RB corridor increased density, yet had less traffic congestion (Arlington: 2013, hotel)

[brooklynborndad]

How Arlington Is Avoiding D.C.'s Traffic Nightmare | WAMU 88.5 - American University Radio

Since 1996, Arlington has added more than 6 million square feet of office space, 1 million square feet of retail, nearly 11,000 housing units and 1,100 hotel rooms in the Rosslyn-Ballston Metro corridor. Yet traffic counts on Lee Highway (-10 percent), Washington Boulevard (-14 percent), Clarendon Boulevard (-6 percent), Wilson Boulevard (-25 percent), and Glebe Road (-6 percent) have dropped, according to county figures. Traffic counts have increased on Arlington Boulevard (11 percent) and George Mason Drive (14 percent).

[SteelCityRising]

^ Yep. I pointed to the Orange Line Corridor constantly when arguing with Restonians about how increasing density there would ironically lead to REDUCED gridlock in the long-run. Nice to see my hypothesis was validated as those same Restonians continue to sit in congestion getting from one low-density development to another.

[brooklynborndad]

I am not saying this is necessarily replicable in any particular part of Fairfax County.

That part of Arlington started with "good bones" for this, in terms of its street grid, due to its pre metrorail heritage as a street car suburb - and also its location close to the core. Densification in other locations may have a higher SOV mode share than RB, which means they might not achieve what RB has done in terms of the development-traffic relationship.

I would also note that RB achieved this not through rail transit alone, but through increased transportation by walking and biking. And that its not merely density, or the presence of infrastructure, but initiatives to encourage and support walking, biking, and transit in many ways.

Arlington is Booming, And Traffic Fantastically Remains at 1970s Levels

[JD984]

If you live in Clarendon or Court House and take Metro, there are many mornings where you now have to force yourself into the trains, Tokyo-style. So there may be a different type of congestion at work, albeit less visible to those on the road and more environmentally friendly.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by JEB77

If you live in Clarendon or Court House and take Metro, there are many mornings where you now have to force yourself into the trains, Tokyo-style. So there may be a different type of congestion at work, albeit less visible to those on the road and more environmentally friendly.

Thats true. But the point of the WAMU piece, and the report it cites, was not an evaluation of the RB lifestyle (which has its advantages and disadvantages) but of the impact of growth on road congestion. Since one of the principle concerns people have about increasing density is its impact on traffic congestion, and since people often state that congestion in this area is due to the amount of development, it may be of interest to see that there is a way to increase density dramatically without overburdening roads. Of interest to us as citizens called upon to give input on decisions about planning.


Of course for anyone considering LIVING in the RB corridor, the crowds on the Orange line are something to consider. As are a great many other things.

[RosemaryNThyme]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

I am not saying this is necessarily replicable in any particular part of Fairfax County.

That part of Arlington started with "good bones" for this, in terms of its street grid, due to its pre metrorail heritage as a street car suburb - and also its location close to the core. Densification in other locations may have a higher SOV mode share than RB, which means they might not achieve what RB has done in terms of the development-traffic relationship.

I would also note that RB achieved this not through rail transit alone, but through increased transportation by walking and biking. And that its not merely density, or the presence of infrastructure, but initiatives to encourage and support walking, biking, and transit in many ways.

Arlington is Booming, And Traffic Fantastically Remains at 1970s Levels

That's good to know that the subway has solved the traffic problems in Arlington. Coming from outside the area, I had thought that the whole DC area had traffic problems, even along the metro routes.

[RosemaryNThyme]

Originally Posted by JEB77

If you live in Clarendon or Court House and take Metro, there are many mornings where you now have to force yourself into the trains, Tokyo-style. So there may be a different type of congestion at work, albeit less visible to those on the road and more environmentally friendly.

It's good to know that the roads aren't congested. Thank you!

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by RosemaryNThyme

That's good to know that the subway has solved the traffic problems in Arlington. Coming from outside the area, I had thought that the whole DC area had traffic problems, even along the metro routes.

I'm not sure I would go so far as to say its solved the traffic problems in Arlington - Arlington is bigger than the RB corridor, and there is I66 which goes near the RB corridor (though mostly carrying commuters from further out, IIUC). Just that it appears that this development has not worsened traffic (thanks to considerable effort, which again, goes beyond the existence of the metro line)

[NOVAmtneer82]

I wouldn't exactly say that the Metro (we don't call it 'subway' here) has solved the traffic problems in Arlington. The commute on 66W from Arlington towards Tysons and Dulles in the mornings continues to get worse (same for Eastbound towards ARL in evenings). Traffic going to/from DC during rush hours is not bad in the mornings/evenings because of HOV restrictions so that can't be a valid reference point. Try driving on certain sections of Route 50 (arlington blvd) or the GW Parkway and tell me that commute is getting better. 395 is still horrible to/from 14th Street Bridge during rush hours and sometimes on the weekends. Streets like Wilson and Clarendon Blvds and Glebe Road aren't really major commuter routes so this is a difficult statistic to gage and makes it seem somewhat flawed from the start...at least to those of us who spend a large amount of our lives commuting to/from work. I've lived in the Clarendon/Courthouse area for a 8 years and while I can agree that the traffic on the side streets might not have increased at the same rate as all of the development (it would be very hard to do that), it certainly hasn't decreased.

I do think the Metro has had a positive benefit on shaping an urban environment along the Rosslyn-Ballston and Pentagon City-Crystal City corridors, but those same Metro lines are jammed packed during rush hours resulting in the need to sometimes wait for the next train (or two). I think it is great that we are concentrating so much development in the Metro corridors and I hope it continues... but let's at least start finding a way to also add some additional capacity via Metro and bus lines in conjunction.

[GustavoFring]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

^ Yep. I pointed to the Orange Line Corridor constantly when arguing with Restonians about how increasing density there would ironically lead to REDUCED gridlock in the long-run. Nice to see my hypothesis was validated as those same Restonians continue to sit in congestion getting from one low-density development to another.

Not really a hypothesis when it was readily apparent in 2005.