After conducting desirability, funding, and feasibility research, local area bicycle and pedestrian advocates are proposing a  multiuse trail for the south bank of Cameron Run from Route 1 to Telegraph Road.  While align on a street, this trail connector is in the County's trail plan and is not funded.   It addresses the lack of connection to/from Alexandria via the future Route 1 and Telegraph Road Trails.   It will also connect to the  Fort Hunt Trail.  For a complete description with maps photos and renderings please review the following trail proposal   HUNTINGTON STREAM VALLEY TRAIL PROPOSAL Cameron Run, Fairfax County, Virginia August 2001   Potential trail underpass >>> West side of Rte1, south of stream, looking east. Women is looking down, not ducking

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION NOT IN THE TRAIL PROPOSAL

At a (4/3/06) meeting of the MVCCA Transportation Comm, it was mentioned that the representatives of the Hampton Inn (Route 1) had earlier indicated they would not be opposed to a trail across their property that would accommodate bike ped traffic coming off the new Washington St connector trail.

A decision made by the state transportation’s Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project Team “to eliminate the pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Route 1 and Fort Hunt Road” has angered both Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerald Hyland and Fairfax County Department of Transportation. At the Feb. 27 Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting, Hyland told the board that he was recently informed by county staff that the VDOT bridge team “without coordination with county staff or Mount Vernon residents,” decided to eliminate the crossing either at ground level or by elevated walkway. “As this board knows, Richmond Highway is an enhanced transit corridor that needs extensive pedestrian improvements extending from the City of Alexandria to Fort Belvoir. Given the close proximity of Metro, offices and high-density residential development, and a new pedestrian trail linking Fairfax County’s northern gateway with Old Town Alexandria, this intersection should encourage safe pedestrian travel, not eliminate it,” Hyland said. Katherine D. Ichter, acting director of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, had also written a letter to Dennis Morrison, district administrator, VDOT, expressing her displeasure with the decision. “We are requesting that you [VDOT] re-evaluate this decision to eliminate these pedestrian facilities,” she stated.
Acknowledging that the bridge project team has told him that “their current plans do not preclude putting in a raised pedestrian crossing at this intersection,” Hyland moved that the Board of Supervisors write the VDOT Commissioner, VDOT Northern Virginia District Administrator, and the bridge team requesting that they “install either an at-grade or bridged pedestrian crossing.” 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Allen J. Muchnick 
To: Robert Brubaker 
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 12:30 AM
Subject: Rte 1 @ Ft Hunt Rd Pedestrian Crossing


Bob,

This proposed loss of pedestrian (and bicycle?) access is totally inappropriate, outrageous, and a violation of federal law.

Section 109(n) (or thereabouts; I need to research this citation on the Web) of title 23, United States Code, as amended by Section 1202 (c) of TEA-21, reads:

"PROTECTION OF NONMOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION TRAFFIC--The Secretary shall not approve any project or take any regulatory action that will result in the severance of an existing major route, or have an adverse impact on the safety of nonmotorized transportation traffic and light motorcycles, unless such project or regulatory action provides for a reasonable alternate route or such a route already exists." 

Have you talked to Fatemeh about this yet? What did she say?

David Patton is VDOT's Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator Virginia Department of Transportation, Transportation and Mobility Planning Division 
phone 804.371.4869 or 1-800-835-1203 fax 804.225.4785 
David.Patton@VDOT.Virginia.gov or vabiking@vdot.virginia.gov

Fatemeh does not report to Patton, but he should be notified. BTW, VDOT's Northern Virginia District has designated a bicycle and pedestrian coordinator since before one was required by state legislation enacted in 1997. 

Kate Hanley's email address is: <katehanley@aol.com>

Allen

 

Response to story from VDOT's NOVA Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator

Dear Bob,

Thank you for your patience in receiving my response to your question, obviously the answer is: VDOT will ensure the safest and most convenient way for pedestrians to cross Route 1, as determined by engineering analysis and professional judgment.  This is how our transportation infrastructures are designed and built and determining where crosswalks are placed is no exception.  I believe, working with the community and Fairfax County staff, we are accomplishing this for the entire Route 1 corridor.

During the past couple of weeks, I have been able to visit the site, the intersection of Fort Hunt at Route 1, and to talk to our VDOT engineers.  According to Mr. Nick Nicholson, WWB Project Manager, the project engineers and the WWB Consultants will be revisiting the design of this intersection to identify any possible improvements that can be done for safe pedestrian/ bicyclist crossing of Rte. 1 at Ft. Hunt Road. The decision to perform this task was made by Mr. Morrison, VDOT-NOVA District Administrator. 

I look forward to working with Nick, our District Traffic Engineering Section and others to come up with a workable solution to your concern.  We will update you as soon as a final decision is made.

I truly appreciate your coordination with me on this and any other issue or concern you may have in the future.   

Fatemeh F. Allahdoust

Senior Transportation Engineer 
NOVA Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator 
Virginia Department of Transportation 
14685 Avion Parkway 
Chantilly, Virginia 20151-1104 
Tel.: 703.383.2224 
Fax: 703.383.2230 

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