To get a real estate development approved, built, and financed in Arlington County, Virginia, developers typically need to address several regulatory and feasibility issues related to traffic and parking in Arlington that often determine whether a development moves forward or stalls in the entitlement process. In our years of experience helping developers identify constraints, avoid redesigns, and navigate the review process, we have identified a few core elements that are crucial to success.
The top five traffic and parking issues in Arlington that developers need to resolve are:
1. Trip Generation and Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA)
This is perhaps the most critical deliverable for developers when it comes to entitlements and rezoning. A traffic analysis (and the vehicle trip generation that comes with it):
- determines whether a proposed development will overload adjacent intersections and roadways,
- is required for rezoning, special permits, or major site plans, and
- has a direct impact on the project scale and density that regulators will allow.
Our team of engineers and planners regularly calculate trip generation using standards from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual with adjustments to reflect transit and other non-auto modes, forecast future traffic volumes related to the proposed site, analyze Level of Service (LOS) at nearby intersections, and identify mitigation measures such as turn lanes, signal timing, and road widening.
In our years of experience helping developers identify constraints, avoid redesigns, and navigate the review process, we have identified a few core traffic and parking elements that are crucial to success in the entitlement process.
2. Parking Demand and Parking Supply Studies
Parking, and the need for it, has been changing. Zoning codes have normally required minimum parking ratios. With the increase in mixed-use and transit-oriented developments, the consequent increase in density, and the fact that parking is extremely expensive, developers have sought ways to reduce the need for costly structured parking while satisfying County and market requirements. Our team has been instrumental in working with both developers and regulatory authorities to find ways to reduce the need for building parking spaces.
Our parking analyses look for ways to seek parking reductions or shared parking approvals (see our Case Study: The Village at Shirlington: Shared Parking Studies for Mixed Use Project). We accomplish this in a variety of ways, including:
- estimating realistic parking demand using ITE Parking Generation data,
- demonstrating shared parking between uses (for example, between office/day and restaurant/night),
- collecting data at similar facilities,
- supporting parking waivers or reductions, and
- designing parking layouts and circulation methods for modern usage.
A well-supported parking study can often help development teams justify lower parking ratios and improve the economics of a project.
Our team has been instrumental in working with both developers and regulatory authorities to find ways to reduce the need for building parking spaces.
3. Access Management, Driveway Design, and Loading Docks
Like most urbanizing localities, Arlington County regulates how vehicles and deliveries enter and exit developments, such as limiting curb cuts and requiring specific spacing from intersections. Our work includes:
- determining optimal driveway locations,
- short-term drop-off and pick-up locations for ridesharing and delivery services,
- analyzing turning movements and internal circulation, and
- evaluating loading dock locations and operations.
Regulatory approval of these items is often required before permits are issued.
Loading dock placement and design is critical to understand early in the design process.
4. Multimodal Transportation Requirements (Pedestrian, Bike, and Transit)
In many jurisdictions, project review increasingly requires non-auto transportation analysis. Arlington places a strong emphasis on this element and requires a Multimodal Transportation Assessment (MMTA) as part of the Administrative Regulations for 4.1 Site Plan applications. The MMTA is completed to support the County in their analysis of specific traffic or transportation impacts of the project proposal. Multimodal facilities included in these assessments can include:
- streetscape design,
- site frontage improvements,
- transit stop upgrades,
- new or upgrades to existing pedestrian facilities,
- bicycle facilities, and
- electric vehicle and bicycle parking.
Arlington places a strong emphasis on non-auto transportation analysis, requiring a Multimodal Transportation Assessment (MMTA) as part of the Administrative Regulations for 4.1 Site Plan applications.
5. Intersection Capacity and Signal Warrant Studies
In project proposals, one issue is whether new traffic signals, upgrades to existing traffic signals, roundabouts, or roadway upgrades will be required. Authorities may require proof that nearby intersections can handle new traffic generated by the development, and in some cases, developers themselves may be required to fund improvements in addition to those along their site frontages.
In these scenarios, intersection modeling may need to be performed and a signal warrant analysis may need to be conducted. Depending on the situation, improvements may be required such as new traffic signals, additional turn lanes, and the optimization of signal timing that can significantly impact project budgets. It can be the case that such analyses early on in the process can help developers avoid surprises of off-site improvements later on in permitting.
What is a traffic signal warrant? What is the process for installing a traffic signal? We answer these questions and many more in FAQ: Traffic Signal Warrant Studies Explained.
The Benefits of Early Traffic and Parking Analysis
Early traffic and parking analysis that addresses these key elements can often prevent costly surprises during Arlington’s entitlement process and position your project for success. If you are planning a development in Arlington County, contact our experienced Arlington traffic engineers and planners to help evaluate the feasibility of your development proposal.