BWRVA Spring 2023 Update: Bike Month, Academy, Fall Line Vision Plan, National Bike Summit
By: Brantley Tyndall, Director of Bike Walk RVA
It’s that time of year again, spring, when the weather is perfect for riding as long as it’s not thunderstorming!
Bike Month is back!
RVA Bike Month has returned for its tenth year. Amazing! There are over 60 events and over five weeks for you to bring some Big Bike Energy. As always, check out the calendar at www.rvabikemonth.com, and make sure to thank your ride leaders. Most are awesome volunteers who make this month their own personal invitation to celebrate biking in our great region.
You’ve got until the end of May to join, so get your bike ready to roll and get out there!
Fall Line Vision Plan
Sports Backers launched its own Vision Plan for the Fall Line, a stakeholder- and community-informed plan about not just the pavement of the trail, but the places, amenities, and connections along the 43-mile corridor. Where can we work collaboratively to plant shade trees, install play spaces like skateparks and playgrounds, plan for connections to schools and parks, built trail-oriented retail and restaurants, and weave interactive historical and cultural experiences throughout the corridor?
We lead a trip of regional leaders to Indianapolis to study the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and Monon Trail in Carmel, Indiana to get insight on how to really make it happen.
Construction on several sections is expected to start in 2023 and early 2024 including in Hanover, Henrico, and Chesterfield.
The tenth Bike Walk Academy
We are pinching ourselves! Volunteer advocates from around the region have completed TEN editions of the Bike Walk Academy. Over 200 people have spent 5 to 8 weeks working with each other to gain skills and insight for effectively seeking better bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
This year, special thanks goes to our guest speakers.
Media panel: Samantha Willis, Virginia Mercury and Lyndon German, Richmond Times-Dispatch
Local leaders panel: Hon. Andreas Addison (Richmond), Hon. Angela Kelly-Weicek (Hanover), Hon. Dan Schmitt (Henrico), Hon. Mike Jones (Richmond)
Transportation panel: Barb Smith (Chesterfield), Todd Eure (Henrico), Chet Parsons (Plan RVA and CVTA)
National Bike Summit
The Academy was highlighted at this year’s National Bike Summit, the annual bike conference in Washington, D.C. We joined Cascade Cycling Club and the League of American Bicyclists to share about the impact of training advocates in our communities. We then joined advocates from around the Commonwealth to meet with our Congressional offices!
Looking forward!
Perhaps the most exciting thing coming up will be groundbreakings for the Fall Line! And as paving season is in bloom, we will share information about upcoming open houses and surveys from our transportation agency partners. Here are some upcoming opportunities.
- Route 161 Bike Lanes update survey (till June 1)
- Fall Line Open House, Henrico (May 16)
- Pedestrian improvements around Kanawha Plaza (till June 5)