TheWashCycle

October 2008 Arlington BAC notes

Again, I was not at this meeting and the minutes I rely upon have been known to have errors, so this isn't quite gospel.

Public Art Project on Arlington Boulevard.  Ms. Welmoed Laanstra led a discussion on a County
project for proposed new construction along Arlington Boulevard from Courthouse Road bridge to Pershing Drive area involving art on retaining walls.  She presented slides showing artist's renderings of what the sites might look like in future with examples of art on the walls.  She said it doesn't cost all that much more to make molds for the walls and that beautifying the walls by adding features like art would improve the walls for everyone.  She asked the Committee for a letter of support to VDOT for this project.  A motion was made, seconded, and passed by acclamation to write a letter to VDOT supporting public art.

Trail Issues.  Parks Manager Kevin Stalica promised to caulk the grooves on the Custis Trail.  The Washington Boulevard Trail by the new Pentagon Memorial had been reopened, but only two of six
chains which had blocked the trail were removed.  Signs along the Custis Trail need improvement. The County is doing an overhaul of signage and bike signs are included to some extent, but the signs belong to NVRPA, not Arlington.

Committee and Staff Priorities for FY-2010.  Bike and pedestrian counts were recorded on
September 9, 11, and 13 at various locations in the County.  David Patton - with the Arlington County staff -  said he would like the counts to be done quarterly.  David reported on the Shirlington Underpass project and said it is on target for completion in Spring 2009. 

Pentagon Area Bike and Pedestrian Access.  David briefly discussed bike/pedestrian access around the Pentagon and said there were lots of problems and issues.  He noted that the proposed trail underneath the new Humpback Bridge will end abruptly and not connect to anything.

[WC: That's too bad about the Humpback Bridge underpass - that's the most valuable piece of the project in my opinion. We really need to connect the underpass to Boundary Channel Drive.]

Four Mile Run Draft Design Guidelines

The Four Mile Run Master Plan came out in 2006. It had all kinds of goodies for cyclists

A proposed bicycle facility [WC: a.k.a. A bike station] [on the now-defunct railroad bridge at the eastern end of the corridor] provides a venue for bicycle rentals and a place at which bicyclists stop to eat, rest, shower and buy supplies. New pedestrian/ bicyclist bridges are proposed at other key locations: the extension of Commonwealth; at the site of the new community plaza and recreational facility on Mount Vernon Avenue that links to Arlington ’s Four Mile Run Park; west of the existing Mount Vernon Avenue bridge to provide safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle access for Alexandrians wishing to shop at the stores along South Glebe Road; and at the place where lower Long Branch meets Four Mile Run in. In addition, with the creation of a new bridge and intersection proposed for traffic traveling on South and West Glebe Roads, the existing bridge would be converted to, or possibly replaced by, a pedestrian and bicycle-only bridge.

As DCMud points out, the Draft Design Guidelines are out as of June. The plan calls for a commuter trail on the north side

The existing asphalt trail that travels along the northern bank of Four Mile Run will remain the primary commuter bike trail within the corridor, providing an east-west link between the National Park Service Mount Vernon Trail and the trails of the upper reaches of Four Mile Run to the W&OD trails beyond. Stream restoration improvements, bridge construction projects and other ongoing improvements in the corridor will likely affect large segments of this trail. Over time, it will become necessary to make significant refurbishments to this heavily used recreation and transportation trail. The design team responsible for developing the first phase of this trail will need to carefully consider how their solutions will be extended to future phases and how their design will inform other improvements in the corridor. The following guidelines apply specifically to the commuter trail:

• The trail design must be compatible with the Alexandria Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility Plan.

• The trail must safely accommodate high-volume, high-speed, two-way bicycle traffic as well as pedestrian and other non-motorized traffic.

• The travel trail should be 12 feet wide with opposing lanes of travel divided by a painted line. Where space is limited, a minimum 8-foot-wide trail may be used.

• The primary paving material should be asphalt and must have a durable, non-slip surface.

• Incorporate infiltration strips adjacent to the trail to minimize runoff.

