Eisenhower Avenue Connector

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was supposed to connect 495 to Duke Street, through what is now Brenman Park/Cameron Station (this development didn’t exist at the time—it was a closing military base).

People who lived in affluent neighborhoods to the north of the connector (Seminary Hill, Rosemont, etc) opposed it because commuters/transit would then use their neighborhood streets to avoid 395/the mixing bowl (for example they could exit at Quaker Lane and wind through the side streets down to the connector), which would lower property values.

Well that sounds about right - traffic would have to go somewhere from Duke Street. Hardly sounds like giving foregoing Brenman Park and Cameron Station just to get more cut through traffic would have been a net gain for the City. Anyway, its all water under the bridge now.

To be clear, the cut through traffic already exists and already cuts through neighborhoods. The issue is whether to spread the traffic through multiple entry/exit points or bottle neck it (which is what currently occurs). Anyone can look at a map of 395/495 to determine that these commuters are always going to choose to cut through Alexandria. The only question is who in Alexandria bears the burden of this traffic.

You seem to have switched from idle historical discussion to a proposal (vs "current"?) Are you proposing spending the money to extend the connector now? To Duke? Taking out either the park of the Cameron Station neighborhood, or building some vastly expensive overpass over the park?

The real question the City is facing is developing the Duke Street Transitway - improving pedestrian access to the Van Dorn Metro. Making this a more fully multi modal city. And yes, taking what steps we can to discourage cut through traffic (note, VDOT is about to open a new lane on I395, please use that) , not trying to accommodate it at the expense of our neighborhoods.

I don’t think the connector is ever just a historical discussion. The debate is still very much alive in the city and supported by some on council.

There are no new lanes being added to 395 except for one small stretch in one direction south of Seminary - and that is only to fixed a strange merge area. Where is VDOT adding lanes?

FWIW, I live in one of the neighborhoods that experiences the bottle neck. Our city supports connected streets and that should include easing traffic bottle neck in one neighborhood even if it adds to another (and in the process, get rid of all turn restrictions).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was supposed to connect 495 to Duke Street, through what is now Brenman Park/Cameron Station (this development didn’t exist at the time—it was a closing military base).

People who lived in affluent neighborhoods to the north of the connector (Seminary Hill, Rosemont, etc) opposed it because commuters/transit would then use their neighborhood streets to avoid 395/the mixing bowl (for example they could exit at Quaker Lane and wind through the side streets down to the connector), which would lower property values.

Well that sounds about right - traffic would have to go somewhere from Duke Street. Hardly sounds like giving foregoing Brenman Park and Cameron Station just to get more cut through traffic would have been a net gain for the City. Anyway, its all water under the bridge now.

To be clear, the cut through traffic already exists and already cuts through neighborhoods. The issue is whether to spread the traffic through multiple entry/exit points or bottle neck it (which is what currently occurs). Anyone can look at a map of 395/495 to determine that these commuters are always going to choose to cut through Alexandria. The only question is who in Alexandria bears the burden of this traffic.

You seem to have switched from idle historical discussion to a proposal (vs "current"?) Are you proposing spending the money to extend the connector now? To Duke? Taking out either the park of the Cameron Station neighborhood, or building some vastly expensive overpass over the park?

The real question the City is facing is developing the Duke Street Transitway - improving pedestrian access to the Van Dorn Metro. Making this a more fully multi modal city. And yes, taking what steps we can to discourage cut through traffic (note, VDOT is about to open a new lane on I395, please use that) , not trying to accommodate it at the expense of our neighborhoods.

I don’t think the connector is ever just a historical discussion. The debate is still very much alive in the city and supported by some on council.

There are no new lanes being added to 395 except for one small stretch in one direction south of Seminary - and that is only to fixed a strange merge area. Where is VDOT adding lanes?

FWIW, I live in one of the neighborhoods that experiences the bottle neck. Our city supports connected streets and that should include easing traffic bottle neck in one neighborhood even if it adds to another (and in the process, get rid of all turn restrictions).

I have not heard of anyone lately (in the last five years?) discussing extending the connector as a live option today. Who has done so? Someone active in the Central Alexandria Traffic Study? Which CM has said this is something possible now?

