New stoplight installed near new Career Center on S. Walter Reed Drive

Intersection with bright green bike lanes and white crosswalks, traffic signals, and orange construction cones in the background. — The redesigned intersection at S. Walter Reed Drive and 9th Street S. (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

City intersection with bright green bike lanes and wide crosswalks; traffic lights and cars waiting at a sunny day. — The redesigned intersection at S. Walter Reed Drive and 9th Street S. (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Daytime street view of a suburban intersection with a green-and-white bus on the right, brick buildings, power lines, and trees in the background. — S. Walter Reed Drive and 9th Street S. in September 2019 (via Google Maps)

Road construction scene with orange barriers and a sign: 'Businesses are open during road construction' on a busy street. — Ongoing construction work on S. Walter Reed Drive near Columbia Pike (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Construction workers in high-visibility vests stand near orange barriers blocking a street under renovation by a modern building in the background. — Ongoing roadwork at the Grace Hopper Center (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Street construction site with orange barriers, workers in safety vests, and a modern multi-story building in the background. — Ongoing roadwork at the Grace Hopper Center (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Construction workers in hi-vis vests and helmets standing near orange safety barriers in front of a modern building under construction — Ongoing roadwork at the Grace Hopper Center (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

A new traffic signal has been installed at the intersection of S. Walter Reed Drive and 9th Street S. as part of a package of infrastructure upgrades.

The stoplight, located near the new Arlington Career Center facility, went live earlier this month. It’s intended to “make traffic patterns more predictable for everyone who crosses through the area,” Claudia Pors, the county’s transportation communications specialist, told ARLnow.

Construction on the four-way intersection is expected to conclude by the middle of this month. The project also seeks to “reduce complexity at the intersection by removing the slip lane and realigning lanes into a cleaner ‘T’ shape,” according to a project page.

Roadwork a few blocks down on S. Walter Reed Drive is expected to continue through 2027. From Columbia Pike to 5th Street S., crews are building bus stop islands, protected bike lanes and improved stormwater infrastructure, Pors said.

The changes will also improve sightlines for traffic in both directions by removing parking at the intersection with Columbia Pike. They’re part of the “Complete Streets” project on Walter Reed between 5th Street S. and Columbia Pike and received a $7 million county contract in May 2025.

“People traveling through the area should remain aware of detours and share the road safely with crews and other travelers,” Pors said. “We appreciate people’s patience during construction and look forward to sharing the finished product in 2027.”

At the request of the Penrose Neighborhood Association, staff had also considered adding a traffic signal at Walter Reed and 6th Street S., but they recommended against that idea because of its “negligible benefit” and potential safety risks.

More construction will also continue through 2027 at the new Career Center facility, called the Grace Hopper Center. The first phase of that project has consisted of construction on the building — set to open at the start of this school year — along with streetscape and utility work.

The second phase will involve some demolition work, the construction of a new parking garage and more streetscape changes.

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