Neighborhood getting protected bike lane, pedestrian safety enhancements
Construction projects may cause disruption but outcomes will benefit residents and workers
With the second half of August upon us, Rosslyn will undergo a number of improvements to its crosswalks and major thoroughfares. Although these projects may cause short-term inconvenience, the long-term benefits will be significant, especially in terms of pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
Work is expected to being sometime this month and should take 1 1/2 to two weeks to complete.
Here's a rundown of what to expect:
- Safety improvements to Lee Highway and N. Fort Myer Drive crosswalk + crosswalk at 19th and Lynn Sts.: These busy intersections can sometimes feel treacherous for pedestrians and cyclists. To make them safer, Arlington County's Department of Transportation will install safety bollards at these intersections to shorten the length of the crosswalks and create greater separation between motorists and pedestrians or cyclists on the curb.
- Addition of protected bike lane along Wilson Blvd. from N. Courhouse Rd. to N. Oak St.: Parking spaces along Wilson Blvd. will be shifted and rearranged to make way for a protected bike lane along this major artery connecting Courthouse and Rosslyn. The road will be repaved. Residents should keep an eye out for temporary “No Parking” signs, which will be posted on the street. Once signs are posted, the street must be cleared of all parked vehicles. People can park in a garage, driveway or on an adjoining street. Failure to do so may result in a person's vehicle being towed. Those who are towed can contact the Arlington County Police Department at (703) 558-2222.
- Relocation of bus stop and motorcycle parking at Wilson Blvd. and N. Oak St.: A bus stop will move to the corner of Wilson Blvd. and N. Oak St. where motorcycle parking currently resides. The change will bring the bus stop closer to the Rosslyn Metro station and add five new parking spaces along Wilson Blvd. in front of Safeway and Tom Yum District. In addition, parking spaces farther up Wilson Blvd. in front of the Colonial Village Shopping Center will be relocated farther up the street from a crosswalk where it was hard for drivers pulling out of parking spaces to see pedestrians coming.
"The work that's being done is great for Rosslyn," says Rosslyn BID Operations Director Victor Carcamo. "Besides getting a newly paved street, we'll get five additional parking spaces and cyclists will have their own protected bike lane."