Meeting on Washington Boulevard Bike enhancements on March 1st.

An open house, rescheduled from January, on planned Washington Boulevard bike, pedestrian and roadway enhancements between Westover and East Falls Church will be held on March 1st from 5-8pm at the Westover library.

I wrote about this project back in October, noting that "the county wants to add bike lanes along a one-mile section of [Washington Boulevard] in 2017 as well. This is... between Lee Highway and McKinley Road."

The most significant feature of the proposed layout is the introduction of bike lanes in both directions; some stretches getting an additional 2' or 3' buffer against moving traffic. The 2011 East Falls Church Area Plan calls for bike lanes along the entire stretch of Washington Boulevard through the master plan area. The 2008 Bicycle Element of the Master Transportation Plan (MTP) also calls for bike lanes in the same area.

The proposed striping plan could provide a number of positive benefits:

• Help stitch together the expanding Capital Bikeshare system (a new station was installed at the East Falls Church metro station in 2016 and two new stations will be installed in Westover in 2017 and 2018).
• Connect to existing bike lanes on Washington Boulevard between Westover and Lacy Woods Park.
• Create nearly a two-mile stretch of bike lanes from Sycamore St. to George Mason Dr.

The project is focused on enhancing bicycle access and pedestrian safety along the Washington Boulevard corridor between Sycamore Street (at East Falls Metro) and Westover. During this newly scheduled March session, we invite community members to provide ideas and insights on how we achieve the maximum benefits for bicycle access and pedestrian safety, while minimizing potential impacts in the area, including the loss of some on-street parking.

Affected civic associations, residents along Washington Boulevard, representatives of Resurrection Lutheran Church, Westover businesses, Arlington's Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA)'s Arlington Action Committee are being directly notified about the project.