Crystal Drive Two-Way Conversion Continues

Phase 2 of the Crystal City project arrives this weekend.

Arlington County reports that beginning tomorrow – Saturday, June 15 – Crystal Drive will permanently change from a one-way to a two-way street from 23rd Street South to 26th Street South. Police will be on site to direct traffic while the traffic signals are turned on, The Crystal Drive Two-Way Conversion marks the start of an effort to improve the Crystal City street network for future development and transit.

The Crystal Drive Two-Way Conversion project has been designed to establish the street network needed to support future development and transit improvements planned by the Crystal City Sector Plan (PDF) and Crystal City Multimodal Study (PDF). It will convert Crystal Drive from a one-way directional roadway to a two-way directional roadway.

The intent of the project is to improve the navigability of Crystal City by converting Crystal Drive and the surrounding street network from a one-way to a two-way directional roadway. In addition to the street work that will occur, the project also includes the installation of: new traffic signals, a southbound bicycle lane, street trees, and intersection upgrades to include ADA compliant crosswalk markings and ramps

The re-envisioning of Crystal City received a unanimous stamp of approval from the Arlington County Board in 2010. The plan calls for additional density, transportation infrastructure, and turning Crystal City into a full time city and not just a urban office park by day, ghost town by night. With Defense Department jobs being moved to Ft. Belvoir and elsewhere as part of BRAC, Arlington is taking the opportunity to try and re-build Crystal City for the future. (Washington Post)

Here's a quick list of transportation improvements involved in the Crystal City 2050 plan and a video walking you through some of the high level stuff. (ArlNow)

Future Phase 3 to be completed later.

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