An RCA Reston 2020 White Paper

The Soapstone Connection: A Bridge to Restons Future

An RCA Reston 2020 Committee White Paper
Dick Rogers, RCA Reston 2020 Committee Principal Drafter 4/24/2013

An RCA Reston 2020 White Paper

An RCA Reston 2020 White Paper

The Soapstone Connection: A Bridge to Restons Future

An RCA Reston 2020 Committee White Paper 24 April 2013

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Soapstone Connector is the one infrastructure project that gives the most hope of improving access to Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station and relieving congestion on Wiehle Avenue. It is also important for the future re-development of the Wiehle station area. Supervisor Hudgins recently called on Fairfax County to expedite its construction. The county has developed five options for routing the Connector but we think the criteria for evaluating them should be made more explicit. We need to take into account ways to expedite construction by reducing costs. Routes that avoid substantial property acquisition costs or building destruction should be assigned priority. Ways should be considered to reduce the cost of construction by limiting the width of the bridge. We offer some suggestions. It is important the Connector be located as close to Wiehle station as possible and that consideration be given as to how it links into the existing Reston street system and to the potential grid of streets North of Sunset Hills. We think it particularly important that it link up with Soapstone Drive on the south to avoid another "dead end intersection on Sunrise Valley. We think that alternative 3D, possibly modified somewhat, best meets most of the criteria we outline. If routed along Association Drive it would reduce property acquisition costs and problems, is reasonably close to the station and could link into the existing and future grid of streets.

An RCA Reston 2020 White Paper

Introduction
Fairfax County is undertaking an extensive preliminary study of possible routes for the Soapstone Connector that would link Sunrise Valley Drive and Sunset Hills Road via a bridge across the Dulles Toll Road (DTR) near the Wiehle Avenue Metro station. (Note: The term Soapstone Connector refers to the fact that the original proposal began as an extension of Soapstone Drive from its intersection with Sunrise Valley. The term has continued to be used although some of the options being studied do not connect directly with Soapstone.) The preliminary feasibility work, after reviewing 30 or so alternate routings, has identified 5 options as most viable. The next stage in the process will be identifying the one or two preferred options. On 19 March, Supervisor Hudgins called for expedited construction of the Soapstone crossing to relieve traffic in the Wiehle station area. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has endorsed this and related Metro access requests and called on the County Department of Transportation (DOT) to work on them. It is in this context that RCA believes more specific criteria need to be advanced for evaluating the options.

Background
The concept of the Soapstone Connector evolved from the Reston Metrorail Access Group (RMAG) study released on 15 April 2009. The RMAG study said that of its recommended infrastructure investments, the Soapstone Connector would have the greatest impact on easing congestion at the Wiehle station. The original RMAG proposal called for a four-lane road link from Soapstone and Sunrise Valley Drive, down Association Drive East, across the DTR and to Sunset Hills via what is now called Metro Center Drive. This proposal had several positive features: The Connector was very close to the station. It presumed the road could be linked with Reston Station Boulevard to provide direct access to the station. It utilized existing (private) roads on both the north and south side of the DTR. It did not require destruction or dramatic alteration of existing properties. It connected with the existing Reston street grid south of Sunrise Valley and with the proposed street grid north of the DTR through Isaac Newton Square. It set aside two of the four lanes as limited to bus and bicycle use. However, the RMAG study did not evaluate its proposals from an engineering feasibility perspective. When engineers took a closer look at the RMAG proposal for the Soapstone Connector, they concluded that the rate of incline of 12% from the peak of the crossing at the DTR to Reston Station Blvd precluded construction of the Connector in the original proposed location. And in an example of poor inter-agency planning, MWAA built an important electrical sub-station where footings for the crossing might have gone. The importance of the Soapstone Connector cannot be over-emphasized. The County DOT study on Reston traffic under the proposed Reston Master Plan--released on 8 April 2013--concluded that the Connector was the most valuable infrastructure addition for improving Reston traffic flow and should be the number one priority. 2

An RCA Reston 2020 White Paper

RCAs Recommended Criteria for Evaluation

As noted, the ongoing County study of the Soapstone Connector has identified five possible alignment options. They range from a crossing about 800 feet west of the station to a route near Plaza America, well to the west of the station. The Countys next step involves evaluating these options. However, the evaluation criteria put forward in the public study presentation on 20 March are very general. The Countys stated goals for the Connector are: Connect Sunset Hills and Sunrise Valley. Reduce traffic impact on Wiehle. Improve accessibility to the station. Integrate with planned grid of streets within the study area in Reston. Complement existing and future development in the area.

