Public input sought for new Carlin Springs bridge design

As reported in my post from December, Arlington County will be replacing the bridge on Carlin Springs Drive where it crosses over N. George Mason Drive (map).  The bridge will be widened slightly, and improved bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure will be included.

The County is now soliciting public input for the aesthetic design of the bridge.

Four potential bridge designs for new Carlin Springs bridge

My public comments to Arlington County Board re: Bollards

On May 19, I attended the Arlington County Board meeting and made comments during the public comment period.  Each commenter is allotted two minutes, so I had to keep my remarks short.

(For more details and photos, see my recent post on this issue)

Here is the text of what I said:

My name is Steve Offutt, and I wanted to bring to the board’s attention recent activity by the parks department that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

New ped/bike bridge near East Falls Church Metro goes into service

The new bicycle/pedestrian bridge linking the W&OD trail with the East Fall Church Metro station in the Madison Manor neighborhood has been put into service.  The old bridge has been demolished and removed.  Final construction details are still being completed, but the bridge is now in use.


View East Falls Church trail bridge replacement in a larger map
As reported in my post a few months ago, the new bridge is larger and modernized compared to the old one.  Here are some photos of the new bridge:

Ped/Bike bridge replacement will improve connection from W&OD to East Falls Church

Arlington County is replacing the footbridge across Four Mile Run that connects the

Existing bridge as approached from the east

W&OD/Custis Trail east of Sycamore Street with the East Falls Church Metro station.  The current footbridge is very narrow, very old and has become obsolete. Its replacement is necessary for safety reasons. However, with input from the Arlington County pedestrian and bicycle advisory committees, the County has taken advantage of this opportunity to improve the bridge.  The replacement bridge will meet ADA standards, will be wider and is in a better location for reducing confusion among trail users.

New bridge design serves pedestrians and cyclists better

Arlington County has chosen a design (pdf) for its upcoming rehabilitation of the Carlin Springs bridge over George Mason Drive.

View Larger Map

The current bridge has five-foot sidewalks and no accommodation for cyclists.  The new bridge will have 8-foot sidewalks and 5-foot bike lanes on both sides.  The rest of Carlin Springs Drive does not currently have bike lanes, but it is important to plan for the future by including them now. Had the County not included better bike/ped accommodations, then those decisions would have been difficult to change for 30 or more years.

Solving the Lynn Street/Lee Highway Bike/Car Conflict

The intersection of Lee Highway and Lynn Street in Rosslyn, where the Custis Trail crosses Lynn St., has been the subject of great scrutiny lately. (GGW reported on a recent meeting at this very intersection.)  This is one of the most dangerous intersections for cyclists in the Greater Washington area. By reconfiguring the exit ramp for the Key Bridge, this conflict can be entirely removed, dramatically improving safety while also potentially improving traffic flow.  (This post has been cross-posted at Greater Greater Washington, including a number of reader comments.)

The problem at this intersection is traffic turning right from the I-66 off-ramp onto Lynn Street traveling towards the Key Bridge.  This traffic has a green light at the same time as the pedestrians and cyclists have the cross signal. There are two lanes of right turning cars (and sometimes cars in the third lane turn right illegally). By shifting the Key Bridge traffic to the north of the Custis Trail crossing, this conflict will be eliminated.

Seven Corners Safeway fixes sidewalk

Back in March I reported that the newly renovated Safeway at Seven Corners had designed their shopping cart corral in such a way as to block sidewalk access, forcing pedestrians to walk into traffic.

Two weeks ago, the Safeway removed this barrier, and now the sidewalk is completely open, allowing for safe and convenient pedestrian passage as shown in this photo.

Falls Church Folly

The BJ's Wholesale Club that opened in Falls Church near Seven Corners last October was a short-sighted decision by Falls Church and works against taking steps towards an improved urban/suburban environment. Rather than taking maximum advantage of an opportunity to improve an area that is in dire need of better design, Falls Church resorted to the same-old, same-old, big box store, with an enormous parking lot out front and little regard for the future urban design or long-term planning.

The BJs opened last October 9 to much fanfare and pretty big crowds. Most of the press leading up to and at the time of the opening was very positive: people were excited about the new store.

