 Pedestrian Crashes in Dark Conditions Winter presents many road challenges, one of which is longer hours in dark conditions. It is important to be extra vigilant while driving in the dark by going the speed limit and checking for pedestrians crossing the road. If you are crossing the road, be sure to use the crosswalk. View and share our multilingual brochure on pedestrian safety in dark conditions.
In July, members of the Vision Zero team and other staff from the Division of Transportation conducted a safety audit of Wilson Blvd from N Arlington Rd to N Randolph St. This corridor was identified as part of Arlington's High Injury Network in 2023.
|
In spring of 2024, Arlington County launched a safety pilot project that added hardened centerlines at five intersections. Hardened centerlines are small, raised bumps placed along the yellow centerline at an intersection. They are designed to make intersections safer by encouraging drivers to make left turns at slower speeds, which improves yielding and reduces crash risk.
This past September, we collected community feedback and before/after data for this pilot. Overall, the percent of respondents who reported feeling “safe” or “very safe” increased for all modes after the hardened centerlines were installed, especially for walking, biking, or scootering. We also saw a 16% increase in cars turning at speeds less than 10mph.
Due to the increase safety benefits expressed by community members and observed through data collection, the county will consider hardened centerlines a typical quick-build safety tool. We are planning on adding this tool at another five intersections in 2025:
-
N Williamsburg Blvd & N Harrison St
-
Military Rd & Lorcom Ln
-
S Eads St & 23rd St S
-
Wilson Blvd & N Highland St
-
Wilson Blvd & N Barton St
View the Vision Zero Safety Pilots Project page for more information.
Bike Arlington’s 2024 Bicycle Comfort Level Map is a guide for identifying the most comfortable and least stressful routes for biking throughout Arlington. This newly updated version of the map uses a data-driven rating system to rate roads as most comfortable, comfortable, less comfortable, or not recommended, based on a variety of factors such as bike lane type, slopes, number of adjacent travel lanes and vehicle speeds, etc.
Whether you’re an experienced bike riders or brand new to biking, we hope that this map will help you find your most comfortable routes around the county! View map here.
On the evening of Thursday, October 24, Arlington Staff, community stakeholder representatives, and community members joined together in a conversation about progress, outcomes, and opportunities for the Vision Zero program. Some themes that emerged in the discussion included:
-
The majority of stakeholders felt that the program meets expectations and were generally happy with the direction of the program.
-
Stakeholders expressed positive feedback for quick build projects and pilot projects but noted the lengthy implementation timelines. There was a desire to see more automatic and expeditious deployment of quick build treatments.
-
The meeting highlighted ongoing efforts to update the Multimodal Safety Engineering Toolbox in light of recent federal guidance and new guidelines to improve road safety effectively.
-
There was enthusiasm for integrating innovative technologies, like sensors that collect real-time data, into the program’s safety measures. Stakeholders encouraged pilot projects that test new technology, even if they fail.
- There was a concern for crashes on roads owned by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and a desire to enhance safety and collaboration with VDOT.
- There was general excitement with our partnership with other localities, including the Vision Zero team from Madison, Wisconsin. Two Madison Vision Zero members attended the meeting to learn from Arlington’s community stakeholders.
Thank you to everyone who joined the meeting! We will be working to incorporate this feedback into our ongoing and upcoming initiatives. View the meeting recording to see the presentation slides. View the meeting recording or see the presentation slides.
-
15th St S & S Fern St – Project Sheet
- N Quincy St & 14th St N AND N Quincy St & 13th St N – Project Sheet
- N Glebe Rd & Washington Blvd – Project sheet coming soon
- 1402 S George Mason Dr RRFB – Project sheet coming soon
- S George Mason Dr & 12th St S – Under Construction
- Wilson Blvd & N Danville St - Installation in progress, bollards coming soon
Recent Signal Update Projects:
- Washington Blvd and N Sycamore St
- S Glebe Rd and South Arlington Ridge Rd
- S Carlin Springs Rd and 3rd St S
- S Carling Springs Rd and 6th Rd St
Recent Audible Pedestrian Signal (APS) Retrofits
- Wilson Boulevard and North Highland Street
- Cherry Hill road and Lorcom Lane
- Clarendon Boulevard and North Highland Street
- North Glebe Road at Rock Spring Road
 |
To help address safety and accessibility issues on Arlington streets, the Neighborhood Complete Streets Program is piloting the Shared Street Pilot Project. The pilot aims to improve neighborhoods streets that were originally designed without sidewalks and currently function as shared spaces, where people walk, bike and drive in the roadway. Three pilot project locations were chosen and installed this fall.
Shared Street Pilot Locations
All pilot project locations were nominated by community members, evaluated by County Board-approved program criteria, and recommended by the Neighborhood Complete Streets Commission for design and public engagement. More information on the process is available on the Neighborhood Complete Streets Program webpage.
 Vision Zero attended two community events earlier this month. We partnered with BikeArlington and Walk Arlington on the W&OD Trail for Lighten Up, Arlington, where we handed out reflective hats, t-shirts and information on pedestrian safety in dark conditions. We also set up at a Shirlington Pedestrian Bridge opening event to celebrate the completion of the project and spread the Vision Zero safety message. Thank you to all who came out and engaged with us this month!
Visit the Vision Zero Safety Projects page to learn more about safety-driven quick build projects, capital projects, pilot projects, High-Injury Network safety audits, and more.
Also, check out our Crash Data Dashboard |
