Arlington Traffic Signals Detecting Bicycles

[chris_s]

Last call!

[chris_s]

I heard back from the County.

The following signals are already slated for replacement:
Lee Highway & Lorcom/Woodstock
Old Dominion Dr & Williamsburg Blvd
Williamsburg Blvd & Harrison St
Columbia Pike & Court House Rd

The following signals which are 2016-paving-adjacent will be evaluated to see what, if anything can be done in the near-to-medium-term to accommodate bicycles:
10th St & Highland St
Shirlington Rd & 24th St S
Washington Blvd & Pershing Dr
Lee Highway & Monroe St
Glebe Rd & 26th St N
Williamsburg Blvd & Westmoreland St

I also asked about my top 3 most annoying signals, despite them not being paving-adjacent this season. Two are already slated for upgrade – Pershing Dr & N Jackson St and Arlington Blvd & Irving St

The third, Glebe Rd & 7th St S will be evaluated to see what can be done to accommodate cyclists without disturbing the pavement.

[Sunyata]

@chris_s 138214 wrote:

I also asked about my top 3 most annoying signals, despite them not being paving-adjacent this season. Two are already slated for upgrade – Pershing Dr & N Jackson St and Arlington Blvd & Irving St

This just made my day!

[scoot]

@chris_s 138214 wrote:

Two are already slated for upgrade – Pershing Dr & N Jackson St and Arlington Blvd & Irving St

Awesome! Any idea what the solution will be, and when it will be implemented?

[chris_s]

@scoot 138252 wrote:

Awesome! Any idea what the solution will be, and when it will be implemented?

These will get brand new traffic signals, with IR video cameras for detection rather than the existing induction loops.

The most recent schedule I saw has Arlington Blvd & Irving going to construction this Summer.

Pershing & Jackson is part of a project that is still in concept design. Construction there not expected until Fall of 2017.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@chris_s 138253 wrote:

These will get brand new traffic signals, with IR video cameras for detection rather than the existing induction loops.

The most recent schedule I saw has Arlington Blvd & Irving going to construction this Summer.

Pershing & Jackson is part of a project that is still in concept design. Construction there not expected until Fall of 2017.

Any chance beg buttons will be removed as well (where applicable)?

[chris_s]

@TwoWheelsDC 138267 wrote:

Any chance beg buttons will be removed as well (where applicable)?

That is a whole other battle. Arlington’s Transportation Commission has made the recommendation – I think it’s going to be a fairly long road to implementation. We’ll see.

Excerpts from TC’s recommendation letter:

A core principle of our Master Transportation Plan (MTP) is “moving more people with less traffic”, but the MTP only recommends that signals be updated to LEDs in order to save energy and that signal timing be “optimized” every three years. Unfortunately, without any clarification as to what traffic signals should be optimized for, they seem to have been optimized to move cars as quickly and efficiently as possible, to the detriment of pedestrians and cyclists.

The Federal Highway Administration’s Signal Timing Manual makes it clear that signal timing decisions cannot be made in a vacuum – engineers need policy that expresses the values and priorities of the community. A Signal Timing Policy does not take away the need for and use of an engineer’s professional judgment. A Signal Timing Policy helps set the objectives for each signal timing plan and the engineers use their expertise and professional judgment to best meet those objectives. County staff have been responsive in offering to re-examine the timing of various signals, but this problem requires a comprehensive solution, not a piece-meal one.

Signal timing often requires trade-offs between various modes at an intersection, such as vehicles versus pedestrians and bicycles. These tradeoffs could result in competing ideas, such as safe pedestrian crossing times versus maximizing automobile capacity. A Signal Timing Policy would make clear the community’s priorities and values and ensure that the timing of our signals reflect those priorities and values.

Poor signal timing can result in more than just delays; it can be a safety hazard. Pedestrians who repeatedly have to wait through long signal times at numerous crossing are less likely to obey the pedestrian signals. Cyclists who get a red at every light or every other light because their speed does not line up with the “progression speed” of the signal timing are less likely to obey those red lights.

The Transportation Commission believes that an in-depth solution to the deficiency of traffic signaling policy is needed for the County. We respectfully recommend to the Board the following:

1) Direct the County Manager to prioritize the development of a Traffic Signal Policy to guide County staff as they optimize signal timing and prioritize signal upgrades and procurements. This could potentially lead to a much-needed update to the Streets Element of the Master Transportation Plan.
2) Direct the County Manager to implement several interim measures until a Traffic Signal Policy can be developed and adopted through a broad community process including:
a. Signals that cannot detect cyclists should be prioritized for retrofit or replacement.
b. Signals should be adjusted so that Pedestrians never have to push a button in order to cross safely and legally throughout the Metro Corridors and in other areas of high pedestrian activity, such as Shirlington and the Columbia Pike corridor.
c. The top intersections for bicycle and pedestrian collisions should be evaluated to determine whether changes in Signal Timing and operations can reduce the conflicts that are leading to collisions.

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