5. 1700s: The King’s Highway
The Potomac Path (1600s), The King’s Highway (1700s), Accotink Turnpike (1800s), Route 1/Richmond Hwy (1900s)
6. 1749: First Map of Alexandria
A planned City with a street grid of 3-acre blocks
7. 1850s: First Map illustrating Canals and Railroads:
The Alexandria, Loudoun & Hampshire RR & the Orange & Alexandria RR
8. 1860s: Country Roads, Turnpikes, Railroads, & Crossroads Villages in FxCo
Planned City Grids & Ports of D.C. & Alexandria
9. RURAL FAIRFAX:
LAND USES:
Farms and Forests
Small Towns & Villages to support farmers and travelers:
Colchester, Town of Providence, Centerville
TRANSPORTATION:
Country roads, Turnpikes, Crossroads, Railroads
Crossroads Towns: Bailey’s, Annandale, Centerville, Fairfax C.H.
Railroad Towns: Clifton, Fairfax Stn, Vienna
Ferry Towns: Colchester and then Occoquan
All travel by foot, horse, train, ferry
Villages/Towns were typically 5-miles apart – accessible by foot/horse (for local farmers) & by RR/Ferry (for thru-travelers)
18. 1882: Post War -- More Country Roads & 3 Railroad Lines
No County Plan
19. 1882: Dozens of Towns/Villages Formed by Transportation Systems
New RR Line: Alexandria & Frederick RR New Ferry: Occoquan
New Crossroads: Lorton, Mills X-Roads (Merrifield), Dranesville
48. 1953: Site of the future Seven Corners Shopping Center
Note: Roundabout (top of photo) @ the intersection of Rt. 50 and Rt. 7
49. 1956: Seven Corners Shopping Center
“first major shopping center in suburban Washington, D.C.”
50. 1950s-60s: Rt. 50 and Rt. 7 are Widened for Cars
Roundabout is Replaced with Overpasses
Seven Corners becomes challenging for pedestrians
51. NEW URBANISM + REVITALIZATION:
A new approach to address a new term: “sprawl”
A return to mixed-use development
Higher density & building heights - to concentrate development
TRANSPORTATION:
A return to the street grid – a connected network
Priority on walking & biking
Transit: Often near Metro
Some are planned for BRT (future streetcar)
All have Fairfax Connector service
52. 1961 – 1963: Reston Master Plan for a New Town
A Planned Community on
7,000+ acres of farmland:
• Variety of Densities
• Variety of Land Uses
• Village Centers (5)
• Town Center District/Core
• Open Space, Parks, Trails
• Walkable & Bikeable
53. 1980s – 1990s:
The “Town Center Urban Core” becomes Reston Town Center
2014:
The “Business and R&D” becomes 3 Transit Station Areas (TSAs)
59. Mosaic Real Estate Growth Since 2007
59
$38.3M
$678M
+1670.2%
$M
$100M
$200M
$300M
$400M
$500M
$600M
$700M
$800M
2007 2020
AssessedValue(Millions)
Year
Real Estate Assessments in Mosaic in 2007 and 2019
2007: $38.3 million in RE assessments
2020: $673 million in RE assessments
64. From 2-Lane Country Road to 10-Lane Auto Strip
Rt. 123: 30,000 ADT
11’-12’ Lanes, No On-Street Parking, High Speed, No Street Trees, No Ground Floor Retail, No Peds/Cyclists
66. 2010s: The Boro in Tysons – Placemaking through
Quality Public Spaces and Walkable Streets
67. Tysons Real Estate Growth in Last 6 Years
2014: $12.4 billion in RE assessments
2020: $18 billion in RE assessments
67
$12.4B
$18B
+45.2%
$B
$2B
$4B
$6B
$8B
$10B
$12B
$14B
$16B
$18B
$20B
2014 2020
AssessedValue(Billions)
Year
Real Estate Assessments in Tysons in 2014 and 2020
72. Image courtesy of Peter Swift
Rt. 1 @ Frye Rd: 5 lanes, 40,000 ADT and 45 mph
After widening: 10 lanes (6 thru-lanes, 2 turn lanes, 2 BRT lanes)
73. Rt. 1 in Alexandria: BRT “Metro Way” @ Custis Way
74. Rt. 1 in Alexandria:
Strong relationship btwn
buildings and street
75. Rt. 1 in FxCo: Existing Street Section and Widened Street Section
Rt. 1 is categorized as a National Highway System route
76. LOWER THE SPEED:
1. Currently design for 45 mph
2. FCDOT and VDOT are exploring a speed of 35 mph
(safer, quieter, ped friendly)
77. Gum Springs Woodlawn Gardens
Woodlawn Area - Northern
These residential
developments on Rt. 1
may end up with sound
walls, due to 45 mph
Sound walls not required
with 35 mph
78. Image courtesy of Peter Swift
Woodlawn Area - Southern
Mt. Zephyr Area
If sound walls are built,
this will result in a poor
relationship btwn the
land uses and the street,
creating a “highway” not
a “main street”
79. Rt. 1 in Arlington is being redesigned as a walkable boulevard
83. THE CHALLENGE:
Fairfax County: Built on a SUBURBAN model
The SUBURBAN model is automobile dominant
We “solve” for traffic by widening and INDUCING more traffic
THE SOLUTION:
Design our streets for ALL users: focus on pedestrians
Cut single-occupant-vehicle (SOV) rate
88. 1946 - 2020: Springfield
Auto-Dominated Roads and No Mixed-Use Developments
89.
