RAILWAY EXPRESS CRYSTAL CITY STATION EXPANSION CONTRIBUTES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

APTA Rail Conference

By Sonali Soneji, AICP VRE Planning Program Administrator

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS June 25, 2019

1 VRE OVERVIEW VRE OVERVIEW

PURPOSE & NEED A system running on existing railroad tracks SITE SELECTION Serving Washington, D.C. and STATION DESIGN carrying long-distance commuters to DC, Arlington and Alexandria COLLABORATION Two lines, 96 miles DISCUSSION adding peak capacity to I-95/I-395 and I-66 corridors* 20,000 daily passenger trips that commuters otherwise would have taken alone in cars*

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS

* Source: Texas Transportation Institute, Virginia Railway Express Congestion Relief Contribution; 2014 2 VRE OVERVIEW PEAK HOUR TRIPS (6:30 to 7:30 AM) PURPOSE & NEED across the SITE SELECTION from Virginia to DC

STATION DESIGN

COLLABORATION OTHER 11% 1%

DISCUSSION VRE 13% BUS AUTOMOBILE METRORAIL 58% 17%

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS 21,900 TOTAL TRIPS

Source: Transportation Planning Board 2013 Central Employment Core Cordon Count 3 VRE OVERVIEW VRE OVERVIEW . Busiest origin stations are at the PURPOSE & NEED end of the lines

SITE SELECTION . L’Enfant Station is our busiest destination station STATION DESIGN . Crystal City and Union Station are next busiest destination stations COLLABORATION . Most VRE riders:

DISCUSSION – Work for the government – Ride five days per week

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS

4 CRYSTAL CITY RIDER DESTINATIONS

. Crystal City . Pentagon City & Pentagon . Arlington & DC

STATION EGRESS MODE 69%

WALK OTHER

7% BUS METRORAIL 6%

18% VRE Trip Destinations VRE Crystal City Station Other VRE Stations WMATA Metrorail Stations VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS

Source: 2016 Virginia Railway Express Master Agreement Survey Destinations 5 VRE OVERVIEW PURPOSE AND NEED

PURPOSE & NEED One of our busiest stations with the shortest platform and one entrance SITE SELECTION . Reduce platform crowding and train dwell time . STATION DESIGN Improve passenger safety & convenience Side platform served by one track COLLABORATION . Improve operational flexibility . Support future bidirectional service DISCUSSION Declining ridership and hidden location . Improve visibility & multimodal connectivity . Support Crystal City sector plan . Potential walkway to airport

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS

6 VRE OVERVIEW DESIGN OBJECTIVES

PURPOSE & NEED . New island platform between Tracks 2 & 3 ‒ Serve 8-10 cars ‒ Two grade-separated access points SITE SELECTION . Not preclude a new 4th mainline track STATION DESIGN . Stay within existing railroad right-of-way . Enhance local & regional connectivity COLLABORATION ‒ Metrorail, , Buses, Shuttles ‒ Bicycle and walk access DISCUSSION . Support Crystal City’s vision for growth . Build a sustaining relationship with the community

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS

7 FACTOR DEFINITION MEASURES Proximity to jobs, • Jobs within 1/2 mile from center of platform Local • VRE rider destinations within 1/2 mile from center of platform Transportation residences, and • Residents within 1/2 mile from center of platform bicycle network • Distance to bicycle network from closest point on station platform Connections Proximity to Metrorail • Distance to existing Metrorail station entry from closest point on platform Regional • Distance to expected new Metrorail station entry from closest point on Transportation and Metroway platform • Number of street crossings to existing Metrorail station Connections • Distance to Metroway station from closest point on station platform Changes to Existing • Noise and Vibration impacts to sensitive receptors Community and • Property acquisition impacts to residential property Environmental Conditions • Impacts to Historic, Cultural, and/or Recreational resources (Built and Natural • Impacts to environmental justice (EJ) populations Impacts • Impacts to Visual Resources environment) • Impacts to water resources and floodplains

EVALUATION FACTORS EVALUATION Anticipated cost • Length of track relocation Major Cost • Grade-separated Access to the local roadway network Elements relative to other • Construction Sequencing options • Impacts to Railroad Infrastructure • No. of Culverts NOTE: Economic Development and Land Use Benefits were not Ranked

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS

8 VRE OVERVIEW Pentagon City PURPOSE & NEED Pentagon

Metroway (BRT) SITE SELECTION

STATION DESIGN Crystal City

COLLABORATION ❶

To Alexandria To ❸ ❷

DISCUSSION To Washington Washington DC To

Reagan National Airport

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS

9 VRE OVERVIEW SUMMARY OF RANKINGS

PURPOSE & NEED EVALUATION FACTOR OPTION 1 OPTION 2 OPTION 3

Local Transportation SITE SELECTION    Connections STATION DESIGN Regional Transportation    Connections COLLABORATION Community and    Environmental Impacts

DISCUSSION Major Cost Elements   

OVERALL RATING   

Legend:  High  Medium  Low

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS

10 VRE OVERVIEW St S St S PURPOSE & NEED th th 20 18 Proposed New Metrorail Entrance Crystal Drive SITE SELECTION Metroway Stop Capital Bikeshare Station Metroway Stop

Crystal City STATION DESIGN Ramp Water Park

COLLABORATION Track 3 Track 2

Existing DISCUSSION Bridge Bicycle/Pedestrian Tunnel Underpass Ramp

Locomotive Stairs Elevator

N Memorial Parkway

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS CONCEPT DESIGN – PREFERRED SITE 11 . Proposed mid-block crossing across Crystal Drive aligns NORTH ENTRANCE with paths to VRE station and trail . Access to Underground and proposed Metrorail entrance . Separate pedestrian and bicycle paths reduce conflicts and makes existing trail ADA accessible . Minimized impact on existing Water Park design

Existing Tunnel Proposed Existing Water Park Station Entrance

ADA Access

VIRGINIA RAILWAYNew EXPRESS Mid-block Crossing

12 . Elevated covered walkway to terrace SOUTH ENTRANCE . Stairs to street/platform level; ADA accessible by elevators; . Path aligns with existing crosswalk across Crystal Drive . Parking removed and driveway narrowed for wider walkway

ADA Access

Station Entrance

Existing Crosswalk

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS

13 VRE OVERVIEW

PURPOSE & NEED

SITE SELECTION VRE Station

STATION DESIGN

COLLABORATION

DISCUSSION ADA Access Station Entrance Crystal Drive Crossing

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS PROPOSED WALKWAY TO AIRPORT 14 VRE OVERVIEW

PURPOSE & NEED

SITE SELECTION

STATION DESIGN Community Outreach: Technical Advisory Group: .  Arlington County Staff COLLABORATION Public Events – 2017 and 2018  . VRE Rider Survey JBG-Smith / Vornado  Equity Residential . DISCUSSION VRE Operations Board  Crystal City Civic Association . Arlington County Board and  Crystal City BID Commissions  MWAA   WHS Transportation (Pentagon)  CSXT (host railroad)  FRA & FTA VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS  VA Dept. of Rail & Public Transportation

15 VRE OVERVIEW VRE Project Manager: SONALI SONEJI Phone: 703.838.5432 Email: [email protected] PURPOSE & NEED

SITE SELECTION

STATION DESIGN

COLLABORATION

DISCUSSION

PROJECT WEBSITE www.vre.org/development/crystal-city-station-improvements

VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS

16