Vienna Metro Station Area Bicycle Access Study

County of Fairfax, Virginia

Department of Transportation

Vienna Metro Station AreaBicycle Access Study

Improving non-motorized connections to the Vienna-GMU-Fairfax Metro Station

Adam LindFairfax County Department of Transportation

March 16, 2016


Agenda• Background on project• Study Approach• Candidate Treatments

– Selection Criteria– Options by roadway segment

• Next steps

Department of Transportation 2

FHWA



Background• Fairfax County awarded a Transportation and

Land Use Connections (TLC) grant from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG)

• TLC grants provide technical assistance to support local government to improve transportation and land use coordination


Study Area


• Sutton Road• Courthouse Road to Blake

Lane

• Virginia Center Blvd/Country Creek Road

• Nutley Street to Sutton Road

• Nutley Street• Courthouse Road to

Virginia Center Boulevard


Why here? Why now?• 2014: Fairfax County funds $1 million for bicycle

improvements around the Vienna Metro station as part of $1.4 billion Transportation Priorities Plan

• 2015: VDOT announces “Transform 66” plan which aims to add capacity to I-66 corridor

• 2015: Fairfax County DOT works with community and VDOT to include parallel trail in “Transform 66” project


Flickr: M.V. Jantzen


Study Approach• Gather public input on existing conditions and safety

concerns for bicyclists in area• Analyze safety and operational conditions for

bicyclists• Identify candidate bicycle treatments for study

corridors• Develop typical cross-sections for candidate

treatments



Study Approach• 1st Public Meeting: March 2nd

– Focused on existing conditions, gather input from community on routes, trouble spots, desired bicycle infrastructure

• Pop up outreach: April 5th

– Two teams at Vienna Metro to intercept commuters and get feedback on bicycling in the area. Over 60 responses



Candidate Treatments• Selection Criteria

– Safety• Metrics: Bicycle Level of Service and Bicycle Intersection Safety

Index

– Connectivity • Vienna Metro Station and I-66 Trail

– Cost• Minimize need for Right of Way acquisition or utility relocation

– Operations• Minimize impact to existing traffic operations

– Public Input



Safety Analysis• Bicycle Level of Service and Bicycle Intersection Safety

Index– Bicycle Level of Service (BLOS) analyzes the level of

service (graded from highest "A" to lowest "F") on roadway segments;

• Variables Include: *Average effective width of the outside through lane *Motorized vehicle volumes *Motorized vehicle speeds *Heavy truck volumes *Pavement condition



Safety Analysis• Bicycle Level of Service and Bicycle Intersection

Safety Index– The Bicycle Intersection Safety Index (Bike ISI) is a

model that produces a safety index score, with higher scores indicating a greater priority for an in-depth safety assessment.

• The index is determined by calculating a separate value for bicycle crash potential for each turning movement at an intersection. The index is based on existing conditions and is a function of traffic speed, traffic volume, roadway width, traffic control, and other intersection conditions.



Safety Analysis



Candidate Treatments• Bicycle Level of Service and Bicycle Intersection

Safety Index - Results– Bicycle Level of Service:

• Almost all segments rated E (A-F scale)• Intersections rated D/E for bicyclists• Only looks at on road portion: No existing on road

infrastructure on any of these streets

– Bicycle Intersection Safety Index• Evaluated 201 turning movements at 19 intersections• Nearly all rated as low to moderate risk



Candidate Treatments


Signed Route

Buffered Bike Lane

Sharrows Bike Lane

Shared Use PathProtected Bike Lane


Candidate Treatments• Treatments identified for 5 roadway segments

– Segment #1: Sutton Road – Chain Bridge Rd to Country Creek Rd

– Segment #2: Sutton Road – Country Creek Rd to Blake Lane

– Segment #3: Country Creek Road – Sutton Rd to Vaden Dr

– Segment #4: Virginia Center Boulevard – Vaden Dr to Nutley St

– Segment #5: Nutley Street – Virginia Center Blvd to Courthouse Rd

• Segments are part of a single network, but treatments can be selected discretely



Candidate Treatments


11

22

3344

55


Segment #1: Sutton Road between Chain Bridge Road and Country Creek Road

Option A: On-road bike lanes south of Oleander Ave. and sharrows north of Oleander Ave

Option B: Off-road shared-use path on east side of road



Segment #1: Sutton Road between Chain Bridge Road and Country Creek Road (Option A)



Segment #1: Sutton Road between Chain Bridge Road and Country Creek Road (Option A)



Segment #1: Sutton Road between Chain Bridge Road and Country Creek Road (Option B)


Shared Use Path


Segment #1: Sutton Road between Chain Bridge Road and Country Creek Road (Option B)


Shared Use Path


Candidate TreatmentsSegment #2: Sutton Road between Country Creek Road and Blake Lane

–Option A: Off-road shared-use path on east/south side of road

–Option B: Off-road shared-use path on west/north side of road



Segment #2: Sutton Road between Country Creek Road and Blake Lane (Option A)


Shared Use Path


Segment #2: Sutton Road between Country Creek Road and Blake Lane (Option B)


Shared Use Path


Candidate TreatmentsSegment #3: Country Creek Road between Sutton Road and Vaden Drive

–Option A: Road diet with buffered/protected bike lanes; retain on-street parking

–Option B: Road diet with buffered/protected bike lanes; eliminate on-street parking



Segment #3: Country Creek Road between Sutton Road and Vaden Drive (Option A)


*Retains parking only between Vaden Dr and Shawn Leigh Drive


Segment #3: Country Creek Road between Sutton Road and Vaden Drive (Option B)


*Removes parking between Vaden Dr and Shawn Leigh Drive


Candidate TreatmentsSegment #4: Virginia Center Boulevard between Vaden Drive and Nutley Street

–All options have off-road bidirectional protected bike lane between Metro Station and I-66 Trail

–Option A: Eastbound buffered/protected bike lane between I-66 Trail connection and Nutley Street; westbound buffered/protected bike lane for full segment; extensive median reconfiguration

–Option B: Off-road bidirectional shared use path continues from I-66 Trail connection to Nutley Street



Segment #4: Virginia Center Boulevard between Vaden Drive and Nutley Street (All Options)


2-Way Protected Bike Lane


Segment #4: Virginia Center Boulevard between Vaden Drive and Nutley Street (Option A)

Department of Transportation 29 Concrete or Painted

Median – Width Varies


Segment #4: Virginia Center Boulevard between Vaden Drive and Nutley Street (Option B)


Shared Use Path

B


Candidate TreatmentsSegment #5: Nutley Street between Virginia Center Boulevard and Courthouse Road

–Option A: Off-road bidirectional shared-use path on west side of road



Segment #5: Nutley Street between Virginia Center Boulevard and Courthouse Road


Shared Use Path


Next Steps

• Incorporate feedback from public meeting• Finalize priority rankings • Identify preferred alternative• Develop preliminary design plans• Develop cost estimates for preferred

alternative



Feedback & Contact Information

• Continue to provide feedback throughout the study-Study Ends June 30th

• Visit study webpage at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/viennametrobikestudy.htm

• Contact Adam Lind, Bicycle Program Coordinator, [email protected]


http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/viennametrobikestudy.htm

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/viennametrobikestudy.htm

mailto:[email protected]

News & Politics

Vienna Metro Station Area Bicycle Access Study