Health & Fitness
Bicycle and pedestrian access to Wiehle-Reston East station
Safe, convenient bicycle and pedestrian access to the new Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail station will be critical for easing congestion and providing an important alternative way to reach the station.
When the Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail station opens in the spring, bicycle and pedestrian traffic along Wiehle Avenue will increase significantly. The station has a secure bike parking room that will hold more than 200 bicycles, and there will be several bike racks located on the station plaza. Many people will want to avoid paying $4.75/day for car parking and will bike, walk, or take a bus instead.
As an example of the importance of the bike room, this is a quote we heard today: "The silver line and the bike room are the reason I just took a job in Reston."
Car traffic will also increase, along with potential conflicts between motorists, bikers, and walkers. Those conflicts just got a little worse with the new configuration of the eastbound Dulles Toll Rd exit ramp at Wiehle Ave, where the south station entrance and new bus bays are located. Until recently motorists could not turn right on red. It's difficult to see approaching traffic on southbound Wiehle Ave. Now there are no right on red restrictions even though sight distance has not changed. There is also an additional right turn lane. As you can see from the photo, there now appear to be THREE right turn lanes at this intersection.
Recently I rode past this intersection on the way to a meeting to discuss transportation "improvements" to the station. A motorist was stopped at the light, looking left before turning right on a red signal. I approached from the right. Had I ventured into the crosswalk I would have been hit when the motorist turned without looking my way. This has happened multiple times to my wife and I since the right on red restriction was removed.
As Reston plans for future growth, some in the community are calling for more transportation "improvements" like this; more lanes of traffic, more turning lanes, better "traffic" flow. These changes don't bode well for bicyclists and pedestrians. Additional lanes make crossing these streets more difficult. Improving "traffic" flow usually means longer wait times for pedestrians and cyclists.
I recently attended the Reston Association community meeting on the proposed Reston Master Plan recommendations. Once topic was mobility. While ped/bike access was stressed throughout the evening, it was a little dismaying that the mobility segment was devoted to a discussion of (motorized) congestion at the six major intersections in Reston, with no mention of how "mitigation measures" will affect bicyclists and pedestrians. When asked about this during the Q&A, one solution was "grade separation," building bridges or tunnels for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Bridges and tunnels are expensive and inconvenient and unless designed well, are not used. On a major trail like the W&OD Trail, a bridge or tunnel can be very useful, but separating pedestrians and bicyclists at urban intersections goes against most urban design philosophies of having vibrant streets where pedestrians and bicyclists are an integral part of the urban landscape.
Maybe we should figure out how we can make our streets available to everyone. If traffic is congested, then people will need to make short trips by something other than a car. If biking and walking conditions are safe and convenient, people will use those methods.
