Improvements considered for dangerous intersection in Lincolnia

The N. Chambliss/N. Beauregard intersection.

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation presented four scenarios to the community Oct. 3 for improvements to the intersection of N. Chambliss Street and N. Beauregard Street in Lincolnia.

The project is aimed at improving pedestrian safety. It would not have an impact on traffic.

The scenarios are somewhat similar, in that they would reduce traffic merging and weaving, while making it easier for people to walk to and from Landmark Plaza and other businesses.

There have been 51 vehicle accidents at that intersection in the past seven years that have been reported to the police, said project manager Seyed Nabavi. FCDOT. There were probably other minor incidents that haven’t been reported.

No pedestrian accidents have been reported during that period, however, but FCDOT believes the intersection is dangerous and that improvements could save lives. Also, a safer intersection would encourage more people to walk there.

Scenario 1 calls for a grassy or concrete barrier at the intersection that would require cars on N. Chambliss heading to Little River Turnpike to turn right onto N. Beauregard instead of going straight through. That would eliminate merging and weaving as cars change lanes. Additional pedestrian signals would be installed.

Scenario 2 would be similar but there would be four lanes, including two right-turn lanes, on N. Chambliss heading toward Little River Turnpike.

Scenario 3 would create a smaller barrier on N. Chambliss but would have a larger island in the center of the intersection to make it easier for pedestrians to cross.

Scenario 4 would involve no new construction, but would improve the crosswalks and signals.

Diagrams of the four options are online.

The public is invited to submit comments on the four options by Oct. 26. Send comments to [email protected] or respond online.

Scenarios 1 and 2 would cost about $1.2 million, including design, construction, and land rights. Scenario 3 would probably cost a bit more, and scenario 4 would cost much less.

Project design would take about two and a-half years. Construction would take nine months to a year.

Several people at the meeting suggested a flyover for pedestrians. Mason Supervisor Penny Gross said a flyover would be much more expensive and would need a very long ramp to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, requiring extensive use of private property.

Meanwhile, an analysis of potential traffic improvements for a larger area around the intersection is being done by FCDOT as part of the Lincolnia Planning District Study.

The community task force working on that project has reviewed several options for improving transportation as part of a long-term effort to revise the Lincolnia Comprehensive Plan. Any improvements that come out of that process are many years away.