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North Oakland Street NCS Project

Status

In Design

The section of North Oakland Street (N. Pershing Dr. to 6th Road N.) is being considered for improvements as part of the Neighborhood Complete Streets program.

Location

North Oakland Street from North Pershing Drive to 6^th Road North, in the Ashton Heights neighborhood.

About Project

This three-block stretch of North Oakland Street was nominated by a member of the public for consideration by the Neighborhood Complete Streets program for funding due to:

lack of complete sidewalk
history of automobile collisions, including crashes with injuries
volume of vehicles traveling on the street
proximity to activity nodes on the Wilson Boulevard corridor, within walking distance to the Metro

As the top-ranked project on the NCS list of nominated projects, the Neighborhood Complete Streets Commission directed staff to pursue a project to complete the sidewalk. Given the scope, we anticipate the project being advanced for funding it two phases, with Oakland Street (5th St. N to 6th St. N) being considered this year and Oakland Street (5th St. N to Pershing Dr.) at a future funding hearing.

At this time, the NCS program is beginning preliminary engagement with the community with the goal of eventually completing the sidewalk in this key location near the Rosslyn-Ballston Metrorail corridor.

Project Goals

Complete the missing sidewalk infrastructure to provide a safe and accessible pedestrian route connecting Arlington Boulevard to Wilson Boulevard.
Utilize the existing, County-owned right of way while balancing priorities to achieve a complete street for all who travel on North Oakland Street.

Project Background

Master Transportation Plan

Streets Element: The Complete Street policy informs the scope of this project to improve safety for all road users by providing a complete sidewalk where none currently exists.

Vision Zero

Vision Zero policies call on County staff and the Arlington community to take a proactive approach to safety in order to eliminate severe and fatal crashes from our transportation network by 2030. This segment of North Oakland Street was awarded points consistent with the NCS Project Ranking Guidelines for the history of crashes with injuries. Completing the street will provide a safer experience for those traveling on North Oakland.

Neighborhood Complete Streets

The Neighborhood Complete Streets (NCS) program was established by the Arlington County Board in January 2016 to address safety and access problems on local (non-arterial) streets through physical improvement projects. The Neighborhood Complete Streets Commission was chartered to advise the County Board on the NCS program and make recommendations for projects to fund. This project has arisen following the guidelines of the program, with the oversight of the Neighborhood Complete Streets Commission.

Nearby Projects

Arlington Neighborhoods Program - North Oakland Street

A sidewalk, along with other improvements, were made on the North Oakland Street between North Pershing Drive to Arlington Blvd/Route 50 (in the Ashton Heights Neighborhood) as part of an Arlington Neighborhood Program (formerly Neighborhood Conservation) project. The project was completed in Spring 2022. This current Neighborhood Complete Streets project is building on the improvements of the Spring 2022 Neighborhood Conservation project.

About the Process

Public engagement will occur in two primary phases - in the preliminary design phase to inform the initial concept designs, and during the concept design phase, to gather feedback on the initial concept designs.

Winter 2023/24 - Project Selection

Level of Engagement: Involve

Nominated for NCS consideration, included in 2020 list, top 10 location in 2022
Ranked #1 project on list of nominated streets 2024
Selected for advancement into public engagement by the Neighborhood Complete Streets Commission at their February 12, 2024 meeting

Spring 2024 – Existing Conditions Engagement

Level of Engagement: Involve

Discuss project goals and how you currently use the street
Share specific ideas and concerns for the street section

This input will be used to refine goals and develop concept design options.

Engagement summary

Spring 2024 - Concept Design Engagement

Level of Engagement: Involve

Learn what we heard during Existing Conditions Feedback and how it helped inform the concept design
Review and share comments on concepts

Input gathered will help evaluate and refine development of a final concept.

Concept design engagement summary

Project Materials:

Concept design for North Oakland Street
Project boards from the open houses that were held on May 7 (Central Library) and May 13 (Walter Reed Community Center).
Video on the concept design for North Oakland Street

Spring/Summer 2024 - Funding Hearing and Final Concept Design

Level of engagement: Communicate

The project was recommended for approval at NCSC Funding Hearing on June 10, 2024 and approved by the County Board at their July 2024 session.

Community-informed final designs will be shared with the public
The Neighborhood Complete Streets Commission will consider these projects for recommendation to the County Board at their Funding Hearing

Meeting materials

Funding

Projects selected for implementation by the Neighborhood Complete Streets program are recommended for approval by the Neighborhood Complete Streets Commission at a public Funding Hearing, and subsequently approved by the Arlington County Board. Neighborhood Complete Streets projects are funded by the Capital Improvement Plan.