Columbia Pike Multimodal Street Improvements

Status

Construction

Work will begin on Segments A and F in 2022. Both phases will involve lane closures to accommodate the necessary utility undergrounding, sidewalk widening, and other aspects involved with these phases. We will share information about traffic impacts and timelines as they develop.

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Project Update

Segment H/I

As of November 2022, utility undergrounding and sidewalk and transit improvements have been completed. Visit the segment’s project page.

Segments F and A

Work began on Segment F and Segment A in 2022. Both phases will involve lane closures to accommodate the necessary utility undergrounding, sidewalk widening, and other aspects involved with these phases.

For the latest information about traffic impacts and timelines on Segment F, please visit the project page.

About the Project

The goal of this project is to make Columbia Pike a safer, more accessible route for all users. Arlington is transforming this main thoroughfare into a complete street that balances all modes of travel and supports high-quality, high-frequency transit service.

Along with visible improvements to the road, extensive work is occurring below the roadway – to replace aging and leak-prone water and sewer pipes and to bury existing overhead utilities underground.

Columbia Pike Multimodal Transportation Study

The Columbia Pike Multimodal Transportation Study completed an analysis of existing and future transportation conditions and developed a preliminary design for street improvements along Columbia Pike to ensure the corridor achieves an appropriate balance of travel options. The analysis examined alternatives with the following improvements:

• Modified street cross-section with reconfigured travel and transit lanes, medians, and left-turn lanes
• Signalized and un-signalized intersections
• On-street parking
• Areas to be readied for existing and future transit services, including concrete pads, wider sidewalks, curb, gutter and utility undergrounding
• Enhanced pedestrian crossings
• Landscaped median areas and street trees
• Parallel bike routes off of Columbia Pike to the north and south of the corridor

Segments of Work

Work is underway on the following segments:

• County Line to Four Mile Run (Segments H & I)
• Four Mile Run Bridge Pedestrian Enhancements
• Starting construction in late Spring 2022: South Nash Street to South Joyce Street (east end of Segment A) - This is a federal project
• South Wakefield Street to South Oakland Street (Segment F)

The following segments are in design:

• South Orme Street to South Joyce Street (west end of Segment A)
• South Garfield Street to South Quinn Street (Segments C & D)

The following projects/segments have been completed:

• Bike Boulevards
• Washington Boulevard Bridge over Columbia Pike (Segment B - VDOT project)
• South Oakland Street to South Garfield Street (Segment E)
• Four Mile Run to South Wakefield Street (Segment G)

Transit Stations

The County also is working to improve transit facilities along Columbia Pike. New transit stations will serve two purposes: accommodating riders on the busiest bus transit corridor in Northern Virginia, and serving the community’s vision of transforming the Pike into a more transit-oriented, pedestrian-friendly “Main Street.”

New stations will make transit along the Pike easier, safer, more attractive and accessible – encouraging more people to use it. Construction of the stations is being coordinated with the Columbia Pike Multimodal project.

Columbia Pike improvements are moving forward in phases. As work begins on each section of the Pike, the first step is to underground utilities, followed by improvements to the streetscape, and then installation of new transit stations.

Public Process

The following information is related to community outreach and public involvement for the overall Multimodal Street Improvements project.

Funding

This $114 million project is funded with a combination of local commercial property taxes dedicated to transportation and regional transportation funds from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.

Photo Gallery