TPB approves funding for buffered bike lanes on McKinley Road in Arlington

17 Projects in Northern Virginia were recently approved for TA funding.

The Transportation Planning Board recently approved a number of pedestrian and bicycle improvement projects in Northern Virginia to receive funding under the federal Transportation Alternatives Program.

The $2.5 million in funding will cover the capital costs of constructing the projects, which include sidewalk enhancements, new bike lanes and bikeways, and accessibility improvements for persons with disabilities.

More here

In future solicitations, the TPB hopes to fund one or more projects that improve non-motorized access to underutilized rail transit stations in the region.

The TPB is currently soliciting applications for approximately $2 million in Transportation Alternatives funding for projects located in Maryland for the coming fiscal year. The deadline to submit applications is May 15. Local governments, park authorities, and school boards are among the agencies and organizations eligible to apply for funding.

The TPB will solicit applications for Transportation Alternatives funding for projects in the District of Columbia later this year.

Of those 17 projects for which applications were received, 9 got funding. Only two were in the WAMPA region, both in Arlington, only one of which really involves bike improvements.

1. McKinley Road/N Ohio St Safe Routes to Shcool Bicycle-Pedestrian Improvements. - Construction of raised medians, pedestrian curb extensions, and buffered bike lanes on McKinley Rd/N Ohio St from Wilson Blvd to 14th ST N. Project intends to reduce vehicle speed in the corridor, as well as to provide a safe and continuous pathway for bicylists and pedetrians. McKinley Elementary School is centrally located on the project Corridor; this project will provide safer access for students.

2. Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor Accessibility Improvements - Improvements to sidewalks and streets to remove obstructions that restrict access by persons with disabilities, per the 1990 ADA. Specific locations were identified in an 2012 TLC project.

There were two other projects in Fairfax County: a 3.1 mile bikeway connecting Fort Belvoir with FranconiaSpringfield Metrorail Station, with connections to the Fairfax County Parkway trail. Trail segments to include asphalt trail, Rail-Trail alignment, and on-road bike lanes; and rebuild a 1/2 mile section of Van Buren St. in Herndon to include bicycle and pedestrian improvements. But that's really FABB territory. 

Comments

[DE]

McKinley there seems like a good candidate. The hill there is steep and the road curved. In a car, it's very easy to pick up a lot of speed going down the hill, and on a bike, it's very easy for a cyclist, especially a kid going to school, to ride all wobbly. The bike lane also feeds right into the WO&D there at 66.

[I forgot]

Nothing like getting TA funding to repave the street after construction a McKinley Elementary tears apart the street. The street is wide and has good sightlines. Whether the bike lane is buffered probably doesn't matter. I hope that the buffering involves paint only on the downhill since you wouldn't want to hit a plastic pylon at speed.

[DE]

The site lines are okay, but on a residential street where people regularly push 40 on a curve going down a hill, I can see why they'd want to slow things down and separate the bike lane. It is quite true that whatever is used to separate it could become a problem for a cyclist flying down the hill.