Bicycle Friendly Community

Alexandria, VA | Bronze Level

Community Highlights: Geographically small and densely populated, Alexandria has the great bones of a genuine bicycle-friendly community – especially with its numerous trails, neighborhood schools and transit access. In 2006, the City formally committed to being a city that is a great place to ride for transportation and fitness. Alexandria began experimenting with “sharrow” markings, added many miles of on- and off-road bikeways, hundreds of bicycle racks and valet options at events, established a formal Safe Routes to School program, Confident City Cycling classes, a Bicycle Ambassador program and participates in an annual “Got Lights?” giveaway for disadvantaged cyclists. The results are paying off: Ridership has dramatically increased with walk-bike trips now accounting for 9% of all commuter trips.

Most Significant Recent Accomplishment: In 2009, the opening of 3 miles of new trails associated with the Woodrow Wilson Bridge provided key bicycle connections across Interstate 95 and the Potomac River to Maryland.  The city also began work on two major trail underpasses on the Holmes Run Greenway and a pedestrian-bicycle bridge over Four Mile Run. Bike lanes and markings are implemented along with roadway resurfacing, resulting in at least 2 miles of new on-street bikeways annually.