A new Arlington Blvd safety project aims to reduce crashes at one of the road’s most hazardous intersections.
The pilot project will install new right-turn-only signs at N. and S. Highland Street, along with flex posts preventing vehicles in both directions from either turning left or driving through the intersection.
The changes are expected to cost around $2,000 to $5,000 and go into effect later this spring, Vision Zero Program Manager Christine Baker told ARLnow. They’re intended as an interim solution while the county awaits more extensive safety improvements on Arlington Blvd.
“Route 50 & Highland St was selected for the pilot because it had the highest left turn/through crash rate for an unsignalized intersection along the Route 50 corridor,” a fact sheet says. “The goal of the pilot is to reduce crash risks caused by uncontrolled left turn and through movements over multiple lanes of high-speed traffic on Route 50.”
The Highland Street intersection has seen 39 crashes since 2019, nine of which resulted in injuries. In total, 19 of the collisions involved a vehicle either driving straight or making a left turn at Highland Street.
Some advocates have been pushing for similar changes at crash-prone Arlington Blvd intersections for several years.
In 2021, we told VDOT that 83% of the safety benefit of their $29 million widening plan for Arlington Blvd could be achieved IMMEDIATELY, with tactical materials. Four years later, Arlington’s Vision Zero team has finally convinced them to do it (for one of the 3 intersections)
— Sustainable Mobility for Arlington County (@susmo.org) April 1, 2025 at 6:33 PM
After installing the changes, the county and the Virginia Department of Transportation plan to spend several months monitoring safety impacts and collecting feedback before identifying next steps this coming winter.
Other intersections might get a similar treatment, depending on how it goes.
“Based on the results of this pilot project, Arlington and VDOT may consider implementing this treatment along Route 50 before construction begins on the permanent safety project in 2030,” the fact sheet says.
