Demand Proper Bike/Ped Infrastructure on Crystal Drive
Level of Effort: Choose Your Own Adventure
Deadline: Thu 10/3 12pm

In February, we highlighted a development moving forward on Crystal Drive that was building completely unacceptable bike facilities (a southbound painted bike lane and a sharrow northbound).  While the proposed bike facilities have improved, they're still not good enough - there is still no planned facility in the northbound direction.  Meanwhile, the pedestrian facilities have gotten worse - initially proposed with a 10' sidewalk, the latest version has shrunk that to 8'.

As best we can tell, both of these failures are driven by space being reserved for a future left turn lane.  Crystal City's planning document calls for there to be a new street across from this development, connecting Crystal Drive to Clark Street and eventually to Route 1.  At this time there is no indication that redevelopment is likely across the street anytime soon so the street remains just a line on a map. We don't think it's OK to prioritize potential space for cars sometime in the future over safe space for people here and now.

This proposal is headed toward the County Board with stops at Transportation Commission and Planning Commission.  Each stop is an opportunity to build a consensus that this proposal needs to fix its transportation infrastructure before moving forward. For now, you can:

UPDATE: We're told that this has been removed from Transportation Commission's 10/3 agenda, so hold off for now.  

1) Submit written comments to the Transportation Commission by noon on Thursday 10/3
2) Speak before the Transportation Commission (either virtually via Teams, or in person at 2100 Clarendon Blvd, 3rd floor) at 7pm on Thursday 10/3.  Sign up by noon on Thursday 10/3 here

We will update this alert with additional comment opportunities as they approach.

Suggested Feedback

Written comments can be as short and simple as:

Please ensure that 2451 Crystal Drive doesn't get built without appropriate transportation infrastructure. Insist that this development include a northbound protected bike lane and a 10' sidewalk.

Other potential points you could include are:

  • This development is one of the first to come through on the east side of Crystal Drive.  If it doesn't have to build proper bike infrastructure on Crystal Drive, it will set a precedent for all other development to follow.
  • The lack of northbound bike infrastructure and substandard sidewalk will combine to create a perfect storm of bike/ped conflict on the sidewalk.  With no other safe place to ride, some micromobility users to ride on the sidewalk.  With insufficient width for proper sharing, conflicts will ensue.
  • The Crystal City Bike Network's reliance on 1-way pairs (northbound biking on Clark St, southbound biking on Crystal Drive) was a solution working within the constraints of existing right-of-way and a short-term time horizon.  With redevelopment, we have an opportunity to gain more land and take more time, and we should seize that opportunity to build better infrastructure.
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