Journal Article on Rosslyn Circle Crossing Study

[Levy.Dave at epamail.epa.gov]

Grant funds projects in Arlington
By JASON FORDNEY
Arlington Journal staff writer

Online at
http://cold.jrnl.com/cfdocs/new/arl/mainstory.cfm?snumber=03&paper=arl&section=fp#


A $435,000 federal grant will pay for pedestrian and public transit
projects throughout Arlington County.

The grant, which comes from the federal Transportation and Community and
System Preservation Program, will be used to complete the Rosslyn Circle
Crossing Study, pedestrian improvements to Glebe Road, and improvements
to local bus stations.

The Arlington County Board allocated another $380,000 towards the
projects at its Jan. 27 meeting, county records show.

``The program is intended to fund pilot projects that demonstrate the
relationship of transportation, land-use and community quality,'' reads
a memorandum from former County Manager William Donahue to the County
Board. ``The program emphasizes community planning efforts and
innovative corridor enhancements.''

County planners selected the three improvement projects after studying
transportation needs around the county.

The Rosslyn Circle Crossing study is intended to help develop safer
bicycle and pedestrian travel in the Rosslyn Circle area.

An outside consultant is studying traffic flow in the busy area, and is
developing alternative plans for safer bicycle and pedestrian traffic,
officials said.

The public will then be involved in selecting specific pedestrian and
bicycle path improvements in Rosslyn.

The improvements will require additional funding, officials said.

About $117,000 of the federal grant money will be used to add turn lanes
and pedestrian islands in the area where Glebe Road intersects with
Wilson Boulevard in northern Arlington County.

In 1999, a citizen committee identified almost 50 pedestrian
improvements that could be made in the Ballston area, and county staff
is currently meeting with representatives from the Virginia Department
of Transportation to discuss the improvements.

The third project slated to receive funding under the plan is physical
improvements to the county's bus stations.

A consultant is studying the county's bus stops, which number close to
600, with the goal of providing safer access for pedestrian and the
disabled, records show, as well as ``comfort and convenience''
improvements for waiting bus passengers.

``The study will identify a number of improvements within the county's
commercial corridors, especially along Columbia Pike,'' Donahue's
memorandum reads.

The improvement projects were selected after consultation with the
county's transportation commission, pedestrian advisory committee, and
the bicycle advisory committee, officials said.