90. Connecticut Ave: Urban Street of Six-Lanes
Major Arterial: 29,250 ADT (similar to Rt. 7)
10’ Lanes, On-Street Parking, Slow Speed, Street Trees, Ground Floor Retail, Peds/Cyclists
91. From 2-Lane Country Road to 4-Lane Main Street
Historic Leesburg & Alexandria Turnpike in Falls Church: 21,000 ADT
W. Broad Street/Route 7
10.5’-11’ Lanes, Slow Speed, Street Trees, Ground Floor Retail, Peds/Cyclists
92. Lee Highway/Route 29
12’ Lanes, High Speed, No On-Street Parking, No Street Trees, No Ground Floor Retail, No Peds/Cyclists
From 2-Lane Country Road to 8-Lane Arterial
Poor relationship between buildings and road -- results in minimal economic value
93. Monument Drive
Sidewalks, street trees, 6 lanes
Strong relationship between buildings & road -- results in greater walkability, placemaking, etc.
94. From 2-Lane Country Road to 5-6 Lane Through Road
Wall between buildings and street – results in poor sense of “place”
Leesburg Pike/Route 7 in W Falls Church
12’ Lanes, High Speed, No On-Street Parking, No Street Trees, No Ground Floor Retail, No Peds/Cyclists
101. LOS is the Key Determinant of Street Design in Fairfax
It Only Measures Vehicle Throughput
Level of Service (LOS) Measures Vehicle Delays at Traffic Lights
102. Waste
Use
The Cost of LOS: Infrastructure for Peak Hours
2:00 AM Noon Midnight5:00 PM8:00 AM
TrafficVolume
LOS F!
Capacity
111. ONE SOLUTION:
Replace Level of Service (LOS)
Arlington, Alexandria, D.C., MoCo
Use other TIA Tools:
They Give Peds/Cyclists/Transit
Higher Priority
FCDOT and VDOT have convened
a task force to explore TIA options
120. PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES ON RT. 1 – 12-month period
5900 block of Richmond Hwy on 02-08-19
(near Old Richmond Hwy)
6100 block of Richmond Hwy on 03-26-19 (morning)
(at Fairhaven Avenue)
6300 block of Richmond Hwy – 01-09-20 (evening)
(near S. Kings Hwy)
9100 block of Richmond Hwy on 01-16-20 (evening)
(near Pohick Road & Backlick Road)
10000 block of Richmond Hwy on 02-11-20 (night)
(near Giles Run Road)
125. COMMON THEMES:
1. Wide Roads: # of lanes, width of lanes
2. High Speeds: Not safe for pedestrians or cyclists
3. Large Block Sizes: Encourages jaywalking
4. Narrow Sidewalks/No Trees: Discourages walking
5. Narrow Bike Lanes: Discourages cycling
6. AUTOMOBILES ARE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY
139. Before After
Capital Facilities/Utilities Design and Construction Division/Transportation Construction Branch
KIRBY RD. SIDEWALK – BIRCH RD. TO IVY HILL DR.
KIRBY RD. SIDEWALK – IVY HILL DR. TO CORLISS CT.
140. Before After
Capital Facilities/Utilities Design and Construction Division/Transportation Construction Branch
Innovation Ave Walkway
(Innovation Metro Station to Dulles Greene Blvd)
146. 1. Replace LOS with other TIAs that include all travel modes.
Give equal priority to Peds/Cyclists/Transit Riders/Cars
2. Humanize our Streets & Make them “Complete Streets”:
a. Slow vehicle speeds to 25-35 mph
b. Narrow the lanes to 10.5’ wide
c. Limit the number to 6 lanes
d. Add on-street parking (this will slow the speed and benefit retailers)
e. Shorten the blocks 300’-400’ apart
e. Incorporate well-designed sidewalks/bike lanes
f. Provide shade trees (they will induce ped/bike travel)
FAIRFAX NEEDS A “COMPLETE STREETS” POLICY
147. “Tactical Urbanism” – Akron, Ohio -
Temporary street improvements to experiment with placemaking
148. How about applying Tactical Urbanism here?
It is an important GATEWAY to Mt. Vernon and Lee Districts