18th Street S. Complete Street Improvements - Concept Design Engagement
18th Street S. Complete Street Improvements - Concept Design Engagement
The 18th Street S. Complete Street Improvements project is delivering multimodal transportation improvements to 18th Street S. between Crystal Drive and S. Bell Street. This project is also delivering a segment of the Crystal City Bike Network, making more trips possible by bike in Crystal City and beyond.
Welcome!
There are four parts to this public engagement opportunity for the 18th Street S. Complete Street Improvements project:
- Project Background and Goals
- Why this project? Why now? We answer these questions below.
- Concept Design
- See the proposed concept design and its features.
- Your Feedback on the Concept Design
- On this page, we have questions for you about your thoughts on the proposed concept design.
- Interactive Concept Map
- Here, you can add your own input, questions or comments on specific parts of the proposed concept design.
This engagement opportunity is open through Monday November 4, 2024. Your feedback will help finalize the plan, along with other available information, such as plan guidance and crash data.
Thank you for helping improve our projects to better meet your needs!
Questions? Comments? Email Nate Graham, Public Engagement Specialist for Transportation Projects at nsgraham@arlingtonva.us.
Project Background
This project was originally proposed following the adoption of the 2010 Crystal City Sector plan, which called for multimodal improvements to the street network in Crystal City. It was further developed during the Crystal City Bike Network (CCBN) planning process, where the County Board instructed transportation staff to develop a plan for delivering a network of bicycle facilities to make more trips by bike possible in Crystal City and beyond. The planning process developed an initial concept cross-section for this 1-block corridor as part of the network map.
Existing Conditions
- Two general travel lanes in each direction
- On-street shared lane markings
- No Street Parking on either side of the street
- Sidewalks on both sides of the street
- High pedestrian volumes to and from bus, metro, and regional rail travel
- Regional bus service facility also present
- Corridor is and has been by numerous construction projects in recent years
Project Goals
- Implement the recommendations of the Crystal City Bike Network (CCBN) plan to provide a comfortable east-west connection between Crystal Drive and S. Bell Street.
- Reduce pedestrian crossing distances throughout the corridor to improve connections with the new Metro Market Square Park
- Integrate the streetscape and park facilities with the Crystal City East Entrance to enhance multimodal transportation connectivity in Crystal City
Below: Image of the cross-section for the project corridor proposed in the Crystal City Bike Network final memo.
Project Basis
This project is included for funding in the adopted 2025-2034 Capital Improvement Program.
Planning guidance for this project comes from the following County Board-adopted plans and policies:
Master Transportation Plan
- Streets Element: the County's Complete Street Policy (Streets Element Policy #4.2) informs the scope of this project to improve safety for all road users, including people walking, biking, taking transit and driving
Vision Zero Action Plan
- The 2021 Vision Zero Action Plan calls on County Transportation staff to take a proactive approach to safety, to eliminate severe and fatal crashes from our transportation network by 2030
- Separating vulnerable road users (people walking and biking) from motor vehicle traffic is a core, effective tool for eliminating severe and fatal crashes before they occur.
Public Spaces Master Plan
- Priority Action 9.2.1.5 specifies that the County should "[c]reate safe routes to parks and other public spaces by filling gaps in sidewalks and trails that connect public spaces to neighborhoods, schools, transit stations and other County facilities"
Crystal City Sector Plan (2010)
- Recommendation 4.2.4 (Transportation) outlines the focus on complete streets for Crystal City, stating "[t]he County’s approach to achieving complete streets and a robust transit system will be applied to give greater priority to transit users, pedestrians and bicyclists."
- Action Item 18 calls for projects that "provide additional pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to public transit and the adjacent neighborhoods."
Crystal City Bike Network (CCBN)
- The CCBN final recommendations memo calls for this segment of 18th Street S. to include a buffered bike lane on the southern, east-bound side of the street, and a partially protected, partially buffered bike lane to be included on the northern, west-bound side of the street.
Additionally, this street will provide access to the new Metro Market Square Park as well as both the current and forthcoming entrances to the Crystal City MetroRail station.
More information is available on the project page.