Fix the Arlington Blvd / Washington Blvd Interchange
Level of Effort: 5 minutes, at home, in your PJs
Deadline: Tue 5/21 11:59pm

When taken as a whole, the Arlington Blvd / Washington Blvd interchange is Arlington's largest source of crashes.  Many are just property damage crashes, but due to the uncontrolled trail crossings of highway ramps, there have also been injury crashes involving bikes and pedestrians.  VDOT's pipeline project study has been looking at ways to improve safety at this interchange and they're now asking for feedback on potential alternatives.

Under all of the alternatives, the connection between the Arlington and Washington Boulevard trails would be re-routed and all uncontrolled ramp crossings removed.  The overall route would become 1/4 mile shorter, the scary section on the Arlington Boulevard bridge over Washington Boulevard would be removed, and the trails would only cross roads at controlled crossings (mostly signals, but one stop sign). This would be a huge improvements, but a few other improvements are needed as well including widening the Washington Boulevard trail under the Arlington Boulevard bridge and building the missing section of trail between Washington Boulevard and Fillmore Street.

Suggested Feedback

Bicycle & Pedestrian Improvements Tab:

"Do you believe that the safety improvements provided by the proposed new shared use path (SUP) location are worth relocating on-street parking from Washington Boulevard to the service road?"

YES

Comments: The bike/ped improvements are much needed, and well worth relocating some street parking.  Other bike/ped issues that need to be addressed by this project include: 1. the need for a trail connection on the North side of Arlington Blvd between the Washington Blvd Trail and Fillmore Street, connecting to the existing trail section that begins at Fillmore St.  This is a clear need, and can now be safely accomplished with the removal of the hairpin exit from westbound Arlington Blvd to Southbound Washington Boulevard. At a minimum, the existing trail segment that connects to the Fillmore Park Trail must be retained or relocated to the other side of the service road. 2. widen the Washington Blvd Trail under the Arlington Boulevard bridge and realign it to improve sight lines.  The space exists, put it to better use. 3. Fix the curb ramp alignment on the Arlington Blvd trail where it crosses the entrance to the Washington Lee apartments (2nd St N).  These curb ramps do not meet standards & are a crash waiting to happen. 4. Add trail lighting throughout the project area.

 

"Please rate the proposed improvement that would construct a separated shared use path (SUP), which would reroute bicyclists and pedestrians through a new signalized crossing, and relocate on-street parking to the service road."

5 - Strongly Support

Comments: The bike/ped improvements are much needed, and well worth relocating some street parking.  Other bike/ped issues that need to be addressed by this project include: 1. the need for a trail connection on the North side of Arlington Blvd between the Washington Blvd Trail and Fillmore Street, connecting to the existing trail section that begins at Fillmore St.  This is a clear need, and can now be safely accomplished with the removal of the hairpin exit from westbound Arlington Blvd to Southbound Washington Boulevard. At a minimum, the existing trail segment that connects to the Fillmore Park Trail must be retained or relocated to the other side of the service road. 2. widen the Washington Blvd Trail under the Arlington Boulevard bridge and realign it to improve sight lines.  The space exists, put it to better use. 3. Fix the curb ramp alignment on the Arlington Blvd trail where it crosses the entrance to the Washington Lee apartments (2nd St N).  These curb ramps do not meet standards & are a crash waiting to happen. 4. Add trail lighting throughout the project area.

Roadway Improvements Tab:

We recommend ranking the alternatives as follows: C,B,A,D,E as being the most likely alternatives to prevent drivers from running into each other.  The only alternative that seems to be actively worse for people walking & biking is E which is why we have ranked it last.

 

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