A ‘road diet’ would make Annandale Road safer
Reconfiguring Annandale Road to reduce the number of travel lanes and add bike lanes will lead to reduced speeding, fewer crashes, and a more comfortable experience for pedestrians and bicyclists, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation reports.
Transportation planner Hannah Cacner explained FCDOT’s proposal for a “road diet” between Little River Turnpike and Gallows Road at virtual community meeting on Sept. 23.
Under that plan, the four travel lanes on that section of Annandale Road would be reduced to three. There would be one lane in each direction, a center turn lane, and bike lanes in both directions.
If Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez gives the project a green light, the restriping would be done in conjunction with VDOT’s annual repaving program in summer 2025.
The seven people who commented on the proposal at the meeting all said they supported it. Several people called for more bike lanes on other roads in Annandale.
Annandale Road is a hotspot for accidents. In 2022, a pedestrian was killed by a hit-and-run driver in the 4200 block.
According to FCDOT, adding left-turn lanes would reduce three types of crashes:
- rear-end crashes, by providing a safe space to wait for a gap to turn
- angled crashes, as drivers turn across one lane instead of two, and
- side-swipe crashes, by eliminating passing around stropped left-turning drivers.
Related story: ‘Road diet’ proposed for Annandale Road
The bike lanes would reduce traffic stress for bicyclists and encourage more people to bike, Cacner said. Those lanes would connect to bike lanes on Ravensworth Road, Gallows Road, Maple Place, and Markham Street and improve connections among residential areas, central Annandale, and local parks.
Adding bike lanes would extend the distance between the sidewalk and vehicles from three feet to 8-10 feet, Cacner said, which would create a buffer for pedestrians.
FCDOT reports traffic actually declined on Annandale Road in recent years – from an average of 16,000 cars per day in 2019 to 13,850 in 2022.
Pedestrians crossing the street would be able to stop in the middle of the road to wait for a gap in traffic. Pedestrian refuge islands and additional crosswalks could be added in the future but are not part of the road diet proposal.
A traffic study showed that a road diet would add a slight traffic delay at key intersections.
At the Annandale Road/Markham Street intersection, there would be a 2.5-second delay during the morning peak hour and a 4.8-second delay at the p.m. peak hour.
Related story: Capital Bikeshare is coming to Mason District
The delay at the Annandale Road/Maple Place intersection would be 0.8 seconds during the a.m. peak hour and 1.5 seconds at the p.m. peak hour.
Traffic delays at the Little River Turnpike/Annandale Road intersection would increase by 1 second during the morning and 2.4 seconds during the evening rush.
At the Annandale Road/Annanwood Court intersection, one southbound travel lane would become a left-turn lane.
That would lead to a decreased delay for all lanes at that intersection – 5.6 seconds during the a.m. peak hour and 8.6 seconds during the p.m. peak hour.
Whenever FCDOT comes up with a plan to make roads more accessible for pedestrians and bicyclists, “we get feedback from people who say they never see anyone walking or biking on that road,” Cacner said. “The hope is that, by making the road safer and more comfortable, people would be encouraged to walk or bike.”
FCDOT is accepting comments on the road diet proposal through Oct. 11. Submit feedback here.
38 responses to “A ‘road diet’ would make Annandale Road safer”
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Sure, put bike lanes where no one uses them. I never see people biking on the section of Annandale road that goes to 50. I drive it multiple times a week, different times of day. Just going to causing more traffic. They don’t use them in Arlington where I grew up and it just created even more traffic. Pointless and wasted our tax paying money.
I also don’t see people driving through open fields or forests, yet when roads are put in, people do end up using those roads! Strange
The elephant in the room is who would actually use the bike lanes. Surely you don’t expect senoir citizens or later in life middle ages to “help” with your traffic flow problem. I travel on Ravensworth from LRT to Braddock 10 or more times a week at various times and I have NEVER seen anyone in the bike lanes .