• Incorporate recycled materials such as milled asphalt, crushed used brick and crushed used glass into the asphalt matrix.

• To the extent possible, align the new trail to the existing bike trail and reuse the existing paving base and asphalt materials.

• The design should integrate a strong unifying element.

• Future planning efforts to extend the trail beyond the area addressed by the Guidelines should consider extending this unifying element to future trail segments elsewhere in the Four Mile Run watershed.

• Increase the paving width and integrate other compatible paving materials at trail intersections and nodes. See the illustrated concept development for Trail Nodes.

• The full length of this trail should be lighted using full-cutoff, high-efficiency fixtures. See the section on lighting under “Built Feature

and a community trail

The primary trail on the South side of the channel is the community trail, which is similar in design to the commuter trail but with the following exceptions:

• The width should be between 6 feet and 9 feet.

• The community trail is not considered a high-speed commuter bicycle trail, but rather will accommodate slower-paced bicycles, rollerbladers, runners, walkers and other non-motorized travel.

• The alignment of the community trail will typically be more sinuous, as opposed to the straighter route of the commuter trail.

The call for good wayfinding signage

A thorough wayfinding and signage study must be prepared to develop the complete program of themes, content, format and location of elements within the corridor. This effort should be done in concert with the development of entry markers (described above) and in coordination with Alexandria and Arlington’s wayfinding signage guidelines. This program should also complement the built features described by the design language and established by these Guidelines or be public art. Wayfinding and signage should be considered as an opportunity for the development of a large-scale public art project.

and good continuous lighting. None of the designs shown are planned, they just give ideas for what the trail elements might look like. Hopefully, none of the designs involve sewage spills.

Update: Seems my hoping was enough. Alexandria has released a second alert.

    Arlington’s Fire Marshals Office and Department of Environmental Services are investigating this second dumping in as many weeks at the same location.

    An illicit dumping of portable lavatory waste into Four Mile Run Stream near Westover Park in Arlington County is affecting waters and parks all the way to the Potomac River in Alexandria.

More from the Post.

 

July 2008 Arlington BAC Meeting Notes

These notes are from the official minutes

Pavement Index for Trails: DES (Department of Environmental Services) personnel are responsible for the pavement condition index (PCI) for streets.  Many details about pavement condition are used in making the PCI.  It was proposed that the PCI be extended to the 36 miles long county trail system if its not too expensive.  The BAC feels that money should be in the CIP to address trail paving as predicted by the PCI.  This was included in testimony before the Transportation Commission on July 14th.

The draft MTP mentions paving on a 15 year cycle and also discusses paving of trails based on reviews (page 8 of the Bicycle element under “B” ).

Trail Issues: Vegetation overgrowth is an issue on a number of trails.  The County is trying to address the problem. 

Much more work needs to be done in order to complete the project of filling in the crack on the Custis Trail in Rosslyn.   The project is only 10-25% complete. Furthermore, the drain on the bike/ped. overpass is plugged and needs to be cleaned out. Roots are breaking up the Custis Trail in the Cherrydale area.   

It was noted that Wakefield Drive is in need of repair at Fairfax Drive.  This is a dangerous intersection for bicyclists as result of road construction on Fairfax Drive.  Dave Goodman (Arlington Bike and Ped PM) said he would look into getting at least some temporary repairs to Wakefield until the whole project is completely done.  There are plans to extend the bike lanes in this area.

Dave Goodman wanted comments on the most recent stripping on the Four Mile Run and Custis Trails.  Members of the BAC had no comments at this time.  New stripping is done right over the old in order to avoid confusion.

The Bicycle Element of the MTP: Since the BAC meeting this was approved by the Planning Commission, despite the expressed misgivings of the Environmental and Energy Conservation Commission and the Urban Forestry Commission  about possible damage to trees and parks from widening and straightening trails. Last week it was approved by the county board and it was pointed out that the County would use common sense wrt trees - not cutting down a 40 year old tree, when it can be routed around. (if you want to watch the video is starts around 7:22pm)

Route 50: Virginia has started the Route 50 project which will reconfigure the Trail.  Some people want to narrow the trail to slow bikes.  The BAC believes that narrowing the trails is unsafe.

