Crystal City Potomac Yard TransitwayEnforcement Ordinance & Construction Update

December 2015

Project Purpose• Provide high-capacity, high-quality transit

service

• Support redevelopment in Crystal City and in Potomac Yard in Alexandria and Arlington

• Extend the reach of the Metrorail system

Scope (Arlington project)• 0.75 miles of new transit-only roadway

• 1.5 miles of on-street dedicated transit lanes

• 7 transit stations (3 bi-directional)

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Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway

TRANSITWAY ORDINANCE

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Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway

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Crystal City Potomac Yard TransitwayEnforcement Ordinance Timeline

• Request to Advertise the enforcement ordinance will be heard at the December 15 County Board meeting

• If the Board approves the RTA, ordinance hearing and enactment will be scheduled for the January 23/26 County Board meeting

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Crystal City Potomac Yard TransitwayEnforcement Ordinance

The proposed Transitway enforcement ordinance:

• Establishes the exclusive and dedicated lanes for transit

• Sets the times of day for transit-only operation of the dedicated lanes

• Defines the vehicles allowed to use the transit-only lanes as transit vehicles and emergency vehicles

• Allows automobile drivers to enter the on-street dedicated lanes for the purpose of making a turn at the next intersection or driveway

• Establishes a $200 fine for violating the transit-only lane use prohibitions

• Makes changes to the fare evasion provision to allow for future off-board fare collection

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Crystal City Potomac Yard TransitwayEnforcement Ordinance

• Proposed wording change in response to community input:Vehicles entering the Transitway to make a turn may only enter the Transitway where a dashed pavement marking separates the Transitway from the adjacent general purpose lane, unless safety dictates entering the Transitway earlier. In no event shall the driver of the vehicle: (1) use the Transitway to by-pass traffic congestion in the general purpose lane, (2) travel through the approaching intersection and not turn right, or (3) obstruct the operation of the Transitway buses outside the dashed markings.

• Original hours of transit-only dedication:

• 5 – 10 a.m. and 3 – 8 p.m. (10 hours)

• Revised hours of transit-only dedication:

• 6 – 9 a.m. and 3:30 – 7 p.m. (6.5 hours)

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Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway

o r i g i n a l p r o p o s a l o r i g i n a l p r o p o s a lrevised proposal revised proposal

Topic County ActionProject and ordinance background

Presented to community and updated County website with additional project history

Hours of transitdedication

Proposed peak period bus-only lane hours to coincide with peak bus service levels

Access to bus-only lane

Presented to community and updated County website with information about signs and pavement markings

Right-hand turns Updated proposed ordinance language to clarify use of transit lane for right turns

Left-hand turns Re-striped Crystal Drive with center left turn lane to allow left turns without blocking through lane

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Crystal City Potomac Yard TransitwayFollow Up on Community Concerns

Topic County Action

Truckdeliveries

Developed plan for additional loading zones on Crystal Drive to serve commercial properties

Bike riders Re-striped Crystal Drive maintaining northbound and southbound bike lanes

Paving and striping of Crystal Drive

Completed re-paving and re-striping of Crystal Drive in October in time for Marine Corps Marathon

Education, enforcement,and evaluation

As presented at the October community meeting:• Education will begin at least two months leading up to

opening – and will continue past opening • Police officers will be educated to observe and correct

improper behavior• Committed to evaluating performance once in operation;

tools already in place; quarterly updates at BID9

Crystal City Potomac Yard TransitwayFollow Up on Community Concerns

Broad-based outreach for Transitway operations• For at least two months leading up to Transitway opening

and continuing after opening• Activities to include:

– Partnering with Crystal City Civic Association and BID– Website, social media– E-newsletters– Flyers and brochures– Postcard mailing– Street teams at neighborhood events– Commuter Stores– Arlington Transportation Partners outreach to businesses,

residential properties 10

Pre-Start Up Communications & Outreach

Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway

Next steps

• Work with our contractor and Metro operations staff to identify a firm start date

• Develop additional educational materials with more specific information about how the Transitway will operate

• Distribute materials following the plan on the prior slide

• Complete signing and pavement marking installation

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Pre-Start Up Communications & Outreach

Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway

Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway

• Arlington Police will assist in the Transitway education program and work with the community to make this partnership a success.