While these goals are laudable, we think they need to be made more specific, and supplemented by additional points. RCAs recommendations for additional evaluation criteria are as follows: 1. Expedite the Construction We believe that in line with Supervisor Hudgins recommendation and the Board of Supervisors action noted above, the alignment options for the Soapstone Crossing need to be evaluated above all for ease and speed of construction. To this end, the cost of the project, which is estimated at between $100 and 150 millionmuch of it for property acquisitionneeds to be reduced. One drawback for many of the options is that they either pass through existing properties or require the destruction of existing buildings. Although some of this may be necessary, we believe it should be minimized. For example, Option 4D would require demolition of the National Association of Secondary School Principals building. Option 5C goes through the Musica building on Sunset Hills Road. Option 3D absorbs most of the unused property suitable for redevelopment at the Association Drive site. Option 1C runs through the Commerce Park property, which is controlled by several owners. On the south side of the DTR, we think more consideration should be given to routing the Crossing along the existing private roadways of East or West Association Drive. Using the existing road right-of-ways could speed up property acquisition and construction. Improvements to and expansion of East Association Drive would be particularly valuable. Such work could help provide access to the existing service road on the north side of the Vornado property; this road when upgraded could eventually provide bus and kiss and ride access to the south side of the station. Supervisor Hudgins second priority injunction to the Board of Supervisor calls for such improved access. Although it has been suggested the option 6E might cost less because it is routed through existing parking lots, it is the western most location from the station. It also does not link well into existing Reston street networks, and is of reduced utility on serving station bound traffic. It also impacts one of the few natural features in the area.

An RCA Reston 2020 White Paper 2. Consider a Bridge Diet Another way to reduce costs would be to put the proposed Crossing on a bridge diet. The County study proposes a four lane bridge with two bike lanes, a pedestrian sidewalk and a 17+ ft shared use path. This would produce an 83-footwide bridge span. We believe serious consideration should be given to reducing this width. Although separated bike and pedestrian walkways are essential, the second bike lane and the shared use path could be eliminated. That could reduce the bridge width to about 60ft. If the Connector is built far to the west of the station, it will be less used by pedestrians and bikers accessing the station anyway. The concept of providing four vehicular lanes should also be reexamined. As noted above, the RMAG proposal called for four lanes, but two of them would be exclusively for buses and bikers. Some have suggested that the bridge be reduced to two lanes. We think that future re redevelopment of Reston will require a four lane crossing but some options should be studied. For example, consider building a two lane bridge now but with footings installed for future expansion. This could be funded with proffer money as areas around the Connector re-develops. Another possibility would be to temporarily end the Connector on the north side short of the flood plain (actually a gulch and creek that are EPA protected) and not construct option 1C or 3D requiring acquisition of the BAE property for Sunset Hills right now. It could link to the station by a slight extension of Reston Station Blvd and connect to Sunset Hills via Metro Center Drive. This could be a temporary measure; as the area re-develops, developer proffer money could eventually help pay for its completion. What is needed before an alignment option is chosen is a traffic study of the key routes in the area and the anticipated bridge traffic. Reston transportation consultant Joe Stowers, who has also urged study of a two-lane bridge, has suggested two traffic studies: one focusing on a connector open to all traffic, and the other involving restricted traffic somewhat similar to that proposed above. In addition to helping provide guidance on the needed width of the Soapstone Crossing and related access roads, these studies would provide other valuable data that will help choose an alignment. Whatever the width of the bridge, we think that during the AM and PM rush periods it should expedite bus and non-single driver auto traffic to the station. In line with the spirit of the original RMAG proposal, one lane should be reserved for buses and car-pools, at least during rush hours. Further engineering study may also be worthwhile. For example, an independent engineer offered the opinion that a four or five span bridgerather than the three span proposedcould save considerable money because thinner steel could be used. 3. Give Higher Priority to Reducing Wiehle Avenue Congestion and Providing Access to Wiehle Station Although these are two of five goals that the County has already set, we believe that they should be prioritized in the evaluation process. Although more links across the DTR are essential for future Reston development, the immediate goal should be to promote access to the station and to improve traffic flow along Wiehle Avenue. Prioritizing these factors would encourage locating the Connector as close as possible to the station--one of the many advantages of the original RMAG plan. (Note: In its study released on 8 April, DOT has also called for eventual DTR crossings at Town Center Drive and South 4

