4MRMarket Report: "Sacrifice & Gratitude" Edition

This Memorial Day weekend, we hope you'll stop by on Sunday to enjoy the offerings at Four Mile Run Farmers & Artisans Market. 

4MRMarket is a community-led, all-volunteer effort. Your support means a lot to the whole 4MRMarket team and to all those who work so hard every day to make Four Mile Run Park, our City's largest park, truly a place for everyone to enjoy. It's taken a lot of effort and we're all proud that so much could be done with so little funds and a whole lot of effort. Our service to our community is how we choose to honor those who've sacrificed so much for us in the past, either by putting themselves in harms way or by simply having the courage to persevere. We are very grateful to them and to our many neighbors (including those who have served in almost every recent conflict) who continue to help us pull 4MRMarket and other projects together. We are humbled by the help.

Although progress happens in fits and starts, and this year we've had to throw so much together in so short a time, we see 4MRMarket and associated park improvements as on-going and ever-improving enterprises. In our short life, 4MRMarket has been able to help attract thousands of dollars of donations and grants to transform vacant lots into great new open space: a vibrant gateway to Four Mile Run Park with the promise of a future restored Four Mile Run stream. We've helped small start-up natural food businesses get on their feet by offering them a level playing field with electronic payments...which we also saw further enhanced by the SNAP Double Dollar bonus program with our partner Inova Health Foundation and their funders like Whole Foods/Whole Planet Foundation. And with those partners, we've seen thousands of dollars worth of locally grown, healthy, fresh, nutritious foods delivered to those needing assistance, including immigrants from every continent. 

Because the Alexandria Commission for the Arts provided funding for a new outdoor stage thanks to a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts and a matching gift from an anonymous donor, 4MRMarket hosted the first performance last Sunday at the 4MRStage. It featured a fine group of locals, the Irish Breakfast Band with another performance later by the fantastic banjoist, Bill Mansfield. We're proud to be a part of these improvements and continue to solicit donations for these on-going efforts. We know that with the community's support we can expect to see shade trees start to fill the 4MRExpand plaza and make it a great space for the market, festivals and other events for years to come.

We're proud of how 4MRMarket acts like a business incubator: creating opportunities for start-ups and entrepreneurs to experiment with new and exciting business models. We had the pleasure last year of hosting one such up-and-coming business. We miss the great works of pastry art that Kristin D'Angelo brought to 4MRMarket every Sunday, but we're excited to hear about this news: last week Sweet Hearts Patisserie celebrated their grand opening of a brand new store in Annapolis. We're a little sad that it's not in Alexandria, but wish her all the success she deserves.

In the meantime, we hear from new businesses all the time, looking to start at 4MRMarket and we're proud to provide a place for them to strive to reach their dreams. It's exciting to see. We hope folks continue to check them out and give them a chance. Feedback is invaluable.

4MRMarket is proud to be at the forefront of a movement. And we're proud of partners like Inova for empowering so many with the additional spending power that comes with their sponsorship. And we're proud of our patrons who come out each week to support locally produced, sustainable small food businesses and, moreover, our whole community. Without your support there would be no market in Arlandria bringing folks together. 

We're only just getting started, but 4MRMarket and its partners hope to continue to see growth in establishing a sense of place and the building of an inclusive community. 

Remember, Buy Fresh, Buy Local.

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Here is who you'll find at 4MRMarket this week:

• Bread and Chocolate (Arlandria) - A range of baked goods.
• C and T Produce (White Oak, VA) - A huge selection of locally grown produce.
• St. Elmo's Coffee Pub (Del Ray) - Brewed coffee, tea, and a few extra goodies. 
• Baguette Republic (Sterling, VA) -  A traditional artisan bakery producing a large variety of artisan breads, pastries and cookies using the best European techniques and tradition.
• No. 1 Sons (Alexandria, VA) - Traditional fermented vegetables and soy products.
• Love and Glitter (Ellicott City, MD) - Our newest vendor brings HANDMADE goods from LOCAL artisans.
• The Stifler Farm aka "What's For Dinner Now" will be back again this week after a one week absence. 
• Swee Lo Sterling silver jewelry handcrafted by Balinese artisans designed by Swee Lo.
• Olio Fresh olive oils and aged balsamics.

Crafts available on a rotating basis.

See below all the ways to help and participate in the market!

The supercool 4MRMarket t-shirt

BUY. Proceeds of our 4MRMarket T-shirts go to support the expansion and revitalization of 4MR Park. They cost $12 and come in 4 colors. See us model a few at the market.  You can pre-pay online via Pay-Pal (send money to 4MRM@arlandria.org).


DONATE. Help 4MRMarket help 4MRPark. Tax-deductible donations can be made to support us in our efforts to revitalize Four Mile Run Park. Donate to the City's Living Landscape Fund to fund tree and other amenities at 4MRExpand More information here.


