This newsletter edition was sent on Thursday, August 13, 2026.
I’m returning this week from my annual summer sojourn to Europe to visit family and friends. This year’s itinerary included stops in Amsterdam (pictured above) and Paris, two of the world’s most beautiful, transit-rich, and now bike-friendly cities in the world.
I was particularly interested to see firsthand the results of Paris’ remarkable evolution over the past decade. Much has been made of its bicycle-friendly makeover—over 340 miles of new bike lanes, tens of thousands of new bike racks, and lowered speed limits across the city have together helped spur a bicycling boom. To wit, modal share for bikes doubled from 5% in 2020 to over 11% in 2025. While that number still pales in comparison to the 35%+ bicycle mode share in cycling havens like Amsterdam and Copenhagen, it is nonetheless jaw-dropping (and envy-inducing) growth.
Equally important is the region’s investments in transit via the monumental Grand Paris Express project that will add 68 new transit stations and 120 miles of track deep into suburbs. The reality is that some distances are simply too far to bike, especially with ever-rising housing costs nudging people further out (sound familiar?). And it’s an acknowledgement that the alternative to car-centrism isn’t just bikes, but bikes and transit (and walking, too).
The parallels to our own region are clear, and the signs of progress are there, if perhaps we have to squint a bit. While there are certainly many things that make Paris (and Amsterdam and Copenhagen) unique and magical places, its ability to evolve is not. We, too, have the ability to transform our communities, and I’m feeling reinvigorated to continue pushing for a different future.
To help reinvigorate YOU, below find a roundup of positive happenings across Northern Virginia. I’m also sharing a few time-sensitive actions, including an opportunity to vote the Mount Vernon Trail into Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame! Lastly, several chances to get together in-person including a bike trivia happy hour in Ballston on Tuesday, August 25th. À bientôt!
Good news 📰
- Speaking of transit and multimodality, check out the League of American Bicyclists’ first-ever “Bicycle Friendly Trains” report.
- In July, FCDOT installed new wayfinding signs throughout the I-66 Parallel Trail corridor. Additionally, the new trail connection through Randoms Hills Park should be completed by the end of August and several other upgrades are slated to begin construction next year.
- Also in July, the Alexandria Traffic & Parking Board voted 5-2 to implement our preferred, more ambitious Concept #2 for the Russell Road Safe Routes to School Improvements. Alas, staff are opting to pursue a newly-developed Concept C that maintains more parking spots. Still an improvement, even as the City continues to prioritize using public space for free private vehicle storage…
- The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) approved $776M for 21 multimodal projects across the region. Some stinkers made it through but overall a lot of good trail and transit projects. More details here.
- One project that did NOT get NVTA funding: the long-delayed Arlington Memorial Trail.
- Capital Bikeshare arrives in Vienna this month, wrapping up Fairfax County’s summer of expansion.
- Virginia ranks among top states for highway safety and mobility benefits…but challenges like the still-persistently high numbers of bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities remain.
- Back-to-school, but safer: Bennett Street in front of Herndon High School is being restriped and getting pedestrian islands, making it easier to walk and bike to school. And in Arlington, the County Board has promised safety updates on S Carlin Springs—home to 3 schools along a half-mile stretch—before the school year begins.
- Arlington also approved funding for four Neighborhood Complete Street projects. More info on the County’s NCS program.
- Across the river: Montgomery County reached a deal to purchase White’s Ferry and its equipment, a major step to reopening service and restoring a connection for recreational bicyclists on both sides of the Potomac. Additional coverage here.
Take action 🎬
- The Mount Vernon Trail has been nominated for the Rails to Trails Conservancy Trail Hall of Fame! This national recognition celebrates exceptional trails that have made a lasting positive impact on their communities. Three trails are in the running for enshrinement this year—voting is open through this Sunday, August 16th. PS: you can vote more than once, and definitely share with your friends!
- After nearly two years of planning and community input, Arlington’s refreshed Multimodal Transportation Plan (MTP) is ready for review! The draft includes policies, strategies, transportation network guidance, and curb lane priorities that advance the community-informed and County Board-endorsed vision for a safe, connected, and sustainable transportation system. Now, share your final commentsby Sunday, August 23rd before the plan goes before the County Board this fall.
- For guidance, check out Sustainable Mobility for Arlington County’s detailed suggested feedback.
- Or stop by Arlington Mill Community Center to chat with a planner during open office hours this Wednesday, August 19th.
- VDOT has a safety survey open through Sunday, August 23rd. We encourage you to use that ‘Other’ field liberally to flag VDOT’s shortcomings—lack of urgency to support non-car travel alternatives, overly wide vehicle lanes, insufficient maintenance of bike lanes and trails, and anything else you’ve surely experienced.
- Every year, cities and counties create legislative packages with community input that outline the jurisdictions’ priorities and positions ahead of the Virginia General Assembly session. Arlingtonians and Alexandrians are invited to share their thoughts, respectively. A reminder that the 2027 session is a “short session”—only 45 days—during which a two-year budget must be adopted. It’ll be hectic!
Other things to do 🚲
- Take a spin on Alexandria’s newest bike lanes then gather with bike advocates for an end-of-summer social at Atlas Brew Works on Saturday, August 22nd. Mark your calendar!
- Reston Bike Club’s 43rd Annual Ken Thompson Reston Century is Sunday, August 23rd, with options half-metric, metric, and full-send options—spots still available.
- Be sure to join me and your fellow WABA members for a bike trivia and happy hour event on Tuesday, August 25th in Ballston. Not yet a member? Join and support our shared work today!
- Missed WABA’s Hains Point Hoopla celebrating one of the region’s most unique and multiuse public spaces as it faces federal threats? We’ll be back on Saturday, August 29th for a second edition—join us to make some noise as we work to keep Hains Point open to all! Additional background here.
- Lastly, registration is OPEN for WABA’s famed 50 States Ride on Saturday, September 26th.
A surprisingly long newsletter, so I’ll keep the wrap up short. I sincerely hope to see you out and about over the coming weeks—it’s always fun to see activity pick up as we head into fall. Otherwise, you can always find me via email.
Cordialement,
Kevin O’Brien, Virginia Organizer