New bike/ped bridge on W&OD over the Beltway is now open

The bridge that carries the W&OD trail over the Capital Beltway is now open.  According to the W&OD Trail Report, it opened on June 15.  I've been out of town for most of the time since then, so this was my first time using it.  The new bridge replaces the old one just to its south.  The replacement was necessary, because the highway is being widened, and the old bridge was not long enough to span the wider road.

See photos below.  The new bridge is wider than the old one.  There is still a little work to complete on the approaches and landscaping as well as the removal of the old bridge.

Approaching the new W&OD bridge from the east

Approaching the new W&OD trail from the west

The new bridge (looking west) being used.  Note the 12-foot width.

The partially deconstructed old bridge

As an aside, I was told that VDOT offered the old bridge to Arlington County.  Although staff at the county identified a possibly beneficial location for the bridge, it was determined that by the time it was taken down, all that would be left would be a couple of long, steel supports that would be very difficult to move anyway.  So they declined.

Monday What's on the Web: Reconnecting America

Recommecting America is a web site dedicated to promoting, advocating for and improving Transit-Oriented Development.

This is how they describe their mission on their site:

Reconnecting America is a national non-profit organization that is working to integrate transportation systems and the communities they serve, with the goal of generating lasting public and private returns, improving economic and environmental efficiency, and giving consumers more housing and mobility choices.

Their sister site, the Center for Transit Oriented Development is focused more on that specific topic, but the two are interrelated.

I recommend joining to receive their daily updates, which link through to a tremendous number of articles related to this topic.  I learn something new almost every day.

Newly renovated Safeway at Willston Center in Fairfax County totally disses pedestrians

The Safeway in the Willston Center near Seven Corners in Fairfax County recently underwent a major renovation.  This renovation provides no access for pedestrians along the sidewalk in front of the store, forcing pedestrians to walk in the parking lot.

The new renovation is a vast improvement over the old Safeway store that was here.  It's bigger, newer, cleaner and includes a Starbucks Coffee.  Unfortunately, no one paid any attention to how the front of the store interacts with the parking lot and the sidewalk.  This Safeway is not a stand-alone store.  It is in a strip that contains a dozen other establishments.  It is also adjacent to and very near a large number of apartment buildings, and a significant number of users (myself included) can and do walk to this strip.  So it is not a suburban, car-only type of place, even though it has a large parking lot in front.  Although many users come to the Safeway, many also come to the other establishments, and if they wish to visit any that require them to pass by the Safeway (which is in the middle), they must walk into the parking lot to pass in front of the store.

Here are some photos to help explicate the situation.

The BB&T Bank is to the west (left) of the Safeway.  To walk past the Safeway to stores on the right, one must walk out into the parking lot

This narrow section of sidewalk is navigable without going into the parking lot, but there's not a lot of room.

The point where the trash can is located is the place where there is no sidewalk option available.  All pedestrians must walk out into the parking lot in order to pass this section.  Depending on where the cart storage  is, pedestrians may also be forced out at the left of the photo where the leaning sign is located.

This is just past the trash can.  The sidewalk is about 12 inches wide, but there is also a sign in the way.

Here's a look from the opposite angle.  The sign and trash can are visible on the left side of the photo.

This photo is also taken from the east.  The trash can is visible.  The BB&T Bank is beyond the Safeway

Fairfax County's zoning ordinance is hundreds and hundreds of pages. A search through the sections that deal with commercial retail properties like this shopping center resulted in virtually no mentions whatsoever of sidewalks or other pedestrian amenities.

The designers of this Safeway were therefore not required to give any consideration to pedestrians, which is obvious from the outcome. Only those who drive cars were considered in their design choices. Even those who drive here and may also want to go to the bank or to the dollar store nearby are forced to step out into the parking lot traffic in order to do so.

To his credit, when this problem was pointed out to the manager, he was surprised and concerned and expressed his opinion that this design would provide a disservice to his customers. Too bad they didn't ask him before they started.
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(cross posted on Greater Greater Washington)

Film Screening, Discussion and Advisory Committee Meeting on Monday, March 7 in Arlington

Wouldn't it be great to have the kind of bike facilities that can be found in many parts of Europe right here in the DC area?  Local jurisdictions like DC and Arlington are improving their facilities all the time, but there's still a long way to go.

Next Monday, March 7, the Arlington County Bicycle Advisory Committee will be hosting a film screening of the 2009 SCAN tour of Europe that was sponsored by AASHTO (the American Association of Highway and Transportation Officials), FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) and NCHRP (the National Cooperative Highway Research Program).

