Oct 2021 Comments on Clarendon Sector Plan

Comment on Update of Clarendon Sector Plan - due October 13, 2021

Clarendon Sector Plan Update - Projects & Planning (arlingtonva.us)

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the update of the Clarendon Sector Plan.  I applaud the thoughtfulness that has gone into creating more space in this transit-rich, central area of Arlington for people to work, live and play.  

My comments focus on the transportation aspects of the plan, and specifically on four areas.  Many of my comments focus on facilities for people to use when biking, because the project team has spent a lot of time thinking about how people will walk through this area.  A lot of space is allocated to people driving through this area. However, the plan for people biking through this area is insufficient.  This location is an important node in the transportation network that people of all types need to travel through to get to various destinations: the Clarendon Metro station & the restaurants and retail shops in Clarendon to the east; the Virginia Square Metro station & the restaurants and retail shops in Virginia Square and Ballston to the west; schools, such as Arlington Science Focus School to the north, Washington-Liberty High School to the west and George Mason immediately adjacent to this area, along with the many daycares nearby; and parks, such as the dog park along 13th and Zitkala Sa park to the south.  Many of these destinations are farther than people will walk and are poorly served by transit.  If we don't make it easier, safer and more comfortable for people to bike, people will take their cars, making our community more safe & less inviting, and contributing more to climate change.  

In short, we must plan for all modes of transportation in order to have a transportation network that serves Arlington's goals and is consistent with our values.  The current plan falls short when it comes to people biking.

  1. Space for everyone on Kirkwood Drive. I applaud the updated plan to add protected bike lanes on Kirkwood Drive between Wilson and Washington Blvd.  These lanes should continue north to connect to ASFS and Lyon Village Shopping Center. 
  2. North-south connections for people biking.  Connecting north-south through this area on a bike is difficult and unsafe.  Currently, the crossings of Wilson Blvd are either unsafe (e.g. N Jackson Street), difficult to navigate (e.g. N Irving Street) or involve significant detour (N Highland Street or N Monroe Street).  This project should include a safe way for people biking to cross from the southern part of the project area to the north.  This could include a bike signal at the new 10th Rd N that connects to the shared space on Fairfax Drive, a safer crossing of Wilson at Jackson Street that connects to Fairfax Drive, or protected bike lanes on 10th Street N, with safe crossings at Irving Street.
  3. Movement through the shared space on Fairfax Drive. The plans shown on slide 19 of the presentation do not show a dedicated space for people riding bikes.  The plan implies that people on bikes will be forced to mix with people walking, causing needless conflict.  Instead, this plan should make clear that the specific plan for the park must have a dedicated path for people biking, and that the path should align with the approach for people biking on Fairfax Drive, such as a cycletrack on the north side of Fairfax Drive west of Kirkwood.
  4. Space for everyone on Wilson and Clarendon. Consistent project 3-19 of the Bicycle Element of the Master Transportation Plan, Wilson & Clarendon Blvds should have safe, low stress places for people to bike.  The current CSP update only plans for safe places for people to drive and walk, but should be updated to clearly call for protected bike lanes.
Thank you for your time and your efforts to improve our quality of life in Arlington as we grow.

Gillian Burgess

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