CC2DCA

Public feedback sought for Crystal City to National Airport multi-modal crossing and trail connection

/ Friends of Mount Vernon Trail / Leave a comment

Through Tuesday, October 3, 2023, Arlington County is seeking feedback on the Crystal City to Reagan National Airport Multimodal Connection (CC2DCA).

CC2DCA background

The project, first proposed in 2010, gained momentum following Amazon’s announcement of Amazon building HQ2 in Crystal City.

“This project explores the possibility of providing a context-sensitive multimodal connection between Crystal City and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) for use by people walking, biking, and using micromobility devices.”

Project web site: Crystal City to Reagan National Airport Multimodal Connection (CC2DCA)

Spanning the railroad tracks, including a new Virginia Railway Express station, and the George Washington Memorial Parkway, CC2DCA is planned to connect directly to the Mount Vernon Trail.

Previous coverage: Arlington County Approves New Airport Bridge With Mount Vernon Trail Connection

Two alignments proposed

Arlington County has provide two alternatives as well as a No Build Alternative. From the TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT of February 13, 2023 (PDF):

Map of proposed Crystal City to Reagan National Airport Multimodal Connection (CC2DCA)

Alternative 7D

Alternative 7D would result in additional use of pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the vicinity of
2011 Crystal Drive, as an additional 455 daily pedestrians and 799 daily bicyclists above No-Build
conditions are expected at this location. By providing a new direct pedestrian and bicycle
connection to DCA, Alternative 7D would have a beneficial impact on pedestrian and bicycle
connectivity in Crystal City. In connecting to the Crystal City VRE Station, Alternative 7D would
make use of the public access easements associated with that Project to provide public access for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Alternative 7D would have no permanent physical impacts to pedestrian and bicycle facilities in
Crystal City.

Alternative 9D

Alternative 9D would result in additional use of pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the vicinity of
2231 Crystal Drive, as an additional 455 daily pedestrians and 799 daily bicyclists above No-Build
conditions are expected. Public access easements would need to be provided to ensure public
access to CC2DCA from Crystal Drive. By providing a new direct pedestrian and bicycle
connection to DCA, Alternative 9D would have a beneficial impact on pedestrian and bicycle
connectivity in Crystal City.
Alternative 9D would have no permanent physical impacts to pedestrian and bicycle facilities in
Crystal City. During construction of the CC2DCA elements linking the Amtrak platform to the
Crystal Drive level, construction at 2231 Crystal Drive may disrupt pedestrian circulation along
the private sidewalks of the southern section of the Crystal Park development.

Each plan would have construction-period impacts that could result in trail detours and closures as well as possible realignment. Traffic calming for the connection between MVT and CC2DCA are also anticipated.

Plant mitigation

The Programmatic Agreement to mitigate the impacts to NPS land include a Vegetation Protection Plan to reduce loss of mature trees as well as a Vegetation Restoration Plan that requires restorative planting of trees and bushes to replace any that must be removed, including annual removal of invasive plants for 5 years after completion of the bridge. The Programmatic Agreement also requires Arlington County to provide funding for additional historical interpretive signage in the Parkway.

Download the reports

The CC2DCA environmental assessment documents can be downloaded from the following links:

Environmental Assessment

Technical Reports

Provide feedback by October 3

Arlington County is accepting CC2DCA feedback through October 3.

Suggested Feedback

  • Support for the Preferred Alternative which will improve access between the Mount Vernon Trail, DCA and National Landing.
  • The Vegetation Protection Plan should ensure protection of existing large trees.
  • The Vegetation Restoration Plan should include removal of the existing invasive honeysuckle between the current airport access and the location of the new airport access

Online Feedback Forms

English
Spanish
Mandarin Chinese

Direct message

Send an email to: info@cc2dca.us 

Send your comment by mail: 

CC2DCA 
c/o Kyle Kling 
2100 Clarendon Blvd. 
Suite 900 
Arlington VA 22201 

Project web site: Crystal City to Reagan National Airport Multimodal Connection (CC2DCA)

Arlington County Approves New Airport Bridge With Mount Vernon Trail Connection

/ Friends of Mount Vernon Trail / 1 Comment

In May, the Arlington County Board approved the proposed location for a new pedestrian bridge connection National Landing to National Airport that includes a direct connection to the Mount Vernon Trail. The bridge will span between the VRE station in National Landing over multiple rail tracks and the George Washington Memorial Parkway to connect to the northern section of the airport.

The preferred alignment of the bridge was the result of multiple public and stakeholder meetings that narrowed 16 potential alignments down to the preferred alignment adopted by Arlington County. The County also approved $4 million in funding to begin preliminary engineering work.

The exact alignment of the connection to the Mount Vernon Trail remains to be determined with one option placing the connection mostly on land owned by the airport and another option placing the connection primarily on land owned by NPS.

The next step in the project is to conduct a NEPA review as the project impacts federal land. To see full details of the project and keep up to date, visit Arlington County’s CC2DCA project website.

The Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail needs your help to continue improving the trail. Sign up for a volunteer trail improvement event or Donate to Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail to help us purchase tools and supplies.

CC2DCA Feedback Supports Connection to Mount Vernon Trail

/ Friends of Mount Vernon Trail / Leave a comment

The Crystal City to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Multimodal Connection (CC2DCA) study team recently released a summary of community feedback on the initial concepts for a direct pedestrian connection between Crystal City and National Airport. The feedback included multiple requests for a direction connection to the Mount Vernon Trail. Based on community and transportation agency feedback, five designs have been advanced for further development as part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.

The five concepts being advanced for further study which includes a mix of alignments that incorporate either a tunnel, bridge or both.

The Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail submitted comments supporting a direct connection of any concept to the Mount Vernon Trail to provide additional options for trail users to reach National Airport and National Landing. We joined multiple other groups advocating for Concept 7D. Additional public outreach will occur in Fall 2022.

The Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail needs your help to continue improving the trail. Sign up for a volunteer trail improvement event or Donate to Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail to help us purchase tools and supplies.