An RCA Reston 2020 White Paper Lakes Drive.) Several of the options under study move the Connector too far to the West and provide less help for easing congestion on Wiehle. For example, Option 6E routes the Connector far to the west at Indian Ridge Drive; this provides more help to Plaza America than it does to the Wiehle station. 4. Widen the Study Area The feasibility study focused on an internal box bounded by Sunset Hills and Sunrise Valley on the north and south, Wiehle on the east, and the pipeline near Plaza America on the west. It placed particular emphasis on linking up with the proposed grid of streets within the box. We think the study box should be broadened to include areas north of Sunset Hills and south of Sunrise Valley. The study needs to assess how the Connector fits into the existing street network in south Reston and how it could relate to the potential grid of streets north of the W&OD trail. On the north side, the study should take into account how best to link the Connector into proposed future development at Isaac Newton Square via properties to the north of the W&OD trail. (One of the merits of the RMAG proposal was that it did this directly via Metro Center Drive and Isaac Newton Sq West.) It is widely assumed that Isaac Newton will eventually be part of a grid of streets that will provide an alternative to the congested Sunset Hills-Wiehle intersection. There are private properties subject to redevelopment on the north side of the W&OD trail west of Isaac Newton such as Golf Course Plaza. These could be linked into the Isaac Newton areas. Options 1C and 3D access these areas. The other three options are too far to the west, and will just funnel more traffic into the Sunset Hills-Wiehle intersection. Also to be noted is that on the north side-- within the study boxit assumed the crossings will be linked to an extended Reston Station Blvd to provide access to the station. However, extending that road to the area covered by options 4D and 6E seems a long way into the future since considerable redevelopment will be required. 5. Require a Direct Connection to Soapstone Drive On the south side, we think it essential that the Connector link up with the existing south Reston road network via a direct connection with Soapstone. Three of the study options do not do this, but propose another set of three-way T intersections similar to the Wiehle-Sunrise Valley intersection. The advantage of the Soapstone connection is that it provides direct--no left or right turn needed--access to South Lakes Drive, Glade Drive, and Lawyers Road--all major south Reston east-west streets. The intersection is also signalized alreadyit would not require adding yet another stop light along Sunrise Valley. The study also needs to take into account the impact that increased traffic might have on existing residential areas south of Sunrise Valley. In particular, additional traffic calming measures should be studied for Soapstone. It has already gone through a road diet that reduced it to two vehicular lanes and two bike lanes. Additional traffic calming measures, if needed, might include additional signal lights, a lower speed limit, and stepped up enforcement. 6. Take a Second Look at Engineering Issues It is important to review the engineering feasibility issues associated with several of the proposals (1C, 3D, 4D). All these involve relatively steep gradients on the north side of 8% as well as the need to cross 5

An RCA Reston 2020 White Paper the flood plain north of the proposed Reston Station Blvd on a separate short bridge. We believe many other considerations favor these alternatives, but are concerned that engineering concerns could disqualify them. One thing that should be considered, in this regard, is that we should not consider the Connector as an expressway but as a road in an urban setting. This may mean that steeper gradients are more acceptable. 7. Consider Modifications to the Existing Options As implied in the recommendations above, we believe that the study should look at some modifications of the options put forward, particularly regarding the south side. We think use of the existing Association Drive is a superior alternative to the existing options. Option 4D does this to some degree, but Option 3D takes the expensive approach of running a straight roadway through the Association Drive properties. We recognize that Association Drive will require some expansion and rebuilding, which will add cost; however, it is a more cost-effective and advantageous approach to the straight roadway envisioned in 3D. As noted above, we think an approach using east Association Drive, which would eventually link with the south station access, should be considered. It would require a longer distance, a curve when entering the Association Drive property from Soapstone, and slower speeds. But lower costs and the potential link to the south side of the station make the alternative seem attractive.

Conclusion
The Soapstone connection is the single most important infrastructure improvement that could enhance access to Wiehle station and ease congestion on the Wiehle bridge. Priority should be given to selecting a route that can be constructed as close as possible to the station as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Keeping property acquisition costs in check is important. In assessing options, the interaction of the connector with the existing street network in south Reston and the potential one in North Reston needs to be re- assessed. Considering the criteria laid out above and the options on the table, we believe that some variant of 3D, modified on the south side, would best meet all the goals involved. The 3D would be linked directly with the Reston street network north and south of Sunset Hills and Sunrise Valley. A modified routing via Association Drive would reduce land acquisition and construction costs. It would be close to the station and provide the most help for relieving congestion on Wiehle. Whatever decision is made on the Soapstone Crossing, we urge the various agencies and private entities involve stay in close contact. As described in the earlier RCA 2020 paper Wiehle Metro Station Access: Congestion Ahead, at least eight such organizations as well as many property holders will be impacted by the Crossing. As we have seen in the case of an electric power sub-station placed where Soapstone footings might have gone, lack of coordination is all too easy. We reiterate recommendation #11 from out earlier paper that Supervisor Hudgins institutionalize better cooperation among Fairfax County Departments, state agencies, and MWAA to help assure timely, effective construction of this critical piece of Reston transportation infrastructure.