This newsletter edition was sent on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
It’s been an emotional start to the school year in Fairfax County. Over a two-day span earlier this month, 4 students riding bicycles or scooters were struck by drivers in separate crashes, one of them tragically fatal. Another young bicyclist was injured last week, and all this follows a spate of serious crashes in Northern Virginia in August. And then there’s the hundreds of near-misses.
Cue the platitudes. A Fairfax Board of Supervisors vote to restore funding for 11 high school crossing guard positions eliminated via budget cuts earlier this year. Press releases calling for more vigilance and slower speeds. Promises to look into, to study, to assess conditions, options, possible solutions on roads that look like the one above.
I don’t doubt the sincerity of these gestures. They reflect real shared anguish and are necessary initial steps, but also just that: initial steps. We know that the real solution has to be better, safer infrastructure for all road users. Protected bike lanes, complete sidewalk networks, and crossings that don’t require a sprint and a prayer. And we need these things now, not in 3-5 years.
Our tolerance for carnage may seem inexhaustible, but it doesn’t have to be this way. We have been and will continue to work with you and our local advocacy partners to sound the alarm and raise awareness regarding the dangerous state of our roadways. Together we’re agitating at all levels of government and across agencies to find solutions to deliver more effective fixes in less time.
We’re angry, yes, but resolute, too. I hope this month’s roundup of good news below helps to inspire and motivate you, and that the LONG list of upcoming rides and events provide you an opportunity to find community and camaraderie to stay in this fight.
Good news 📰
- Our very own Mount Vernon Trail has been inducted into the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s 2026 Trail Hall of Fame! This national recognition celebrates the MVT as one of the country’s outstanding trails and recognizes the incredible community that cares for, supports, and champions it. More local coverage here.
- From the Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail: “Thank you to everyone who voted, shared the campaign, encouraged others to vote, volunteered on the trail, partnered with us, donated, or simply helped spread the word. Your support helped put the Mount Vernon Trail in the national spotlight.” ♥️
- More MVT news: installation of four new trailside Capital Bikeshare stations is complete, at Belle Haven Park, Fort Hunt Park, Riverside Park, and Mount Vernon Estates. All are marked on a new trail map (print versions available, too).
- Arlington is installing several speed humps and other elements this fall to support new, lower 20mph speed limits on the Columbia Pike Bike Boulevards. Staff intend to continue monitoring for effectiveness—I encourage you to monitor and report your experiences, too.
- Arlington’s Vision Zero is piloting a signal modification project at the intersection of westbound Langston Blvd and N Fort Myer Dr adjacent to Gateway Park to eliminate conflicting vehicle turning movements while the crosswalk signs are on. The plan is to monitor, adjust, and develop additional longer term safety recommendations—slowly but surely, we’re chipping away at the notoriously gnarly intersections in this area.
- Fairfax City Council approved a roadway reconfiguration that will add bicycle facilities to a section of University Blvd, part of a long range plan to create a north-south bicycle ‘spine route’. Paint-only but it’s a start.
Detour alert 🚨
- The shared-use path on the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge will be closed beginning this week through September 2027 for reconstruction (and widening!). Deeply inconvenient if this is your main route, but we hope worth it for a better connection.
Take action 🎬
- While we’re most closely following the Long Bridge Project and the underpasses near King Street Metro, there are VPRA-led improvements happening further afield that could impact the bike and trail network. We and our friends at FABB and Potomac Heritage Trail Association would love to see a trail connection near the Lorton VRE station. Attend the virtual public meeting this Wednesday, September 23rd to learn more, and/or send a quick email simply saying let’s build that trail!
- Arlington is launching not one but TWO multimodal transportation studies for North and South Carlin Springs Road, beginning with an open house on Tuesday, October 6th at Kenmore Middle School. The goal of these studies is to develop a set of comprehensive recommendations for the entire corridor to improve safety and comfort for all travelers. Online feedback forms will open later this month for each section, North and South.
- Last, a hefty ask with more details to come: the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) along with Secretary of Transportation Nick Donohue and representatives from VDOT and DRPT will host a series of town halls—our Northern District listening session is on Thursday, October 8th. We’re hoping to get a good cohort of advocates in the room to call for greater action on street safety and bicycle/pedestrian investments—if you want in, please email me.
Things to do 🚲
Rides:
- Saturday, September 26th – WABA’s 50 States Ride is a bucket-list ride for area bicyclists, plus it supports all of our amazing work. Check out the ride routes, wrangle your friends, and register today!
- Sunday, September 27th – The 9/11 National Memorial Trail Alliance will honor the 25th anniversary of September 11th with a 23-mile remembrance ride (or a 3.5-mile walk), both beginning at Water Park in Arlington and ending at the Pentagon Memorial. I helped devise the route (it’s pretty cool!) and will be marshalling riders—register here. Discounts are available (especially for community groups)—email for details.
- Sunday, October 18th – Join Trek Bicycle Alexandria South for a food drive + road ride benefiting ALIVE! Food Hub. The goal: collect 300 pounds of food. Don’t want to ride the 50-mile route but still want to contribute? Trek will be accepting food donations in-store starting 10/1.
- Friday, October 30th – Join Alexandria BPAC for their annual spook-tacular Halloween ride through the Del Ray and Rosemont neighborhoods with stops at some of the City’s best-decorated homes. A casual, family-friendly 6-mile loop—costumes highly encouraged!
- Saturday, October 31st – Or celebrate Halloween with a longer ride at the 11th Annual Tour de Mount Vernon, benefiting our friends at FABB. Start/endpoint is the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton—we’ll be tabling so stop by and say hi!
Not-rides:
- Tuesday, September 29th – We’ll be joining our friends at the Coalition for Smarter Growth in Tysons at their fall happy hour. Stop by Shipgarten Bier Hall to chat with us and fellow advocates about all things mobility!
- Tuesday, October 6th – WABA will be back out on the Custis Trail in Rosslyn for a coffee hour pop-up with the Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail and the Rosslyn BID! Stop by between 7:30 and 9:30AM for coffee, snacks, and early morning bike conversation! Mark your calendar.
- Saturday, October 10th – The Mason District Supervisor’s Office will host its 2nd Annual Transportation Fair at the Minnie H. Peyton Community Center, 11AM-1PM. Swing by to learn about County projects and programs, talk with staff and community organizations, and pick up some free goodies!
- October 2 – November 1 – Tysons Trek & Treat Challenge is back! Explore 5 walkable and bikeable routes to earn points and the chance to win prizes. Early Bird registrants (by October 1st) will be entered into a special raffle for a $150 gift card. Sign up today!
- October 1st – November 30th – FCDOT’s second annual NOVA Loop Trail Puzzle Hunt invites residents to explore the NOVA Loop and solve puzzle challenges for a chance to win weekly and grand prizes. Free and self-guided, but register by September 30th to enter a special early-registration prize drawing.
Hopefully something for everyone over the next few weeks. I’m especially excited to see folks out at the coffee pop-up on October 6th, and we might be trying some bike shop pop-ups in the near future, too. Interacting with members like you, out in the community or over email, is what fuels this work so I encourage you to continue to find me with your questions, concerns, and ideas.
With a somber heart,
Kevin O’Brien, Virginia Organizer