You are invited!  Please come, see the 45-minute film and participate in a follow up discussion afterward.  Here are the details:

Date:  Monday, March 7, 2011
Time: 6:30 PM - gathering & snacks; 7:00 PM - film screening; 8:00 PM - discussion
Location: Arlington Central Library - 1015 N. Quincy Street (map)

Who should come:  Everyone! Especially bicyclists, pedestrians, bicyclist wannabes, planners and those interested in transportation and urban design.  Feel free to RSVP at our Facebook event page; it will help us plan, but it's not necessary in order to attend.

Everyone is also invited to join the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee afterward, about 9:00, at Carpool for our regular monthly meeting.  Arlington BAC meetings are open to anyone, and all are welcome.

New Fairfax County Parkway Interchange Gives Peds and Bikes Short Shrift

Plans to rebuild two intersections along the Fairfax County Parkway at Fair Lakes Parkway and Monument Drive--adding ramps and interchanges--fail to make pedestrians or bicyclists welcome.

VDOT is planning to rebuild the intersections of the Fairfax County Parkway at Monument Drive and Fair Lakes Parkway (map). They will eliminate the intersections, replacing them with bridges and ramps. The detailed plan is available here (pdf, 9.3M). Robert Thompson discussed this project in an article in the Washington Post on Saturday, and details can also be found on the VDOT web site. It includes this language: "Shared-use paths and sidewalks will enhance pedestrian access at the interchange and to the Rocky Run Stream Valley Park trail system." Since I am not personally familiar with this area, it may be true that they are improving the current situation, but that would only be because it must be really bad now.

Although sidewalks and shared use paths are included in the project, this will be a dauntingly scary place to be either a cyclist or pedestrian. This is obvious from the artist's rendering of the project, in which it is virtually impossible to make out any pedestrian or bicycle infrastructure. The artist's rendering nicely details traffic flows, lanes and other automobile-related details. One can make out some sidewalks, but it's not at all clear how they are supposed to connect or how one could safely use them. The buildings in the lower left in the rendering are currently a Residence Inn. There is an office building shown on the lower right that one could probably hit with a golf ball from the Residence Inn. Although one could ostensibly walk from one to the other, it seems that the Fairfax County planners have not given much thought to actually making that a feasible option.

Looking at the detailed pdf graphic, it appears that pedestrians will be required to cross at least three slip lanes (one of them an acceleration slip lane) with no signals. They will also be required to walk under a 6-lane wide bridge next to eight lanes of traffic--a rather unpleasant experience one can imagine.

It's understood that VDOT is trying to make the Fairfax County Parkway more and more of a limited-access highway, and their goal is to move more cars at higher speeds and greater capacity than before--for better or worse. However, it's large projects like these that provide an opportunity to think more creatively about accommodating all modes. Particularly as bicycling is growing in popularity, it is important to create easier and safer ways of crossing barriers like these.

(This  post originally appeared on Greater Greater Washington, including more than 30 comments)

Monday What's on the Web: Street Films

Every Monday I highlight other bloggers or web contributors who are making important or interesting contributions to climate, sustainability, transportation or market transformation. Check back each week for another installment.

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Street Films is an awesome site filled with hundreds of videos related to the urban form--particularly transportation.  Based in New York, many of the films feature New York City, but one can find interesting perspectives from around the world.

They categorize their content under these topics:

• Bicycles
• Car-Free
• Cars & Parking
• Education
• Health & Safety
• Pedestrians
• Public Space
• Traffic Calming
• Transit

One of my favorites, which injects a good deal of humor and satire, is this one:

Seven Corners Pedestrian Bridge - One Year Later

The pedestrian bridge near Seven Corners in Fairfax County opened in May of 2009. Last year I posted twice regarding this feature (here and here).

I recently went back to visit and do another count of bridge users. Here are the results, along with the counts from 2009. Each of these represents one hour of counting during the middle of the day, and the weather was similarly pleasant on all three days.



Based on this simple count, it appears that traffic is about the same on the bridge, with roughly half the observed pedestrians and cyclists crossing at Patrick Henry. This seems sensible to me: the bridge would represent a long detour for many people whose destinations are closer to Patrick Henry Drive. For this count there was only one person who made the mad dash across Route 50. That is fewer than before, although my statistical sample is pretty small.

