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With Design Tweaks Made, Virginia Hospital Center Expansion Could Move Ahead This Week

Published November 26, 2018 at 10:15AM

A new rendering of the Virginia Hospital Center expansion, as seen from 19th Street N. (via Arlington County)

Virginia Hospital Center executives believe they’ve satisfied all the demands of Arlington officials in drawing up revised plans for the facility’s $250 million expansion, setting the stage for the project to move ahead as soon as this week.

The County Board is set to consider the matter once again tomorrow (Tuesday), after delaying a decision on the hospital’s expansion back in September. The Board laid out a series of specific changes it hoped to see from the hospital as it embarks on the project, which is designed to add 101 hospital beds and a new outpatient facility to match rising demand in the county, and urged VHC leaders to smooth over its rocky relationship with some people living near the existing campus at 1701 N. George Mason Drive.

News

Transit Advocates, Neighbors Urge Inclusion of Bike and Pedestrian Trail Along New Long Bridge

By Alex Koma

Published November 5, 2018 at 3:45PM

A map of proposed bike and pedestrian crossing associated with the Long Bridge (via the Long Bridge Project)

A coalition of businesses, neighborhood groups and transportation advocates are urging planners to include a bike and pedestrian trail along the long-planned replacement for the Long Bridge, a key railroad connection from Virginia into D.C.

A total of 15 organizations from Arlington, the District and the rest of the metropolitan Washington region penned a new letter last Thursday (Nov. 1) to both local and federal transportation officials working on the project, calling the inclusion of a trail alongside the bridge part of “a once in a generation opportunity to transform our regional transportation network.”

News

County Readies Temporary Parking, Road Changes to Make S. Four Mile Run Drive More Walkable

By Alex Koma

Published November 5, 2018 at 1:45PM

Proposed interim changes for S. Four Mile Run Drive (via Arlington County)

Though the biggest changes to the Four Mile Run Valley and its parks are still a few years out, Arlington officials are gearing up to make a few road changes in the area before major construction starts.

The county is planning some interim parking tweaks to free up space primarily along S. Four Mile Run Drive as it approaches Jennie Dean Park, in a bid to prepare for more substantial pedestrian and parking changes as the area evolves in the future. Officials are convening a community meeting to discuss the temporary changes tonight (Monday) at the Charles Drew Community Center (3500 23rd Street S.), starting at 7:30 p.m.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 1, 2018 at 9:00AM

Bluemont Park and the banks of Four Mile Run in the fall (Photo via Flickr pool/Dennis Dimick)

Street Smart Campaign to Start Up Next Week — “As part of the Arlington County Police Department’s overall traffic safety program, the Special Operations Section is again participating in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Fall Street Smart campaign. This region-wide public safety campaign, which runs from November 5 – December 2, 2018, aims to educate drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and scooter operators about existing traffic laws and how to safely share our roadways.” [Arlington County]

County Board Lauds County Staff — In a video posted on YouTube, County Board Chair Katie Cristol and Vice Chair Christian Dorsey said “thank you” to Arlington County staff for the hard work that helped propel the county to high resident satisfaction ratings. “We are really proud of you… of your commitment to excellence and the role you play in making Arlington a terrific community.” [YouTube]

News

VDOT Unveils Final Designs for W&OD Trail Bridge Over Lee Highway

By Alex Koma

Published October 15, 2018 at 2:45PM

Renderings of the new bike and pedestrian bridge over Lee Highway in East Falls Church (via VDOT)

State transportation officials have firmed up their plans for a new bike and pedestrian bridge over Lee Highway in East Falls Church, putting the project on track for construction to kick off next spring.

VDOT unveiled final designs for the planned Washington & Old Dominion Trail bridge at a community meeting last Thursday (Oct. 11), sketching out more details on the bridge that is designed to offer a safer alternative to the trail’s current crossing at the highway’s intersection with Fairfax Drive.

