transportation planning | ARLnow.com

Arlington seeks funding to increase bus service to Amazon HQ2 via Columbia Pike

Published January 26, 2023 at 2:30PM

Signs of construction of new bus stops along Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County is applying for regional funding to run buses every six minutes between Fairfax County and Amazon’s second headquarters in Pentagon City during peak hours.

The Arlington County Board on Saturday authorized staff to apply for up to $8 million in Northern Virginia Transportation Commission funding. Funding would offset the operating costs associated with running 10 buses per hour during peak times for two years along a new Metrobus route dubbed the 16M, connecting the Skyline complex in the Bailey’s Crossroads area of Fairfax County down Columbia Pike, to Pentagon City and Crystal City.

News

Arlington to kick off variable-price parking pilot along two Metro corridors

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 26, 2023 at 1:30PM

Parking along 13th Street S. in Pentagon City near Amazon's second headquarters in 2019 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Next month, Arlington County will hold a community event to kick off a three-year parking pilot program that prices parking by demand in a few highly trafficked corridors.

This is the first official step forward since the Arlington County Board accepted a $5.4 million grant from the Virginia Dept. of Transportation for the “performance parking” program.

News

Ballston Macy’s redevelopment project includes the most hotly debated left turn in a decade

By Jo DeVoe

Published December 6, 2022 at 3:55PM

A no-left-turn sign at the intersection of 7th Street N. and N. Glebe Road, where Insight proposes a left-turn lane to access a grocery store (via Google Maps)

A proposed left-turn lane off of N. Glebe Road in Ballston could be the smallest, yet most scrutinized traffic change in 10 years.

As part of the planned redevelopment of the Ballston Macy’s, Insight Property Group proposes to add a left-turn option at the intersection of 7th Street N. and N. Glebe Road. It will be for drivers going southbound on Glebe who want to turn onto a proposed private drive abutting the planned grocery store, which will be located at the base of Insight’s proposed 16-story, 555-unit apartment building.

News

NPS announces plans to improve safety along Mount Vernon Trail through Arlington

By Jo DeVoe

Published November 23, 2022 at 10:30AM

Along the Mount Vernon Trail near Gravelly Point, with the Capitol in the background (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The National Park Service is starting to work on plans to improve safety along the portion of the Mount Vernon Trail that winds through Arlington County.

South of the City of Alexandria, in Fairfax County, it will make similar improvements to the trail and reconstruct that portion of the GW Parkway.

News

County proposes removing right-turn-only lanes to improve safety in East Falls Church

By Jo DeVoe

Published November 15, 2022 at 2:00PM

Police investigate fatal crash with vehicle overturned on N. Sycamore Street in November 2021 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County has drafted preliminary designs to slow speeds and improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians along a busy artery in the East Falls Church neighborhood.

It proposes a number of streetscape changes to N. Sycamore Street between Langston Blvd and 19th Street N., near the East Falls Church Metro station and not far from the W&OD Trail. A fatal crash happened just over a year ago within the project’s boundaries at the intersection of N. Sycamore Street and Washington Blvd.

Schools

Local private school plans move from Ballston to Rosslyn office space

By Jo DeVoe

Published October 14, 2022 at 1:30PM

1550 Wilson Blvd (via Google Maps)

A private secondary school in Ballston is looking to move to Rosslyn.

The Sycamore School, which has operated at 4600 Fairfax Drive since it began in 2017, will soon lose its home to a residential redevelopment. So it is asking Arlington County for permission to relocate to 1550 Wilson Blvd, near Fire Station 10, offices, apartments and an Arlington Public Schools building

Opinion

Morning Poll: Should we all just drive golf carts?

By ARLnow.com

Published September 26, 2022 at 9:45AM

Golf carts (Photo by Ralph [Ravi] Kayden on Unsplash)

At 26.04 square miles, Peachtree City is just a touch smaller than Arlington County size-wise, though its population of 36,000 is a fraction of Arlington’s nearly 240,000. The master-planned community is best-known for its unique way of getting around: on almost 100 miles of golf-cart-friendly, multi-use paths.

There’s some suggestion that transportation planners across the country are beginning to see the benefits of adding golf carts to the modal mix. From a Twitter thread (and Slate article) last month:

News

Speed limit reductions may be coming to more high-traffic roads in Arlington

By Jo DeVoe

Published September 12, 2022 at 1:45PM | Updated September 12, 2022 at 4:31PM

A view of the Air Force Memorial from Joyce Street and Columbia Pike (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) A handful of main roads in Arlington may be getting speed limit reductions.

At its meeting this Saturday, the Arlington County Board is slated to vote to advertise a potential reduction in the speed limit on four arterial streets, per a staff report.

News

County is lassoing e-scooters, bicycles with new corrals

By Jo DeVoe

Published September 9, 2022 at 1:30PM

Micro-mobility corrals in Ballston (staff photo)

The Wild West of e-bikes and e-scooter parking is being tamed.

Last month, Arlington County began installing 100 special street parking spaces for shared and private micro-mobility devices. And shared transportation providers such as Bird, LINK and new arrival Veo are footing the bill.

News

County seeks feedback for Arlington Boulevard Trail improvements

By Mavis Chan

Published June 24, 2022 at 2:15PM

A map showing the seven segments of the Arlington Boulevard Trail under study (screenshot via Arlington County)

Arlington residents have until the end of this month to tell the county what improvements they want to see on a portion of Arlington Boulevard Trail.

The community engagement portion of the Arlington Boulevard Trail Study, which looks to improve the trail between N. Jackson Street and N. George Mason Drive, started last week with an online kick-off meeting.

News

County to study potential improvements for S. George Mason Drive

By Jo DeVoe

Published April 12, 2022 at 9:45AM

Cyclists on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail crossing S. George Mason Drive (via Google Maps)

Arlington County will be studying a two-mile stretch of S. George Mason Drive, from Route 50 to the border with Fairfax County, to identify potential transportation improvements.

The study is happening now because the road is a solid candidate for grants that have applications due in the winter. But before they can apply, county staff need to examine current conditions and hear from locals about their biggest safety concerns, according to Leah Gerber, an county transportation planner.

News

County seeks contractor to improve safety, transit along Army Navy Drive

By Jo DeVoe

Published April 1, 2022 at 10:40AM

Bike lanes on Army Navy Drive are visible in this 2021 rendering of Amazon's HQ2 Phase 2 campus (via NBBJ/Amazon)

A longtime project to make pedestrian, cycling and transit upgrades to Army Navy Drive has taken the next step forward.

Arlington County has sent the project out for bidding by contractors, while staff continue to acquire the easements needed for construction.