Challenge
Shreve Road in Northern Virginia provides an important connection between Route 7 and Route 29 but is also surrounded by residential uses: single-family homes, a regional trail, an elementary school, a park, and a recreation association. With so many competing demands, the corridor raised safety concerns with community members. Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) wanted to identify solutions that could be implemented in the short- and long-term to address speeding, safety, and pedestrian/bicycle concerns along the corridor.
Solution
VDOT hired Kittelson to develop both short- and long-term implementable solutions to address safety concerns throughout the corridor. Our team, supported by Lardner-Klein Landscape Architects, developed short-term solutions that leveraged efforts already underway along the corridor. These included:
- adding pedestrian beacons at trail crossings.
- finding an opportunity to add a pedestrian median into a recently funded project near a neighborhood elementary school
- identifying pavement markings and vegetation management opportunities to implement with routine corridor maintenance
Long-term solutions explored more extensive design options for further development and funding and included:
- a roundabout near a neighborhood elementary school
- a chicane design that utilizes existing pavement
- a neighborhood gateway treatment
The Outcome
Creating a Safer Corridor for Wheels and Feet
VDOT implemented LED flashers while the project was still underway, helping the agency respond quickly to interactions between vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle modes at the trail crossing. The study balanced the desire to address immediate traffic and safety concerns quickly, while also defining what solutions could serve residents better in the long term.
