Neighborhood Traffic Calming : Transportation : Arlington, Virginia

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Neighborhood Traffic Calming

The Neighborhood Traffic Calming Manual was created to provide Arlington County residents with an easy-to-read, how-to guide on the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program process, criteria and measures. It was adopted by the County Board in September 2008.

The current, revised version of the manual is available online (below).

Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program Guide is a 53 page document that covers that Traffic Calming Program in detail. Available in PDF format.

Current Traffic Calming Planning Studies

Projects are selected by the NTCC, to begin community planning process. The projects are selected from the list of 60 locations on the priority-ranking list which qualify for traffic calming and are awaiting assistance.

Traffic Calming Construction Projects

Work will commence in 2012 on the following traffic calming construction projects:

26th Street North - North Sycamore Street to North Quantico Street (East Falls Church Neighborhood)
16th Street South (South Monroe Street to South Quincy Street (Douglas Park Neighborhood)
South Hudson Street - Arlington Boulevard to 2nd Street South (Arlington Heights)
7th Rd South - South Carlin Springs Road to South Greenbrier Street (Columbia Heights West)

Neighborhood Traffic Calming

Arlington's proximity to the ever-growing nation's capitol means an increasing number of vehicles passing through the County each weekday, en route to and from destinations in and around Washington, DC. And with traffic in the DC area ranked among the worst in the nation, the temptation to speed through neighborhoods, especially when traffic clogs up major arteries, can be irresistible.

Recognizing the critical importance of protecting the health and well being of pedestrians, bicyclists and other drivers in its neighborhoods, Arlington County in 1999 initiated a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program. Its central goal? To change driver behavior, and the culture of neighborhood street use from "cars first" to "people first." This ultimately means creating a user-friendly environment for all.

Neighborhood Traffic Calming (NTC) relies on devices like traffic circles, raised crosswalks, speed humps, turning and truck restrictions and "nubs" (curb extensions) to address this goal. Arlington has funded over five million dollars in traffic calming projects since 1999.