I find it surprising that few cyclists use the bridge. Perhaps more use it during commuting hours. My counts have been in the middle of the day.

Early problems with the bridge have been mostly resolved. The trash cans appear to be regularly emptied and the graffiti is almost all painted over. The biggest problem is that the stairwells are used by loiterers--presumably at night (they were not there while I was there). They leave behind beverage containers (alcoholic and non) and the stench of urine. For future designers, I might recommend a more open architecture that would allow visibility from all angles. The ramps, which are open, are nice and clean and feel safe. The stairwells, which are mostly closed in, have litter and feel a bit less comfortable--probably much more so at night.

All in all, this bridge is a worthwhile complement to the transportation infrastructure in the area. I use it myself, and find it to be quicker and safer than my previous alternatives. However, much more needs to be done. As with last year, the walking routes to and from the bridge are completely insufficient--essentially nonexistent. The crossings at Seven Corners itself need to be redesigned to accommodate pedestrians. The busy crossing at Patrick Henry is still dangerous. And of course, the entire area could use a long-term strategic plan, so that opportunities to improve it are not missed as various development and redevelopment occurs in the area.

(cross posted on Greater Greater Washington)

Transforming Transportation by Reprioritizing Trails

Here in the Washington region we have experienced record snowfall that has crippled our transportation systems. They are returning to normal. At the time of this post, it is eight days since the blizzard ended.

I live in Arlington County, which is supposedly the model TOD community: bicycle and pedestrian friendly, excellent transit service, smart land-use decisions, etc.  At bicycle advocacy meetings I hear that we are going to strive to move up from Silver to Gold designation from the League of American Bicyclists. However, not one flake of snow (now ice) has been removed from any of the key (and in some cases essential) ped/bike commuter corridors.

This part of the Custis Trail (which is likely one of the 10 most used bike commuter routes in America) has been redubbed the Custis luge.Because of how it is shaded, it will still have ice on it a month from now unless action is taken.

Arlington has a Car-Free Diet campaign that promotes Arlington as a place to live
without a car, because of all their supposed amenities and  infrastructure.  Yet  someone who lives in parts of Rosslyn  without a car has no--zero!--options for getting to the Metro (okay, taxicab; one).  What are they to do?  Walk on Lee Highway?  Risk injury on the Custis luge?

There are three sections of trail near Metro stations that provide Metro access to hundreds and hundreds of people.  As of the time of this writing, not one inch of those sections has been attended to in any way.  Because of the significant pedestrian use, those sections have now become glaciated skidways of treacherous ice.

The problem is that trail maintenance is housed in the Parks Department.  Rightfully, Parks tend to have lower priority than transportation.  Yet in the case of significant portions of Arlington trails, they function primarily as transportation facilities.  Trails that are used significantly for transportation should be treated as transportation infrastructure and prioritized as such.


View Larger Map
Recently Arlington installed counters along the trails, and they have documented the fact that a significant number of people are using the 4-Mile Run underpass at 395 for transportation; it's necessary for them to reach jobs in Shirlington.  Yet as far as the County is concerned, they may as well not exist.

In reality, if a small vehicle plow had been dispatched immediately after the snow stopped and before it was tramped down, it could have cleared a 5-foot wide path on the 17 miles of Arlington Loop plus the section from the Custis/WOD intersection to East Falls Church in 4-5 hours max.  At $100/hour, it would have cost under $500 total.  Three times this year so far, we're still looking at probably no more than $2000.  No salt or chemicals needed.  If you clear down to the pavement right away, it dries out on its own.  By now it would be totally usable.  (Some people have intelligently pointed out, if you clear 1/2 the trail, the other half remains for the skiers for much longer--everyone wins.)

If someone were to try to clear the Rosslyn part of the Custis now, it will take many hours and big-time treatment, costing thousands of dollars.  Clearing all the trails would take days.  I can hear the whine already, "We doe-on't have the muh-uhny to do it."

A few years ago I was in New York a couple of days after a large snowstorm.  I stayed on the west side near Ground Zero.  I could see the Hudson River Greenway totally cleared as far as I could see, and one cyclist I talked to said it was cleared all the way up.  The streets were still a mess.  Somehow NY has figured out a way to prioritize that route for the thousands of peds and cyclists who are dependent on it.

