Columbia Pike Transit Stations

Location

Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204  View Map

Google Map

Status

Construction

Infographic of different types of bus stops in Arlington.

Project Update

As of summer of 2023, most transit stations on the west end of Columbia Pike are open for passenger service. See below for construction status.

Map of Columbia Pike Transit Stations

Open/Completed Transit Stations

The transit stations listed below are open for passenger service. Electrification and real-time arrival data will be installed in the coming months.

  • South Greenbrier Street (east and westbound)
  • South Dinwiddie Street (westbound)
  • South Four Mile Run Drive (eastbound)
  • South Buchanan Street (westbound)
  • South Oakland Street (westbound)

Stations Under Construction

  • South Columbus Street (westbound)
  • South Glebe Road (westbound)

Upcoming Transit Stations

  • South Thomas Street
  • South Taylor Street
  • South Quincy Street
  • South Glebe Road
  • South Walter Reed Drive
  • South Barton Street
  • South Courthouse Road
  • South Scott Street
  • South Rolfe Street
  • South Orme Street

Project Update – July 2021

To date we’ve completed foundations and platforms for the first eight transit stations, but there have been delays with the new station shelters. The first eight stations will be located at:

  • eastbound and westbound Greenbrier Street
  • eastbound Columbus Street
  • westbound Dinwiddie Street
  • eastbound Four Mile Run Drive
  • westbound Buchanan Street
  • westbound Oakland Street
  • westbound Glebe Road

In November 2020, our shelter manufacturer Future Systems identified stability issues with the prototype shelter, and efforts to revise the design have raised concerns about its constructability.

New path forward

Design rendering
Initial design rendering of the prefabricated shelter with modifications that will be used for the transit stations

Due to the schedule delays and risk of increasing costs, the County is moving forward with a new approach for the transit station shelters. We plan to use a prefabricated shelter, a proven design available from Future Systems, with modifications that incorporate elements of the current design. The shelters will include high-quality durable materials (stainless steel and glass), real-time bus arrival displays, lighting and expanded seating.

The prefabricated shelters will be easier to install – they are bolted to the sidewalk, instead of requiring foundations – and will cost significantly less. And they can be delivered sooner, with installation of shelters and amenities for the first eight stations now expected to begin in spring 2022, compared to one year later if we continued with the current design.

The second half of this presentation gives an overview of the station shelter issues and the new path forward. Additional details will be provided in the coming months as details for the new shelters are finalized.


About the Project

New transit stations along Columbia Pike will serve two purposes: accommodate riders on the busiest bus transit corridor in Virginia, and serve 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.

Transit stations are designed to shelter more passengers than a typical bus stop and will be fully accessible. Each station platform will be 90 to 120 feet long to accommodate two transit vehicles. The stations will include:

  • Large patterned glass roof and side windscreens to help protect from bad weather
  • Real-time bus arrival displays
  • Higher curb for easier boarding
  • Lighting for safety
  • Seating

On July 16, 2019, the County Board approved a $1.6 million contract with Sagres Construction Corporation to build the first 4 of 23 transit stations planned for Columbia Pike.

Anticipated construction timeline:

  • Spring/summer 2022 - Complete construction for first 8 stations
  • 2023 through 2025 - Construction of the remaining 15 stations is being coordinated with the Columbia Pike Multimodal project

Columbia Pike improvements step-by-step

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. 

Bringing premium transit to Columbia Pike

The transit stations are a major feature of the County’s planned premium transit network connecting Columbia Pike, Pentagon City and Crystal City. The stations will be the gateways to a network offering bus service that is fast, frequent, reliable and easy to use, with simplified routes, increased weekday and weekend service, and a new “one-seat ride” from Skyline to Pentagon City-Crystal City.

Public art

Arlington Public Art is a partner on this project and is funding the fabrication and installation of a film that will be applied to the patterned glass roofs of the transit stations. Learn more on the Public Art website


Public Process

October 2022 presentation to Columbia Pike Presidents

County staff provided an update on the project, including the public art, to the Columbia Pike Presidents' group.

January 2020 construction open house

This open house provided information on two Columbia Pike projects that have entered new phases of construction: Multimodal and Transit Stations.

Summer 2019 outreach

County staff attended community events to inform residents about current and upcoming construction for the Columbia Pike multimodal and transit stations projects.

  • Project flyer - in English or in Spanish - which summarizes both projects

April 2015 open house

An open house was held on April 28, 2015, for members of the community to review the 50 percent design and provide input on the importance of various station amenities and the proposed placement of station features.


Funding

The County's Fiscal Year 2019-2028 Capital Improvement Plan provides a total budget of $16.9 million for the 23 stations. This includes the above-ground structures and supporting infrastructure, site design, project management and construction costs.

The transit stations program is funded primarily by federal and state funds and local commercial real estate tax revenues that can only be used for new transportation projects.

The estimated cost for each station is comparable to stations for the Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway and other light rail, streetcar and bus rapid transit systems across the nation.