Speak up for a Bridge for the W&OD over 29 in (almost) Falls Church

[dasgeh]

*MEETINGS TONIGHT AND THURSDAY* We need people in the room to speak up for the need for a grade-separated crossing for the bike trail.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will host design public hearings for the public to review and provide comments on the preliminary design plans and the findings of the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the the Transform 66 Inside the Beltway Eastbound Widening Project.

One of the proposed designs is a pedestrian and bicycle grade-separated overpass of the W&OD Trail at the intersection of Washington Boulevard/Lee Highway and Fairfax Drive. See page 3-42 in the Eastbound Widening Environmental Assessment document. This is a critical component of the trail, public support for this overpass would help ensure it is built.

If you are unable to attend one of the meetings, you can also provide input with the on-line form.

Meeting Schedule

Monday, December 5, 2016 (6:30-8:30 p.m.)
Washington-Lee High School Cafeteria
1301 N. Stafford Street, Arlington, VA 22201

If the above meeting is cancelled due to inclement weather, the alternate date will be Monday, December 12, 2016 at Arlington County, 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Room 307, Arlington, VA 22201.

Thursday, December 8, 2016 (6:30-8:30 p.m.)
Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School Cafetorium
7130 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22043

If the above meeting is cancelled due to inclement weather, the alternate date will be Thursday, December 15, 2016 at the VDOT Northern Virginia District Office, 1st Floor, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030.

http://inside.transform66.org/meetings/default.asp

Topic

[americancyclo]

any particular talking points besides, “I’d like not to get hit on my way to/from work with my children?”

[chris_s]

Some neighbors are definitely up in arms about the bridge being “ugly”. I don’t think we want to see a grade separated crossing of Lee Highway die to public outcry – it’s too important for safety, especially given the amount of right turn on red traffic coming off of 66.

Another thing worth advocating for at the meetings – fixing the connection between Bluemont Junction Trail and the Custis & soon to be built stretch of Fairfax Drive Cycletrack where I-66 exits onto Fairfax Drive. VDOT will be doing some work to that exit and the widening will certainly bring more cars down that exit into Ballston. They should make that crossing/connection safe and convenient.

[elbows]

This is not a topic I track closely, but I think there is a meeting tonight. (Of all the cycling areas that bother me, this has not been one.)

A neighbor in this area shared the below with me and asked for my feedback.
“Many feel there are better options some feedback and concerns we have heard so far include:
-Large wall to be built to further divide our neighborhood and be unsightly
-Does not address being safely able to cross over the Lee Highway bridge to walk to Tuckahoe and other side of the neighborhood
– Issues with it not complying with our County Board approved site plan
– Issues with possibly losing green space near the trail
– Does not address getting the large amounts of bikes that unsafely go through our neighborhood to connect back with the trail
-Overall look and character of the neighborhood- with the CubeSmart, this new bridge and additional toll signs will make our area look like a “truck stop”
– Other location opportunities (go underneath, align differently, etc.) closer to the metro.
– Does not improve pedestrian safety issues in the area”

[Author]

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