15th Street South/South Clark-Bell Street Realignment
Location
- 15th Street South between South Clark-Bell Street and Crystal Drive
- South Clark Street between 12th Street South and 15th Street South
- South Bell Street between 15th Street South and 18th Street South
Status
In Design
The 90% design was submitted for County review at the end of May 2021. This milestone represents more than a year of working with the new alignment and concept for the project.
About the Project
The 15th Street South/South Clark-Bell Street Realignment project is a goal of both the Crystal City Sector Plan and Crystal City Multimodal Transportation Study. It will realign sections of 15th Street South and South Clark Street and create space for a garden park. The changes will improve safety for all modes of transportation and help establish the long-term street grid for Crystal City, along with the South Clark-Bell Street Demolition project (completed in March 2020).
Completion of the Crystal City Multimodal Center created the first approach of the future intersection at 15th Street South and South Clark-Bell Street.
Current Design Concept
The project concept shifted in 2019 with a new concept allowing for park space on the north side of the roadway, versus a central garden park.
Other features of the new project concept include:
- 15th Street redesigned as a Complete Street
- Safety design considerations
- Narrow travel lanes
- Protected bike lanes
- Upgraded sidewalks and street trees
- Improved bicycle connectivity by providing important east-west connection/link between the Pentagon City and Crystal City neighborhoods. This project is included in the Crystal City Bike Network.
Previous Design Concept
A previous design concept for the project called for a realignment of 15th Street South between Crystal Drive and South Clark-Bell Street to create a 3/4-acre garden park in the road median.
The 60% design was completed in June 2019, but the previous concept was put on hold while the County investigated an alternative design due to questions from the community and an adjacent property owner. The project team worked with the adjacent property owner on a new street cross-section and curb alignment that works with the County’s vision and redevelopment aspirations.
Public Process
2021: County staff have developed 90% design documents for the new concept and hosted a round of public engagement for the project in Summer of 2021.
2020: In fall 2020 the project team worked with the adjacent property owner on a new street cross-section and curb alignment that works with the County’s vision and redevelopment aspirations.
2019: The 60% design was completed in June 2019, but the project was put on hold while the County investigated an alternative design due to questions from the community and an adjacent property owner.
2010: The 15th Street South/South Clark-Bell Street Realignment was included as a goal of the Crystal City Sector Plan and Crystal City Multimodal Transportation Study.