How about honesty and some data on exactly how many users there are.
I drive in Arlington every day and I see quite a few people using bike lanes. I’m not sure it’s the right plan here as I agree that I see very very few people use them here. But it’s just not accurate to say they are rarely used in Arlington (at least the parts of Arlington I often drive in)
This is only 1+ miles long. Where do you ride at either end
You can’t put the whole grid in at once. When sections are slated for repaving, you do what you can in that part.
There are people on the Annandale Rd bike lane between Gallows and Rt. 50 all the time. It’s not a very safe bike lane but it’s used.
Your comment is very subjective. I am 73 and use the bike lanes on Annandale Rd to Rt 50, Hummer Rd and Ravensworth Rd all the time for my rides as do my friends. I would welcome these new bike lanes. I dont bike on that section of Annandale Rd now because it is not safe but would with bike lanes. I think this is a great idea.
absolutely correct. pointless and more dangerous.
How about FCDOT trimming bushes obstructing corner turn sight lines throughout the county instead of this nonsense. How about fixing pot holes…How about …well…you get the point….Fairfax government getting more useless everyday…
Agree !!! It’s all run by the same people who manage all the VABC stores …
Whenever FCDOT comes up with a plan to make roads more accessible for pedestrians and bicyclists, “we get feedback from people who say they never see anyone walking or biking on that road,” Cacner said. — The reason that we say it is that we look at all the other roads that have been changed, and we don’t see that many bikes on them (because they are not there). I know the BoS hopes against hope that one day we will all bike everywhere, but that is not going to happen.
This stupid idea is supposed to cut down speeds. Of course it will. If you narrowed the road to just over the width of a car, it would cut down speeds also. What it will do is make rush hour and some other hours a nightmare. Telling us that we will only be impact drivers one second is the most ridiculous and outlandish statement that I have read in years.
Agreed. I’v driven Annandale Road between Braddock and LRT daily for 20+ years and have never— not once— seen a bike in the bike lane there. But, sure, add a bike line to LRT and Annandale will suddenly transform to Beijing.
Have you seen the traffic in Beijing? All those old pictures of thousands of people on bikes are now cars. Amazing how so many more people prefer cars for doing things than bikes. Like getting groceries, going to places that are spread out across northern VA. I guess it’s the same in Beijing. Thankfully, the government has not yet banned cars, or mandated EVs (as the USA does not have all the necessary materials nor the loose rules of China for mining them).
I ride Annandale Road from Gallows to Arlington Blvd every day. If you look at the Strava heat map, that stretch (with a bike lane) is much more heavily traveled by bicycles that the stretch from LRT…because there is currently no bike lane on the LRT to Gallows section.
People will ride where it is safer to do so…which is one of the purposes of this initiative. The other purpose is to reduce the frequency of motorized vehicle collisions that create much more congestion than a bike path.
Know what is safest? Not driving at all, and not using a bike either. Stay at home surrounded by padded walls with a helmet on.
I drove down that stretch of Annandale rd today, about 3pm. Traffic was heavy. All 4 lanes were full. Do I think having a center turning lane is going to help the flow of traffic with only 1 lane going each direction? Do you think that a shared center turning lane will encourage drivers to let the other side turn 1st, or will they intentionally block the way so that turns are even harder? I drive a small car. With a big SUV or truck in front of me I can’t see traffic coming from the opposite direction. That forces me to have to pull into the other lane a bit, or get closer than I would like, to see around the monster trucks and SUVs people drive. Not safer from a small car standpoint. There are sidewalks along a lot of that section so there’s already places to walk. How about improving public transportation, reducing the number of cars on the roads. In the Fairfax connector provided better service with more buses and more routes that would be useful.
