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Arlington,
Virginia 22207
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Appendix
D. Arlington Bicycle Lane Network REVISED Objective Summary Definition
Classification
of Arterial Roadways CATEGORY 1A: These roadways generally have adequate extra width (curb to curb) to permit the installation of bike lanes in the near future and at minimum cost. Some existing lane markings may be shifted to accommodate the new bike lanes, but the travel lanes would not change in number for the establishment of bike lanes on Category 1A roads. Specific designs may lead in some cases to the need for incidental construction, parking control and the use of unmarked lanes (with Share-the-Road signs) in some sections. CATEGORY 1B: These roadways have adequate width (curb to curb) to install bike lanes, but only if the number of travel or parking lanes devoted to motorized vehicles are reduced in number or reduced, non-standard lane widths are used. On these streets, the roadway capacity far exceeds the volume of motorized traffic likely to use the roadway for the foreseeable future. On these roads, one or two lanes would be removed and the space devoted instead to bicycle lanes and perhaps also to increased curbside parking, turn lanes and additional roadside greenspace. The lane reductions are to be specified in the Master Transportation Plan - Part I. Incidental construction, parking control and unmarked lane segments may be desirable in some cases. CATEGORY 2: These roads have inadequate existing roadway width to accommodate the current volume of motorized vehicles and provide for the addition of bike lanes. In some cases sufficient street right-of-way exists but the actual curb-to-curb width is too narrow to accommodate the needed motor vehicle traffic and bicycle lanes. In other cases the full right-of-way is in use, and there is thus little likelihood of future installation of bike lanes or additional motorized traffic lanes. Installation of bike lanes on Category 2 roads would be significantly more expensive than on Category 1A and 1B roadways. The bicycle lane network designated in this appendix is more extensive than the eight street segments designated already in the 1994 Bicycle Transportation Plan for Bicycle Lanes/Wide Curb Lanes. The bike lane network includes the lanes and routes designated in the 1994 Plan for the RF&P Trail (number 21), Fairfax Drive (number 24), Lee Highway (number 25), N. Quincy Street (part of number 27), N. Veitch Street (number 29), S. Eads Street (number 30), N. McKinley/Ohio Street (number 31), Nelly Custis Drive & Military Road (number 33), Williamsburg Boulevard (number 34) and Patrick Henry Drive (number 35). Direction One of the Category 2 roadways most in need of bikeway facilities is Columbia Pike. Until such time as there is adequate right of way space on that arterial to accommodate bike lanes, bicyclists should be encouraged to use bike routes on parallel neighborhood streets to the north and south of Columbia Pike. Some segments of the parallel bike routes have already been signed by the County. Other improvements and extensions of the parallel bike routes are needed to increase their utility.
Establishment of a viable network of bicycle lanes depends upon the proper design and construction of the lanes. Arlington County's bike lanes should be designed and implemented in accordance with the Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities (1999) published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Bike lane widths should be determined in accordance with the AASHTO Guide standards (pp. 22-30). Where feasible, bicycle lanes adjacent to seven-foot-wide parking lanes should be made six-feet-wide, or the parking lane widened, to provide greater separation between bicyclists and parked vehicles. In any case where there is insufficient width on a section of the arterial road to allow a bike lane meeting the AASHTO guidelines, various alternative design treatments need to be examined to determine what should be installed in that section. A lane section not meeting the full AASHTO guidelines may be considered if the large majority of the bike lane length along the arterial meets the AASHTO guidelines. Alternatively, it may be more appropriate to have wide shared-use lanes on relatively short segments of a Category 1 arterial that lacks the width to allow a full bike lane in each direction. All measures will be reviewed by the Bicycle Advisory Committee before installation on a particular roadway.
Design of bike lanes at intersections and at points where there are marked right turn lanes for motorized traffic will be based generally on the AASHTO Guide (pp. 25-30). Safety considerations will be paramount in the design at these locations. Signage along bike lanes should inform users of nearby points of interest to the public, such as libraries, schools, and Metro stations. The signs should also indicate the distance to those points of interest. As appropriate, signs stating "Bike Lane Begins" and "Bike Lane Ends" should be installed at the ends of the bike lanes. Signage should note where the route intersects with any other designated bike routes or bike lanes in the County.
Regular usage by the public of bike lanes depends upon their proper maintenance and upkeep. Since bike lanes are for the exclusive use of cyclists, they tend to accumulate dirt and other debris due to the overall traffic along the arterial. This area is not "swept" by the wind and tires of passing motorized vehicles-unlike roadway space that is "shared" by both motorized vehicles and bicycles. Thus, the County maintenance crews must regularly clean bike lanes. All bicycle lanes on arterial roadways should be swept regularly by County crews to ensure that those lanes are kept free of debris. Regular sweeping will be determined by observation and weather conditions, but should be at least six times per year. A County crew should also be available to respond at quick notice when broken glass or other damaging materials are reported in bicycle lanes. Particular effort is needed in winter months due to the frequent application of sand and salt during snowy and icy weather. When snow is plowed off streets, care must be taken to clear the bicycle lanes. All bicycle lanes should be swept soon after snow on the street has melted. Otherwise, sand placed on the roadway during snowy and icy conditions will accumulate in the bike lanes, creating a safety hazard for bicyclists. Knowledgeable riders will understandably avoid the lanes until they have been cleaned of sand. If a roadway with a bike lane is temporarily narrowed due to utility or other infrastructure maintenance or due to nearby construction, the needs of the cyclists along that route should be considered in how to handle traffic. Appropriate signage addressing bike lane users should be installed for the duration of the work. County crews should also smoothly patch and quickly restore the pavement and bicycle lane markings that are disturbed as part of utility repairs and other street work. Under Section 14.2-65(f) of the County Code, it is illegal for vehicles to park in bicycle lanes where the County Board has, by ordinance, designated a bicycle lane for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons parking motor vehicles in such bicycle lanes should be cited for violations of the ordinance. Table A - Category 1A Streets Proposed for Implementation of Bike Lanes Category 1A Streets Approx. length 1. McKinley Rd/N.
Ohio St (Wilson Blvd - Washington Blvd) 5,250' Table B -- Category 1B Streets Proposed for Implementation of Bike Lanes Category 1B Streets Approx. length 24. Williamsburg
Blvd (Westmoreland St - Glebe Rd) 13,000' Total 36,750 feet
= 7.0 miles
Lane reductions:
Parking lane reduction: S. Eads St (23rd to 18th St) Eliminate parking from east side Lane width reduction: Lee Highway (U.S. 29) (N. Kenmore St to Lynn St) Reduce lane widths to 10.5 feet
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Williamsburg
Civic Association
Arlington, VA 22207 |