Support for Sherwood Hall Lane bike lanes and traffic calming

Senator Linda Puller,
Delegate Scott Surovell,
Supervisor Gerry Hyland,
 
We the undersigned organizations are writing in support of the proposal to include bike lanes and other traffic calming measures on Sherwood Hall Lane between Fort Hunt Road and Route 1 as part of the repaving project. The project is an excellent opportunity to improve safety for all users, including those who walk, bicycle and drive along Sherwood Hall Lane.  Today the road offers overly wide travel lanes for extended stretches, inviting speeding and putting pedestrians, cyclists, joggers and other drivers at risk.
By restriping Sherwood Hall Lane to calm traffic, residents will be able to walk across the road, bicyclists, walkers and joggers will be able to use the road more safely, and compliance with the speed limit will improve.  Sherwood Hall Lane is a key connector not only for drivers but also for bicyclists, for those traveling to work, shopping, or recreation.  For this reason, the county Bicycle Master Plan recommends bike lanes on the road.  The repaving project offers the best and most cost efficient opportunity to create them.
We understand the concern of neighbors about losing free on-street parking, but there is so much space devoted to storing very few cars, it would be unfortunate to compromise a good plan in favor of retaining all of the parking.
If some parking is retained, it is our hope that the bike lanes will not be located in what is referred to as the “door zone.” Dooring is a major hazard to bicyclists. Since there are so few cars parked on Sherwood Hall Lane, there is less opportunity for dooring, but if it happens, the resultant crash can be devastating.
Thank you again for your efforts to improve Sherwood Hall Lane and for providing space for bicyclists. As more and more residents choose to use bikes for short trips, this project would allow them to travel more safely and allow others to consider using bikes to get around.
Sincerely,
Bruce Wright, Chairman, Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling
Coalition for Smarter Growth
Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling
Mount Vernon Group, Sierra Club
Washington Area Bicyclist Association