October 2015 ABAC Meeting

[greenjug]

how’d the meeting go? i’m curious about the Custis Trail part. I love the newly paved parts. My question is related to the lovely but slippery leaves that cover the trail sometimes…does the trail get sweeped ever? Or is it maintained in another way perhaps? thanks!

[chris_s]

@greenjug 125602 wrote:

how’d the meeting go? i’m curious about the Custis Trail part. I love the newly paved parts. My question is related to the lovely but slippery leaves that cover the trail sometimes…does the trail get sweeped ever? Or is it maintained in another way perhaps? thanks!

The Trails Manager wasn’t there so we didn’t get an update.

[dasgeh]

@greenjug 125602 wrote:

how’d the meeting go? i’m curious about the Custis Trail part. I love the newly paved parts. My question is related to the lovely but slippery leaves that cover the trail sometimes…does the trail get sweeped ever? Or is it maintained in another way perhaps? thanks!

Please report the areas you’re concerned about to trails@arlingtonva.us . They do sweep the trail, and they probably need to be reminded of areas of particular concern as we get into fall.

The BAC did take action to suggest a dedicated budget for trail maintenance.

[scoot]

I’m curious as to what was discussed about signals.

[dasgeh]

@scoot 125683 wrote:

I’m curious as to what was discussed about signals.

Here’s one part of the signals discussion:

At this month’s BAC meeting, Josh Nicholas from the Signals team in DES came to present. One issue we discussed was pedestrian signals that do not automatically turn to “walk” when the corresponding traffic light turns green, or that turn to “walk” then count down and change to “don’t walk” automatically after a certain amount of time, even if the corresponding traffic signal remains green. Josh asked us to send him a list of such signals that should be set to “rest in walk” but are not.

For example, along the north/west side Arlington Boulevard Trail, where the trail crosses the traffic entering from Courthouse, the pedestrian signal should be rest in walk, automatically switching to walk with the green for cars going along westbound 50. Another example is North Monroe at Lee Highway.

If you have other examples (like the intersections along Columbia Pike near 27 referenced in the WashCycle writeup), please post here (or otherwise send them to me) and I’ll compile a list.

Thanks

[PotomacCyclist]

I believe 15th & S. Fern is one example. 18th & S. Eads is another.

I’ve noticed the issue in the past at these locations, but I don’t remember if they are still problems.

[shannon]

15th st N and Glebe Road (east side of Glebe)

[dasgeh]

@shannon 126499 wrote:

15th st N and Glebe Road (east side of Glebe)

Which reminds me, another is crossing Glebe at the ramp from EB Rte 50 (which is also technically the crossing of the southside Arlington Boulevard Trail).

[KLizotte]

The lights at the start of the W&OD; that is FMR and S Shirlington Rd require the beg buttons to be pushed.

[Emm]

per your post on another thread– @dasgeh 126583 wrote:

Also, ArlCo Signals staff said that NO signal along a trail should be actuated (i.e. they should all be recall). If you know of any intersections that don’t conform to this, please let me know on this thread, and I’ll compile a list to send to ArlCo.

In this case the light connecting the trail crossing on Potomac Ave across E. Glebe is in violation (as long as they count that path as a trail–which they should). It’s currently semi-automated and should be automated. This one could also use a leading pedestrian interval. It’s become a dangerous intersection. The current status is even when there is a walk signal for pedestrians to cross potomac ave where the trail connects, cars from e. glebe (which dead ends onto potomac) have a green light. Cars turning left or right have had numerous near misses, and at least one serious collision with a cyclist in the crosswalk. They don’t appear to expect pedestrians to have the walk signal at the same moment they have a green light.

It’d also help to have this as an automatic walk signal because the call box is placed VERY poorly for people on the trail. You have to veer right a little away from Potomac Ave onto Glebe, push the botton, and then veer left to go back towards Potomac Ave to cross the trail. Because of this many pedestrians and cyclists can’t figure out the call signal, or don’t push the button since it’s out of the way and in an illogical location for trail users.

[KLizotte]

I can see what you mean about the goofy placement of the call box on Glebe. It’s in the middle of the trail!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9870[/ATTACH]

I’m completely flummoxed that drivers don’t expect pedestrians when making a left or right off of Glebe. There are big crosswalks and it is no different than making any other left or right turn at an intersection. Hits head against keyboard.

[elbows]

If I understand you correctly and off the top of my head, signals that do not automatically turn to “walk” when the corresponding traffic light turns green include:

Columbia Pike at Walter Reed
Columbia Pike at S Barton St.

I have recently verified experiences at the these locations and both have a lot of pedestrians.

[mstone]

…and if the lights change anyway, WHY IS THERE A BUTTON?

[komorebi]

@Emm 126586 wrote:

The current status is even when there is a walk signal for pedestrians to cross potomac ave where the trail connects, cars from e. glebe (which dead ends onto potomac) have a green light. Cars turning left or right have had numerous near misses, and at least one serious collision with a cyclist in the crosswalk. They don’t appear to expect pedestrians to have the walk signal at the same moment they have a green light.

The cars turning left from E. Glebe are so un-used to seeing pedestrians or cyclists in the crosswalk that I’ve started treating the pedestrian signal here as a leading CAR interval — I let all of the cars turn left before I enter the crosswalk.

@Emm 126586 wrote:

It’d also help to have this as an automatic walk signal because the call box is placed VERY poorly for people on the trail. You have to veer right a little away from Potomac Ave onto Glebe, push the botton, and then veer left to go back towards Potomac Ave to cross the trail. Because of this many pedestrians and cyclists can’t figure out the call signal, or don’t push the button since it’s out of the way and in an illogical location for trail users.

Per my post on the other thread, they appear to have changed the call box placement last week. The setup of that whole corner is still illogical, though.

[Vicegrip]

@mstone 126606 wrote:

…and if the lights change anyway, WHY IS THERE A BUTTON?

To tell the system you are there and want it to change?

[Author]

Posts