Calling all Tysons Corner Commuters

[jabberwocky]

Are they interested in past commuters? I did the Reston to Tysons commute from 2006 to 2010, but lost that job and don’t ride there anymore.

[eminva]

@jabberwocky 78006 wrote:

Are they interested in past commuters? I did the Reston to Tysons commute from 2006 to 2010, but lost that job and don’t ride there anymore.

I think they are looking to get sort of an esprit de corps going for the hearty folks who bike through Tysons. Secondary purpose would be to assemble an informal group of people who can be a resource to help new commuters get going and to give them feedback as they make plans to make Tysons more bike friendly. You could help with the last item, but the rest probably doesn’t apply.

They seemed receptive to my suggestion that they start a Friday Coffee Club out that way. They have the advantage of a budget so those cyclists might not have to pay for their own java like rest of us. ELITE!

Liz

[jabberwocky]

@eminva 78012 wrote:

You could help with the last item, but the rest probably doesn’t apply.

K, fair enough. Wish Tysons had showed me some love when I rode there.

[Steve O]

Speaking of which, I was out in Tysons y-day for a meeting. When coming home I was s-bound on Gallows and turned left onto the W&OD. Was I hallucinating, or was there a left-hand turn lane for the WOD?

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Steve O 78015 wrote:

Speaking of which, I was out in Tysons y-day for a meeting. When coming home I was s-bound on Gallows and turned left onto the W&OD. Was I hallucinating, or was there a left-hand turn lane for the WOD?

Oh yeah, there’s a turn lane, but don’t think they put it there for cyclists!

http://goo.gl/maps/CKWia

[Phatboing]

@eminva 78012 wrote:

They seemed receptive to my suggestion that they start a Friday Coffee Club out that way. They have the advantage of a budget so those cyclists might not have to pay for their own java like rest of us. ELITE!

Liz

Sold!

[eminva]

@jabberwocky 78013 wrote:

K, fair enough. Wish Tysons had showed me some love when I rode there.

Yep — better late than never. And they are under no illusions about how far they are from becoming bike friendly, but they seem quite genuine.

@TwoWheelsDC 78018 wrote:

Oh yeah, there’s a turn lane, but don’t think they put it there for cyclists!

http://goo.gl/maps/CKWia

I think that is for the next street down (way off in the distance you can see a car coming out of the street; forget its name). I think the arrow is premature because the street is quite a ways off at that point. I have seen motorists looking a bit confused by that but haven’t seen anyone actually turn in. But cyclists can and do use it to get to the W&OD from southbound Gallows.

I’m assuming the vehicle coming out of the trail is an official vehicle. Those Google cameras really do pick up a slice of life.

Liz

[Phatboing]

@TwoWheelsDC 78018 wrote:

Oh yeah, there’s a turn lane, but don’t think they put it there for cyclists!

http://goo.gl/maps/CKWia

Oh, green stuff and clear pavement. I’m all choked up right now.

(I’ll be crying about sweating out a small ocean in summer, but still)

[Rootchopper]

I am not (thank god) a Tysons commuter. And hope I never am. If the Tysons Partnership wants to show bike commuters some love, they can throw their support (and $$$) behind making sure that all bike lanes and trails get plowed, sanded and salted after snow/ice storms. Fairfax County continues to treat winter as a car-only phenomenon.

[GB]

@eminva 78012 wrote:

They seemed receptive to my suggestion that they start a Friday Coffee Club out that way. They have the advantage of a budget so those cyclists might not have to pay for their own java like rest of us. ELITE!

Liz

May I suggest that this FMCC meet on Tuesday or Thursday so that those of who enjoy our current Friday coffee can still meet the Tysons riders. But my commute from court house to ballston seldom takes me through Tysons so don’t change it just for me.

[consularrider]

@eminva 78021 wrote:

Yep — better late than never. And they are under no illusions about how far they are from becoming bike friendly, but they seem quite genuine.

I think that is for the next street down (way off in the distance you can see a car coming out of the street; forget its name). I think the arrow is premature because the street is quite a ways off at that point. I have seen motorists looking a bit confused by that but haven’t seen anyone actually turn in. But cyclists can and do use it to get to the W&OD from southbound Gallows.

I’m assuming the vehicle coming out of the trail is an official vehicle. Those Google cameras really do pick up a slice of life.

Liz

The overhead satellite view shows the left turn lane continuing to Iliff Dr just south of the W&OD crossing. Further south it shows as a center turn lane for both directions on Gallows (don’t know date of the image).

[Rockford10]

I’m happy to represent – as long as it works with my schedule. I tend to have occasional Friday morning breakfast meetings, so I might not be able to do a specific Friday.

[americancyclo]

@consularrider 78029 wrote:

The overhead satellite view shows the left turn lane continuing to Iliff Dr just south of the W&OD crossing. Further south it shows as a center turn lane for both directions on Gallows (don’t know date of the image).

The image makes it look a lot closer than it actually is in real life.

[Terpfan]

@Rootchopper 78023 wrote:

I am not (thank god) a Tysons commuter. And hope I never am. If the Tysons Partnership wants to show bike commuters some love, they can throw their support (and $$$) behind making sure that all bike lanes and trails get plowed, sanded and salted after snow/ice storms. Fairfax County continues to treat winter as a car-only phenomenon.

Echoining that last comment. The snow is always piled up right at the entrances to sidewalks, paths, etc. If they could do one thing, I would just want them to push the snow down a little so pedestrians or basically anyone coming off a sidewalk/path/etc, could do so without having to do a ski jump.

[eminva]

At the risk of making myself COTD (Curmudgeon of the Day), I think sometimes we are so used to complaining we miss the rare opportunity staring us in the face.

I know Tysons is presently the opposite of bike friendly. But I believe the Tysons Partnership is sincere in its desire to turn the tide as development proceeds over the coming years. They have to because they have no choice — the level of density will not support continued 100% reliance on automobile transport. If you have suggestions for how they can improve the bike situation in Tysons (not parts of Fairfax County outside of their bailiwick), or want to be involved, please shoot me a private message and I will pass your contact info on to them.

Keep in mind they have resources that we do not. When they complain to the county about snow berms shoved in front of paths, the county will listen to them in a way they will not listen to us because their members are the economic engine that drives Fairfax. So use them to get what you want.

Thanks. (And thanks to those who have already responded).

Liz

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