On October 28th, WABA sent this letter supporting changes to Arlington National Cemetery's entry corridor that include an emphasis on active modes and transit.
You can view this document in PDF form here.
October 28, 2024
Steven Crawford, Architect
Arlington National Cemetery
1 Memorial Avenue
Arlington, VA 22211-5003
Re: Arlington National Cemetery Entry Corridor Area Improvements
Dear Mr. Crawford,
I am writing on behalf of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and our more than 5,000 members across the Washington metropolitan region to express our support for Arlington National Cemetery’s proposed Entry Corridor Area Improvements project, particularly its goal of reorienting the site’s transportation layout to better accommodate transit and active modes such as bicycling and walking.
The Entry Corridor Area Improvements project is an admirable attempt at a much-needed, comprehensive redesign and rebuild that simultaneously maintains the character of the historic entryway. In our opinion, the changes proposed successfully threads this needle. The resulting Entry Corridor Area will largely look and feel the same but will be vastly more efficient and effective at moving visitors through the space and delivering to those visitors the solemn experience expected on our Nation's most hallowed ground.
In particular, we celebrate the inclusion of the Arlington Memorial Trail along the site’s perimeter. Whether ultimately built directly by ANC as part of this project or developed concurrently and in conjunction with Arlington County, the trail will fill a critical gap in the region’s trail network facilitating greater east-west active transportation across the Potomac and provide additional non-vehicle access to the site.
For visitors arriving by bicycle, we commend the inclusion of a bike rack at the new Arrivals Plaza; we would encourage you to opt for a rack design that meets the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals’ (APBP) design guidelines, namely two points of contact at which to lock. We would also suggest inclusion of a crosswalk across the new Entrance Drive to safely accommodate visitors arriving from the Cemetery Memorial Trail, the Metro Station, and other points east of the site. This could be done with granite pavers as proposed elsewhere on Memorial Drive, provided such a design is as safe and effective as standard high-visibility paint.
To better accommodate visitors utilizing the region’s hugely popular and growing Capital Bikeshare bikes, we would suggest moving the existing station north of Memorial Drive to a location at the Arrivals Plaza. Barring such a move for safety, accessibility, or aesthetic reasons, we would propose a compromise location outside either or both Metro Station entrances, closer and more visible to the site’s entry points.
Lastly, we suggest that as a part of this comprehensive site overhaul, the on-ramp from Memorial Drive to Richmond Highway/110 be redesigned and rebuilt to intersect at a right angle or T. The existing ramp with its large radius encourages cars to speed through the crosswalk as the geometry does not require stopping or slowing to enter. This significantly endangers visitors walking and biking along the sidewalk.
We think these additional changes and improvements to the design can help the project more safely and effectively deliver visitors to the site on foot, by bike, and via transit while still honoring the site’s history and aesthetics. We thank you for the opportunity to weigh in on this important project and look forward to continued engagement in the months and years ahead.
Sincerely,
Kevin O’Brien, Virginia Organizer