WAMU, Nov. 14, 2018:

Stewart Schwartz, executive director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, a D.C.-area nonprofit addressing how the region grows, says the region should be excited, not worried.

“This location will have significantly less impact on the region’s transportation network in particular, then would a location 30 miles outside the core for sure,” Schwartz said.

…

Schwartz says housing and transportation in the region aren’t maxed out.

“We have a lot of capacity, not just at Crystal City, but at Potomac Yard, Pentagon City and really a number of other Metro stations in the region,” Schwartz said. “By focusing growth at our Metro stations, we’ll maximize the number of people who aren’t driving, and actually make the Metro system work better as well. It will be used all day in both directions. And so Metro itself will improve its operating funding posture as a result.”

Schwartz said Metro will need to increase train frequency and create more dedicated bus lanes in the region to speed up buses and increase reliability.

“This that was an area where Seattle made a major commitment and the results prove that it works for increasing ridership and reducing the amount of driving,” Schwartz said.

…

Schwartz said building more housing near transit is a key way to decrease single car driving.

“When you provide more housing and more affordable housing close to jobs, and close to high-frequency transit, you are helping reduce long-distance commutes and cars on the road,” Schwartz said.

…

Schwartz says Amazon has picked a good spot for a walkable, mixed-use development with a strong transit presence.

“It’s a testament to the long-time commitment Arlington and neighboring jurisdictions has had to transform development,” Schwartz said. “Arlington was a pioneer in this type of planning, and has a plan in place for Crystal City, one that will continue to transform it into a modern vibrant people-oriented place.”

Read more here.

By Jordan Pascale

Amazon will bring 25,000 new jobs to the Crystal City area by 2030, and although Northern Virginia already has a number of transportation challenges, experts say the region’s infrastructure can handle the changes.

The internet retail juggernaut’s decision has already led the state of Virginia to commit to $195 million for transportation projects, spaced out as jobs grow.

Among the planned improvements:

• Adding a new entrance on the east side of the Crystal City Metro station, which will be the major transit hub for Amazon.
• Adding a southwest entrance to the new Potomac Yard Metro station set to open in 2022. The second entrance was in the original plans for the station, but was later nixed because of cost.
• Building a pedestrian connector bridge from Crystal City to Reagan National Airport. The bridge appears to be about three football fields long, according to a map from developers JBG Smith. It will be built once Amazon brings 2,500 jobs, which is projected to happen in 2021.
• Improvements to Jefferson Davis Highway. Those exact improvements aren’t named yet but will be “mutually agreed upon” between the state and Amazon. Most likely they will include pedestrian safety and accessibility improvements.
• Dedicated bus lane/transitway expansion supporting Pentagon City, Crystal City, and Potomac Yard.
• Constructing a better Virginia Railway Express commuter rail station. One already exists in the area, but a new one, which could open in five years, would bring a longer platform and other improvements.

Virginia says additional funding would be available if Amazon creates more than 25,000 jobs.

Oh, and one last thing — Amazon wants a helipad.

“Arlington County staff will assist Amazon in its efforts to obtain required County Board, Commonwealth and Federal approvals for the development, construction, and operation (at the Company’s expense) of a helipad at the Facility,” Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz wrote in the county’s agreement with Amazon.

Key Criteria For Amazon

Transportation and mobility were among Amazon’s key criteria for a new headquarters.

Crystal City checked the boxes:

• Direct access to mass transit. Yellow/Blue Line Metro stop, VRE commuter rail, and Arlington Bus Rapid Transit are all on site.
• An international airport no more than 45 minutes away. Dulles is 30 minutes from Crystal City and the domestic Reagan National is walking distance, just across the GW Parkway.
• A mile or two from major highways or arteries. Jefferson Davis Highway and I-395 are just a few steps away.

Amazon is expected to ramp up job numbers slowly, which will help the region adjust.

In 2019, it plans to hire 400 employees in the area. Then over the years, it will ramp up hiring to between 1,000-2,000 staff a year until 2030, when it should hit the proposed 25,000 total.