Community Bike Ride: There were 750 riders on June 7.  There were some concerns by BAC members about the ride.  The major concern was that WABA did not seek sufficient input from the BAC during route development.  But, additionally there were not enough marshals and/or police at key turns and intersections; the first rest stop was too close to the start; the rest areas were not properly posted ahead of the rest stop; there were no queue sheets; and the rest areas themselves were not well marked.  Despite these short comings, the ride went very well with no serious incidents.

Updates on County and Other Projects:

● Bike counts.  Preliminary work was started at Lee and Lynn Streets (Custis Trail).  The preliminary counts indicate that bicycle traffic has doubled over the last seven years.  Counts are planned at the end of the W&OD Trail in Shirlington.  The County would like to know how the new connector under I-395, presently under construction, will affect bike traffic.  Also, NPS is doing counts on the Mount Vernon Trail.

● The connector trail for Four Mile Run under I-395 is on schedule and will be completed next Spring.  There are some last minute changes to assure a safe tie in to the W&OD Trail.  The County is working on these.

● Bike Share Program: The program will be delayed at least until Spring 2009 due to concerns about  liability issues.  The County will be putting out an RFP to get someone to run the program for the County. $200,000 in grant money will be used to start the program.  The program will also need operating funds from the County.

● Meeting with Chris Hamilton in August.  Enhancement Grant of $150,000 for bike shelters and racks at Metro Stations.  The Ballston bike shelter has a $300,000 grant.  Bike lockers are presently not in the plans.  Alexandria and Arlington will work with Rails to Trails to get funds from $50 million of enhancement funds

● The 14th Street Environmental Assessment.  FWHA  wanted Arlington and VDOT to approach DOD about bike routes around the Pentagon.  DOD has major problems with the new Pentagon sine the public will have access to it 24/7.  The bike routes around the Pentagon need to be in the EIS for the 14th Street bridge.

● New Bike Map: The County is looking for feedback on the existing map over the next couple of months.  The County will then print new maps incorporating any changes needed.

● Bike Lanes: Work is ongoing to update bike lane information including missing stripes.

● County Fair: WABA is going to run the valet bike parking over the weekend of the Fair (August 9 & 10). 

● CIP Hearing: delayed a month.

Landbay K at Potomac Yard

From an Alexandria release (again sorry about the lack of timeliness)

On Tuesday, June 3, the Alexandria City Planning Commission approved Landbay K at Potomac Yard and a ped-bike bridge that will provide a connection across railroad/Metro tracks from the proposed Potomac Yard town center to a potential future Metro station. The projects provide major new pedestrian and bicycle connections from Arlandria, Del Ray and Potomac Yard to north Old Town and Braddock Metro.

Landbay K is a long and narrow ribbon of land that runs for 3 miles in a north-south direction from Four Mile Run to Braddock Road Metro in Alexandria. The trail will provide a continuous bike-ped connection on the west side of the CSX railroad and Metro lines. It is approximately 24 acres in total and the linear nature of the park creates a unique opportunity to connect the Four Mile Run Trail with Braddock Road Metro station and other bikeways within the city.

The pedestrian bridge is part of a series of parks and open space features approved as part of the Potomac Yard development. The bridge as approved will provide a connection from Potomac Greens in north Old Town to the Potomac Yard town center, Landbay K and a potential future Metro station. The proposed bridge will span approximately 250 feet and provide pedestrian and bicycle connectivity between the east and west sides of Potomac Yard. It is intended to be a steel truss bridge with concrete deck (10 feet wide, unobstructed) and similar in style to the bridge for the Capital Crescent Trail over the Beltway near Georgia Avenue.

The projects now move to City Council for approval and will be on the docket for the Saturday, June 14. Come out and support this major pedestrian and bicycle improvement in Alexandria.

