Crystal City Bike Network
Paving Work at S Clark St/Crystal Dr for New Bike Segments, May 2025
County paving contractors will mill and overlay segments of S Clark St and Crystal Dr with new asphalt. Once this work is completed, County signing and marking contractors will implement the next two segments of the Crystal City Bike Network (CCBN). This is occurring now due to the substantial completion of construction of the 2001 South Clark Street development. Read more under Final Plan.
StatusConstruction
After extensive public engagement, analysis, and plan review for adjacent private and public projects, the project team has released the final plan for the Crystal City Bike Network.
Implementation will begin in Summer 2022 and continue in coordination with adjacent projects through Winter 2024. For more info, see the final network plan and implementation information below.
Final Plan
The final Crystal City Bike Network plan was released in Summer 2022 along with an accompanying Implementation Timeline highlighting how the network will be delivered.
Review the final Bike Network memo
See the final Bike Network Map
Details for Paving Work and Bike Segments at S Clark St & Crystal Dr, May 2025
The segments of the Crystal City Bike Network (CCBN) being implemented in May 2025 include:
- A two-way cycletrack on South Clark Street between 20th Street South and 23rd Street South.
- The design for this segment was altered from a one-way northbound protected bike lane to a two-way cycletrack to improve bicycle connectivity in Crystal City and extend the existing two-way cycletrack between 23rd Street South and 27th Street South.
2. A one-way southbound protected bike lane on Crystal Drive between 20th Street South and 23rd Street South.
These segments are being implemented by Transportation, Engineering & Operations Bureau staff using concept designs provided by the CCBN plan. Installation of vertical separation devices will follow signage and marking work.
Here are the details about the paving work at both locations and anticipated impacts (including dust and noise):
- South Clark Street (20th Street to 23rd Street South) - Monday, May 12
- Crystal Drive (18th Street South to 26th Street South) - Tuesday, May 20, through Friday, May 23. The paving work may be extended through Friday, May 30 (after the Memorial Day holiday) in the event of inclement weather.
- Work Hours: 9AM-3PM, weather permitting
- Traffic Impacts: Staggered closures on the north and southbound lanes. Traffic will be maintained by flaggers.
- Parking Restrictions: Temporary “No Parking” signs will be placed at locations with street parking at least 48 hours prior to the start of the work
- Full crosswalk closure at Crystal Drive and 23rd Street South to allow crews to replace the brick crosswalks with asphalt. Flaggers will be present at all four corners of the intersection to help pedestrians cross in any direction.
- Partial crosswalk closure at Crystal Drive and 20th Street South. Use 18th Street South as an alternate crossing.
- Partial crosswalk closure at the corner of South Clark Street and 23rd Street South. Flaggers will be present at all four corners of the intersection to help pedestrians cross in any direction.
We will make every effort to minimize these inconveniences and greatly appreciate your patience and understanding during this process.
Please contact DES Communications Specialist Kiara Candelaria Nieves at kcnieves@arlingtonva.us or call 703-228-4951 with any questions about the paving work.
Paving Details - Crystal Drive
Paving Details - South Clark Street
Bike Segment Locations - South Clark Street and Crystal Drive
Bike Network Alignment
The final bike network alignment is a refined version of the original concept proposed in Spring 2021. It features a southbound protected or buffered bike lane on Crystal Drive and a two way cycle track or northbound protected bike lane along S. Clark / Bell Streets, with protected bike lanes connecting this pair on 15th Street S., 18th Street S., 23rd Street S and 26th Street S. Additional connections are available on 12th Street S. and 20th Street S.
A detailed exploration of the final Bike Network is also available on the Final Bike Network page.
The project team continues to look for opportunities to add or improve facilities included in the Bike Network through adjacent projects and site development processes. Updates to the bike network may continue beyond the deadline for implementation.
Implementation
Implementation of the bike network is complicated by the intensity of construction of private site development and existing capital projects in Crystal City. The project team is coordinating closely with internal and external partners to implement the Crystal City Bike Network in a timely manner.
To meet the County Board's deadline for implementation and maintain a safe, understandable and usable bike network in the interim, the project team developed this implementation schedule to deliver portions of the bike network not covered by capital projects or adjacent site development with clear guidance on the conditions necessary for installation.
Review the implementation timeline
For segments of the network delivered by other methods, please refer to the Final Bike Network page for more information on how those will be implemented.
More information
Background
In March 2020, the County Board directed the County Manager to develop a plan for improving the bicycle network in Crystal City within the next four years, by Dec. 31, 2024. The Board’s direction was in response to resident and County advisory committee feedback that the neighborhood needed better bicycle facilities to address frequent blocking of existing bike lanes.
The area covered by this plan is bounded by Richmond Highway (Route 1) on the west and Crystal Drive on the east, from the Alexandria border north to Long Bridge Park.
From the March 2020 County Board Resolution:
- "[D]evelop a plan for delivering a network of enhanced bicycling facilities such as protected or buffered bike lanes, east of Richmond Highway, from the Alexandria border extending north to Long Bridge Park."
- "Bring the plan forward for public input with consideration for trade-offs within the right-of-way that would be required to provide enhanced bicycle facilities while maintaining or enhancing facilities for pedestrians and transit."
- "[I]mplement the plan in a strategic manner within the next two to four years and no later than Dec. 31, 2024, coordinating both County efforts and timelines with those for entitled private developments, integrating improvement into development project where appropriate."
This plan is an opportunity to advance improvements identified in previous County planning efforts. The Crystal City Sector Plan, published in 2010, called for comprehensive transit and bicycle networks in the neighborhood. In 2019, the County adopted an updated Bike Element, part of the County’s Master Transportation Plan, which focused on creating a safe and connected bike network throughout Arlington.