There is a third lane being added to the HOV lanes, as part of the process for converting them to HOT lanes. The entire way from Edsall to the Pentagon.

The City supports creating urban style connected grids in new developments, like Potomac Yard. I guess it opposes proposals to disconnect existing streets. But I know of no place where they have created connectivity by taking land from a park, or using eminent domain against homeowners. Even in places where a short easy connection could add substantial connectivity. If you know of any, please tell us. I can't think of even using eminent domain to create pedestrian paths to link up cul de sacs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was supposed to connect 495 to Duke Street, through what is now Brenman Park/Cameron Station (this development didn’t exist at the time—it was a closing military base).

People who lived in affluent neighborhoods to the north of the connector (Seminary Hill, Rosemont, etc) opposed it because commuters/transit would then use their neighborhood streets to avoid 395/the mixing bowl (for example they could exit at Quaker Lane and wind through the side streets down to the connector), which would lower property values.

Well that sounds about right - traffic would have to go somewhere from Duke Street. Hardly sounds like giving foregoing Brenman Park and Cameron Station just to get more cut through traffic would have been a net gain for the City. Anyway, its all water under the bridge now.

To be clear, the cut through traffic already exists and already cuts through neighborhoods. The issue is whether to spread the traffic through multiple entry/exit points or bottle neck it (which is what currently occurs). Anyone can look at a map of 395/495 to determine that these commuters are always going to choose to cut through Alexandria. The only question is who in Alexandria bears the burden of this traffic.

You seem to have switched from idle historical discussion to a proposal (vs "current"?) Are you proposing spending the money to extend the connector now? To Duke? Taking out either the park of the Cameron Station neighborhood, or building some vastly expensive overpass over the park?

The real question the City is facing is developing the Duke Street Transitway - improving pedestrian access to the Van Dorn Metro. Making this a more fully multi modal city. And yes, taking what steps we can to discourage cut through traffic (note, VDOT is about to open a new lane on I395, please use that) , not trying to accommodate it at the expense of our neighborhoods.

I don’t think the connector is ever just a historical discussion. The debate is still very much alive in the city and supported by some on council.

There are no new lanes being added to 395 except for one small stretch in one direction south of Seminary - and that is only to fixed a strange merge area. Where is VDOT adding lanes?

FWIW, I live in one of the neighborhoods that experiences the bottle neck. Our city supports connected streets and that should include easing traffic bottle neck in one neighborhood even if it adds to another (and in the process, get rid of all turn restrictions).

I have not heard of anyone lately (in the last five years?) discussing extending the connector as a live option today. Who has done so? Someone active in the Central Alexandria Traffic Study? Which CM has said this is something possible now?

There is a third lane being added to the HOV lanes, as part of the process for converting them to HOT lanes. The entire way from Edsall to the Pentagon.

The City supports creating urban style connected grids in new developments, like Potomac Yard. I guess it opposes proposals to disconnect existing streets. But I know of no place where they have created connectivity by taking land from a park, or using eminent domain against homeowners. Even in places where a short easy connection could add substantial connectivity. If you know of any, please tell us. I can't think of even using eminent domain to create pedestrian paths to link up cul de sacs.

DP - John Chapman supports it and Paul Smedberg supported it (and yes, I know he is out, but I have hopes he gets reelected). I think at least a few of the new members stated during the campaign that they were open to discussing it. My understanding is that there are/were plans that would create a flyover over and thus, not affect Ben Brennan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was supposed to connect 495 to Duke Street, through what is now Brenman Park/Cameron Station (this development didn’t exist at the time—it was a closing military base).

People who lived in affluent neighborhoods to the north of the connector (Seminary Hill, Rosemont, etc) opposed it because commuters/transit would then use their neighborhood streets to avoid 395/the mixing bowl (for example they could exit at Quaker Lane and wind through the side streets down to the connector), which would lower property values.

Well that sounds about right - traffic would have to go somewhere from Duke Street. Hardly sounds like giving foregoing Brenman Park and Cameron Station just to get more cut through traffic would have been a net gain for the City. Anyway, its all water under the bridge now.

To be clear, the cut through traffic already exists and already cuts through neighborhoods. The issue is whether to spread the traffic through multiple entry/exit points or bottle neck it (which is what currently occurs). Anyone can look at a map of 395/495 to determine that these commuters are always going to choose to cut through Alexandria. The only question is who in Alexandria bears the burden of this traffic.

You seem to have switched from idle historical discussion to a proposal (vs "current"?) Are you proposing spending the money to extend the connector now? To Duke? Taking out either the park of the Cameron Station neighborhood, or building some vastly expensive overpass over the park?

The real question the City is facing is developing the Duke Street Transitway - improving pedestrian access to the Van Dorn Metro. Making this a more fully multi modal city. And yes, taking what steps we can to discourage cut through traffic (note, VDOT is about to open a new lane on I395, please use that) , not trying to accommodate it at the expense of our neighborhoods.

I don’t think the connector is ever just a historical discussion. The debate is still very much alive in the city and supported by some on council.

There are no new lanes being added to 395 except for one small stretch in one direction south of Seminary - and that is only to fixed a strange merge area. Where is VDOT adding lanes?

FWIW, I live in one of the neighborhoods that experiences the bottle neck. Our city supports connected streets and that should include easing traffic bottle neck in one neighborhood even if it adds to another (and in the process, get rid of all turn restrictions).

I have not heard of anyone lately (in the last five years?) discussing extending the connector as a live option today. Who has done so? Someone active in the Central Alexandria Traffic Study? Which CM has said this is something possible now?

There is a third lane being added to the HOV lanes, as part of the process for converting them to HOT lanes. The entire way from Edsall to the Pentagon.

The City supports creating urban style connected grids in new developments, like Potomac Yard. I guess it opposes proposals to disconnect existing streets. But I know of no place where they have created connectivity by taking land from a park, or using eminent domain against homeowners. Even in places where a short easy connection could add substantial connectivity. If you know of any, please tell us. I can't think of even using eminent domain to create pedestrian paths to link up cul de sacs.

DP - John Chapman supports it and Paul Smedberg supported it (and yes, I know he is out, but I have hopes he gets reelected). I think at least a few of the new members stated during the campaign that they were open to discussing it. My understanding is that there are/were plans that would create a flyover over and thus, not affect Ben Brennan.

Sorry, that should say there *were* plans, not that there are plans. There are plans to create additional exits points at Telegraph, but none of the proposals seek to relieve the bottle neck that currently exists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
DP - John Chapman supports it and Paul Smedberg supported it (and yes, I know he is out, but I have hopes he gets reelected). I think at least a few of the new members stated during the campaign that they were open to discussing it. My understanding is that there are/were plans that would create a flyover over and thus, not affect Ben Brennan.

FYI - during a campaign, if a voter says " I want X" any smart pol will say they are open to discussing X.

I have not heard Chapman mention it, but I suppose its possible.

Ben Brenman Park extends from Holmes Run to Somverville Road. A flyover, even if it did not actually take acreage from the park (at what cost in dollars?) would still impact the park. Unless you are planning to run it east of Holmes Run?

And putting more cars onto Duke would seem at variance with the notion of creating a transitway on Duke. Sending cut through traffic on Duke WB to Van Dorn then NB on Van Dorn seems at variance with with the current plans for Landmark (a highway entrance from I395 into Landmark is more likely) If the added cut through traffic goes EB on Duke it will cut through on Jordan or Fort William adding to existing problems there. I do not think its worth spending $ and impacting the park just to shift some cut through traffic from Clover College Park to Fort Williams and Jordan - assuming that this does not draw MORE cut through traffic off the highways, which I am quite skeptical of.

To do this would need a traffic study first, to see what it does to cut through traffic. I can think of other transportation changes more worthy of getting $ for a study.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
DP - John Chapman supports it and Paul Smedberg supported it (and yes, I know he is out, but I have hopes he gets reelected). I think at least a few of the new members stated during the campaign that they were open to discussing it. My understanding is that there are/were plans that would create a flyover over and thus, not affect Ben Brennan.

FYI - during a campaign, if a voter says " I want X" any smart pol will say they are open to discussing X.

No FYI needed.

North Jordan is currently 60% cut through and the proposed road diet on Seminary will likely move more traffic onto N. Jordan. Fort Williams barely gets any cut through (less than 20%).