Well, supposedly studies were done and it was determined these changes would help. I scoffed at the lights on 395 exits allowing alternate cars to merge during rush times, but I had to admit, it really did make a difference and traffic flow was much improved. Let’s wait and see what the results are. Also, I know I would have walked more and my kids would have been safer with more sidewalks and bike lanes. Immigrants more used to traveling by bicycle will be the first to use the new lanes, and others will follow. Nothing happens overnight. As an obese nation we can benefit from more walking and cycling. That’s one of the reasons why Europeans are in general so much healthier than we are.
Those lights cost $6m and rarely are they on. Drivers don’t obey thhemy. What studies prove they’re effective
“FCDOT reports traffic actually declined on Annandale Road in recent years – from an average of 16,000 cars per day in 2019 to 13,850 in 2022.”
Bicycle enthusiasts are perennially guilty of wishful thinking. Sure, rising bikes is better for the environment and healthier than driving but it will never be practical for most people who commute more than a few miles. Creating dedicated bike lanes will not result in a sudden increase in cyclists. Do these enthusiasts think that their lack is why we drive?!? My drive from Annandale to downtown takes me 20 min at the height of rush hour. On a bicycle, it would take me as long just to get from my home to these new bike lanes.
Traffic would be an absolute nightmare between Gallows and Hummer Road if they did it there. But it seems like it’s just between Little River and Gallows. I don’t drive that stretch as often (and rarely during rush hour) so I don’t know how much this will cause traffic or help safety of pedestrians/bikers on that section.
It is incredibly clear that none of the people in this thread who are against the proposal attended the meeting (as shown by the fact that all the comments in the meeting were positive). I encourage everyone to watch the presentation, which is available on YouTube/the Fairfax County website. The presenters did a great job explaining the entire project, including the cost, expected time increases/decreases at the affected intersections, why the project is only for this stretch of road, and the expected outcomes of the project. The road diet project should make this stretch of road safer and easier to traverse for bikers, walkers, and drivers, and I look forward to having it implemented in 2025. But even if you disagree, commenting on this site isn’t going to do anything- Fairfax is accepting comments on their website so feel free to let them know why you are for or against the proposal.
What the FDOT fails to see is that there are really no “roads” that go north to south. They’re converted cow paths converted to streets. What goes N-S? Gallows, Annandale😆road, Sleepy Hollow and 495. Was TV goes E-W. 66, Wilson blvd, Columbia pike, Washington blvd. all have hundreds of lights, 4 way stops. A thing to impede traffic and now FDOT will decrease the speed limit to 25 mph. BOS and FDOT want us out of cars! If they’re really interested in making this a truly cosmopolitan area overlay the map with the Oaris or London systems where a station is generally a 5 minute walk from your house. Look at the road diet Arlington has inflicted on Wilson blvd. left turn lanes with no advanced warning. Curbs that jut out into the lane to ruin your tires. Let’s turn Arlington blvd into a road diet route. 1.lane in each direction with beautiful walking. Biking paths down the center.
As a Civil Engineer, I say NO NO NO. Check out the latest edition of ENR (Engineering News Records). This area, consistently, rates itself with very low grades, like D-. I’ve never seen such a poorly engineered traffic area in my entire life. And it continues to get worse. This idiocy makes me want to move away from here. Don’t waste your money on things that do not help!
Please fill out the survey!
Before October 11, the county goofs doing somersaults about this need to hear from us. You have information and analytical advice to offer and they need to hear it! Pretty please, fill out the survey and help them see the light.
Thank you.
Watch the presentation? What happen to common sense? It’s a waste of tax payers money and the food banks are struggling.
DO THE RIGHT THING FAIRFAX COUNTY!
VDOT has been implementing similar road diets throughout Fairfax County for more than a decade and its present analysis shows that the proposed reconfiguration of Annandale Road is eminently viable.
Such road diets reduce traffic crashes, make walking and bicycling more enjoyable and safer, and cause minimal delays for motorists.
While some motorists understandably fear the unknown and complain that few people will ride bikes, there is no good reason not to implement this project. In the unlikely event that it’s unsuccessful, the road diet can be reversed quickly and inexpensively.
