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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 – Soapstone Drive

THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO COMPLETE A ROAD DIET

Objective Features Results
  • Improve safety/mobility for pedestrians/bicyclists
  • Reduce crashes
  • Address issues with street parking
  • Three different reconfigurations
  • Nature center, parks, recreational trails
  • Rural/suburban
  • 70% crash reduction
  • Improved access to transit station for bicyclists

 

BACKGROUND

Illustration of a two-mile segment of Soapstone Road, which carries average daily traffic of 2,000 to 7,000 vehicles per day.

The success of the Road Diet on Lawyers Road convinced the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to try their second conversion on nearby Soapstone Drive. VDOT once again took advantage of a regularly-scheduled repaving project to implement the Road Diet which stretched from Sunrise Valley Drive to Lawyers Road. Carrying 2,000 to 7,000 vehicles per day, the cross section, land use, and speed limit vary on this nearly 2-mile segment of Soapstone Road, requiring a number of different reconfigurations along the corridor.

The most typical Road Diet conversion transforms a roadway with two lanes in each direction to a road with a single lane in each direction and a center turn lane, with the extra space often being used for bicycle lanes or parking. VDOT's Road Diet on Soapstone Road highlights a variety of ways a Road Diet can be implemented.

SUNRISE VALLEY DRIVE TO SOUTH LAKES DRIVE

This 35 mph section of Soapstone Drive is more urban than the following segments, with sidewalks, multi-family housing, and light retail. A golf course and an elementary school are located nearby.

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 separating 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. Photo: Richard Retting.

SOUTH LAKES DRIVE TO GLADE DRIVE

South Lakes Drive to Glade Drive has a wider cross-section and is located adjacent to the Walker Nature Center. With a mix of multifamily housing and commercial activity on one end and woodland areas and single family homes on the other, this middle section is transitioning from urban to a slightly rural feel.

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 separating two travel lanes in each direction, and dedicated bike lanes in each direction. There is also a dedicated parking lane in one direction. The third image is a photo of the finished street with the installed road diet. Photo: Richard Retting.

GLADE DRIVE TO LAWYERS ROAD

While not a traditional Road Diet, VDOT restriped 18-ft lanes down to 12-ft and carried the bicycle lanes throughout. With a speed limit of 25 mph, this section of Soapstone Road includes low-density residential neighborhoods with single family homes. The surrounding land contains woodland areas and parks with recreational trails that attract pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

Three images, the first two of the before and after road diet configurations. The before configuration was a two-lane roadway. The after configuration is a road diet with a two-lane roadway with dedicated bike lanes to the right of each lane. The third image is a photo of the finished street with the installed road diet. Photo: Richard Retting.

RESULTS

  • Much like the success on Lawyers Road, the Road Diet on Soapstone Road achieved great results, improving safety with a crash reduction of 70 percent.
  • The resulting linked network of bicycle lanes on Soapstone Road and Lawyers Road provides an excellent travel option for access to the nearby transit station.
  • The success of the Reston projects is leading VDOT to greatly expand its use of Road Diets regionwide.

"A big thank you to VDOT for having the vision to modify Soapstone and Lawyers, making both roads safer for everyone and creating dedicated bike facilities for cyclists."1

FABB Blog: Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling

1 Bruce Wright, "Soapstone Bike Lane Project Starts Monday," FABB Blog – Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling. October 14, 2011. Accessed March 23, 2015. Available at: http://fabb-bikes.blogspot.com/2011_10_01_archive.html