The following types of facilities are available to help people biking or walking in Fairfax County to get around safely and conveniently.

Sidewalks
A sidewalk is a concrete walkway along the edge of a roadway that is primarily designed for walking, but biking and scooting on sidewalks is legal in Fairfax County unless posted otherwise.

Trails
Trails come in many forms and provide recreation and transportation opportunities for a variety of users. In Fairfax County, primary and secondary trails are wide, paved shared-use paths that run along streets and through parkland. There are also a variety of natural surface trails that are open for hiking, mountain biking and other uses.

Bike Lanes
Bike lanes give people riding bicycles their own space on the road.

Buffered Bike Lanes
Buffered bike lanes use striping to provide additional space between people riding bicycles and vehicular traffic.

Shared Lane Markings
Shared lane markings and “Bikes May Use Full Lane” signage indicate a shared travel lane for bicycles and cars. Motorists may legally cross the double yellow line in order to safely pass a person riding a bicycle, as long as the oncoming lane is clear.

Bicycle Wayfinding Signs
Bicycle wayfinding signs are placed to help direct cyclists towards preferred bicycle routes, and provide information like destinations, directional arrows, and distance in miles. Look for signs near the Franconia-Springfield, Huntington, Vienna and Wiehle-Reston East Metro stations, in downtown McLean, Tysons along the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail and the Fairfax County Parkway Trail.

HAWK Signals
High-Intensity Activated CrossWalK Pedestrian Beacon signals help motorists stop for pedestrians crossing the street mid-intersection. When activated, a special flashing yellow signal will alert drivers to someone using the crosswalk and a red light will require them to stop. When the crosswalk is clear, the beacon signal will return to a dark state.

Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs)
Pedestrian-activated flashing yellow lights to alert drivers of crosswalk use.