When the George Washington and Rock Creek Parkways were built, they were primarily envisaged as "recreational" facilities--intended for people to tool along and enjoy the scenery.  Their function has changed.  Imagine if commuters were told that those roads were not going to be cleared, because they are "Parkways" rather than "highways," so they are not really transportation corridors, but recreational.  That's essentially what pedestrians and cyclists are being told about their "trails."  They are recreational facilities, not transportation corridors, so they don't get tended to until everything else is done, and then only if there is money enough left.

It is past time for communities to re-prioritize their thinking about transportation to include all the amenities, not just the roads and transit facilities.  Pedestrian and trail facilities should be included in transportation budgets--not parks or other lower priority budgets.

Blocked Links Prevent Easy Travel for Pedestrians

As urban form is created, through development, redevelopment, zoning decisions, new buildings, and other changes made to the landscape, opportunities to allow for easier pedestrian travel are often missed. Sometimes they are deliberately blocked for seemingly irrational or no reasons. Often developments are built with fences on several sides without any thought of whether it might be good to encourage people to connect through the sides or backs of property.

This map

View Pedestrian Links near Baileys Crossroads in a larger map
shows a location near Bailey's Crossroads almost right on the border between Arlington and Fairfax Counties. The end of Forest Drive almost touches the parking lot of the apartment building on Jefferson Street (although it's at a somewhat higher elevation). The building, instead of installing a staircase that would allow neighborhood people to easily walk from the neighborhood to the shops on Jefferson St., including the Giant Food and Starbucks, blocked it with a fence (see two photos). In the same way, the fence prevents residents of the apartment building from being able to walk around the neighborhood, say to walk their dog or just for enjoyment.

I wonder: who is afraid of whom? Is that apartment building afraid of the neighborhood people? Well, the complex is wide open to Jefferson St.; anyone can just walk in from that side. Are people on one side dangerous and the others not? Or are the neighborhood people afraid that having a link here would allow undesirables into their neighborhood? I can partially see that point of view, although without this pedestrian option, getting to Starbucks requires driving out onto Route 7, which is a royal pain in the neck. Maybe it never occurs to them that they could conceivably walk there if it weren't for this fence.

Just a couple of blocks away, there is a perfect example of just the opposite. It's noted on the above map. Here's a photo of a pedestrian pass-through built into the fence, allowing the apartment complex residents easy access to the nearby shops. This is a really good idea, which I think is probably strongly supported by both the shops and the residents.

I've noted this missed opportunity out in Tysons Corner. Here a large office building abuts a set of shops, but not near the front, but along the side of the building and the back of the shops. This map shows where office workers have worn a path between their building and the shops, which is actually down a steep hill. It also shows how making the same trip via sidewalk (or car) is more than 1/2 mile.


View 2070 Chain Bridge Road Path to Shops in a larger map

It's easy to see that both the office owners and the shop owners would benefit from having this link put in. The office workers would have easy access to more lunch options and services and the shops and restaurants would have a larger market. It's a no brainer, but I suspect no brains have given it any thought.

There are certainly thousands of these small linkages that could be unblocked or created. Each one might open up pedestrian opportunities to a few people or a few score of people. But all multiplied together one could imagine literally thousands of short car trips being eliminated and quality of life for those people improved.

Seven Corners Pedestrian Bridge follow up

This is a follow up to the May 19 post that generated a great discussion on GreaterGreater Washington (see post and comments here). I attended the ribbon cutting on May 20 and subsequently collected data on two occasions.

I learned at the ribbon cutting that original discussions about a pedestrian overpass in this vicinity began as long ago as 25 years. I also learned that the "all in" costs, including engineering, design, etc. for the bridge was about $8 million, which is a lot more than what I reported in the original post (which may have just been construction costs; I don't know). I also met Penny Gross, the local politician who was instrumental in maintaining pressure on the county to get this bridge completed.

I had a conversation with the Pedestrian Program Manager for Fairfax County and pointed out some of the improvements I thought would make the facility more useful. He was very interested in hearing my point of view and seemed genuinely interested in improving pedestrian experience in Fairfax.

One key improvement that is needed is improving how pedestrians get from the bridge to the stores. Here are two photos: the first is the sidewalk if you take the stairs and the second is the sidewalk if you take the ramp. Both just end abruptly with the Starbucks and B&N beckoning across the lot.


