Help us realize the future of Rosslyn's streets
Survey findings will help us prioritize improvements to some of our busiest intersections
If you live, work or play in Rosslyn, we need your input on how vehicles, buses, bikes and pedestrians can better use the street grid in the core of Rosslyn. Many people provided this input by taking a short survey we shared with them last week at two locations in Rosslyn.
Why are we doing this?
We're conducting this survey in partnership with Arlington County because we want the community's input on where we can make quick and easy short-term changes to Rosslyn intersections that will improve traffic and pedestrian flow. We also want to enhance safety, make the neighborhood more attractive, and make better use of "dead spaces," such as traffic islands.
Survey findings will also inform a long-term transportation study for Rosslyn that is considering more significant alterations to the street grid, such as making Lynn Street and North Fort Myer Drive two-way streets and making 18th Street pedestrian-only. The long-term transportation study is slated to begin in April 2017.
Why is this important?
This is an opportunity to participate directly in changing the design of Rosslyn's streets. If you live or work here, your firsthand, everyday knowledge of what it's like to get around in Rosslyn is extremely valuable to us.
"Our work ties in the with the Rosslyn Sector Plan, which aims to create an urban community where being active is simple," says Rosslyn BID Vice President Santya Lanman. "We want to make it pleasant to be here."
What kinds of changes can I expect to see?
We'll work with Arlington County to implement suggestions by fall 2017, so you'll see results quickly.
There are several ways we could improve the pedestrian experience in the short-term. For instance, we may shorten the distance one has to walk when crossing a wide street by installing temporary curb extensions. This is a technique that can enhance safety when pedestrians must contend with cars coming from several different directions.
We are also considering painting crosswalks in an artistic way. This would make our streets more attractive and more clearly delineate where a crosswalk is and where it connects to others.
Making these kinds of short-term changes to test long-term transportation and placemaking improvements (tactical urbanism) is easy and inexpensive, yet it can make a big difference in how you experience being out and about in Rosslyn.
We'll be examining Rosslyn's busiest intersections as part of this study and will prioritize changes to them based, in part, on survey feedback.
How else can I be involved?
On March 4, 2017, we'll be conducting an all-day community transportation workshop at Le Méridien Arlington where we'll dive a bit deeper into discussions of how we can improve our street grid. If this is something you're passionate about, or if you're just curious and want to be more involved in the neighborhood, please join us. The event is free to attend and breakfast and lunch are provided. Register here.