Click here for the Landbay K city staff report

Click here for the Pedestrian Bridge staff report

I've written about this project before here. But it looks pretty good. Bicycle parking provided throughout, a 3 mile long, 10 foot wide trail connection and a bridge over the tracks

The plan is integrated with Alexandria’s park and trail network as well as the open space network created within the Potomac Yard development through trail heads and streetscape amenities. The park connects with the finger parks planned for Custis, Swann and Howell Avenues. The park also provides a north-south connection between the recreational amenities along Four Mile Run and recreational trails and amenities at Braddock Metro Station, and a pedestrian connection across the railroad lines, providing access between Potomac Yard and Potomac Greens. The proposed bridge will be located in northern portion of the development, near the future Metro reservation site and landing at the pedestrian bridge reservation site in Potomac Greens.

Along the trail there are amenities such as fitness course stations, trailhead plazas and lighting.

More about the potential infill Metro station here. It'd be nice if they found a way to connect Potomac Greens (and thus this trail) over or under the GW Parkway and to the Mt Vernon Trail, but there's really nothing glaring to not like about this project.

Four Mile Run Restoration

From a press release

Arlington County and the City of Alexandria have embarked on an exciting process to create Design Guidelines that will guide the visual and physical character of future improvements in the Four Mile Run Corridor. Please join us to review the initial Design Guidelines and to provide your input!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Arlington County Park Operations Building
Conference Room, 2nd Floor
2700 S. Taylor Street
Arlington, VA.

PARKING: Free parking will be available in the lot between the building and the school bus parking lot. The parking area will be marked with an “Event Parking” sign.

For additional information, please visit the project web site or contact Aileen Winquist at
awinquist@arlingtonva.us or 703-228-3610.
The County/City will provide reasonable accommodations and translation services for individuals with disabilities upon request. Call Aileen Winquist at (703)-228-3610.

Connecting Two Great Trails

  Connecting Two Great Trails 
  Originally uploaded by Rootchopper

The photographer writes  "Looking east from the West Glebe Road bridge over Four Mile Run on the Arlington- Alexandria border, you can see the new bike path that will carry the Anderson Trail (on the left) under West Glebe Road and, eventually, under the Shirley Highway (I-395). When finished this new trail segment will connect the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail to the Mount Vernon Trail."

March 2008 Arlington BAC meeting notes

Arlington Mill Connecting Trail - The County is considering several ADA compliant connector options to the Four Mile Run Trail from this redevelopment site.  None of the options appear acceptable since it would require large paved areas resulting in severe impact to this area of the Trail.  The switchback would be 300 feet long. The Four mile run trail itself is not ADA compliant since it has a number of steep grades.  The curb cut to Columbia Pike seems like the only logical alternative.  The sidewalk along Columbia Pike can be used to connect to the W&OD Trail on the other side of the bridge.  The W&OD Trail appears to be ADA compliant.

At the site there will be parking for 35 bikes for retail, 12 in the garage for employees and 67 for residents. 

Police and Bikes: Lt. Bob Medairos gave a presentation on bikes and pedestrians.  Bob’s data showed that the highest accident rates for bicycles and pedestrians occur in Rosslyn, George Mason Drive, Wilson Blvd. and Columbia Pike.  Most of the accidents occur during rush hour.  An average of two pedestrians per year are killed in Arlington. 

Police generally do not ticket bike/pedestrian violations except for dangerous situations.  Usually a warning is given. Children under the age of 15 must wear helmets.  For families who can’t afford helmets, the county has a distribution system.  The Police also hand out street smart pamphlets to drivers and pedestrians.  The Police do stop cyclists without lights at night and County has given out free lights for bikes. Police would like to see more training for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
   
Trail Issues: On the W&OD Trail there is a detour around the bridge near the caboose and soccer fieldl.  There was a complaint that the detour bridge to the Four Mile Run is in rough shape with high edges.  There also was a question why the rebuilt bridge is not open since it appears to be complete.

On the Custis Trial, the mirror is broken again.  The County may not replace the mirror due to its high rate of loss.  The BAC will check with W&OD Trail management to see if they have a solution to the problem. 