Despite the fact that this area is quite unfriendly to pedestrians, it actually has a lot of pedestrian use. Here are the statistics I gathered on two different dates: Thursday, May 21 from 10:05 to 11:05 AM and Tuesday, June 16 from 1:30 to 2:30 PM. Both days were excellent weather with temps in the 70's.(Caveats about these data are at the end of the post)

In both cases there were more users at the Patrick Henry crossing than on the bridge itself, underscoring the continuing need to make that intersection safe and pleasant for pedestrians. I was surprised that no cyclists used the bridge. It may be that it is still early and they may not be aware. It will be interesting to follow up a year from now.

I also learned from the Pedestrian Program Manager that the county has plans to add signals and crosswalks at Seven Corners itself, which would be a definite improvement to the worn footpaths and crossing-fingers-that-the-light-is-red situation that exists there now.

The people who made the "Mad Dash" across Route 50 did so in three locations: 6 of them crossed between the bridge and Seven Corners; 2 crossed between the bridge and Patrick Henry and 2 crossed 50 yards or so east of Patrick Henry.

The bridge will, of course, require maintenance, and hopefully the county has budgeted for that. Already the bridge has become a magnet for graffiti; I took some photos.

I also noted this overflowing trash receptacle. Over time, if the facility is allowed to become run down, some people will choose not to use it any more. After only a month, this one seems to already be neglected.

During my May 21 data gathering hour, I had conversations with a few bridge users:
- A gentleman carrying a batch of Starbucks coffee (presumably for himself and coworkers) who said he lives in the area. Was skeptical while it was being built but now he really likes it. Admitted to making the mad dash on many occasions, but said he won't need to anymore.
- A mother walking with a young child going to story hour at Barnes and Noble. Used to cross at Seven Corners but now thinks the bridge is a much better option. Never dashed in the past.
- Long-time resident was aware of the numerous pedestrian deaths at this location. Generally pleased with the bridge. Declined to comment when I asked if he had made the mad dash in the past.
- A gentleman from outside the area who had parked in the nearby lot and was just checking the bridge out for curiosity's sake.
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Caveats on table data:
Data was gathered while sitting on the bridge. Accuracy as follows:
Bridge users: 100% accurate
PH Drive: Likely undercounted by 10-20% due to distance and sight line. Better data on second date due to learning curve.
Seven Corners: Likely undercounted by a lot due to sightline and inability to see parts of the crossing area
Mad Dash: 100% accurate; no way anyone could cross without being seen.

Rethinking Trail Signage

Not long ago my sister from Los Angeles was visiting me in Arlington VA, and wanted walking directions to a coffee shop. She didn't mind taking a longer walk, so I recommended one about 2.5 miles away that she would enjoy. The shortest and most pleasant way to walk there included sections of bike trails. I found that giving her directions to be really difficult. Everything had to be described in great detail ("After about 600 yards you'll pass under a street overpass. Then I think the next trail off to your right is the one you want. I'm not sure there's a sign, but look to your left and you'll see a marshy area.") Eventually I printed out an Internet map for her to take with her.

Anytime I have tried to give people directions to my house via the trail (which is the easiest way to get to my house from the Metro), I find it challenging to describe where they exit the trail to get to my street. Once on the streets, though, it's easy, because there are street signs at every corner. Once, in fact, I gave my wife directions to a friend's house. Once on the trail, though, one of my descriptions was not quite accurate and she got nervous she was going the wrong way. So she bailed out and walked on the streets, which added about a 1/2 mile to her walk but gave her confidence she knew she was in the right place.

Pedestrian Improvements in Greater Washington

It's almost done; ribbon cutting is scheduled for May 20. Even before I moved to a part of Arlington that is not far from Seven Corners, I was aware of the significant number of pedestrian deaths that were occurring along the stretch of Route 50 (Arlington Boulevard) near Patrick Henry Drive and Seven Corners (right by the Home Depot to point out a familiar landmark). It is the deadliest intersection in all of Fairfax County, accounting for approximately 25% of all pedestrian fatalities in the county: on average 2-4 per year. The county has known this is a problem area since at least 1987. I don't have the statistics, but extrapolating from known numbers, more than 50 pedestrians may have been killed here in the last 20 years. Here's a map of the area (one detail: the actual location of the bridge is somewhat west of what is shown. This is taken from the official VDOT site).

