transportation planning | ARLnow.com

County Unveils Dockless Vehicle Pilot Program, Plans to Cap Number of Scooters and Bikes in Arlington

Published September 20, 2018 at 10:45AM | Updated September 20, 2018 at 12:27PM

(Updated at 12:25 p.m.) Arlington is rolling out its promised pilot program to guide the use of dockless vehicles, clearing the way for more companies to offer electric scooters and bikes in the county.

County officials have been mulling how best to regulate dockless vehicles since Bird started offering its scooters in Arlington this June without any warning to the local government. Now, the County Board is set to approve a program requiring companies to register with the county to avoid similar surprises, while also capping the number of vehicles they can deploy in Arlington.

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Arlington Preparing to Embrace Dockless Vehicles With Pilot Program

By Alex Koma

Published July 12, 2018 at 4:15PM | Updated September 20, 2018 at 11:22AM

Arlington is now gearing up to officially embrace dockless bikes and scooters, even though some scooters have already arrived in the county.

County officials have spent the last few weeks mulling how to respond to the sudden appearance of dozens of Bird’s dockless scooters around Arlington in late June. Though the county did receive some advance warning from the company that it planned to start operating in Arlington, County Manager Mark Schwartz and the county’s legal team weren’t sure exactly how to react to Bird’s arrival.

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More Than 100 Cyclists Flood Columbia Pike to Advocate for Better Bike Routes

By Alex Koma

Published June 25, 2018 at 3:45PM

Cyclists hit Columbia Pike to call for better bike routes (photo courtesy of Chris Slatt)

More than 100 bicyclists hit Columbia Pike on Saturday (June 23) to draw attention to a new push to improve bike routes along the road.

The newly-formed advocacy group Sustainable Mobility for Arlington County organized the roughly two-mile-long “Bike for the Pike” protest ride, which ran down Columbia Pike from the Penrose Square Park to the intersection with with S. Four Mile Run Drive.

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Planners Want Your Feedback on Some Major Rehab Work on the GW Parkway

By Alex Koma

Published June 14, 2018 at 5:00PM

Traffic on the GW Parkway (file photo)

Some major renovations are on the way for the GW Parkway as it runs from Rosslyn to I-495, and transportation planners want to hear from you about how the highway can improve.

The National Park Service, which maintains the road, is accepting public comments on the project from now through July 14. The effort is a long way from kicking off — the NPS has yet to even find funding for the construction — but officials are dubbing it a “major rehabilitation” of that section of the highway as it nears “the end of its design lifespan.”

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County Picks Three Troublesome Intersections for Improvements

By Alex Koma

Published June 14, 2018 at 4:15PM

6th Street S. at S. Adams Street (via Arlington County)

Three troublesome intersections across Arlington are now set for some improvements, as part of the county’s “Neighborhood Complete Streets” program.

The county revealed yesterday (Wednesday) that it has chosen a trio of intersections for “pilot projects” of the program, which is designed to fund a whole host of local road projects in areas plagued by frequent accidents. In the coming months, workers will start construction at:

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VDOT Seeking Feedback on Shirlington Circle Improvements

By Alex Koma

Published May 18, 2018 at 2:45PM

VDOT is studying the I-395 interchange in Shirlington (photo via VDOT)

State transportation officials want to hear from you about how to best improve the I-395 interchange at exit 6 near Shirlington.

The Virginia Department of Transportation is in the midst of studying safety and operational improvements to the area, known as Shirlington Circle, and they’re convening a public meeting on the project this Monday (May 21). The gathering is set for 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Fairlington Community Center (3308 S. Stafford Street), and VDOT staff plan to give a presentation on potential improvement options at 7 p.m.

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Transportation Planners Invite Arlingtonians to ‘Visualize 2045’

By Alex Koma

Published May 1, 2018 at 12:45PM

Transportation planners are inviting Arlingtonians to look three decades into the region’s future at a meeting tomorrow night.

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board is hosting a public forum focusing on its “Visualize 2045” initiative at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (May 2) at the Arlington Central Library.

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East Falls Church Metro Station Could Get More Bus Space Under County Plan

By Chris Teale

Published December 18, 2017 at 2:45PM

The East Falls Church Metro station could get more bus stops in the future, if the Virginia Department of Transportation agrees to an Arlington County plan.

The Arlington County Board voted unanimously Saturday (December 16) to ask VDOT to redraw a limited access line for I-66 next to the Metro station’s park and ride lot, and make it parallel to the highway.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published December 11, 2017 at 8:00AM

Planning for Transportation Changes in Rosslyn — “Local officials are now partnering with developers to make more improvements to help convince the next big corporate tenant to pick Rosslyn.” [Bisnow]

Teavana to Remain Open — Set to close next year, the Teavana store at Pentagon City mall is now expected to remain open thanks to a judge’s ruling against parent company Starbucks. [Washington Business Journal]

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Board Approves Reduced Parking Plan at New Buildings Near Metro Stations

By Chris Teale

Published November 20, 2017 at 9:45AM

The policy would affect new developments near Metro stations (via county presentation)

The Arlington County Board unanimously approved a plan to allow new apartment and condo buildings near Metro stations to potentially provide less off-street parking.

Developers can now substitute car parking spaces at certain new apartment and condo buildings built in the Rosslyn-Ballston and Crystal City-Pentagon City Metro corridors for bike and car-sharing. Any tweaks will still be subject to Board approval on a case-by-case basis, and do not affect parking at existing buildings.

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Plan for Reduced Parking Near Metro Stations Advancing Towards Board Vote

By Chris Teale

Published October 19, 2017 at 9:30AM

The policy would affect new developments near Metro stations (via county presentation)

New residential buildings near Metro stations in Arlington County could have car parking spaces substituted for spots for bike and car-sharing.

The Arlington County Board is expected to advance an updated off-street parking policy for multi-family buildings at its meeting Saturday. It would allow developers to provide fewer car parking spaces for certain new apartment and condo buildings built in the Rosslyn-Ballston and Crystal City-Pentagon City Metro corridors.

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Planning Commission Sides With Neighbors on Two Crystal City VRE Station Options

By Chris Teale

Published September 8, 2017 at 1:45PM

Crystal City VRE station (Photo via VRE)

The Arlington Planning Commission recommended the County Board vote to further study two options for the new Crystal City Virginia Railway Express station, against the wishes of VRE and county staff.

The Commission voted 6-1-1 to support option Nos. 2 and 3 for the proposed new station at its meeting Thursday night. VRE and county staff wanted an endorsement of option No. 2 only.