The Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition has a 35+ year history of building better communities.
Shenandoah Valley Bike Club
First Newsletter
The Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Club published their first newsletter, in which they wrote:
The basic purpose of the club is to provide opportunities for extending the individuals knowledge and appreciation of his/her environment and abilities through experience in bicycling, or in brief, “to have fun.”
Critical Mass Ride
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.”
Hillandale Bike Trails
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!
Rockingham Drive Path
- 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.
The Coalition Forms
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.
Arboretum Multi-User Path
Working with James Madison University, the City of Harrisonburg and Stone Gate Apartments, the Coalition opened this vital connector to JMU for bikes.
Safer RR Crossings
Working with the Norfolk Southern RR Company and the City of Harrisonburg, the Coalition createed a safer crossing over the two most dangerous RR track crossings in the City of Harrisonburg.
Harrisonburg Bike & Pedestrian Subcommittee.
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.
Main Street Bike Lanes
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.
Bike Lane Improvements
3 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.
Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community
Harrisonburg is designated a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.
Bike Rack Grants
- 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.
Rockingham Bicycle Advisory Committee
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.”
Forest Service Trails Grant #2
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.
First Bike Walk Summit for Harrisonburg & Rockingham
The Coalition helps launch the first Bike-Walk Summit for Harrisonburg and Rockinghamd, to develop partnerships between the bicycle and pedestrian community and local government officials to make our region more bicycle and pedestrian friendly.
Bluestone Bike Trail
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.
Car Free Day in Shenandoah National Park
A Car Free Day closed the northern section of Skyline Drive to motorized vehicles and opened it to bicyclists and other human-powered transportation. Future Car Free days are being explored in partnership with the Shenandoah National Park Trust.
Legalize bikes on Shenandoah National Park dirt roads
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.
First Bike-Walk Summit for Staunton, Augusta, Waynesboro
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.