Another weekend, another long list of things to do in Arlington.
“The Shat Ball” with The Raspberry Brothers — NYC comedy duo The Raspberry Brothers is back at Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike) to rip on another classic cheeseball movie. This time, they aim their barbs at William Shatner’s performance in Star Trek V. From 9:30 to midnight.
“Arlington is one of the most bike-friendly communities in the United States,” Arlington County Board Chairman Jay Fisette said to kick off this morning’s Bike to Work Day event in Rosslyn. And the county’s efforts seem to be paying off: Fisette said that this was the best-attended Bike to Work Day he has ever been a part of.
Hundreds of bicyclists stopped at Bike to Work Day “pit stops” in Rosslyn, Ballston and Crystal City before pedaling to work this morning. There was no denying that there were more bikes on the road than usual, as normally car-bound or transit-hopping commuters took advantage of the nice weather and the communal experience of riding into the city en masse.
At a Bike to Work Day event at Gateway Park in Rosslyn, Fisette called the program “a great system to help us promote cycling and promote health in Arlington.”
Initially launching in Crystal City this fall, the Arlington-DC bike share system will feature 1,100 bikes that will be available for rent at docking stations located primarily around transit centers. Bike usage will cost $5 per day or $80 for a year. Fisette said the county hopes to eventually expand the system to the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
Arlington will host three gathering points, or “pit stops,” for Bike to Work Day, which is an opportunity for regular bike commuters and curious car devotees to get together and ride into D.C. en masse. The pit stops include Rosslyn Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway), the Crystal City Water Park (1750 Crystal Drive) and Conte’s Bike Shop in Ballston (3924 Wilson Boulevard).
Participants are asked to register here.
It’s a good time to be an Arlingtonian. This weekend is jam-packed with fun outdoor community events. The weather should be gorgeous — the only problem will be finding time to do everything.
Trashy Pick Up Artists — Dubbed the “Pick Up Artists,” four recent college grads from Maryland are on cross-country journey to pick up trash and educate people about sustainability. On Saturday, Davey Rogner and Kelly Klein, 24, and Kim Alexander and Jeff Chen, 23 will kick off their 240 mile trek across Virginia in Arlington. Volunteers interested in helping them out should meet at the Clarendon Whole Foods (2700 Wilson Boulevard) at 10:00 a.m. According to the organizers, this event has been cancelled due to the permits from VDOT not coming in.
Fairfax County may be a bit jealous of Arlington’s bike friendliness.
With bike travel growing in both counties, one Fairfax cycling advocate is saying publicly that his county should take Arlington as an example and go farther than just paying lip service to bike-related concerns.
Electric Bicycles to Be Demo-ed — California-based firm Pedego will unveil its line of electric bicycles in Arlington on Thursday, in celebration of Earth Day. The demonstration is being held at the Big Wheel Bikes at 3119 Lee Highway, in the Lyon Village Shopping Center. Pedego will let riders test-drive the bikes on the Custis Trail from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. There will also be free food, drinks and live entertainment.
Energy Use Discussed At Town Hall Meeting — Residents shared their thoughts on energy challenges at the Arlington Community Energy Town Hall Meeting on Saturday. A county task force is trying to find ways to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. More from the Sun Gazette.
Home Sales Surge — Home sales in Arlington County were up 29 percent during the first three months of the year, the Sun Gazette reports. The average price of homes sold rose nearly four percent. Home sales were down more than five percent in Fairfax County.
Bike Show Recap –Last week’s third annual Phoenix Bikes bike show was a success. The event, held in Ballston, serves as a fundraiser for the non-profit bike shop. More than 250 people attended, according to the Commuter Page Blog. With the price of admission set between $20 and $25, the show would have raised at least $5,000, excluding proceeds from the silent auction.
The event will feature an art show, a silent auction, a raffle for four bikes and various accessories donated by local shops, free food and drinks, and speeches by movers and shakers in the local bike world. Arlington County board chairman and cycling supporter Jay Fisette will serve as the master of ceremonies.
Tickets for the show are $20 online (available until 2:00 p.m.) or $25 at the door, and include two raffle tickets. The proceeds will benefit Phoenix Bikes, which serves the community and youths in South Arlington.
Traffic Lights Out in North Arlington — A number of traffic lights went out in North Arlington this afternoon due to a “circuit problem.” Generators were brought out to some of the busier intersections as Dominion Power worked on the problem. Four traffic lights were reported to be out on Fairfax Drive and three were reported out on Lee Highway and Old Dominion Drive, among others. All lights are said to be working again.
Arlington Among the Most “Bike-Friendly Cities” — Bicycling Magazine has ranked Arlington 30th in its list of the 50 most bike-friendly cities. The article inexplicably features an image of Georgetown University.
The following represents the views of the author, not of ARLnow.com.
We are pleased that Arlington County actively promotes cycling, and that County Board Chair Jay Fisette has made it a central part of his agenda this year. In fact, the County Manager’s proposed budget does not specifically target any bike-related funding for cuts (to the best of our knowledge). But we do worry that some may mistake such funding for simple recreational funding. This is not the case and the County Board should resist any such suggestion as it finalizes the budget, perhaps being tempted to cut already-low funding further.
Update: The bill has narrowly passed the House Transportation Committee. The Virginia Bicycling Federation is calling on supporters to call their local delegate in advance of an upcoming vote before the full House.
From 2/9/10:
