Level of Effort: 30 minutes, at a time, at a place
Date and Time: Wed 10/30 6:30-9:00pm
Arlington Boulevard has a long history of crashes between Glebe and Fillmore Street. There are several uncontrolled intersections, a controlled intersection that lacks turn lanes, and the road often aligns with the rising and setting sun impairing driver visibility. In 2019 and 2020, VDOT conducted a study of this area under the auspices of their "Strategically Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions" or STARS program. Ironically, rather than selecting a strategic, targeted, or affordable solution to the problems, they chose a $25 million capital project solution to the problem, with a 6 to 8-year wait for funding (more detail from 2020). The project will add left turn lanes to the 50/Irving intersection, a median to prevent left turns into and out of other uncontrolled side street intersections, and extend the left turn lane to Fillmore St. It will also remove driveway access to Arlington Blvd by extending and reconfiguring the service roads, and make some improvements to the Arlington Boulevard Trail.
Well, the wait is coming to an end, and the design for the capital project is moving forward. While this will be little comfort to the victims of the 3 fatal and 29 severe crashes that took place within the project area since the 2020 study, we still need to make sure that the project moves forward with all haste and solves as many problems as possible within its budget.
Since the 2020 STARS Study, the County has completed the Arlington Boulevard Trails study so there is now a clear place for trail improvements in the area. WMATA has also canceled all bus service on Arlington Boulevard, so the bus stop improvements that were originally imagined for this project will not move forward. This should leave space within the project budget to implement more of the improvements envisioned in the Arlington Boulevard Trail Study and limit the need to do multiple rounds of construction in the area.
An in-person design public hearing at Alice West Fleet Elementary School is likely the only opportunity we will have to affect the design of this project. The event will take place on Wed 10/30 from 6:30pm-9pm. Please show up and speak up for the need to move forward quickly and implement as many trail improvements as possible!