Master Transportation Plan, Bicycle Element: The rate of completion of bike projects in the MTP was changed to “as many as possible” instead of the 5 recommended by the BAC.

Updates on County and Other Projects:

● CIP funding presentation on Feb. 28: The plan for 2008 CIP is one major trail/year, one upgrade/year, three bike lanes/year and 150 bike racks at a cost of $750,000.  There will be no capital expenses in 2008 which disappointed the BAC.  There is no paving budget.  Some funding may be available from other sources at Parks

 

Regional Issues and Meetings: There will be a meeting of the stakeholders on the 14th Street project EIS.

There will be a VDOT meeting on the Washington Blvd. and Columbia Pike interchange.  It is tentatively scheduled for March 18.  A meeting has been called by the chairman of the Transportation Commission for a workshop on the MTP.  The meeting is scheduled for 8:00 PM on March 13. 

There is a plan to redesign Clarendon Park adjacent to Metro.  The plan is to do away with the Metro bike rack and lockers and replace them with 24-48 covered bike racks.  Some felt the lockers should be preserved.

Sexual Predator(s) on Arlington Trails

I realize that headline sounds alarmist, but I don't know how else to put it, that's exactly what's been happening lately. It's unclear if the three recent attacks have been by the same person, you can draw your own conclusions.  First this article from March 12th

[Two attacks were by] a man on a bicycle who rides past his victim and gropes women on the [W&OD and Custis] trails.

Police said, although both attacks are alarming, they indicate what can become of a busy time on local paths. They said, with longer days and warmer nights again, foot traffic will increase and so will crime.Police said the assailant poses a threat, but women can help minimize their risk.With stepped up patrols planned for the Ballston area, police said trails are safe and caution shouldn't turn to concern

Then on the 17th

Police are investigating after a woman was abducted and sexually assaulted on a bike trail in Arlington Sunday.Police said the 37-year-old woman was walking on the bike trail behind Barcroft Park in the 4100 block of South Four Mile Run Drive at about 1:30 p.m.

The weird thing is I was on that trail at the time (but not that section). It was a bright sunny (though windy) day. It gives me the creeps. As the article points out that is the third serious assault on that trail in 2 years. All I can say is be careful out there.

More

Police are calling a recent sexual assault in an Arlington Park an isolated incident, but are still advising women not to exercise alone.

December 2007 Arlington BAC meeting notes

Notes I was sent (edited a little)

1. The Committee will now meet every month on the first Monday except for September when there will be no meeting. The BAC meeting schedule for 2008 is the following Mondays: January 7 February 4 March 3 April 7 May 5 June 2 July 7 August 4 Skip September October 6 November 3 December 1

2. The Committee is going to work on a roster of trails so that people could volunteer to monitor specific trails or parts thereof.  Also, there is presently no Adopt a Trail program. There was one once but it no longer exists. Bike route signs are also a problem since they tend to disappear wherever there is development. It would be a good idea to determine how well the existing routes are marked.

3. The committee heard from John Durham, the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Planner for the County. The major task of this program is to reduce motor vehicles trips during peak use hours. Until recently the Zoning Board approved bike racks and often these were not correct, but now TDM reviews and approves the bicycle facility parts of the plans. However, it is difficult to correct previous oversights unless the owner is interested in doing so. The new facilities for the EPA at Potomac Yards was prime example of incorrect implementation of the site plan mainly because of the movement of the bike facilities during construction. The County worked with the contractor to correct most of the problems. A major problem is that County Buildings are not covered by the TDM siting requirements. The Committee agreed that these building should be required to meet the requirements and plans to draft a letter from the BAC to the County Manager on this issue. The site requirements for bicycles at hotels, apartment, and retail buildings were available on the County website, but are no longer. The Committee would like to get these back on the Internet, preferably at the bicycle website.  It was noted that the Metro facility in Rosslyn will be rebuilt and that the existing bicycle facility will be replaced with double decker bike racks. 

4. Master Transportation Plan: The County Board approved the Goals and Policies part of the Plan at the November 13 meeting. The rest of the individual elements are due to be brought up at future meetings of the Board. The bicycle segment has only had minor changes since the last rewrite.

