArlington, Walkabouts, or Walk Friendly Community Walkabout nominations, please contact info@walkarlington.com

 WalkArlington, an initiative of Arlington County Commuter Services within the Department of Environmental Services, gets "more people walking more of the time" by promoting the health, environmental, community-building, and commuting benefits of walking.

I-66 "Spot Improvement" now completed

I-66 looking westbound from Ohio St.

The project to widen I-66 westbound between Fairfax Drive and Sycamore Street is now completed.  This is one of several projects that VDOT calls "Spot Improvements."  In this case, the "spot" is about 1.5 miles long.  This is the first of these projects, and was begun in the summer of 2010. None of the others is currently underway nor scheduled for the immediate future.

The roadbed was widened and new drainage had to be designed and built. The VDOT web page says that the shoulder is designed to handle full traffic and thus could be used as a travel lane in emergencies.  The project did not affect the Custis Trail in any way nor any of the soundwalls or adjoining neighborhoods. In my post last year I expressed concern that the widened bridge over the Custis Trail where it passes under I-66 would make it darker and the lighting should be reassessed. My opinion is that the lighting is still essentially the same as before and that the project did not change the daylight on the trail much if at al.

I'm not sure why the shorter dotted lines are used to delineate the right lane.  Perhaps to indicate that the lane is not continuous, although I have not seen this treatment in other locations, even where lanes exist for short distances. 

According to this VDOT press release, the other two spot improvements are on hold in the engineering phase until after the completion of the I-66 Multi-Modal study.

================================

Steve Offutt, Arlington

Be a PAL on Arlington's Streets!

Do you drive in Arlington?  Do you bike in Arlington? Do you walk in Arlington? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should make sure that you are being a PAL in Arlington's streets.

What's a PAL? you say? (Aside from being a creatively appropriate mnemonic device)...

Being a PAL means being:

• Predictable – travel in a predictable way; don't make sudden, unexpected moves
• Alert – pay attention to your surroundings and to others
• Lawful – obey the traffic laws, whether in a car, on a bike, or on foot

The street scene below illustrates how to be a PAL whether you're on two feet, two wheels or four wheels!   Take a look and see what you can be doing to help make Arlington's streets safer for all users of the road!  You can find more safety tips on the BikeArlington, WalkArlington and Car-Free Diet websites.

 Zanna is the Events and Outreach Coordinator for BikeArlington.  She loves being a PAL when she rides her bike (she also loves mnemonic devices).  Follow BikeArlington on Twitter, Facebook or visit the Washington Area Bike Forum.

 

Experimental real-time transit screens come to Arlington and DC

by Eric Fidler

If you go into the Java Shack coffee shop near Court House in Arlington, or walk past the Red Palace bar on H Street in DC, you will see a new experimental project from the Mobility Lab: Digital screens showing real-time transit arrivals and Capital Bikeshare availability.

Real-time transit screen at Java Shack.

At Java Shack, customers waiting for coffee or sitting at a table can see the next Metrobus, ART, or Orange Line arrivals, and bike availability at the Capital Bikeshare station across the street. The Red Palace screen faces outward onto the sidewalk on H Street, letting passersby see their bus and CaBi options.

Stop by one of these businesses and let us know what you think! This project is still in an early stage, so the screen displays will evolve over time. Moreover, we're hoping to add screens in more businesses soon.

One of the main challenges in convincing people to switch to transit is the unpredictability of bus arrivals. If every stop featured a digital screen displaying the number of minutes until each bus arrived, more people would be willing to take the bus.

Outdoor screens, however, are expensive to install, which is why we created this indoor alternative at a fraction of the cost. For the past few months I have been working with Andy Chosak and David Alpert at the Mobility Lab in Arlington to bring this low-cost alternative to fruition.

Screenshot of the Java Shack screen.

Screenshot of the Red Palace screen.

Every 20 seconds, our web server queries each transit agency for the arrival predictions for the stops near both test sites, then relays the data to the screens. The actual unit inside the shops is just a low-cost, barebones Linux system connected to a standard computer monitor and the business's own Wi-Fi and power. We've configured the box to automatically load up the screen when it starts, so there's no need to log in or launch an app after the unit is plugged in.

We are continuing to build the system so it can be deployed quickly and cheaply throughout the region at participating shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants. Ultimately, a business will be able to sign up, type in their address, and get a screen automatically customized with the nearest bus stops, Metro station, and Capital Bikeshare station. And someone with their own computer connected to a standard computer monitor will be able to set up their own screen for free.

This project is only possible thanks to open data from our transit agencies. We can only pull bus and train predictions as well as the status of each CaBi station because the agencies behind these systems have wisely chosen to provide stop locations, route information, and real-time arrival predictions to outside software developers.

If you run a businesses are interested in finding out more about purchasing one of these screens for your location, let us know at screens@mobilitylab.org.

New Year’s Greetings from WalkArlington and a Preview of 2012, from the Ground Up!

Thanks to the participation and support of walkers around the region throughout 2011, WalkArlington made great strides in promoting the health, environmental, community-building and commuting benefits of walking. Here are just a few highlights of the year gone by...

