Arlington Overview
July, 22, 2015
Response from:
Bicycle & Pedestrian Programs Manager
Department of Environmental Services | Division of Transportation | Arlington County Government
Response format: email
What is the city’s policy on sidewalk construction and maintenance, specifically in terms of who is responsible for the cost?
Within low/mid density zoned residential neighborhoods, the County pays for all new sidewalk construction through the Neighborhood Conservation (NC) program, which is funded through municipal bonds. These are also maintained by County public works staff.
In higher density/mixed use districts, developers typically construct new sidewalks as part of negotiated community benefits in exchange for additional density or other development rights. In these districts, property owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks adjacent to their properties. If they don't address them in a timely manner, the County reserves the right to do the work itself and assess the property owner for the work.
How is this policy established? (By city ordinance, general vote, city council resolution or other means?)
"Not sure how long ago residential sidewalk policy was initially established, but it is reflected in the current master transportation plan that was formally adopted by the County Board in 2008."
How is this funding allocated to sidewalks? (e.g., through annual, discretionary appropriations; an automatic set-aside; a dedicated funding source; etc.)
For residential sidewalks the NC program develops a portfolio of projects and cost estimates. This slate of projects are approved by the County Board and the bond funding is voted on every two years.
How does the city prioritize where to build/maintain sidewalks each year?
Each civic association has a seat at the Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Commission. (NCAC). They each accumulate points according to a defined process and projects with the most points are voted upon by the NCAC to prioritize.
What percent of total funding for transportation does the city allocate specifically to sidewalks?
Technically speaking, sidewalk construction doesn't come out of the transportation pool of funds. It has its own funding source. In recent years, $10-12M has been allocated to the Neighborhood Conservation program every two years. Most, but not all of that funding goes towards sidewalk projects. Other projects include park improvements, decorative gateways and other “enhancements”.
How effective is the city’s current policy at achieving the following outcomes?
ADA accessibility of sidewalks:
All sidewalk and ped ramps are constructed to the ADA standards in effect at the time.
Similar quality of the sidewalk network in both low-income and high-income neighborhoods:
In so far as low-income neighborhoods are effective self-advocates for infrastructure improvements. Of course, self advocacy is often a function of time and resources, which are often unevenly distributed throughout the community.
Ability of residents to incorporate walking into their daily routines, thereby contributing to public health and environmental sustainability:
We have initiatives, many run through the WalkArlington program, that more directly address that need. But our approximately 90% coverage of sidewalks on at least one side of residential streets gives Arlington a relatively high walk-score. That combined with a dense, well-connected street network allows for virtually all residents to have access to walkable streets and paths.
Economic vitality of pedestrian-oriented shopping districts:
Most of Arlington's shopping districts are pedestrian oriented. And these are indeed more popular and probably more economically viable than indoor shopping malls and possibly some auto oriented shopping centers too.
Overall, what are the main pros and cons of the city’s current sidewalk policy?
Pros:
Does not assess property owners in residential neighborhoods for the cost of public infrastructure that benefits everybody.
Bond funding (rather than general fund) is popular with the public because the real cost of sidewalk construction can be kicked down the road and isn’t felt directly through tax assessments. Financing costs must be paid back eventually, of course. But steadily rising property values and AAA bond ratings tends to suggest debt financing is the more fiscally prudent option.
Reliable source of funding helps maintain slow but steady progress. This allows the County to maintain staffing levels that are adequate for the workload.
Cons:
Neighborhood Conservation projects are rigorously vetted through direct polling of adjacent property owners. A minimum of 60% of adjacent property owners must approve the project at at least three critical stages throughout the development process. This bar is set deliberately high to weed out potentially controversial projects. However, many good projects that would have strong public benefit have been killed during the petitioning process.
The NC polling process is heavily biased towards adjacent property owners relative to others with an interest in a project (such as neighbors on other streets or other neighborhoods). Therefore, the projects that actually get constructed are not necessarily the most worthy or the most important, but rather, the least controversial.
Arlington currently does not have any other programs in place to fund sidewalk construction in residential neighborhoods. Either a project gets built through the NC program, or it doesn’t happen at all.