News

Rosslyn Road Changes Could Mean Big Improvements for Walkers, Cyclists, New Headaches for Drivers

By Alex Koma

Published October 9, 2018 at 1:45PM

Approved for funding: Proposed changes to the "Core of Rosslyn" (via Arlington County)

Plans to make Rosslyn a bit easier to navigate for pedestrians and bicyclists are coming together, though county officials are concerned that some of the proposed changes might further snarl traffic in the area.

The county unveiled its latest designs for future of the “Core of Rosslyn” at a public meeting last Tuesday (Oct. 2), which includes plans to convert several streets around the Rosslyn Metro station into two-way roads, remove the Fort Myer Drive tunnel under Wilson Blvd and add a host of new connections for cyclists and walkers.

News

VDOT Finalizes Plans for W&OD Trail Bridge Over Lee Highway

By Alex Koma

Published September 25, 2018 at 10:45AM

A rendering of a planned pedestrian bridge over Lee Highway in East Falls Church (image via VDOT)

Transportation planners will soon unveil the final design of a new bike and pedestrian bridge stretching over Lee Highway in East Falls Church.

VDOT plans to show off the finalized schematics for the Washington & Old Dominion Trail bridge at a community meeting next month, capping off a design process that drew plenty of flak from neighbors last year. The new bridge, which is being built as part of widening work on I-66 eastbound in the area, is designed to replace the trail’s current crossing at the highway’s intersection with Fairfax Drive and offer a safer environment for walkers and cyclists.

Schools

Commuter Incentives Suspended for APS Employees

By Vernon Miles

Published September 5, 2018 at 9:45AM | Updated September 5, 2018 at 10:03AM

(Updated at 10 a.m.) Arlington Public Schools is indefinitely suspending its incentive program to push employees out of their cars, after the effort proved to be a bit too successful — and expensive.

The school system’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Commuter Program provides stipends to employees for turning to public transit, walking, bicycling, carpooling and other options to limit the number of cars going to and from schools.

News

JUST IN: Pedestrian Struck by Car Along Columbia Pike

By Alex Koma

Published August 28, 2018 at 3:20PM | Updated August 28, 2018 at 4:05PM

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) A pedestrian was struck by a taxi cab in a crosswalk along a busy section of Columbia Pike, per scanner traffic.

The incident happened around 3 p.m. today (Tuesday), near the the intersection of the pike and S. Walter Reed Drive, just near the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse.

Around Town

Lubber Run Park Bridge Closes Temporarily

By Alex Koma

Published August 7, 2018 at 4:45PM

A closed pedestrian bridge in Lubber Run Park (courtesy of J. Michael Korff)

A bridge for walkers and cyclists in Lubber Run Park is now closed, at least temporarily.

An alert on the county’s website says the bridge, closest to N. George Mason Drive as a trail runs over Lubber Run itself, will be closed “until further notice.”

News

County Plans to Pilot New Bike, Pedestrian Features on N. Pershing Drive

By Alex Koma

Published August 7, 2018 at 9:45AM

A rendering of changes along N. Pershing Drive as it runs up to N. Barton Street (via Arlington County)

Arlington is gearing up to test some protected bike lanes and pedestrian safety features along a heavily trafficked stretch of N. Pershing Drive in Lyon Park.

The county plans to install the new “safety and accessibility improvements” on the road between Washington Blvd and N. Barton Street in the coming weeks, as part of some previously scheduled summer paving work in the area. Mainly, the construction will focus on adding protected bike lanes alongside some new landscaping designed to better separate cars from pedestrians.

Events

County Holding ‘Our Shared Street’ Block Party to Educate Commuters

By Alex Koma

Published August 6, 2018 at 4:45PM | Updated September 20, 2018 at 11:22AM

Commuters looking to learn more about local transportation options can swing by a block party along Columbia Pike tomorrow night (Tuesday).

Arlington Transportation Partners is hosting its second “Our Shared Street Pop-Up” event on a closed street at the intersection of S. Oakland Street and Columbia Pike, just across from the Oakland Apartments.