5. County Board Bike Ride: The plan is to schedule a ride in March or April of 2008. 

6. Bicycling Facilities on VDOT Roads: About $3 million of funds were reallocated to Arlington bike projects. These funds are now part of $25 million to be used on a variety of projects. The project now consists of Countywide sidewalk drainage and pedestrian safety improvements along Route 50 and other corridors. The preliminary engineering for the project is $3 million. It's hoped that this will include upgrading the crosswalks along the Route 50 trail.

7. Enforcement for Motorists and Cyclists: Arlington had an enforcement initiative for the month of November. Education included handing out street smart pamphlets to motorist and pedestrians. On November 7 an enforcement detail was assigned at Lynn St. and Lee Highway in Rosslyn. 80 tickets were issue in the morning. 3226 tickets were issued to motorists in Arlington during November, mostly involving speeding and failure to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. The issue of enforcement or lack of enforcement with respect to bicycles was discussed. It was decided that police should make more of an effort enforcing traffic laws with respect to bicycles even if it is only verbal warnings. 

8. Updates on County and Other Projects: Trail Issues:  Four Mile Run Trail: It was noted that the small bridge at the intersection of trail at Walter Reed Road is being replaced. The project is almost complete. As a result the safety of this intersection will be greatly improved. This involved ADA and FEMA funds and now emergency vehicles will have access to this part of the park which is considered pretty isolated.  It was also noted that there is a pothole on the western part of the Trail near a bridge. W&OD Trail: There is a large pothole near a hard right turn right under Sycamore St. and another just west of there before Van Buren St. 

9. Arlington Bikeway Projects: Shirlington Underpass: Construction is now underway. Completion is not expected until Spring of 2009. Columbia Pike/Washington Blvd. Bridge: The design is with the FWHA for approval. Still issues unresolved. Construction planned for 2010. Arlington Blvd.-Washington Blvd. Bridge: Project is complete. I-66 Spot Improvements: There is now funding for a multimodal study. Public hearings have been delayed for 30 to 60 days. North Tract: Plans are to build two soccer fields. Indoor facilities will need a private partner because of the high cost. The Esplanade has also been funded which includes the bike trail but does not address the elevation issue with respect the bridge over the Parkway. The Environmental Assessment is underway with respect to North Tract and Gravelly Point.

10. March 4 is Lobby day for the National Bike Summit. The group will meet with Representative Moran on the Hill.

Arlington Breaks Ground on Four Mile Run Underpass

Arlington held a ground breaking ceremony for the multi-use trail linking the popular Washington & Old Dominion and Four Mile Run trails.

The planned route will eliminate nearly a mile of on-street riding and difficult road crossings, offering a safer, more direct path along Four Mile Run for walkers, runners and cyclists.

The mostly flat route will run between Arlington and the City of Alexandria, featuring a convenient path under Shirley Highway (I-395) and West Glebe Road. With 3,000 feet of new trail, the connection will complete the 17-mile “Arlington Loop” of trails and offer access to the area’s lively business and commercial districts, including direct links to Shirlington and the Potomac Yard South tract, as well as connections to Crystal City, Pentagon City, Old Town Alexandria, Columbia Pike and even Ballston.

Congressman Jim Moran and members of the city council's of Arlington and Alexandria were there. As was Andy Clarke, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists to present Arlington with their Silver Level Bicycle Friendly Community Award.

The work will done concurrent with a sewage main and enhancing the surrounding Four Mile Run recreational area with landscaping of the stream bank. Construction is expected to be completed by March 2009.

On an unrelated subject, I was biking home from the ceremony and went from the Four Mile Run Trail to Army Navy Drive via Troy Street, 26th and 28th (as I usually do). There's a side path along Troy and the north end of it was closed, temporarily I thought, for construction of a condo. The detour sign to the left makes it seem temporary. But I noticed the condo was finished so I wondered if the trail was. And in a way the trail was finished. A fence was built and the trail dead ends. It doesn't appear that any effort will be made to reconnect it.