Lynn/Lee Intersection of Doom Medium-Term Fixes

[chris_s]

As advocates, we are targeting short-term, medium-term and long-term fixes for the Intersection of Doom. The short-term fixes include signal timing changes & the intermittent no-turn-on-red being talked about elsewhere on the board. The long-term fix is some sort of grade-separation, probably a tunnel.

The Lynn Street Esplanade and Custis Trail Improvements project is the medium-term solution as it significantly shortens the crossing distance and should improve sight-lines fairly significantly in the area.

It appears to me from the website that the timeline on implementing this project has slipped AGAIN. Here is the original timeline as of the 2011/2012 time frame:

50% Engineering Design: Fall 2011
90% Engineering Design: Summer 2012
Final VDOT Plan Approval: Fall 2012
Begin Construction: Spring 2013
Project Complete: Summer 2014

Here is the schedule that was on the website as of last month:
90% Design: Summer 2014
Final VDOT Plan Approval: Fall 2014
Begin Construction: Spring 2015
Anticipated Completion: Summer 2016

Here is the schedule on the website now:
90% Design: Fall 2014
Final VDOT Plan Approval: Spring 2015
Begin Construction: Spring 2016
Anticipated Completion: Summer 2017

Topic

[baiskeli]

@wheels&wings 111187 wrote:

I was stunned, too. I asked them, why not and what would it take to make it enforceable?

Apparently there are various size and location rules for enforceable signals. The ACPD officers were not sure why Arlington installed this itty-bitty non-enforceable signal. And unfortunately we did not have the right Arlington County representatives in the room to answer those questions.

Wow. After all that effort to get something as simple as a signal, they apparently screw it up.

[baiskeli]

@dasgeh 111195 wrote:

Not sure whether this is enforceable either. We’d have to look at VA Code.

This may be the relevant document.

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2/pdf_index.htm

[scoot]

Even if the steady red arrow is enforceable, I’m concerned that drivers simply won’t notice when the flashing red changes to steady red each cycle. Maybe the people further back in line will notice it, but the ones in front will be looking to their left for a gap in northbound Lynn St traffic. When the signal cycles to the Custis trail-only phase, most of those drivers will merely notice that Lynn St has stopped, so they’ll think they’re good to go (without checking the crosswalk, because who does that? No cars to worry about there…)

[creadinger]

I rode through here yesterday going up the Custis. What is the deal with the big, temporary “Yield to Pedestrians in Crosswalk” sign thing, that blocks the cross-walk signal?! Seriously? How are peds and cyclists supposed to know they’re allowed to cross with that blocked? I should have taken a picture.

I noticed the new no turn on red arrow. Not very distinctive during day time. Maybe in the dark it’s more noticeable?

[mstone]

I really hope this is a Machiavellian plan to go to vdot and say “see we tried everything, even the stupid things, and we’ll just have to make this no right turn on red after all”.

[dasgeh]

And the blockage is back. The most frustrating part is that it is completely UNNECESSARY — the truck could easily be on Lee and not blocking the crosswalk. That and the uninformed, rude police officer standing on the NE corner (i.e. where he’s not helping most riders, coming from the West), rudely at barking at people for not following an unmarked detour.

I have emails in to figure out why a permit would be granted to block the Custis when it’s unnecessary, and why it would be granted without a marked detour.

@creadinger 111343 wrote:

I rode through here yesterday going up the Custis. What is the deal with the big, temporary “Yield to Pedestrians in Crosswalk” sign thing, that blocks the cross-walk signal?! Seriously? How are peds and cyclists supposed to know they’re allowed to cross with that blocked? I should have taken a picture.

At least the message is better than they’ve had in the past…

[Terpfan]

@creadinger 111343 wrote:

I rode through here yesterday going up the Custis. What is the deal with the big, temporary “Yield to Pedestrians in Crosswalk” sign thing, that blocks the cross-walk signal?! Seriously? How are peds and cyclists supposed to know they’re allowed to cross with that blocked? I should have taken a picture.

I noticed the new no turn on red arrow. Not very distinctive during day time. Maybe in the dark it’s more noticeable?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]8109[/ATTACH]

I think you guys are talking about this? I did a snapshot from my camera, which appears a little fuzzy as I need to clear off the plastic case. Anyway, feel free to use as appropriate. And ignore the date, camera never seems to want to change it.

[chris_s]

@dasgeh 111347 wrote:

At least the message is better than they’ve had in the past…

It’s like the BAC specifically asked for that message at the last meeting…

[PotomacCyclist]

http://www.arlnow.com/2015/03/17/yield-to-pedestrians-sign-installed-at-intersection-of-doom/

Is that a current photo? The article says that the sign was blocking the pedestrian walk signal but it has been moved. In the photo, it looks like the walk signal is still blocked.

[chris_s]

@PotomacCyclist 111538 wrote:

http://www.arlnow.com/2015/03/17/yield-to-pedestrians-sign-installed-at-intersection-of-doom/

Is that a current photo? The article says that the sign was blocking the pedestrian walk signal but it has been moved. In the photo, it looks like the walk signal is still blocked.

It is not a current photo.

[KWL]

@PotomacCyclist 111538 wrote:

http://www.arlnow.com/2015/03/17/yield-to-pedestrians-sign-installed-at-intersection-of-doom/

Is that a current photo? The article says that the sign was blocking the pedestrian walk signal but it has been moved. In the photo, it looks like the walk signal is still blocked.

The sign has been moved to the left, no longer blocking the walk/don’t walk sign and without blocking the sidewalk/Custis Trail.

[Kolohe]

The “You Had One Job” people could make an entire new site out of the shenanigans that have transpired at this intersection over the past couple of years.

[thucydides]

@scoot 111212 wrote:

Even if the steady red arrow is enforceable, I’m concerned that drivers simply won’t notice when the flashing red changes to steady red each cycle. Maybe the people further back in line will notice it, but the ones in front will be looking to their left for a gap in northbound Lynn St traffic. When the signal cycles to the Custis trail-only phase, most of those drivers will merely notice that Lynn St has stopped, so they’ll think they’re good to go (without checking the crosswalk, because who does that? No cars to worry about there…)

My experience so far this week is exactly what you predict. In fact just this morning about 7.25 I almost got nailed by a car at the front of the line that behaved exactly as you described. Learning will occur for drivers that frequent that intersection, but, of course, tourist season is soon upon us.

[rcannon100]

I mean, as a driver, my normal for an intersection where I am turning right is to approach the Intersection, look up for the “no right on red” sign – and if I dont see one – drop my eye sight back down to watch pedestrians and then go when clear. I am no longer looking up because in effect, if there is no “no right on red” sign – the traffic light has become irrelevant to me if I am turning right.

Bad design leads to bad results.

[PotomacCyclist]

Tourist season has already started. Metro has been extremely crowded this week, much more than usual.

[Author]

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