South Fairlington Residents on Record Saying it's Too Dangerous to Walk to Abingdon

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington schools seriously expects kids to walk over an interstate to get to school?

That is some really crazy stuff. Why would anyone tolerate that nonsense?

I don't have school age kids, but I walk and bike across that bridge regularly. What exactly is unsafe about it? I mean you are more exposed to winds there than in the rest of Fairlington, which can be unpleasant in winter, but in terms of safety it's one of the better places in the region to walk or bike.

Ask your neighbors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington schools seriously expects kids to walk over an interstate to get to school?

That is some really crazy stuff. Why would anyone tolerate that nonsense?

I don't have school age kids, but I walk and bike across that bridge regularly. What exactly is unsafe about it? I mean you are more exposed to winds there than in the rest of Fairlington, which can be unpleasant in winter, but in terms of safety it's one of the better places in the region to walk or bike.

Nothing is unsafe about it.

[Anonymous]

#SFWhiteWalkers you ain't in NA so enjoy the bus ride to Drew. You will create a warm community there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington schools seriously expects kids to walk over an interstate to get to school?

That is some really crazy stuff. Why would anyone tolerate that nonsense?

I don't have school age kids, but I walk and bike across that bridge regularly. What exactly is unsafe about it? I mean you are more exposed to winds there than in the rest of Fairlington, which can be unpleasant in winter, but in terms of safety it's one of the better places in the region to walk or bike.

It's unsafe when you have to walk your kids to school. It's perfectly safe - and even community-building - when you're being redistricted to a different school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington schools seriously expects kids to walk over an interstate to get to school?

That is some really crazy stuff. Why would anyone tolerate that nonsense?

I don't have school age kids, but I walk and bike across that bridge regularly. What exactly is unsafe about it? I mean you are more exposed to winds there than in the rest of Fairlington, which can be unpleasant in winter, but in terms of safety it's one of the better places in the region to walk or bike.

Ask your neighbors?

PP here - I live in a nearby part of Alexandria. Off the top of my head I don't know anyone who currently lives in Fairlington. I do regularly see people walking across that bridge, including with strollers.

Now can YOU tell me what is unsafe about the bridge?

[Anonymous]

here is the bridge


https://www.google.com/maps/@38.835015,-77.0942287,3a,75y,343.55h,84.73t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3kd3JA1JV4QmfMqDy0NukQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The sidewalks could be wider, but each one is seperated from the motor vehicle lanes by both a lane of parking and a bike lane.

[Anonymous]

The walk to Drew is safer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The walk to Drew is safer.

Says the person acting like Glebe is a death trap.

[Anonymous]

Ha, ha, no. I'm a Henry parent and clearly that bridge is fine to walk across. I would not want any elementary kids crossing Glebe to walk to Fleet (Alcova Heights) or to Drew (Columbia Heights). Those are not safe for kids. 50 at least has the pedestrian bridge, but I've seen kids cross elsewhere and it is scary. If they add those Alcova Heights units to Fleet (and I think they should) those kids should be bused. Even 2nd st in the morning is bad here. There was a big fuss raised last year to get a stop sign at 2nd and Irving after a few kids were almost hit by cars. It was bad, no joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha, ha, no. I'm a Henry parent and clearly that bridge is fine to walk across. I would not want any elementary kids crossing Glebe to walk to Fleet (Alcova Heights) or to Drew (Columbia Heights). Those are not safe for kids. 50 at least has the pedestrian bridge, but I've seen kids cross elsewhere and it is scary. If they add those Alcova Heights units to Fleet (and I think they should) those kids should be bused. Even 2nd st in the morning is bad here. There was a big fuss raised last year to get a stop sign at 2nd and Irving after a few kids were almost hit by cars. It was bad, no joke.

That 50 bridge kind of freaks me out before you get on it and I have also seen kids try to cross at other spots on 50...that area is far less walkable by a kid than the Fairlington bridge which goes over 395 with high sides and the bridge itself is in a 25mph residential zone with lots of stop signs. I walked it with a stroller almost every day with no issue. No idea what my former SF neighbors were bitching about with the survey. They do need some help that the stop sign before the bridge...people run it on the regular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ha, ha, no. I'm a Henry parent and clearly that bridge is fine to walk across. I would not want any elementary kids crossing Glebe to walk to Fleet (Alcova Heights) or to Drew (Columbia Heights). Those are not safe for kids. 50 at least has the pedestrian bridge, but I've seen kids cross elsewhere and it is scary. If they add those Alcova Heights units to Fleet (and I think they should) those kids should be bused. Even 2nd st in the morning is bad here. There was a big fuss raised last year to get a stop sign at 2nd and Irving after a few kids were almost hit by cars. It was bad, no joke.

That 50 bridge kind of freaks me out before you get on it and I have also seen kids try to cross at other spots on 50...that area is far less walkable by a kid than the Fairlington bridge which goes over 395 with high sides and the bridge itself is in a 25mph residential zone with lots of stop signs. I walked it with a stroller almost every day with no issue. No idea what my former SF neighbors were bitching about with the survey. They do need some help that the stop sign before the bridge...people run it on the regular.

That's super dangerous. The whole reason for that bridge to TJ over 50 is because years ago a child was killed crossing 50 to get to school.

[Anonymous]

Clearly not all SF residents feel the same way, but it seems politically expedient that suddenly the bridge is the next best thing to sliced bread and Fairlington United's webpage is arguing that their PU should become a walk zone. I'd find them more credible if they'd made the case more forcefully during the walk zone review.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clearly not all SF residents feel the same way, but it seems politically expedient that suddenly the bridge is the next best thing to sliced bread and Fairlington United's webpage is arguing that their PU should become a walk zone. I'd find them more credible if they'd made the case more forcefully during the walk zone review.

SF has zero credibility. Zero.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clearly not all SF residents feel the same way, but it seems politically expedient that suddenly the bridge is the next best thing to sliced bread and Fairlington United's webpage is arguing that their PU should become a walk zone. I'd find them more credible if they'd made the case more forcefully during the walk zone review.

But why? I mean, if I can have the option of putting my kid on a bus on a cold rainy day instead of walking a mile in the rain, lots of people would opt for that. It makes sense to me that they wouldn't have rocked the boat during the walk zone review, even if they were naive to think that it wouldn't come back to bite them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clearly not all SF residents feel the same way, but it seems politically expedient that suddenly the bridge is the next best thing to sliced bread and Fairlington United's webpage is arguing that their PU should become a walk zone. I'd find them more credible if they'd made the case more forcefully during the walk zone review.

But why? I mean, if I can have the option of putting my kid on a bus on a cold rainy day instead of walking a mile in the rain, lots of people would opt for that. It makes sense to me that they wouldn't have rocked the boat during the walk zone review, even if they were naive to think that it wouldn't come back to bite them.

I don't blame them for maximizing their situation. But you can't blame the rest of us for not believing their sincerity. We see the Fairlington United walk for what it is, political maneuvers. And again, I don't blame them.