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Bob's - Fairfax County Looking for Feedback
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Joined: 25 Jul 2001
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    Posted: 16 Mar 2011 at 5:21am
Bob's Slugs -

Fairfax County is looking for input on traffic flow options. See link below:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/parkandrides/oldkeenemilloptions.htm


Located at 7039 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield
277 free parking spaces
Location of "Bob's" Slug Lines, currently both 14th Street line and 18th/Memorial Bridge line
Click on each image to view proposed traffic flow with list of advantages and challenges
E-mail your comments to dotinfo@fairfaxcounty.gov
Deadline for comments is Friday, March 25, 2011
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billybaru View Drop Down
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Points: 1 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billybaru Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2011 at 11:39am
I am for making Old Keene Mill RD an "EXIT ONLY"
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Points: 0 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote al_betts Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2011 at 12:58pm
Letter to Fairfax Connection regarding: Old Keene Mill "Bob's" Morning Pick up "Park and Ride": Proposed Traffic Flow Options: We can make these improvements on the cheap

Thank you for encouraging the thousands of users of the Old Keene Mill "Bob's Park and Ride" to comment on your proposed solutions to traffic congestion during morning pick up times.

First, thank you for creating additional parking space on the south side of Old Keene Mill Road. For the first time in 12 years Fairfax country residents can actually find legal parking spaces in a nearby lot. Yes, I do realize that with gas prices increasing by over a dollar from earlier this year still greater numbers of our neighbors will be looking to share rides into DC each morning.

Second, thank you for recognizing and proposing solutions to improve morning traffic flow. While SLUG drivers for the most part have adapted well to the lot configuration there is an opportunity for making several low cost improvements. Most will involve install signage, while others would require the painting of additional lines on the pavement.

I have studied the three proposed solutions and have compared them to suggestions from riders and SLUGS since the parking lot was expanded and reopened.

Here are my thoughts . . .

1. Do not allow any front lot daily parking (near Old Keene Mill Road) until after 8:30 AM. This move alone will make walking into the lot from Springfield Plaza, the church parking lot and elsewhere safe, allow the dropping off of riders, make safer waiting to pick up riders, waiting for drivers to arrive safer, and allow for riders to queue on one side or the other where cars are currently allowed to park.

This change will correct a basic flaw in the original lot design. Planners attempted to maximize the number of available parking spaces and ignored the variable flow of riders and drivers. Traffic studies probably show that drivers exceed arriving riders on most days (particularly Tues, Wed., and Thurs.) between 8 and 8:25 AM. During this time vehicles queue and need a place to wait for riders to arrive. Leaving the front lot parking spaces open during this time will eliminate traffic congestion and make it safer for both PEDs and drivers.

2. Create a 14th/SW/Memorial Bridge staging area in the front lot in the left side of the middle where cars now park. Suggest the first five to seven parking spots be lined out and marked for SLUG line staging. (Placing an enlarged rain shelter here so the 20 to 30 rides can stand sheltered in the raiin or snow would be nice).

Why the front versus the back of the lot as designers originally planned. Drivers stop after 8:30 AM when they see riders waiting. The do not typically drive into the lot looking for riders . . . they just proceed to enter I-95 North and sit in traffic up I-395.

I suspect you may not have polled drivers who are dropping kids off at schools that start between 8:15 to 8:45 AM and then drive to work and pick up SLUGS on their way. After 8:45 AM rider visibility to approaching drivers driving east on Old Keene Mill Road has proven to be critical to getting rides.

3. Adopt the EXIT ONLY on Old Keene Mill Road proposal. I read the Advantages and Challenges statements for each of the three proposals and have been observing morning traffic flows from 7:45 to 8:50 AM for the past 12-years and can state that with the two changes I proposed above plus adopting the Exit Only traffic flow the rider and driver safety issues that were identified would be mediated. There is one traffic challenge that cannot be mediated by these adoptions . . . I will address this traffic challenge next.

