Victories

The first Bike-Walk Summit launched for Staunton, Augusta, and Waynesboro, bringing together local government officials, regional planners and non-profits, Mary Baldwin University, Augusta Health, and community members to work towards a more bikeable and walkable region.

The Coalition obtained a special use permit to open the Madison Run Administrative Road to bicycles for a weekend camping trip to Loft Mountain. A proposal to permanently open this road to bicycles was sent to Jennifer Flynn, Superintendent, Shenandoah National Park for her approval.

In 2015, the City of Harrisonburg and James Madison University were awarded $364,500 from Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to extend the Bluestone Trail from Sonner Hall to Carrier Drive on JMU campus.

The Coalition helps launch the first Bike-Walk Summit for Harrisonburg and Rockingham, to develop partnerships between the bicycle and pedestrian community and local government officials to make our region more bicycle and pedestrian friendly.

The Coalition received its second Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Grant from the US Forest Service, providing $125,000 to build additional mountain biking trails in the George Washington National Forest. The needed match for this grant was powered by Coalition volunteer trail builders and donors.

Rockingham County establishes the Rockingham County Bicycle Advisory Committee (RBAC) to “advise the Board of Supervisors in the promotion, planning, and implementation of bicycle and other non-motorized transportation in Rockingham County.”

In 2011, the Coalition offered its first bike-rack grants to local businesses.  The program was so successful, it returned in 2013, creating additional riding and parking infrastructure in Harrisonburg.

Harrisonburg is designated a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.

The first phase of the Main Street bike lanes were painted in August 2010. This was also the first project completed as part of the new 2010 Harrisonburg Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. This first phase go from Miller Circle to Cantrell Avenue. Since then, bike lanes have extended south on Main Street to Mosby Road.

Three phases of the Port Republic Road improvement project were completed including bike lanes between Forest Hills Drive to Neff Avenue/Peach Grove Avenue and a shared use path from Neff Avenue/Peach Grove Avenue to the eastern Harrisonburg City limit.

Thanks in large part to Coalition advocates, the City of Harrisonburg establishes a Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee tasked with making Harrisonburg more walk and bike friendly.

Working with the Norfolk Southern RR Company and the City of Harrisonburg, the Coalition created a safer crossing over the two most dangerous RR track crossings in the City of Harrisonburg.

Working with James Madison University, the City of Harrisonburg and Stone Gate Apartments, the Coalition opened this vital connector to JMU for bikes.

The Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition was formed with the merger of the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Club and the Shenandoah Mountain Bike Club.

The Coalition envisioned an active and organized cycling community that represents all types and levels of cyclists. The Coalition was formed so that the Central Shenandoah Valley would become known as a center of safe, sustainable and enjoyable cycling on roads, trails, and streets.

The first piece of the EMU to Downtown Harrisonburg connector, this path helps folks navigate from Graystone Drive to Dogwood Drive without having to travel on Chicago Ave.

Work on the Rocktown Trails at Hillandale Park began in January 2007, and the Coalition opened the trails to the public in 2009. Coalition members have spent over 4,500 hours building trail at Hillandale. And the work continues!

The Shenandoah Valley Bike Club holds their first Critical Mass Ride, writing “the City of Harrisonburg has been avoiding bicyclists for far too long, with many (non-bicycling) planners arguing that there just aren’t enough bicyclists out there to justify any infrastructure improvements. Prove them wrong.”