– Officers will be educated to observe and correct improper behavior.

– Increased enforcement will be triggered when bus drivers report that their on-time performance is off due to bus lane violators.

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Post-Start Up Enforcement

Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway

County will actively monitor Transitway operations through:

– Traffic counts (pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles)• 24hr. mid-block counts• Permanent count stations

– Transit metrics - Bus ridership, on-time performance– Parking occupancy data– CCTV traffic monitoring at signalized intersections

As the above data streams become publicly available, County will inform people how to access them

County will also provide updates at ongoing Crystal City BID quarterly transportation briefings

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Ongoing Operations Evaluation

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

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Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway

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Crystal City Potomac Yard TransitwayProgress

Crystal Drive near Station B

Transitway near 27th St

Remaining Work

Finish bricks at Station D

Install shelters at Stations F and G

Install windscreens

Install real-time information displays

Fabricate and install public art

Install roof deck

Fabricate and install roof panels

Complete pavement markings on transit lanes

Complete sign installation

Final placement of street furniture

Print and install maps and schedules

Testing and acceptance

Station F Station D

Station G

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Crystal City Potomac Yard TransitwaySchedule Changes

At start of construction Now Reasons

NTP 3/18/14

Spring 2016

Spring 2015

NTP 3/18/14 Delay in VDOT permit

Delay in building permit

Winter & Spring weather delays

Underground obstructions at Stations A, E, & G

Unknown dry utilities

Roof material supplier issue

Soils conditions at Stations D & F

Roof re-design

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Crystal City Potomac Yard TransitwayScope changes: example images

Station D

Station G

Station C

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Crystal City Potomac Yard TransitwayScope Changes

At start of construction Now ReasonsTwo construct-in-place shelters at Station D

One construct-in-place shelter at Station D

Reduced soil remediationAvoid underground utility obstructionGeneral cost reduction

Construct-in-place shelters at Stations F and G

Prefabricated shelters at Stations F and G

Poor soils too costly to remediateLower expected ridershipFuture realignment of Clark Street

Light poles at Stations F and G Shelter-mounted lighting at Stations F and G

General cost reduction

Retaining walls at Stations D and F

Eliminated retaining walls at Stations D and F

Poor soilsGeneral cost reduction

Translucent, polycarbonate roof panels at all stations

Standing seam metal roofs at all stations (except Stations F & G)

Unable to identify suitablesupplier for specified materialAlternate translucent option identified were too costly

Signing and pavement marking fabricated and installed under GC contract

Signing and pavement marking fabricated and installed by County crews

General cost reduction

Safe construction zones• Travel lanes and sidewalks have been closed for the protection of the traveling

public as well as construction workers

• Access to businesses has been maintained to the greatest extent possible through construction

• Closures have been removed as soon as it has been safe and practical to do so

• Closures will be reinstated from time to time as additional construction work demands

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Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway

Summary• The CCPY Transitway will provide higher capacity, faster, and more reliable

transit service connecting Crystal City, Potomac Yard, Pentagon City, and Braddock Road

• Project is expected to be completed in the Spring on-budget

• Even with the necessary scope changes the original intent of the project will be fully met

• We regret the delays, but difficult choices have been made and those choices affected the schedule

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Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway

The community has expressed concerns about people riding bicycles on sidewalks in Crystal City, particularly near the Water Park. Staff have heard the concerns and have developed the following sequence of actions to address:• Staff propose to improve signage at the Mount Vernon Trail connection

• Staff propose to install a curb ramp to improve the link between the on-street bike lanes on Crystal Drive and the Mount Vernon Trail connection

• If the above actions are not successful, staff would endeavor to craft an exception to current policy regarding riding bicycles on sidewalks, for Manager and Board consideration, with or without a recommendation

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Related Issues

Staff propose to create time-of-day loading zones along the west side of Crystal Drive• Work orders finalized this week

• Initiates sign fabrication and scheduling crews

• Timeline for installation: 6 to 8 weeks

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Related Issues

Thank you

Visit the County website: www.arlingtonva.us and search for “Transitway”

December 2015

Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway