Letter: People Before Cars Coalition on CC2DCA

Rail and Trail connections to the airport need to be robust and convenient.

You can view this document in PDF form here.

Kyle Kling
Capital Projects Management Coordinator
Arlington County – Department of Environmental Services 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 900
Arlington VA 22201

October 2, 2023

Re: Environmental Assessment for CC2DCA

Dear Mr. Kling,

We are writing on behalf of the People Before Cars Coalition to express our strong support for Arlington County’s CC2DCA Environmental Assessment (EA) and highlight three important items for consideration moving forward.

The People Before Cars Coalition is comprised of business, advocacy, and community groups working together to promote safe, sustainable transportation in National Landing. As such, we strongly support Arlington’s plans for CC2DCA. The project will promote sustainable transportation by providing a one-of-a-kind link for people walking and biking between a fast-growing business district and an international airport. Importantly, the project will enhance National Landing’s broader multi-modal transportation network by connecting directly with Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and Amtrak’s planned Crystal City Station, the Crystal City-Potomac Yard Transitway, and the Mt. Vernon Trail.

We agree with Arlington’s approach to planning CC2DCA, as described in the EA. Specifically, we support Arlington’s prioritization of alignments that connect with the planned Crystal City rail station, which will host VRE, Amtrak, and MARC rail service, as well as its focus on routes that minimize grade changes for users. This led to the selection of Alternative 7D, which provides the most direct and convenient connection among all the alignments considered. While the EA highlights Arlington’s thoughtiul approach to planning for CC2DCA, the PBC would like to highlight three important items for consideration moving forward.

Connection at DCA

Per Section 2.5 of the EA, we understand that Arlington is continuing to work with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) to design the eastern end of the Preferred Alternative where the bridge arrives at Washington National Airport (DCA). The goal of this continued coordination is to accommodate MWAA’s requests to avoid impacts to the existing parking garage while also avoiding potential conflicts with a planned roadway ramp. Arlington County has a responsibility to ensure that the project meets the agreed-upon purpose and need in delivering an easy, direct, and safe route. While we support the continued coordination and goal of minimizing impacts to the airport, we ask that the County continue to prioritize a seamless connection uninterrupted by stairs, elevators, or major grade changes that could diminish the value of the project. Moreover, a direct route is essential for the alignment’s overall viability and making the air-to-rail connection a truly desirable option for travelers to use. Minimizing such “grade changes” was a key factor in the alternatives analysis process that resulted in the selection of Alternative 7D.

Design Constraints

The draft Programmatic Agreement outlines Arlington County's commitment to design a project that "minimizes potential adverse impacts resulting from introducing new features into the identified historic properties affected by the Project." National Landing is one of the most dynamic urban places in the Commonwealth and the Coalition upholds our shared priorities for CC2DCA to be a world-class, iconic facility featuring next- generation mobility and atractive architecture and public space design that promotes use. The Coalition encourages the County to balance feedback from its concurrent agencies and to emphasize priorities that will deliver an incredibly designed project here in National Landing while responding to the sensitivities of the context.

Bike Access

While the EA notes the Preferred Alternative would provide a “dedicated pedestrian and bicycle pathway between Crystal City, the future VRE Crystal City Station’s platiorm and DCA”, at this time it is unclear how people on bicycles, particularly larger cargo and family bikes, will reach CC2DCA from Crystal Drive. Stairs are not an option for bikes and it is unclear if the VRE Station's elevators are being designed to accommodate large bicycles and families on bikes. We hope the project team can provide clarity on this important design detail in the near future.

CC2DCA is a once-in-a-generation project with the potential to promote sustainable transportation while providing a world- class gateway to National Landing and the entire region. The EA reflects Arlington’s thoughtiul approach to project planning thus far, and we strongly support it. To ensure CC2DCA fulfills its full potential, we encourage Arlington to work closely with MWAA and NPS on the items outlined above.

Thank you for your consideration of our input.

Collectively from the People Before Cars Coalition,

Gillian Burgess

President, Safe Streets Are For Everyone Thank You

Jay Corbalis

Vice President, Public Affairs JBG SMITH

Tracy Sayegh Gabriel

President & Executive Director, National Landing BID

Elizabeth Kiker

Executive Director, Washington Area Bicyclist Association

Stewart Schwartz

Executive Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth

Chris Slat

President, Sustainable Mobility for Arlington County

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Effective Complete Streets policies change the way a jurisdiction plans and builds transportation infrastructure—sidewalks, low stress bike infrastructure, and transit should be included in any new or rebuilt street by default, rather than as an add-on when there's space or demand.

While most regional jurisdictions have a Complete Streets policy of some sort, they lack teeth and permit transportation departments to continue to build streets that put cars first and squeeze other modes into the margins.

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We educate policymakers and organize grassroots advocates for to speak up for safer places to bike and walk; and for laws and policies that protect people who are walking and biking, reduce dangerous driving, and facilitate changes to the built environment.