Columbia Pike Bike Boulevards

Status

In Design

Summer 2025 - Project Update

As part of this project, all way stop analysis was conducted for intersections across the Columbia Pike Bicycle Boulevard Corridor. The following intersections met the requirements for an All Way Stop and were installed in spring/summer 2025:

S Dinwiddie and 8^th Street S

S Dinwiddie and 9^th Street S

9^th Street S and S Buchanan St

9^th Street S and S Highland

12^th Street S and S Monroe

Speed Limit Reduction

On June 14th the County Board approved the request to advertise a change to the County ordinance. The proposed revision would enable staff to reduce the speed limit from 25mph to 20 mph on streets designated as bicycle boulevards by the Master Transportation Plan, provided a traffic and engineering investigation supports the change

The County Board is scheduled to vote on this ordinance revision during its regular meeting on July 19th or recessed meeting on July 22nd.

Additional evaluations to enhance the safety and comfort for all users are also underway and include:

Locations for High visibility crosswalks,

Locations for Parking Restrictions, to enhance visibility for all users

Speed Limit Reduction for street segments along the Bicycle Boulevard Corridor

Placing new speed limit signs and pavement markings to increase awareness of the posted speed limit.

For more information about the tools being studied, take a look at the Vision Zero Multimodal Safety Engineering Toolbox.

Location

The Columbia Pike Bike Boulevards parallel Columbia Pike along 8th Road S. and 9th Street S., North of Columbia Pike and 12th Street S., South of Columbia Pike. The Bike Boulevards are approximately 4.3 miles long and connect community members to nine Civic Associations, schools, businesses, parks, local and regional trails, and other destinations.

About the Project

Due to limited space, traffic volume and transit operations, Columbia Pike cannot accommodate biking facilities; therefore, routes on parallel secondary streets are a safer alternative. These are designated as bicycle boulevards in the county’s Master Transportation plan and “are designed to give priority to bicyclists for through travel and to link with trails and other streets that are safe and comfortable for riding.”

Project Goals

Conduct an existing conditions analysis
Improve the comfort, connectivity, and safety for all users along the Columbia Pike Bike Boulevards by deploying tactical treatments, pavement markings, and signage to the existing on-street-route
Develop recommendations for future capital investment to further enhance the Columbia Pike Bike Boulevards

Project Background

The Bicycle element of the Master Transportation Plan informs the objective, scope and establishes safety and design guidelines for bicycle boulevards in the County. The aim is to provide a parallel East – West bicycle priority connection in the Columbia Pike Corridor connecting residents to schools, businesses, community centers, and the greater bike network.

The NACTO All Ages and Abilities Guidelines, referenced in the MTP, provides additional automobile speed and volume guidelines for all bike facilities including Bicycle Boulevards.

The Columbia Pike Multimodal Street Improvements Study identified the development of bicycle routes and bicycle boulevards parallel to Columbia Pike as an essential part of multimodal corridor improvements.

The Vision Zero Multimodal Safety Engineering Toolbox provides many treatment suggestions to reduce traffic speeds and improve comfort, and safety of all users along the bike boulevard route.

Past Improvements

Previously completed improvements

Improvements to the intersection at Walter Reed Drive and 12th Street South completed in February 2019.
Improvements to four intersections along 9th Street South (South Highland, South Cleveland, South Adams and South Wayne Streets) completed in January 2018 (photos in image gallery).
HAWK beacon at the intersection of South George Mason Drive and 13th Street South completed in November 2015.
Improvements to the intersection of South Quincy Street at 12th Street South completed in October 2014 (photos below).
Improvements to the intersection of South George Mason Drive at 13th Street completed in September 2014 (photos below).
Rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RFB) and crosswalk installed without turn restrictions at the South Glebe Road and 9th Street South intersection in May 2014.
Signs and pavement markings installed along 12th Street South and 9th Street South in September 2013.

Past public process

Initial community meetings were held with adjacent civic associations in summer 2012. Additional community meetings were held in spring 2014 with the Bicycle Advisory Committee, Columbia Heights Executive Committee, and the Penrose, Alcova Heights, Arlington Heights, and Douglas Park civic associations.
In February 2018, staff performed pre-construction coordination for the South Walter Reed Drive/12th Street South project at meetings for the Bicycle Advisory Committee, Columbia Heights Civic Association and Douglas Park Civic Association.
In August 2018, staff gave an update on the 9th Street South bike boulevard project to the Arlington Heights Civic Association.
- View the presentation

Related Projects

Related Projects - 9th Street Bike Boulevard

8th Road S Neighborhood Complete Streets Project (Intersection improvements at Dickerson and Emerson Streets at 8th Road S)
S George Mason Drive – Arlington Boulevard to Columbia Pike
Glebe Road and 9th Street South Intersection Improvement Project (Intersection improvements at 9th Street S and Glebe Road)
Walter Reed Drive Complete Streets (Intersection improvements at 9th Street S and Walter Reed Drive)

Related Projects - 12th Street Bike Boulevard

Barcroft Apartments Renovations Redevelopment (Private Development)
S George Mason Drive – Arlington Boulevard to Columbia Pike
Shared Street Pilot Project 12th Street S (Intersection improvements at S Highland Street and 12th Street S)
Arlington View Connector Trail (ANCC Trail)

Public Process

Fall 2024 - Existing Conditions

Engagement Level: Involve

Learn more about the Columbia Pike Bike Boulevards using our interactive Story Map.
Share your experiences of the Bike Boulevards using the online feedback form and interactive map.

The project team will use your feedback, existing plan guidance and other information to develop concept plans for street segments and intersections along the bike boulevard routes.

Engagement Materials

Fall 2025 - Concept Design Engagement

Engagement Level: Involve

Learn how community feedback helped inform the concept designs
Share your feedback on the concept designs.

The project team will use your feedback on the concept designs, along with existing plan guidance and other information to develop a final design for implementation.

Winter 2025/6 - Final Designs

Engagement Level: Communicate

Community-informed final designs will be shared with the public.

Fall 2025/Spring2026 - Implementation

Spring 2025 - Safety Updates

As part of this project, the Transportation Engineering and Operations team has completed all way stop analysis for intersections across the Columbia Pike Bicycle Boulevard Corridor and determined the following intersections meet the requirements for an All Way Stop:

S Dinwiddie and 8^th Street S
S Dinwiddie and 9^th Street S
9^th Street S and S Buchanan St
9^th Street S and S Highland
12^th Street S and S Monroe

Spring 2026 (anticipated)

Engagement Level: Communicate

Final plans are implemented and anticipated construction impacts are communicated.

Completed Projects, Plans, and Studies

For an interactive history of the Columbia Pike Boulevards, including completed projects and relevant plans or studies, check out the story map.

View the StoryMap

Ver el StoryMap

Funding

The improvements will be funded through local funds as part of the Columbia Pike Complete Streets Program.

Photo Gallery

(JPG, 3MB)

Contacts

Project Manager

Brian Shelton
571-447-3830

Media Inquiries

Claudia Pors
703-228-0745