• Arlington County is designated a Gold-Level Walk Friendly Community, one of only 11
  communities to be recognized in the inaugural round of the national Walk Friendly Communities program and one of only four to receive Gold-Level honors.
• WalkArlington launches WalkArlington Works, a compendium of resources to promote workplace walking programs and events like Walk to Work Day and Walk @ Lunch Day- http://www.ibx.com/news_events/events/walk_at_lunch/toolkit.html
• WalkArlington sets up a page on Facebook with active users numbering in the hundreds.
• WalkArlington leads kid-friendly Walkabout of Ballston in conjunction with the Children And Nature Network's Winter Nature Celebration.
• WalkArlington helps celebrate Arlington's diversity with a Nauck Walkabout during the Feel the Heritage Festival.
• WalkArlington partners with the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization and the Arlington County Fair to develop and promote Pike Hike II: Columbia Pike Town Center West, our 19th
  Walkabout route. County Board Chairman Christopher Zimmerman debuts the route for more than 60 walkers, who join him on the two-hour "live" Walkabout tour on August 14.
• For the eighth year in a row, WalkArlington provides resources, materials and technical support for Arlington Public Schools' participation in International Walk and Bike to School Day on October 5.
• WalkArlington conducts a month-long survey of Arlington walkers that yields input from nearly 1000 respondents and finds out that indeed, more Arlingtonians are walking more of the time.

And based on feedback and findings from our 2011 survey, we're retooling, refining, and redoubling our efforts for 2012.

Among other developments, be on the look-out for:

• a new and improved look for the Pacer, our monthly e-newsletter
• a special emphasis on pedestrian safety thanks to Arlington's stepped-up participation in the regional Street Smart safety campaign and the kick-off of our local Arlington PAL initiative
  
• a greater presence at County events, from the Clarendon Mardi Gras parade to the County Fair, the Green Living Expo to Neighborhood Day, thanks to partnerships with FitArlington, Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment, and local civic associations and business improvement districts
• a new neighborhood Walkabout route, selected from YOUR nominations as our 20th and first-ever Walk Friendly Community Walkabout, to be developed this spring and premiered with a "live" Walkabout event next summer! 

Watch this space for more on WalkArlington’s Walk Friendly Community Walkabout Nominations, coming next week!

 WalkArlington, an initiative of Arlington County Commuter Services within the Department of Environmental Services, gets "more people walking more of the time" by promoting the health, environmental, community-building, and commuting benefits of walking.

ART 62 Changes Effective Jan. 3

ART 62 riders -- don't forget that route and schedule changes will go into effect for ART 62 on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. Major changes include:

• Instead of leaving Ballston Metro and traveling down N. Stafford St., the new route will now leave the Ballston Metro and travel down N. Quincy St.
• Instead of traveling along Lee Hwy to N. Veitch St., the new route will travel down Kirkwood Rd. and travel through Clarendon.
• Several stops along Lee Hwy and N. Veitch St. will no longer be served by ART 62. View a list of the stops.
• The route will now travel through Clarendon and serve the Clarendon Metro.

View the new ART 62 route and schedule (PDF) effective January 3, 2012

The revised route will connect residents living in Waverly Hills, Cherrydale and along Lorcom Lane to Clarendon where they can visit shops, restaurants and several grocery stores including Whole Foods and Trader Joes. Riders will also be able to get to the Ballston, Clarendon and Court House Metro stations.

Alternate Transit Options for Lee Hwy & N. Veitch

The Metrobus 3 -- Lee Highway line will continue to serve stops along Lee Highway between Spout Run and N. Veitch St. ART 61 will also continue to serve N. Veitch St.
Riders along Lee Highway and N. Veitch can also use the ART 62 stops located at Spout Run Parkway & Lee Highway and Wilson Blvd. & N. Veitch St. The bus stop on N. Stafford St. will be moved to N. Stafford St. & 15th St. N.

Connect with ART
Follow ART on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information about these and future ART bus changes. You can also sign-up to have ART alerts sent to you via text message or email.

Jennifer Wagar is a Transit Marketing Specialist with Arlington County Commuter Services.

Hybrid vehicle sales experience large increase in 2010

Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) conducts a triennial survey of the Washington area vehicle fleet.  In November they released the third in this series (2005, 2008, 2011).

Among the findings from the survey, the results showed a significant increase in the number of hybrid cars sold in the DC area in 2010.  In fact, sales of hybrids doubled in 2010 from 2009 and were more than 30% higher than either 2008 or 2007, the previous highest years.

Sales of hybrids declined in 2009, as did sales of all cars, due to the recession.  The uptick in 2010 was quite large.  The 15,000 hybrids sold in the Washington area represent about 5.4% of all hybrids sold in the US, compared to the 1.8% of the total US population represented by the region.

===============================(photo by Paul Garland)

Steve Offutt, Arlington

BikeArlington's Ten Favorite Accomplishments from 2011 (Day 10)

Today we're wrapping up our blogging about 2011 with one of our top accomplishments! 

