Advocacy Activities
Participation in local planning processes
NRVBA represents the cycling community to ensure bicycle and pedestrian accommodations are taken into consideration in transportation projects.
Safety Improvements
We work with local governments to identify safety issues and to propose solutions to increase safety for bicyclists in the community. The most recent effort focused on the Webb and Turner intersections with Prices Fork Road. Bicyclists and pedestrians alike use this corridor for accessing campus from high-density housing. With input from the cycling community, the Town modified the intersection and added the rapid flashing beacon to alert motorized vehicle operators of the presence of bicyclists and pedestrians entering the roadway.
Source: WSLS 10
Blacksburg Corridor Committee
The NRVBA supports the Town of Blacksburg’s Greenway/Bikeway/ Sidewalk/ Corridor Committee (“Corridor Committee”). More information about the Corridor Committee can be found here – http://www.blacksburg.va.us/Index.aspx?page=353
Town of Blacksburg Bike Count (2009)
The NRVBA, in support of the Town of Blacksburg’s Greenway/Bikeway/ Sidewalk/Corridor Committee goals to create a continuous, town-wide system of routes, participated in the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation (NBPD) Project on Wednesday, September 9 (7 am – 7 pm) and Saturday, September 12, 2009 (12 pm – 2 pm).
- NRVBA Bike Count Summary Report (November 11, 2009) – National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project (NBPD) Project Blacksburg Final Report, 11/12/2009
- New River Valley Planning District Commission (NRVPDC) Report (November 17, 2009) – BICYCLE COUNT & SURVEYS Blacksburg, Virginia
Map of Total Cyclists Counted Per 2009 Survey Location
Virginia’s Bicycle-related laws
The laws regulating bicycling on Virginia’s public highways define the rights and duties of bicyclists as well as the motorists with whom they share the roadway. Bicyclists and motorists basically have the same rights and duties, and the laws governing traffic regulation apply equally to both. Visit VDOT’s webpage to understand the laws that apply to the operation of bicycles in Virginia.
Understanding Transportation Planning
The Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB) just published the Guide for Reviewing Public Road Design and Bicycling Accommodations (2010). The purpose of the guide is to “help bicycle advocates review transportation projects to ensure that bicycle facilities are included in the design.” Critical planning, design and budget decisions are made in a complex process, and this guide helps bicycling advocates understand and influence the process for positive outcomes.
Legal Considerations
Bob Mionske is a former Olympic and professional cyclist, with a law practice that is exclusively focused on representing cyclists. On this site, you will find advice for cyclists who have been injured by motorists, unsafe road conditions, or defective cycling products, and what cyclists can do to best protect their rights.
