BACKGROUND: Beginning about 40 years ago in conjunction with Rosslyn redevelopment, a network of Skywalks was constructed over about a 20-year period. The current master plan for pedestrians, the 1997 Arlington County Pedestrian Transportation Plan, references the Rosslyn Station Area Plan Addendum as the planned Skywalk network.

In conjunction with the County Board approval of the site plan for 1801 North Lynn Street, the County Board amended the plan to delete Bridge A, across 19^th Street North, as shown in Figure 1. As of early June, the building had been demolished with the Skywalk bridge demolition to follow. The County Board decided not to make other changes to the plan at that time, but to consider other changes in conjunction with the Waterview site plan.

At the Board meeting of June 10, the County Board authorized advertising plan amendments to delete Bridges B, C and D, and add Bridge E, for public hearings by the Planning Commission and County Board on July 10^th and July 22^nd, respectively.

DISCUSSION: Since the Rosslyn Skywalks were built, the emphasis has changed to facilitating greater pedestrian use of sidewalks and crosswalks, at street level, with less reliance on the "second-story" Skywalk network. The removal of Bridge A separates the network into a north-south spine across I-66 and Lee Highway, via Gateway Park; an east-west spine from west of North Nash Street to east of North Lynn Street, via the Metrorail station; plus an isolated link (Bridge D) across Wilson Boulevard west of North Oak Street. As shown in Figure 2, the Rosslyn Station Area Plan Addendum recommends removing Bridge D, extending the east-west spine across North Kent Street with a new Bridge E, and de-emphasizing the connections to the north-south spine, via Bridges B, C, and the bridge across North Moore Street between 19^th Street North and eastbound Lee Highway.

Bridge D is not interconnected with other segments of the network, and because of what staff understands as security concerns, the doors at the building ends have been locked for many years, such that the bridge has been unused. Bridge E across North Kent Street would be a valuable new link in the east-west network to connect to the Metrorail station and can be pursued in conjunction with redevelopment.

Bridge B across North Lynn Street has fallen in use because of the recent building demolition and upcoming Bridge A demolition. Although Bridges A and B had been popular links in the network, the removal of Bridge A unlinks Bridge B from the Metro station and Rosslyn Metro Center, so Bridge B will be of little use. Also, the Waterview site plan is configured to accommodate a new access point to the Metrorail station. Should that access come about, Waterview pedestrians will not need to cross 19^th and Lynn Streets to connect to and from Metrorail. At-grade pedestrian and vehicle movements at the 19^th-and-Lynn intersection are discussed in the Waterview site plan report.

The Rosslyn Renaissance and Transportation Commission recommend that Bridge C remain in the plan, for future consideration in conjunction with redevelopment. While the designation for Bridge C in the Rosslyn Station Area Plan Addendum is the same as from Bridges A, B, and D which are slated for demolition, leaving Bridge C in the plan would be consistent with community wishes. Bridge C serves a current need for crossing busy Fort Myer Drive, and that need may continue even with planned redevelopment of these blocks of Rosslyn.

FISCAL IMPACT: The removal of Bridge B is a site plan condition for the Waterview site, at no cost to Arlington. Similarly, the addition of Bridge E is anticipated in conjunction with redevelopment. The demolition of Bridge D has been included in the contract for Rosslyn Skywalk rehabilitation, approved by the County Board on June 10, 2000.