In 9 months the first train will pull into the four metro stations in Tysons. Through the past three years, since the day construction began, people have wondered how people would get from the stations to where they want to go. Fairfax County said that before opening day there would be significant pedestrian improvements to provide safe pathways for residents and commuters.
Unfortunately, during that three year span this city has seen less pedestrian projects than sprawl and highway projects. The number of new sidewalk paths are out numbered by the number of new highway on-ramps 4 to 1 within Tysons, with the lone major improvement being a sidewalk between Westpark Drive and Tysons 1, a measly 6 foot wide, unplanted concrete strip adjacent to the Express lane on-ramp.
So what happened? All of the sidewalk projects over the next 40 years combined will only account for $77 million in capital, so why has it taken so long to provide crosswalks and basic improvements? Should there be a ribbon cutting with each new 5′ concrete segment of sidewalk to encourage our leaders to support real benefits to residents?
This month we will discuss where there is an immediate safety concern for dangerous intersections and walk paths that need attention before the opening of Metro.
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Tysons will have four metro stations, and commuters and residents will select which station to use based on where they are trying to go. There will be four major watersheds when metro opens. One such divide will likely occur between International Drive and Park Run Drive, home to a few thousand residents.
One thing to keep in mind about these divides is that distance to metro is not the only deciding factor. While many residents along Park Run could choose to go to Spring Hill Station, closer by a tenth of a mile, more than likely they will choose to go to Tysons Metro. Tysons Metro is closer to the city; if your destination is Arlington or DC, then it makes more sense to use it rather than Spring Hill. Also 50% of the path to Tysons Metro (via Park Run) occurs through Tysons II, with its coffee shops and, more importantly, weather protected interior.
Within the Tysons Metro watershed there are two micro-sheds, splitting along International Drive and Park Run. Let’s assume that residents of Lillian Court (400 closest to International Drive) use International Drive primarily. That leaves 2500 residents who are possible metro users who will use Park Run Drive regardless of how good the pedestrian facilities are.
In other words, if it means a rain free and quicker metro ride, they will deal with any dangerous obstacles in the way.
Park Run has a complete lack of urban lighting, something that we have previously noted as a dangerous condition during commuter hours, especially in winter months (when does metro open again?). Possibly more alarming is the complete lack of crosswalks on Park Run. At the intersection with Tysons Boulevard, one would have to walk 500′ in either direction in order to cross the road. Do you think people in a rush to get to work will do that? Pedestrians will cross at their own risk in a section of Tysons defined by low light and curvy roads.
Imagine an early January morning in 2014. It’s 7:15; the sun still hasn’t risen and it is a wet, dreary morning. These are not conditions for an inconvenient walk, this is a tragedy waiting to happen. Out of the 2500 residents, there is a good chance that 125 residents(5%) will use Park Run Drive every day to get to metro, maybe more. Let’s not forget some of the commuters who will use Park Run to get to Freddie Mac if they are coming from Arlington or DC.
Crosswalks are needed as a warning system to drivers. Striping, warning signage, a stop sign, or possibly even a stop light are necessary to ensure that drivers are aware this curvy stretch is not a highway. This is needed immediately. If the County waits until the metro opens, drivers will not know about the new stop sign, and will not be expecting the pedestrian presence as they round the curve.
If an incident occurs at Tysons Boulevard or Fashion Boulevard, without proper pedestrian facilities, it will be due to the negligence of Fairfax County. This is a completely avoidable tragedy, and the excuse that the funds aren’t available is simply not good enough.
We residents are paying a higher tax so that this excuse could not be used for this very type of improvement.
These are the kind of transportation projects we want, not on-ramps, not road widenings, not bridges over 495. Give us a $30,000 crosswalk and stop sign, and avoid a future casualty. It’s that simple. So why hasn’t it happened?