Main Line Boulevard in Potomac Yard, Alexandria

[DaveK]

@PotomacCyclist 37566 wrote:

Main Line Boulevard is a new road, running through Potomac Yard, from E. Glebe Rd. (south of the Target parking lot), under the Monroe Ave. bridge and eventually to the Braddock Rd. Metro station. I saw that the construction crews have made a lot of progress on the new section south of the bridge.

Anyone know if the road will include bike lanes? I don’t think bike lanes would be completely necessary since the road will not be a commuter route. (It ends at E. Glebe on one end and possibly at Braddock Rd. at the other end.) But the lanes might be nice to have.

I probably won’t use most of Main Line Blvd. since Potomac Ave. is more convenient (either the road lanes or the bike/pedestrian path when I’m riding my slower mtn bike). But Main Line Blvd. would be convenient while riding on CaBi between Potomac Yard-Arlington and the new bike station at the Braddock Rd. Metro.

I’m also hoping that there is a delay between the time the road is finished and the time that the road is opened to car traffic. There was a nice delay after Potomac Ave. was finished. For a couple months, Potomac Ave. was, in effect, a newly paved, 40-ft. wide, smooth bike/pedestrian path. Cyclist heaven!

There’s definitely a Strava segment there. I can tell you that for sure.

[Terpfan]

So that will connect to Braddock Rd Metro? I’ve been wondering where that will go for a while. I think some GPSes may have it programmed in already as I have seen cars go through that blinking stop light and down the yet-to-be-finished road and then turn around.

I presumed they would simply continue that MUP all the way. I would be surprised if they didn’t, but I have no idea if they officially plan to do so or not. As for marked on the road, also possible. I know they’re building a bridge (Metro or not) from that neighborhood behind Buzz over the Metro tracks to the street/MUP south of Target.

[PotomacCyclist]

This document from the Alexandria website shows that South Main Street will be the extension of Main Line Blvd.

http://alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/PYDConceptPlan09242010.pdf

According to this plan, the road would extend at least past 1st St. (which is on the other side of the train tracks). I would think that they would continue a road called S. Main St. down to Braddock Rd., but I can’t find any planning documents that show this.

Since Alexandria wants to promote cycling, walking and Metro use, it would make sense to continue the road to Braddock Rd. If not, then people traveling to and from the new buildings/park would have a roundabout route to reach the Metro station.

[Author]

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