Walter Reed Drive Project (Arlington)

[chris_s]

@elbows 175225 wrote:

I’ve lived as regular cyclist within a block of Walter Reed (WR) for over 10 years and I fail to see what the big improvement is with this expense. What am I missing? You can already cross WR at the light. I cross WR on foot several nights a week after 9pm and driver stoppage in those crosswalks is better than at most, in my opinion.

It’s part of trying to complete the 12 St Bike Boulevard to the point of it actually being useful. Not enough pedestrians and cyclists currently cross Walter Reed at 12th Street to “warrant” a signal there. There’s a light at 11th, but 11th Street east of Walter Reed is one-way. This project would paint a contraflow bike lane on that block of 11th St and upgrade the signal to support a cyclist being able to roll up in that contraflow lane and push a button to be able to get a green signal to cross Walter Reed. This essentially moves the Bike Blvd from 12 the 11th from Highland eastward. This works out ok because of the current difficulties the County has had extending the Blvd eastward given the poor grid connectivity over there. The County has had little luck getting Arlington Village to grant them an easement to continue the 12th St Bike Boulevard through their property between Cleveland and Barton or between Barton and Wayne. Instead the Blvd will likely (at least for now) be officially signed onto the alley behind Celtic House and a new alley that will be created behind Rappahanock when the revelopment project there goes through. Combine that with the new connection being built by the Wellington between Rolfe and Scott and we’re down to one piece still to go (in light blue on the map below) to actually provide a route that will get you to the proposed Hoffman Boston Connector that would go along the edge of the Country Club to get you under 395 without having to ride on the Pike or the Pike sidewalk.

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@elbows 175225 wrote:

Personally, I think a better improvement would be to quit requiring pedestrian actuation at the traffic lights at Pike/WR and Pike/Barton which both see heavy pedestrian usage.

However, the County is updating its automatic pedestrian signal policy and once it has completed this process it will re-evaluate the automatic signals at specific intersections.

I agree! Transportation Commission has been pushing for the County to have an actual adopted signal policy and until it can do a public process to create one, to improve its internal policy.

[Steve O]

@chris_s 175231 wrote:

It’s part of trying to complete the 12 St Bike Boulevard to the point of it actually being useful. Not enough pedestrians and cyclists current cross Walter Reed at 12th Street to “warrant” a signal there. There’s a light at 11th, but 11th Street east of Walter Reed is one-way. This project would paint a contraflow bike lane on that block of 11th St and upgrade the signal to support a cyclist being able to roll up in that contraflow lane and push a button to be able to get a green signal to cross Walter Reed.

This was discussed at the BAC, and the committee recommended that, in lieu of pushing a button, one of the infrared activation cameras be installed for the contraflow lane, thereby treating people on bicycles similarly to people in cars. Staffer said they would look into it.

[dasgeh]

@Steve O 175232 wrote:

This was discussed at the BAC, and the committee recommended that, in lieu of pushing a button, one of the infrared activation cameras be installed for the contraflow lane, thereby treating people on bicycles similarly to people in cars. Staffer said they would look into it.

For the record, this came in front of the BAC in February, after it had been 100% designed and advertised. We had lots of comments, most significantly to NOT put in a button and instead to use a camera, as Steve mentioned. I sincerely doubt anyone would have put his project high on a list of priorities.

Developing a signal policies that required non-actuated signals in areas where people walk and bike (i.e. most of the County) would be a project the BAC would put high on its list of priorities.

[Judd]

@dasgeh 175240 wrote:

Developing a signal policies that required non-actuated signals in areas where people walk and bike (i.e. most of the County) would be a project the BAC would put high on its list of priorities.

I think a good signals policy would involve the use of semaphore.

[PeteD]

@Judd 175242 wrote:

I think a good signals policy would involve the use of semaphore.

https://youtu.be/kqiUGjghlzU?t=1m5s

[lordofthemark]

@Judd 175242 wrote:

I think a good signals policy would involve the use of semaphore.

As long as no one is actually antisemaphore, I’ll be happy.

[Judd]

@lordofthemark 175244 wrote:

As long as no one is actually antisemaphore, I’ll be happy.

Is it going to impact parking?

[scoot]

@chris_s 175231 wrote:

It’s part of trying to complete the 12 St Bike Boulevard to the point of it actually being useful.
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You know what would be even more useful? A bicycle route that is direct/straight, continuous across the county, and actually serves all of the businesses in this corridor.

I know a street just two blocks north with these exact properties…

[AFHokie]

@scoot 175247 wrote:

You know what would be even more useful? A bicycle route that is direct/straight, continuous across the county, and actually serves all of the businesses in this corridor.

I know a street just two blocks north with these exact properties…

Thats just crazy talk

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[lordofthemark]

@scoot 175247 wrote:

You know what would be even more useful? A bicycle route that is direct/straight, continuous across the county, and actually serves all of the businesses in this corridor.

I know a street just two blocks north with these exact properties…

Assuming that is Columbia Pike, it seems more likely that the County would actually implement dedicated bus lanes than create bike infra https://www.arlnow.com/2017/12/11/bus-only-lanes-may-soon-be-possible-on-columbia-pike/ though I suppose they might be open to allowing bikes in the bus lanes, as they do on Crystal Drive. How many riders would find that comfortable, I am not sure. Meanwhile advancing the parallel bike boulevards is probably a good idea.

[Author]

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