Help me understand something.
If VDOT has been making Fairfax County’s roads safer for over a decade, why is it increasingly dangerous to be a pedestrian in Fairfax County?
Is it simply the fault of the drivers? Do those who drive in Fairfax County transition from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde as soon as they begin driving in Fairfax County?
I’m all in on making the roads of Fairfax County safer for everyone, but based on what I have read thus far, I’m unconvinced that whatever VDOT is doing is making that much of a difference in the larger picture.
Sure, I think that VDOT can improve particularly dangerous roadways. But, making Fairfax County safer for all while encouraging more use of the same space by pedestrians and cyclists along with people driving automobiles seems both counterintuitive and a pipe dream.
I ride my bike on Annandale Rd twice every day and the section they are talking about the road diet is simply not safe to ride a bike on. I look forward to bike lanes in that section. Annandale Rd between Hummer and Rt 50 has quite a bit of bike traffic thanks to bike lanes.
Annandale badly needs bike lanes. I’ll settle for this baby step. Hopefully this idea is expanded to Gallows Road someday where there is no place whatsoever to bike (please don’t ask people to bike on the sidewalks; it’s not a real thing to bike on overgrown, trash can laden sidewalks). Unlike some of the other commenters, I have seen plenty of bikes on Annandale Rd and I have biked on Annandale Rd dodging cars. I am very happy that someone is taking cyclist safety seriously as our little Annandale grows up into an urban area.
Glad to see it. I use the bike lanes on Annandale Road between Rt 50 and Gallows. This is a logical extension. These neighborhood roads are not freeways.
I can attest to this! You and your boyfriend are quite the prolific riders! I have a hard time keeping up. 🚴♂️ Go Tom!
Annandale Road from Gallows to Little River is a nightmare during morning and evening rush hours. This will make that situation worse, not better. If anything, the roadway should be widened to provide better access for traffic to flow freely. A fairly large number of roads around here are badly aligned for traffic safety purposes. Beltway entrances and exits are horrendous. When traveling with others our family often comments wryly that the road must have been designed by someone who was drunk.
In addition, if we wait until the new road provisions are put into place to see if they work or not it will be a done deal and I forsee more, not fewer, accidents by frustrated drivers.
As a cyclist I can tell you, bike lanes and road diets are useless and unsafe especially in the age of smart phones. They make people feel better. But a network of paved or crushed gravel bike paths that actually connects to transit hubs and places of work is a much better investment. Look at the map and you’ll see there’s no trail from one side of the county directly into Arlington or Alexandria or Tysons corner. It would just take some guts to map a path along frontage roads of LRTP and Columbia pike to connect to 4 mile run or connect Springfield to Mosiac and Tysons with creative parking lot imminent domain. BUT this is the county that implements zmod during a pandemic, can’t enforce zoning laws, can’t stop illegal dumping, can’t stop illegal boarding houses. So expecting any kind of vision or leadership is a joke – when then can’t even execute the basics .
Is Annandale striving to be the disaster that’s the City of Alexandria?
Enforcing the speed limits is what is needed here.
This is a terrible idea. Better to add those biking poles or wall in the bike lanes so that cars stop crossing over it.. (like in arlington)
Annandale rd. will become too congested with this plan .. it is already bad during rush hour
Good idea…bad idea….isn’t the question. Is there something better that this money should be spent on to get a better ROI. What is the opportunity cost of spending the money here vs another more important project. There are a lot of important projects, just go look at the Fairfax County budget.
They always need more money. Seems to me, adding a bike lane to a road that has been in place for 100 plus years inconveniences more people than it helps. Why now? Why should we spend this much money on this project vs another? I have an idea. Freeze the budget and let the politicians make real difficult decisions. Taxing and spending more isn’t the answer. Ask any government employee and they will tell you. Use it or lose it. They will spend everything they get. If it were your money, is this where you would invest it? I think not.