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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation
FHWA Highway Safety Programs

Reston, Virginia – Lawyers Road

ALL-AROUND SUCCESS FOR SAFETY AND OPERATIONS

Objective Features Results
  • Reduce crashes and speeding
  • Improve safety and connectivity for bicyclists
  • Suburban area
  • Public meetings
  • Community "after" survey
  • 70% reduction in crashes
  • Travel time remained consistent
  • Bicycle use increases

 

Illustration of a two-mile segment of Lawyers Road, which carries average daily traffic of 10,000 vehicles per day.

Three images, the first two of the before and after road diet configurations. The before configuration was a four-lane roadway. The after configuration is a road diet with a two-way left turn lane, two travel lanes in each direction, and dedicated bike lanes in each direction. The third image is a photo of the finished street with the installed road diet.

BACKGROUND

As part of a scheduled repaving project, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) implemented a Road Diet on a 2-mile section of Lawyers Road in Reston, Virginia, extending from Fox Mill Road to Myrtle Lane. Prior to the installation, Lawyers Road had two lanes in each direction; after the Road Diet, the corridor has one travel lane and a bicycle lane in each direction, separated by a two-way left-turn lane.

The land use on Lawyers Road is low-density residential with mostly single family homes and relatively long segments between intersections. There are no curbs or sidewalks through this area, and the traffic volume is approximately 10,000 vehicles per day.

Road Diet treatment on Lawyers Road Road Diet treatment on Lawyers Road Road Diet treatment on Lawyers Road
Road Diet Treatment on Lawyers Road

 

FEASIBILITY AND COMMUNITY INPUT

VDOT planned to repave Lawyers Road in 2009 and took that opportunity to evaluate the feasibility of a Road Diet along this roadway. A 2-mile segment was identified, and VDOT's evaluation concluded that the traffic volumes in this area would be accommodated easily with a 3-lane section. After analyzing the crash types that were occurring between Fox Mill Road and Myrtle Lane, VDOT determined that a number of the crashes occurring could be addressed with a Road Diet conversion. Rear-end crashes involving vehicles waiting to turn left from the left through lane is one crash type that can be mitigated when converting a 4-lane roadway into a 3-lane roadway.

Prior to implementation, VDOT discussed the proposed Road Diet at community meetings to answer residents' questions and solicit feedback. Despite some concerns regarding potential traffic congestion and feelings that bicycle lanes were unnecessary on the corridor, many supported the Road Diet conversion. Bicyclists favored the 5-ft bicycle lanes proposed in the Road Diet, which would improve their overall safety and connectivity in the area.

RESULTS

A before/after analysis of speeds confirmed that operating speeds were reduced after Road Diet implementation. In response, VDOT lowered the speed limit on the 2-mile section of Lawyers Road from 45 mph to 40 mph.

Five years after the Road Diet conversion, a safety study revealed a 70 percent reduction in crashes between Fox Mill Road and Myrtle Lane.

In Fall 2010, VDOT conducted a survey to gauge the community's thoughts regarding the Road Diet on Lawyers Road. The key findings are summarized below:1

  • 69 percent of respondents said Lawyers Road seems safer after the Road Diet was implemented.
  • 47 percent of respondents bicycled on Lawyers Road more often than before, indicating that the Road Diet encourages bicycling as a travel mode.
  • 69 percent said auto travel times have not increased, even though 59 percent said speeds dropped.
  • 74 percent agreed the Road Diet project improved Lawyers Road.

1"Lawyers Road Diet Survey Results Report" December 2010. Assessed March 23, 2015. Available at: http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/documents/cs/resources/vdot-lawyersroad-survey.pdf