NPS Memorial Circle Safety Improvements would move some trail crossings, and narrow road near them

The National Park Service has finally completed the Memorial Circle Safety Improvements Environmental Assessment that they started back in 2014 and were to finish in spring of 2016. The preferred alternative will modify 3 of the 4 trail crossings on Columbia Island, as well as the crosswalk on the north side of Memorial Circle. There's a public meeting on it tomorrow and the comment period is open until Dec 29th. The goal of the project is to improve transportation safety at and near Memorial Circle while maintaining the memorial character of the area. The goals are to reduce risks at key locations within the corridor and to reduce conflicts between trail, walkway, and roadway users.

The preferred alternative is the more intensive one, which aims to improve safety and reduce conflicts. The EA identifies 10 "hot spots" of which 5 are the bike/ped crossings. This alternative would redesign Memorial Circle as a roundabout. Drivers in the Circle would have the right of way and drivers entering the Circle would be required to yield. The Circle itself would be restriped to reduce from two lanes to one lane. All five crosswalks would get improved signage and/or other alerts for drivers. 

In the vicinity of crosswalks, the NPS would improve signage to draw visual attention to crosswalks. Fluorescent yellow advance pedestrian crossing warning signs would be installed on both sides of the roadways approaching crosswalks at hotspots 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9 to alert motorists that they are approaching a crosswalk. At the same crosswalks, fluorescent yellow pedestrian crossing warning signs with arrows would be installed on both sides of the road to alert motorists of the location of the crosswalk. These same crosswalks would also have vertical flexible lane delineators (aka flexposts) installed at the approaches to further visually alert drivers to the presence of a crosswalk. Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) systems, which flash warning lights in an irregular pattern when a pedestrian or cyclists is crossing, would be installed at crosswalks in hotspots 3, 5, 8, and 9 to alert drivers to pedestrians or bicyclists using the crosswalk.

Furthermore, some of the crosswalks would be moved and others would be narrowed.

At hotspot 3, where S. Arlington Boulevard exits the Circle to the north, the roadway would be reduced from three lanes to two prior to the crosswalk. Two lanes would enter the area from Arlington Memorial Bridge and continue north along S. Arlington Boulevard; one lane would enter from the Circle and merge into the left lane of S. Arlington Boulevard. The existing far left lane that currently exits onto the ramp to S. Washington Boulevard would be removed along with this exit ramp.

At hotspot 5, the existing pedestrian and bicycle crossing would be relocated closer to the Circle, to allow pedestrians and bicyclists to cross where vehicle speeds are slower and where drivers are anticipating conflicts. The location of the relocated crosswalk would need to be coordinated with the new, small concrete island constructed to allow two northbound lanes from Washington Boulevard to bypass the Circle and enter Arlington Memorial Bridge

At hotspot 6, the merge from two lanes to one lane would be maintained at the crosswalk to continue to enable a safer crossing of only one lane.

At hotspot 8, in the vicinity of the crosswalk at the George Washington Memorial Parkway southeast of the Circle, the crosswalk would be relocated further north along the Parkway. The specific location of the relocated crosswalk would be determined at a future design phase of the project, but it could be moved between 300 and 400 feet north of its current location. The trail connection on either side of the roadway would be realigned to meet the relocated crosswalk. The roadway would be restriped to reduce the lanes from two lanes to one lane in the vicinity of the crosswalk

Safety improvements at crosswalks would allow drivers to be more aware of crossings, which would improve the LOS for pedestrians and bicyclists using crosswalks.

These improvements will make it easier and safer for trail users, sometimes by slowing driving down. 

Roadway modifications within the vicinity of crosswalks would improve crossing conditions for pedestrians and cyclists and would better alert drivers that there may be pedestrians or cyclists in the crosswalk. At hotspot 3, the reduction of three lanes to two north of the Circle would result in crosswalk users only having to cross two lanes of traffic, rather than three lanes. Modifications at hotspots 5 and 7 would result in longer queues and a higher number of stops, but it would result in a tradeoff of safer crossing conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists. At hotspot 5, because the crosswalk would be moved north closer to the Circle, pedestrians and bicyclists would be able to cross the road where traffic is moving more slowly and where drivers are already alert and preparing to merge or yield. Similarly, at hotspot 7, although drivers approaching from the east may be focused on preparing to merge into one central lane rather than on the approaching crosswalk at hotspot 9, because the LOS prior to hotspot 7 and 9 would be reduced, drivers would generally be going more slowly and would be better able to stop for crosswalk users. At hotspot 8, because the crosswalk would be moved to the north, drivers would have better visibility on the approach and traffic would be moving at a slower speed than in the current locations. Additionally, because the road would be reduced from two lanes to one in the vicinity, the multiple threat condition is eliminated for pedestrians and bicyclists at this location. Although the LOS for drivers would be lowered at hotspot 8, it would be a tradeoff for a safer crossing condition.  

But drivers really need to slow down anyway. 

Speed data within the project area was collected during the 2013 traffic study and found that a majority of vehicles exceeded the posted speed limits by 5-10 mph throughout the day on Arlington Memorial Bridge and the Parkway northbound, and about half of vehicles traveled 5-10 mph over the posted speed limits on the northbound bypass of the Circle. Speeds were often higher at off-peak hours because there was no traffic congestion to constrain the speed at which drivers may operate their vehicles.

And as much as this is a positive step forward, it's unfortunate that some of the other considered ideas were discarded. The plan is as noteworthy for what it doesn't do as for what it does do. 

Outside of the crosswalks, they determined that speed cameras would be redundant due to plans for stepped up enforcement. Which is ridiculous considering the scale difference. And they also decided that the traffic impacts of making the road HOV-3 or bike/ped/transit only would be "unacceptable".

Installing trail guide signs, wayfinding, bike lanes on Memorial Avenue or Memorial Bridge, a Capital Bikeshare station and waterproof trail maps were all deemed out of scope.  Also out of scope was any expansion of the trail network such as a grade-separated connection to Mount Vernon Trail north of the Circle, formalizing (or discouraging the use of) the social trails, widening the trails, installing trail overlooks and installing ADA-compliant surfaces. Some of these don't have anything to do with safety, but trail widening does. There's no mention of a connection to the TR Bridge downstream side - which could be done with a trail in the study area - but it is out of scope too.

It's not clear to me why the Washington Blvd Trail crosswalk doesn't get any improvements, other than perhaps they thing it's safe as is - or not a hotspot at least. But it could use some attention. 

Comments will be accepted here. 

Also, some of the existing signs will be updated as seen below: 

 

 

Comments

[Micahel Ross]

pathetic.

[huskerdont]

It is alarming that the "Replace surface with rough rocks..." alternative was even considered. Sounds like a great way to stop people from cycling.

Reducing from three to two lanes at hotspot 3 is good. Some of the rest is window dressing. Sure, better signage helps for those drivers who care enough to pay attention, but we have a lot of drivers around here that don't care. Consistent speed enforcement would be one of the biggest improvements they could have made, and perhaps the installing of lights at crossings, although I am ambivalent about waiting several minutes at a low-priority signal.