New Events & Outreach Coordinator

The BikeArlington encouragement team added a third member this fall to their ranks to help with outreach and evening and weekend events.  Zanna Worzella, an avid Arlington cyclist who lives life with a passion for sustainability, has jumped into the position with great enthusiasm.  She will be teaching bike commuter seminars to local groups and businesses and you’ll see her with a smile on her face out and about town at community events and civic meetings.  If you’re interested in having Zanna come speak to your group, just send us an email at info@bikearlington.com!

 BikeArlington is an initiative of Arlington County, Virginia to encourage and enable more people to go by bike more often. To stay up to date on biking in Arlington, follow BikeArlington on Twitter or visit the Washington Area Bike Forum.

 

 

 

BikeArlington's Ten Favorite Accomplishments from 2011 (Day 9)

From now until December 24th we're blogging about some of our favorite accomplishments from 2011. Check back in each day to read more about what BikeArlington has been up to for the past year.

Lights for Bikes 2011

With the assistance of many wonderful volunteers from the Washington Area Bike Forum, the BikeArlington team was able to distribute more than 1000 sets of bike lights and almost 2000 reflective straps to cyclists, joggers and walkers over three successful light giveaways.  By comparison, less than 150 light sets were given out in 2010.

Check back in tomorrow to see the next post on our favorite accomplishments of 2011!

 BikeArlington is an initiative of Arlington County, Virginia to encourage and enable more people to go by bike more often. To stay up to date on biking in Arlington, follow BikeArlington on Twitter or visit the Washington Area Bike Forum.

 

 

Cars in Washington area getting older

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) conducts a triennial survey of the Washington area vehicle fleet.  In November they released the third in this series (2005, 2008, 2011).

Among the findings was data that showed the average age of vehicles in the DC area is going up; that is, cars are getting older.  Here are the average age of passenger vehicles (light-duty vehicles are regular cars while light-duty trucks are SUVs and pickup trucks):

  Year       Light-duty vehicles      Light-duty trucks

  2005            8.23 years                       7.06 years

  2008            8.51                                7.53

  2011            9.25                                8.55

The average age for cars has increased a full year since 2005 and the average age for SUVs has increased 1 1/2 years over the same time.  It is likely that the recession has had a strong influence on people's interest in and ability to purchase new cars, a likely factor in the increasing age of the fleet. 

The older fleet of cars has a negative impact on air quality, which is why MWCOG collects this information.  MWCOG is responsible for developing the plans for the DC Metro area to meet its air quality obligations under the Clean Air Act.  Knowing the age of the fleet allows them to more accurately model air emissions.

There are two ways the older fleet has a negative impact on air quality:

• New cars generally have better and newer emissions reduction technologies compared to older cars,
• As cars age they also tend to become somewhat less efficient, both for fuel efficiency and for their ability to reduce air pollutants.

================================

Steve Offutt, Arlington

 

Look for the Snowflake!

A major snowstorm or weather related event can be challenging since bus service depends on road conditions. When weather impacts service, ART has three levels of operation:

• Limited: Modified Routes/ Some Delays in Service
• Severe: Greatly Modified Routes/ Limited Service/ Expect Delays (some routes could be canceled)
• No Service: Route Canceled

To help riders identify bus stops that will be in service during severe weather conditions, Arlington Transit has put blue snowflake decals on them. 

The decals are located on both sides of the bus stop flag in the upper corner either above the circular gold ART symbol or above the "A" in "ART" (see picture on left for an example).

Bus stops in service during severe weather conditions are only along the ART 41, 51, 75 and 77 routes. Not all bus stops along those routes will be in service during severe weather conditions.

Please note that routes may be operating on different levels of service depending on road and traffic conditions. For example, due to road conditions ART 75 could be operating at a severe level of service while ART 41 is operating at a limited service level.

How do you know if ART is running at the severe level of operation? Sign-up to have ART Alerts sent to you via text message or email. You can also follow ART on Facebook and Twitter where the most up-to-date service information will be posted. You can also call customer service at 703-228-RIDE (7433) to find out about service.

Visit the severe weather page on ART's website to learn more about ART bus service during severe weather conditions and to view snow route maps.

Next time you're at the bus stop take note if there's a blue snowflake on the bus stop flag. If there is, your stop will be in service during the next big snowstorm!

Jennifer Wagar is a Transit Marketing Specialist for Arlington County Commuter Services.

BikeArlington's Ten Favorite Accomplishments from 2011 (Day 8)

From now until December 24th we're blogging about some of our favorite accomplishments from 2011. Check back in each day to read more about what BikeArlington has been up to for the past year.

League Cycling Instructor Certification

Late this Fall, the three members of the BikeArlington outreach team underwent the lengthy and involved process of becoming League Cycling Instructors and are now certified by the League of American Bicyclists to teach their Smart Cycling courses.  For an in-depth article on the three day seminar, and pictures of us in action, check out our write-up.

Check back in tomorrow to see the next post on our favorite accomplishments of 2011!

 BikeArlington is an initiative of Arlington County, Virginia to encourage and enable more people to go by bike more often. To stay up to date on biking in Arlington, follow BikeArlington on Twitter or visit the Washington Area Bike Forum.