4. Lengthen the traffic signal stoppage time at the Old Keene Mill and Spring Road intersection by 15 seconds between 7 and 9 AM. This delay will help address two safety issues that were identified.

First, it would provide two periods when Park and Ride vehicles can exit the lot. First when the light on turns red and stops Old Keene Mill traffic. Second with the 15 second delay most vehicles will have moved from the Springfield Plaza and Spring Road on to Old Keene Mill so there is time for vehicles to again turn on to Old Keene Mill Road from the Park and Ride lot.

Second, the extra 15 seconds would allow the PEDs walking from the Springfield Plaza lot across Old Keene Mill additional time to cross the road without have to dodge traffic turning east on to Old Keene Mill Road.

I believe the underlying cause for drivers crossing multiple lanes as they enter Old Keene Mill Road is . . . seventy-five yards east on Old Keene Mill the roadway splits into five channels. Two left most lanes head east toward Springfield Mall. The Second lane from the left also allows drivers to head right into the HOV entrance lane. The third lane from the left takes drivers to south on I-95 to Richmond. The third and fourth lanes take drivers to lanes that fly over south bound lanes take vehicles north to i-395 and to I-495.

To expect drivers to merge into traffic going 35 mph or more to enter in Old Keene Mill Road heading east first and then safely navigate in the short distance of 75-yards to the third lane is wishful thinking. Giving everyone a few more seconds to get into the appropriate lanes for their commute is inexpenive and makes the roadway safer for everyone.

I hope these thoughts can be incorporated into your planned improvements.

And thank you again for making commuter parking earlier to come by in Greater Springfield.

Best regards,
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Points: 8 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ropoll Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jul 2011 at 8:08am
Flyers were left on cars at Bob's on 6/30 regarding new traffic pattern to start on July 18th. Unsure if it will be an improvement or if it will stop drivers from picking up 14th/L'Enfant riders from both directions. It shows two way traffic at Old Keene Mill entrance to lot and appears to move the 14th Street bridge slugs to the island in between. Not sure where the line is supposed to queue up, especially when there are 20 plus folks. I've spoken to drivers that are so annoyed by the Bob's quagmire that they no longer pick up at Bob's but now go to RV.[:0]
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Points: 0 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ETC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 12:54pm
Just saw the flyer. Doesn't make any sense. Basically 14th/L'Enfant line will be leaving via Springfield Blvd. (unless you can cut through the other line to exit from the parking lot). Crazy -- July 18th for new pattern.

RV too far out of my way and with the traffic on the parkway in the PM, nuts.
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Points: 8 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ropoll Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2011 at 8:09am
Here's the link to the diagram. It is the new traffic pattern to start on July 18. It appears 14th Street/L'Enfant line moves to the island(?). How is the line not going to block traffic[?]

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/parkandrides/okmchange.htm
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Points: 1 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billybaru Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2011 at 1:13pm
The new location for the 14th street line is on a very small island....Todays slug line (people waiting for rides) would have not fit in that area. Sluggers today would have been standing in the middle of the new traffic pattern. Not safe at all. Slugger safety was NOT taken into account for this decision.
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Points: 0 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ETC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2011 at 1:22pm
Go figure that the option chosen was the only one that wasn't on the table.
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Points: 8 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ropoll Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2011 at 2:37pm
True - they seemed to have pulled this idea out of their ... well, you know. Once again, the government gets involved in slugging and it's SNAFU. Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted and appreciative that they purchased the lot for parking, but it's not helpful if the slugs are being mowed over by the drivers with obstructed sight lines. Maybe this is their way of thinning the herd. [:0] Should be interesting, come the 18th.
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Points: 0 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ETC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jul 2011 at 10:05am
It looks like it's time for a letter writing campaign. The new traffic pattern just isn't user friendly. Might look good on paper but the actual implementation leaves a lot to be desired.

The person to contact is karen.payne@fairfaxcounty.gov. Hopefully, if enough people get on board something might be worked out by the fall when all the commuters will be back at work.
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