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June 2000 B
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Bluemont Civic Association BCA Officers and Representatives Working Group Studying Wilson Boulevard Options The special Working Group formed in June, 2000 to study the many issues involving Bluemont's "Main Street," has met three times, including a meeting with the Ritch Viola, the County's Pedestrian and Bicycle Coordinator. The Group is considering a wide range of problems, from speeding traffic, to narrow sidewalks, to dangerous intersections and other pedestrian safety issues. After meeting with County officials, and other experts and interested parties, the Group will consider options for addressing these problems and make recommendations to the Civic Association for furtherance to the County.Though it is understood that these issues will not be fully addressed for some time, the Group is on a fast track to have recommendations in place this fall. To facilitate its work, the Group divided the two miles of Wilson Boulevard within BCA into three segments: Glebe Road to George Mason, George Mason to Jefferson Street, and Jefferson Street to Four Mile Run. While there are numerous problems common to all three segments, each has unique concerns. The eastern end has proven to be difficult for pedestrians to navigate: the Glebe Road intersection that is difficult to cross in one light cycle, the Abingdon Road red-light runners and the utility poles in the sidewalks. The George Mason intersection - just a few feet from an elementary school - is widely acknowledged to be dangerous, as is the crosswalk at the Safeway. According to neighbors, traffic speeds of 50 mph and higher are not unusual on the slopes on either side of Four Mile Run. The Group contacted the County to learn what possible options were available and where some current examples might be found elsewhere in the county. The County responded with a list that ranged from expensive projects like medians and lights, to relative cost-free signs and paint. As a result, the Group anticipates either an organized tour of projects or a well-marked map. Such things as rumble strips, guard rails and speed-bumps were ruled out as too noisy or severe. One possible obstacle that may need to be overcome is a current County policy of no traffic-calming activities on arterial roads like Wilson and Washington. And County staff is still uncertain as to the jurisdiction of Wilson: the state or the county. If you are interested in this effort, please contact Robert Waffle at 358-9448. Development at 801 N. Emerson Kirkbride Construction, Inc. has submitted to Arlington County a preliminary resubdivision plat for the site at 801 North Emerson Street. The proposal involves subdividing one lot into two. The plat may be reviewed through August 6 at the Arlington County Department of Public Works at 2100 Clarendon Boulevard Suite 717, phone 228-3690. Also, Dolores Kirkbride of Kirkbride Construction has indicated that neighbors with concerns or questions may phone her at 241-0025. |
Arlington Traditional School Expansion The County has invited the Bluemont Civic Association to participate in the building committee dealing with the planned expansion and renovation of the Arlington Traditional School. Anyone interested in this position should contact Ed Fendley (527-6118; efendley@juno.com) New BCA Officers Elected New officers for the 2000-2001 year were elected at BCA's Annual Meeting in June. BCA Bylaws Amendments Passed A number of proposed amendments to the Association bylaws were passed at the General Meeting in June. Most of them make the bylaws consistent with current practices (e.g., the dates of the fiscal year and the membership dues). The only significant change was the elevation of the Neighborhood Conservation Representative to a voting member of the executive committee. This change was made to recognize the importance of this position and to increase the number of board members. Help Wanted! Can you contribute a couple of hours a month to help out with the Bluemont newsletter? We need volunteers to put stamps and address labels on the newsletters and bring them to the post office on the Friday before each meeting. Outreach Chair Karen DeCarlo will provide the mailing labels and stamps. The newsletters are prefolded and the labels are sorted by zipcode. Ideally, we would have two volunteers, one to deliver the 22205 newsletters to the Preston King Station in Westover, and one to deliver the others to the post office at Pershing and Glebe. If you can help, please contact Karen DeCarlo at 525-5467 or via e-mail at kgdecarlo@netzero.net. This is a great way to show your appreciation for the work the Association does on behalf of the neighborhood. Halloween Needs You! The Bluemont neighborhood has put itself on the map with its increasingly popular Halloween parade at Lacey Woods Park. Last year's parade attracted hundreds of people, and featured costume contests with VIP judges, storytelling, and lots of other fun for kids and adults. But continuing that tradition will require volunteers to organize this year's Halloween Parade. To see how you can help, call Gerry Procanick at 524-3764 or Ed Fendley at 527-6118. |
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BCA Calendar - Meetings & Events BCA membership costs $12 per household per calendar year. Dues are prorated $1 per month for new members who join after the beginning of the year (e.g., currently, membership is $10 for the remainder of 2000). To renew or join, send a check to: Treasurer, Bluemont Civic Association, PO Box 5134, Arlington, VA 22205 (Please include your name, postal and e-mail addresses, and phone number). |
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