December 2008 Arlington BAC notes

These are modified from the draft notes taken by someone else (so they may be wrong for all I know. Usually someone will correct the glaring errors for me).

The Washington Boulevard Trail - Phase I was approved for construction and should be getting underway any time now.  The county did not receive the $850,000 needed for Phase II from VDOT, but an environmental impact statement has been approved (also see below).  There are design issues being looked at, with a focus on ways to reduce costs.
Route 110 Trail.  The County is having issues with NPS, which has put some parameters on the design. The design should be completed by February or March with the earliest possible construction date of 2010.
Transportation Enhancement Project - The County is looking to see if a trail is feasible from Fort Myer at Pershing Drive to Washington Boulevard and then to Columbia Pike.
Rosslyn Circle.  Money has been secured from VDOT for improvements, and they will be done in two projects, beginning with the Lynn Street Esplanade.

At Monday's January meeting they discussed the items the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority put on its federal stimulus wish-list as reported in the Sun Gazette. Here are items with possible bicycle impact (not all in Arlington)

* $2.5 million for design funding for improvements along Columbia Pike.

* $6 million to complete construction funding for the Washington Boulevard bridge and interchange at Columbia Pike.

* $2 million for enhancement to the I-66/Custis, Four Mile Run and W&OD trails.

* $1 million in further funding for improvements to Arlington Boulevard’s intersection with North Courthouse Road and 10th Street North.

* $1 million for construction of the second phase of the Washington Boulevard Trail.

* $900,000 for design and installation of the Shirlington Road/Four Mile Run bridge.

* $2 million for designing improvements to streets in Crystal City.

Comments

[Allen Muchnick]

Arlington transportation projects, including trail projects, typically progress at less than a snail's pace, so the concept of an Arlington "shovel-ready" project is absurd.

All four projects listed at the top of this message have supposedly had construction funding for roughly the past decade, but approvals have been slow in coming, construction costs have risen, and some prior funding has been reallocated.

In defending his staff, the Arlington County Manager says, "we don't do easy".

Bottom line: don't hold your breath for any of these trail projects.

"Phase I" of the Washington Blvd trail would merely widen an existing sidewalk for one or two blocks.

The funding for Columbia Pike would design a streetcar line with tracks running in the curb lanes.