Blenheim Boulevard Multimodal Improvements
Blenheim Boulevard is a special place within Fairfax City. There are a variety of land uses along the corridor including three schools, the city’s public library, Sherwood Community Center, the police station, Van Dyck Park, churches, Historic Blenheim, and multiple residential neighborhoods. Commercial districts anchor both ends of the boulevard at Fairfax Circle and Old Town Fairfax.
The corridor is already multimodal in nature, which means there are multiple ways people use to get around, including driving, CUE Bus, walking, biking, and riding scooters. However, there is tremendous opportunity to improve the look, feel, safety, and function of the entire corridor.
In 2015, the city completed a conceptual plan for Blenheim Boulevard (formerly known as Old Lee Highway). Conceptual planning took about six months and included extensive public involvement. The result was a recommended concept for the corridor that includes separated bicycle lanes, upgraded pedestrian and transit amenities, and improved lighting, landscaping, and buffering. On Nov. 9, 2021, City Council adopted a resolution to approve the major design features of the project.
The most recent plans were presented to City Council during a work session on May 23, 2023. Watch the work session discussion.
Cost and Funding
The estimated project cost is $30 million. Funding sources include state revenue sharing ($10 million), regional Northern Virginia Transportation Authority funding ($13 million), and the city’s commercial and industrial tax ($2 million) – a fund dedicated to increasing transportation capacity. Construction is tentatively scheduled to start in spring 2023.
To summarize my views succinctly: this project 1) offers generally modest improvements in the Blenheim Boulevard corridor 2) at an unbelievably expensive price, both in money ($30 million) and in damage to the environment (the lives of nearly 200 mature trees, including many that currently provide shade for people on foot or bicycle). And 3) the corridor is already adequate, although not perfect, for "bicyclists of all ages".
Roundabouts are nice; protected bike lanes are nice; improved intersections are OK, although wider turning radii and improved visibility may perversely result in higher vehicle speeds, thus making the corridor less safe for bicyclists and pedestrians. But a cost of $30 million and 188 trees is simply unbelievable for light improvements to a 1.5 mile stretch of surface street with a single travel lane in each direction. That is a price that would be expected if the project were completely reconstructing several lane-miles of major urban interstate, not simply adding a roundabout and new paint markings on the pavement of a local arterial.
On a more qualitative (and personal) note, I enjoy bicycling around our city, especially with my 4-year-old son riding along. Aside from the 1/3 mile between Lion Run and Ridge Avenue, the corridor is already adequate for him and for other new bicyclists, and even on that stretch of street the typical vehicle speeds are low enough to make sharing the road surface safe for adults and older children.
Council should pause this project and take time to seriously reconsider which of its details have raised the price so unbelievably high. As a Certified Public Accountant with experience in the heavy civil construction industry, I'm happy to assist them in any way I can.
Can we understand what the visibility will be like for cars exiting the CCH neighborhood? The plans show that the intersections are moving closer to the roadway which is great. However I cannot tell with the addition of the turn lanes on Blenheim Boulevard how drivers exiting CCH will be able to see oncoming traffic in either direction. Is there a rendering where sight lines from the new proposed intersections will be? I don't want to have to pull into the bike lane or pedestrian path to see oncoming traffic just to exit the neighborhood if at all possible. We have to do this today and if we are improving the intersection it would be great to be able to clearly see oncoming traffic from the stop sign at the intersection.
I'd like to know if the Task Force on Homeless is talking to the Multimodel improvements team that is proposing "welcoming gathering areas and green spaces for individuals to congregate"
I would like to understand what the cost savings would be if instead of having a 10-foot, two-way separated bike lanes, the project instead included one bike lane attached to the road. I understand that staff is recommending getting rid of the sidewalk along the country club, but it would be better to save money on the bike path. Sidewalks are more important.