Comments on Project to replace the 12th Street South Trail with a Street Due 1/8/22

Project Page: https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Projects/Project-Types/Transportation-Projects/12th-Street-S-Complete-Street-Connection#PublicProcess

Comments due January 8, 2022


This is a terrible project that would decrease safety for people walking and biking. Staff have been spreading inaccurate information about this project being called for by planning documents and increasing safety, particularly regarding people walking and biking and regarding the segment from Lincoln to Glebe.  This project isn't in the MTP (at least in any version that is available to the public online). This isn't in the 2016 Streets Element or the 2019 Streets Element of the MTP. This project with increase impermeable surface within the County. It would encourage driving, which would both increase Arlington's carbon footprint and decrease safety. 

This project would decrease safety for people walking and biking. Currently people walk on the sidewalk to the north, and people bike comfortably on the trail. Introducing and eliminating the trail would force people on bikes to mix with people on cars or to ride on the sidewalk - the first being more dangerous for people biking and the second for people walking. This project would also introduce new conflicts between cars and people walking and biking at the new intersection at Lincoln and 12th. This would be true even if the County built protected bike lanes on both sides of a new street. If the County maintained the current trail and added a new street, people heading east on bikes would be required to cross over the lanes of of the new street to reach the trail, which would not be low stress or easy.  

Staff have identified a few issues with the current trail that could be addressed more cheaply, while maintaining at least the current level of safety and sustainability. The issues with cars using the current trail from the current driveway apron could cheaply be addressed with signage and possibly bollards. Excess foliage can be cut back. Any blockages in the sidewalk can be relocated.

Other projects in the "Columbia Pike Streets" program should be prioritized over this project, and this project should be reexamined in the next CIP process.

Re: diverters: Arlington has yet to install diverters. Instead of starting with a permanent installation here, Arlington should introduce diverters to other locations in the County to improve safety for people biking and walking, starting with temporary, tactical designs so that we can see how they work in practice.

If Arlington insists on proceeding with this project, it should limit the connection, so that:

- people driving on Glebe cannot turn left onto the new street; 

- people driving cannot access both Monroe & Glebe;

- a one way street or woonerf is considered;

- the speed limit is low enough to be safe (15 mph);

- there are separated spaces for people walking, biking and driving;

- people walking and biking can move through the intersections with priority;

- people driving must stop at all conflict points; and

- other treatments to reduce impermeable surfaces, decrease conflicts, discourage driving, and increase the ease and safety of walking and biking are implemented.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

To APS School Board Re: Staff moving immersion to Kenmore

VA House: Bike Safety Bills January 2024

Support for Automated Speed Enforcement in Innovations subcommittee in VA House - 2/1/2024