A couple of efforts are underway that will change the Four Mile Run Valley near Shirlington, creating new trail connections and - egad - removing a whole street.
First of all work has begun on South Walter Reed Drive that will improve the section between Arlington Mill Drive and Four Mile Run Drive, which is where the Four Mile Run (4MR), Lucky Run and W&OD Trails intersection with it. The project will
- Create new, 10-feet wide, bi-directional trails on each side of Walter Reed Drive, separated by a utility buffer, that will connect the 4MR and W&OD trails. Trails will include trees and trail access from
- Add green pavement at the driveway crossings of the new trails.
- Add a raised crosswalk between Four Mile Run Trail and a larger "pork chop" traffic island with planting on Arlington Mill Drive
- Realign the Four Mile Run Trail’s approach to crossing Arlington Mill to improve visibility to and from trail users and crosswalk
- Install new signal/signage technologies to better support crosswalk users.
- Build new crosswalks and curb ramps, compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at both intersections
- Add pedestrian and bicycle way-finding signage
The trails will remain open throughout construction, with detours required at times. Work started in the Fall and will continue through the summer.
Meanwhile, the county created a new framework for the Four Mile Run Valley from Barcroft Park to I-395 and it would also change and improve the two trails through the area and the Walter Reed crossing. Separately, the plan recommends expanding Jennie Dean Park by removing 27th Street between Shirlington Road and South Nelson, the WETA studios, some parking off 27th and all the buildings north of 27th except the Weenie Beenie.
One of the recommendations in the framework is to add trail underpasses at Shirlington Road and at Walter Reed (where the at-grade crossing above is currently being improved)
A future trail underpass could eliminate the need for people walking or biking to cross Shirlington Road at grade, helping to improve safety and comfort for trail users. Westbound trail users could use the underpass to access the W&OD Trail by walking/riding north on the western sidewalk of Shirlington Road. To continue west on the Four Mile Run Trail they could use the western sidewalk on the Shirlington Bridge, which is slated for widening.
A trail underpass at the Shirlington Road bridge will likely require additional review by both the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services (DES) and the Army Corps of Engineers. The Resource Protection Area (RPA) buffer requires establishing/maintaining a vegetated natural buffer to Four Mile Run. As a trail connection to the County’s trail network, the underpass could be considered an allowable use wthin an RPA.
There are also recommendations to:
- Improve the current at-grade crossing at Shirlington Road
- Ensure that the proposed enhancements to the bridge at Shirlington Road will make access to Arlington Mill Drive easier and improve connectivity between the W&OD Trail, Four Mile Run Trail, Jennie Dean Park, and the development along Four Mile
Run Drive and in Shirlington. - A road diet on Four Mile Run to allow for the construction of temporary sidewalks on the south side.
- Add bike racks and signage
While I'm on the subject of Four Mile Run, Arlington is also in the process of completing an emergency stream and trail stabilization project.
Construction began around February 18, 2019 and will take approximately 6 weeks.
- W&OD trail will be closed for approximately 4 weeks.
- Four Mile Run trail will be closed for the duration of construction.
- A short trail detour will be in place.
- Clear directional signage will be provided along the detour route.
- Tree impacts will be avoided to extent feasible. Some trees will be pruned along the Four Mile Run trail in the vicinity of the staging/access area.
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