Creating separate pedestrian facilities is often not the best solution. What I, and many progressive urban planners believe is better, is to make our streets and roads more accessible, safer and more usable for all users: pedestrians, cyclists, Segway riders, and cars. Sometimes planners will create a poorly designed or planned pedestrian facility that will then "relieve" them of their responsibility to think more holistically about the interactions of road users. I agree with this viewpoint, but in this case, the pedestrian bridge at Seven Corners is a big, big improvement, and probably is the only reasonably safe enhancement that can be implemented in the short term. It also is located where pedestrians have generally wanted to cross and where many have been injured or killed.

Prior to the construction of this bridge, the only possible crossing points were at Patrick Henry Drive (not all that safe either: pedestrians have been killed in the crosswalk; the county has improved this crossing in the last couple years, but it's still a 6-lane highway) and Cherry Street, a distance of 1.3 miles from each other. Although one could cross at the Seven Corners overpasses, it requires a brave and fleet person to do so. There are no actual pedestrian facilities like sidewalks or lights there. So crossing at either Patrick Henry or Cherry St. requires a very long schlep, thus many people choose to make the mad dash across Route 50. For years the county tried to force pedestrians to the crossing at Patrick Henry rather than find a safe solution to their need to cross closer to their destinations.

There are homes, apartments and significant commerce on both sides of the highway, so there are lots of reasons for people to cross. One would think that the businesses would have an interest in making it easier for people to reach their establishments, too. I do not know if they were engaged in the project, though. On more than one occasion I have been in the Sunflower Restaurant looking out at the Guitar Center, seemingly close enough to touch--or at least hit with a golf ball. I measured with Google, and it's about 200 yards, so a golfer could conceivably hit one onto the Guitar Center roof from the restaurant. However, if I wanted to walk there, I could not do it. Impossible. Perhaps one could walk down Route 7 to Patrick Henry, cross there and go back up, a distance of 1.2 miles. I'm not sure there are sidewalks along this entire route, though.

By the new bridge, this distance is now still about 1/2 mile, but considerably more direct, doable and obvious to potential pedestrians.

So all in all, I believe this is a significant improvement. However, the county needs to continue to improve this area as well as the entire length of Route 50 inside the Beltway, where usable pedestrian crossings are few and far between. Here are my thoughts about this project:

- Way, way overdue, as mentioned above.
- It took a long time. This project was started in the fall of 2007. Originally it was supposed to be complete last November. Unfortunately, the original truss that was delivered was cracked, which caused a several-months delay.
- Why does the north side empty out inside the frontage road, so people still have to cross another lane of traffic to get to the sidewalk (see photos)? If the frontage road had been shifted a little southward, the bridge would need to be somewhat longer, but not much. They completely rebuilt this entire area, so it could have been designed that way. I often wonder why--when we're building a piece of infrastructure that will be there for 40 years or more--that more thought isn't put into these details.
- Pedestrian access on both sides needs to be addressed now that the bridge is complete. Completing well designed sidewalks and creating pedestrian access to cross the parking lots will make the bridge much more usable.
- There are still way too few ways to cross in this 1.3 mile stretch. Seven Corners itself needs to be rethought and redesigned to accommodate other road users besides cars (and it doesn't even do a very good job with those!) [Update: I learned at the ribbon cutting that this will happen in a couple of years.]
- It probably cost too much (I've read $2.6 million) [Update: I learned at the ribbon cutting that total costs were more like $8 million!]. Although it appears to be an excellent facility, Fairfax County is not known for its willingness to invest in bike/ped facilities. I suspect that the next time someone suggests an improvement, the county will say, "But that one at Seven Corners cost so much; we can't afford to spend that kind of money willy nilly on pedestrians."

I've also included a number of photos below, which you can expand by clicking. There's also a great article in the Falls Church News Press by Penny Gross describing the placement of the main bridge section a couple of weeks ago.

Taken in February from the Barnes & Noble parking lot prior to installation of the bridge (click to enlarge)

Looking east from Seven Corners. Home Depot is behind the bridge to the right (click to enlarge).

Looking West along Route 50. You can see the ramp pedestrians will come down and then have to cross the frontage road on the right to get to the sidewalk. Dumb. (Click to enlarge)

At the top of the ramp looking south across the bridge. Still a little work being finished up.

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(Cross posted with lots of comments on GreaterGreaterWashington)