Kanti Srikanth, director of transportation planning for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, says the region is prepared to absorb the population growth.

Since the region was already prepping for growth, many transportation projects that would help with Amazon are already in the hopper, Srikanth said.

“I am encouraged by the plans that we already have,” Srikanth said. “And I’m only cautioning that we should redouble our commitment to these projects.”

Stewart Schwartz, executive director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, a D.C.-area nonprofit addressing how the region grows, says the region should be excited, not worried.

“This location will have significantly less impact on the region’s transportation network in particular, then would a location 30 miles outside the core for sure,” Schwartz said.

A Look At The Landscape

Public transit

Srikanth said tech workers tend to use public transit, walk or bike more than the most. If that trend holds true, the region is in a good position.

Metro will be a major player for Amazon workers with the Crystal City station in the heart of the action. It’s also building a nearby in-fill station, Potomac Yards, in between the National Airport and Braddock Road stops on the Yellow and Blue Lines.

Metro welcomed Amazon to the region on Twitter.

Schwartz says housing and transportation in the region aren’t maxed out.

“We have a lot of capacity, not just at Crystal City, but at Potomac Yard, Pentagon City and really a number of other Metro stations in the region,” Schwartz said. “By focusing growth at our Metro stations, we’ll maximize the number of people who aren’t driving, and actually make the Metro system work better as well. It will be used all day in both directions. And so Metro itself will improve its operating funding posture as a result.”

Schwartz said Metro will need to increase train frequency and create more dedicated bus lanes in the region to speed up buses and increase reliability.

“This that was an area where Seattle made a major commitment and the results prove that it works for increasing ridership and reducing the amount of driving,” Schwartz said.

Regional and local transit systems have a significant unused capacity, even during peak travel periods, according to the state’s press release. Amazon is expected to help fill that existing capacity. The city has partnered with the City of Seattle to fund many transit improvements.

Arlington County and Alexandria already plan to fund more than $570 million rail connections, transit facilities, multi-modal streets, and corridor connectivity serving the site.

Traffic

Srikanth said he doesn’t want to give the impression that there won’t be any traffic pain.

“Nobody would say that during the peak hours, you can get in and out of the area easily,” Srikanth said. “It is congested, your highways are congested, your Metro trains are crowded, your VRE trains are crowded. But the region already has a lot of projects to address that condition to improve our mobility and that is particularly true in the Arlington, Alexandria and the district area.”

The region is already adding HOT lanes to I-66 outside the Beltway and I-395. Telework and flexible hours, which both the region and tech companies have largely embraced, will also help reduce the congestion.

Schwartz said building more housing near transit is a key way to decrease single car driving.

“When you provide more housing and more affordable housing close to jobs, and close to high-frequency transit, you are helping reduce long-distance commutes and cars on the road,” Schwartz said.

Airports

All three area airports expect a bump from Amazon.

“We look forward to the economic benefits that being near this new headquarters will bring to Reagan National and Dulles International airports and to the entire National Capital Region,” a Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesman said in Amazon’s announcement.

American Airlines had previously planned to upgrade many flights from 50-seat to 76-seat jets when a new regional concourse opens in 2021, according to Flight Global.

But carriers can’t add more flights at National, only shift to larger aircraft, due to slot restrictions that limit the number of operations at the airport, Edward Russell of Flight Global reports.

DCA has connections to nearly 100 cities and two other international airports within 36 miles.

Walkability and biking

Schwartz says Amazon has picked a good spot for a walkable, mixed-use development with a strong transit presence.

“It’s a testament to the long-time commitment Arlington and neighboring jurisdictions has had to transform development,” Schwartz said. “Arlington was a pioneer in this type of planning, and has a plan in place for Crystal City, one that will continue to transform it into a modern vibrant people-oriented place.”

The area has the nearby Mount Vernon Trail, many two-way streets with bike lanes and bikeshare. Arlington has also started a nine-month pilot program for scooters and dockless bikes.

Pedestrian improvements to Jefferson Davis Highway should help address safety crossing a busy six-lane road. The DCA pedestrian bridge should also increase walkability to the airport.