City to Study Potential Right-Turn Lane from Route 1 onto Reed Avenue
Alexandria City Council requests study during discussion of proposed Reed Avenue development.
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Alexandria City Council requested city staff study the possible creation of a right-turn lane from Jefferson Davis Highway onto E. Reed Avenue last week when discussing a proposed housing development near the intersection.
Council authorized a $250,000 loan to AHC, Inc., from the City's Housing Trust Fund for predevelopment costs for the proposed development.
The four-to-five-story development — to be built in the 100 block of E. Reed Avenue — includes 77 apartments comprised of one-, two- and three-bedroom units. All will offer rents affordable to households with incomes at or below 60 percent of the area’s median income level.
The loan, which will go toward project design and architectural and environmental studies, will be repaid if the project receives future land use approvals and is successful in its application for 2013 low-income housing tax credits from the Virginia Housing Development Authority.
“We’re asking to fund some of the predevelopment costs [for the development] in hopes that it provides affordable units,” Vice Mayor Kerry Donley said. “Ultimately we will get the money back.”
Councilman Paul Smedberg brought up the issue of the right-turn lane, saying the subject deserved discussion now as opposed to later. He said Reed Avenue will be a key connection to the redeveloped Potomac Yard.
“It’s going to be awfully hard once this thing gets built [to build the turn lane],” Smedberg said. “We keep doing this stuff ad hoc [on the east side of Route 1] and Reed is going to be such an important road [entering Potomac Yard]. … This has nothing to do with the worthiness of this proposal. This is our one opportunity to discuss it. Oftentimes we don’t go back.”
Currently, a third lane on the southbound side of Route 1 ends just before the intersection with Reed, sometimes causing congestion during peak hours.
Donley requested that staff study the right-turn option at E. Reed Avenue and Route 1 and report its findings to council within six months.
AHC, a housing nonprofit that has produced close to 40 rental apartment communities in the D.C. metro area and Virginia’s Tidewater region, has assembled six privately owned properties along E. Reed Avenue for its new development — the group’s first in Alexandria. AHC also needs a parcel of city-owned land at the corner of E. Reed and Route 1 to complete the assemblage.
AHC is also requesting up to $2.25 million in gap financing from the city’s Housing Opportunities Fund. That issue and other zoning questions are expected to come before Planning Commission and Council later this year.
The approval of the smaller predevelopment loan does not bind the city to future decisions.
Pete
8:43 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Thank-you, Councilman Smedberg! It's about time that foolish and traffic-choking disappearing southbound lane is turned into a right turn onto westbound Reed. Local government persists in thinking about big-ticket transportation "solutions" (read: conduits to more sprawl), while disregarding little nuisances that, if improved, could make a real impact or at least remove one headache at a time. Kudos!
B Williams
10:20 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Yes, please get rid of that merge lane! The majority of cars that use it are either confused about the third lane ending in a merge or they are aggressively trying to beat traffic. It contributes greatly to the congestion on route 1.
If, for some reason, the right-turn lane to Reed is not approved, please consider just ending the third lane as right-turn only at the apartment complex. The additional merge area is unnecessary.
Adam Ebbin
11:56 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Agreed! Thanks for bringing this up Councilman Smedberg.
Lynn Jensen
2:25 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I fully support this initiative and hope for a right turn lane asap.
Kathlynne
2:42 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I fully support this too - can't wait~!
But i disagree with the B Wms comment that drivers may be "aggressively trying to beat traffic." The 3rd merge lane is woefully undersused. Traffic in the 2 through lanes is often backed up to Glebe while 3rd lane is empty. Traffic would move more smoothly if drivers would use the 3rd lane and were allowed to merge. It would help to eliminate traffic stalling at the north Potomac Yard (Shoppers/Subway) light.
Autoexec.bat
10:06 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
This wouldn't actually help anything it would just delay the inevitable merge. The lane must be turned into turn-only lane for Reed Ave. so people like me can actually use it to turn onto Reed and save tons of time. That gets my car off of Rt. 1 MUCH more quickly.
Pete
8:31 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I couldn't agree more with Kathlynne's comment. The conventional wisdom seems to be to "get over" as soon as you know a lane will end, but to purposely not use available asphalt is crazy, when all you hear around here are pleas for better roads. Those of us who "aggressively try to beat traffic" are just using a foolishly unused lane. Using all lanes and zipper merging where they meet is another way to improve traffic flow. Would that we had driver instruction (signs or otherwise) to teach that.
DelRayRez
7:13 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
Why would you NOT want to consider an alternative to get off Route 1 and into Del Ray, thereby reducing the congestion on Route 1? Of course, that will be followed by neighbors complaining about cut-through traffic, the option of speed bumps, etc., etc.
amy lu
1:06 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012
Bingo. After Bijan Auto Imports was shut down and when the Lincoln Property submitted an application to build (DSUP98- 0033, SUP98-0167), the immediate neighborhood objected to significant vehicular increases on Reed, hence the lane deliberately ends beforehand. They supported adequate, signalized access primarily to/from Rt 1 and prohibit access to/from Commonwealth Avenue.
Jay Ray
10:52 am on Sunday, October 7, 2012
While I don't really support the building of the new property on the corner of E. Reed and Rt. 1, regardless, this turn lane needs to happen! They also need to add right turn arrows starting from where Glebe hits Route 1 so people know its a turn lane. Otherwise, you'll still have people trying to cut in from that lane. With arrows, they won't have an excuse or at least it'll be more obvious that they're being aggressive drivers.
MOBI Guy
9:48 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Excellent point about adding right turn arrows starting from where S. Glebe Rd hits Route 1. The lane should definitely be extended to Reed Ave AND people need to be given ample warning that it is a right turn-only lane. Be prepared for those few who still believe they are more important than you and wait until they get close to Reed before they merge; this should not outweigh the obvious benefits of extending the lane. PLEASE MAKE IT HAPPEN!!
Colleen A.
10:45 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Would absolutely love this change! I use Reed Ave to get home after work, and it's always incredibly frustrating to have to merge into the "center" lane only to then turn off the road a few yards later. And since traffic from the shopping center can't drive straight onto Reed, there could even be a green-arrow light allowing right turns to continue flowing through while the Reed Ave. traffic or shopping center traffic is moving on green.