On Thursday, January 17, 2013 the TPB released for public comment the draft project inputs for the air quality analysis of the 2013 update to the National Capital Region’s Financially Constrained Long-Range Transportation Plan (CLRP) and the FY 2013-2018 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The TPB also released the Draft Scope of Work for the Air Quality Conformity Assessment. The 30-day public comment period closed at midnight on Saturday, February 16, 2013.
At its February 20, 2012 meeting, the TPB approved the project submissions and scope of work. Work is now underway on the CLRP and TIP Air Quality Conformity Analysis, which will be presented to the TPB in draft form at its June 19, 2013 meeting.
Below is a list of significant changes to the CLRP proposed in 2013. This listing covers changes only to those projects that are considered to be major regional projects, i.e., on interstates, principal arterials and some minor arterials, as well as transit facilities. A complete list of all planned projects and proposed changes is included in the 2013 CLRP and FY 2013-2018 TIP Air Quality Conformity Inputs.
Project Submissions
In all, 12 significant projects were submitted for inclusion in the air quality conformity assessment for the 2013 CLRP and the FY 2013-2018 TIP.
Click map for larger image.
District of Columbia
Lane Reductions and Reconfigurations
Click map for larger image.
DDOT is proposing a number of projects that will make changes to the number and direction of travel lanes across the city, as described in the following segments:
a. I St. NW Peak Period Bus-Only Lanes 13th St. NW to Pennsylvania Ave. NW
I St. NW is one-way, running westbound between 13th St. NW and Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Parking restrictions are in effect on both sides of the street during morning and evening peak periods, allowing for five lanes of traffic. This project proposes to use one of those five lanes as a bus-only lane during the peak periods. Complete: 2013. Cost: $500,000.
e. East Capitol St. from 40th St. to Southern Ave. Implement pedestrian safety and traffic operations improvements and remove one of three travel lanes in each direction. Complete: 2015. Cost: $5 million
f. South Capitol St. from Firth Sterling Ave. SE to Southern Ave. SE
Design and construct a paved bicycle and pedestrian trail along South Capitol St. and reduce the number of lanes from 5 to 4. Complete: 2013. Cost $5 million.
In 2010, DDOT submitted five bike lane projects forinclusion in the CLRP as pilot studies. Two of these projects – 15th St. NW from Constitution Ave. NW to W St. NW and Pennsylvania Ave. NW from 3rd St. NW to 14th St. NW – were completed in 2010. The
15th St. Bike Lane removed one vehicle lane, while the Pennsylvania Ave. Bike Lanes did not remove any vehicle lanes. This year, DDOT is updating the status of the remaining pilot projects as follows:
a. L St. NW from 11th St. NW to 25th St. NW New Hampshire Ave. NW – completed 2012, one travel lane removed
b. M St. NW from 15th St. NW to 29th St. NW 25th St. NW – complete in 2013, one travel lane removed
c. 9th St. NW from Constitution Ave. NW to K St. NW – project withdrawn
Virginia
Widen I-395, Shirley Memorial Highway – Southbound from Duke St. to Edsall Rd.
Click map for larger image.
Add a fourth lane to southbound I-395 between Duke St. and Edsall Rd.
I-495, Capital Beltway HOT Lanes – Change of Project Scope
Click for larger image.
The CLRP includes the construction of
a system of HOT Lanes on I-495. The segment of HOT Lanes between south
of the George Washington Pkwy and
south of Old Dominion Dr. was planned
to be 2 lanes wide. VDOT proposes to
make this segment 4 lanes wide.
Complete:
2014
Length:
1.5 miles
Cost:
$75 million
Funding:
Private
Construct and Improve I-495, Capital Beltway Ramps at Dulles Airport Access Highway and Dulles Toll Road
Click map for larger image.
a. Construct a new ramp connecting the northbound general purpose lanes on
I-495 to the inner lanes of westbound Dulles Airport Access Highway
Construct Collector-Distributor Roads Parallel to Dulles Toll Road between VA 684, Spring Hill Rd. and VA 828, Wiehle Ave.
Click map for larger image.
Construct new, two-lane collector-distributor roads on either side of the Dulles Toll Rd. eastbound and westbound between VA 684 and VA 828. These new facilities will allow for additional closely-spaced interchanges to be constructed in Tysons.
Two alternatives are currently being considered for improving access to Dulles Airport, particularly for air cargo. Both alternatives will be examined during the TPB’s air quality conformity analysis. Prior to TPB’s approval of the 2013 CLRP Update, VDOT will be required to select one of the two alternatives for inclusion in the Plan.
a. Dulles Air Cargo, Passenger and Metro Access Highway
from US 50, John Mosby Highway to VA 606, Loudoun County Parkway
Construct a new four-lane facility (on a six-lane right of way) between the intersection of the planned Tri-County Parkway at US 50 and the Loudoun County Parkway at the western end of the Dulles Airport grounds first heading north, then east just south of Broad Run.
b. Construct new Limited Access Routes along US 50, John Mosby Highway
and VA 606, Loudoun County Parkway
Construct a new, grade-separated, 4-lane limited access facility along US 50 (within existing right-of-way) between the planned Tri-County Parkway and the Loudoun County Parkway (VA 606). Also construct a new, at-grade, 4-lane limited access Loudoun County Parkway from the new grade-separated US 50 to 1.5 miles north of that.
