Arlington’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee is voicing concerns about a proposal for a new behavioral health complex on S. Carlin Springs Road.
Some of the concerns are related to the site itself, while others relate to broader existing challenges along S. Carlin Springs.
Between Arlington Blvd and Columbia Pike, traffic on the road “is very heavy, sidewalks are very narrow, in some places they are overgrown and one place was dangerously broken,” said Pedestrian Advisory Committee member Don Bennett, who briefed the panel at its Aug. 12 meeting.
The 146-bed facility proposed by VHC Health and Lifepoint Health would be located at 601 S. Carlin Springs Road. The project went through a two-hour site-plan review committee (SPRC) vetting in May, with changes to the plan expected before a second SPRC meeting in the fall.
If the proposed timeline holds, the project could be in front of the County Board for action by the end of the year.
While the proposal itself can’t be blamed for challenging pedestrian conditions along S. Carlin Springs Road, Bennett said there are “substantial pedestrian concerns” about it.
“It’s clear from a pedestrian perspective that this project is very car-friendly, or car-oriented,” he said.
He pointed to a “loop road” proposed to connect two entrances and exits to the parcel with S. Carlin Springs. Only one is currently proposed to have a traffic signal.
Committee member Eric Goodman suggested a workaround involving the use of a pedestrian-activated HAWK (high-intensity activated crosswalk) signal to improve safety at the second intersection.
At the committee meeting, other concerns regarded the need for improvements to bus stops along S. Carlin Springs.