HELP. If you'd like to volunteer with the 4MRMarket, go to: volunteer.4MRMarket.org to sign up or look for the "volunteer" tab on our website. You'll be able to volunteer to help process SNAP/EBT sales, help us keep our books, help set up or tear down for the market, or help us find musicians to play the market. You can also find a Market Manager to ask to help, or email us at 4MRMarket@arlandria.org for more info.


READ. Keep up to date on all the goings on by following 4MRMarket on Facebook or Twitter or via our website  and blog.

SPREAD THE WORD.  Please tell folks about us. And tell folks about some of the great things we're doing. For instance, all SNAP/EBT participants can take advantage of the Inova-sponsored "Double Dollar" program again this year that doubles the first $10 SNAP participants spend at the market. 4MRMarket is the first farmers’ market in Northern Virginia (and still the only) to accept SNAP. 

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The Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market (Alexandria, Virginia 22305) brings fresh, nutritious food to people of all income levels, provide an opportunity for local artisans and producers of goods to bring their wares to market, strive to reflect the diversity of the community, and improve the quality of life for Arlandria residents and visitors. It is part of an overall vision to expand and improve Four Mile Run park and the surrounding neighborhood.

4MRMarket is open every Sunday from 8am until 1pm from May through October in Four Mile Run Park at 4109 Mt Vernon Avenue, Alexandria. 

(click here for directions)

Buy Fresh Buy Local 4MRMarket products.

For more info see: http://www.4mrmarket.org/

On Facebook: facebook.com/4MRMarket
On Twitter: @4MRMarket

Contact us at: 4MRMarket@arlandria.org

Or call the 4MRMarket hotline: (804) 4mi-Run1

Alexandria Kills Pedestrian Crossing at Glebe Road

"The whole thing was just surreal," said Arlandria resident Melissa Garcia, upon hearing the news. "It looked like everything was moving right along and this just came out of nowhere and broadsided us."


One of the most frustrating aspects of the implementation of the 2003 Arlandria Plan has been the decade long challenge trying to initiate the few modest investments in the streetscape called for by the plan.  As we discussed before, $500,000 were earmarked back then to bring in some basics like better bus stops, crosswalks, trashcans and intersection improvements.  A few things happened, even if they were only half measures, but most did not.  The most heavily used bus stops can't accommodate shelters (not enough room). There's no place for bike racks. The problems go on.

For the last few years, however, the focus of the spending the capital improvement money has been on the intersection of West Glebe Road and Mt Vernon Avenue, a crossing residents have long considered problematic.  

After a good bit of study, the plan for improving this intersection grew to also include a crossing at nearby West Reed Avenue, as both intersections were historically accident-prone. The streets are in such close proximity that the engineers felt the improvements needed to occur in tandem.  A year ago, the preliminary costs estimate of improving both intersections came to about $300,000 -- well within the monies alloted in 2003. Neighborhood residents, glad to finally see some utilization of the funds, were heartened at that news and gave these constructive, cost-effective projects their blessing. 

The momentary euphoria was not to last.  Arlandria residents more recently received news that was not so good.  At the January meeting of the Arlandria Plan Implementation Group, City staff informed the neighborhood that the much awaited improvement plan for the West Glebe/Mt Vernon Avenue intersection had come to a screeching halt.  What had been vaunted as a well considered plan to...at long last...provide a safer pedestrian crossing, had suddenly been deemed unfeasible. Improvements would have to await redevelop of the surrounding properties --nothing was currently possible without infringing on private property.  And what's more, the price tag had also escalated beyond the City's means.  

The $300,000 that was originally all that was needed to make improvements to both the West Glebe and West Reed intersections, was now necessary to install just the crosswalk at West Reed Avenue. The project, conceived originally as merely a secondary part of a larger, more important holistic enhancement, had instead taken the main stage. The 2003 Capital Improvement Funds - touted as being driving force in Arlandria's revitalization - were now to be spent mostly on a lonely, isolated,  and somewhat pathetic (albeit very nice) crosswalk.

The prognosis for the West Glebe pedestrian improvements is uncertain. City staff are adament that funds will not be available for such a project for a very long time. Redevelopment of the nearby properties...now a prerequisite for pedestrian safety...is held up in similar uncertainty, with economic feasibility studies showing that construction is not financially viable and property owners complaining that the City government is making unreasonable and inequitable demands. The pedestrian crossing at West Glebe Road might not be dead, but it is in an indefinite coma. Don't bring out the crash cart, it's going to take more than the defibrillator to bring it back to life.

"You used to say I couldn't save you enough, 

so I've been saving it up, I started saving it up. 

And when you said I couldn't give you enough, 

I started giving you up, I started giving you up." 

-from"Arlandria" by the Foo Fighters

Meanwhile, new spending projects are filling the City's Capital Improvement Plan should the Commercial Add-on Tax for transportation projects become a reality this Spring. The City has spent twice the amount of the Arlandria funds on JUST the plan for the Waterfront. And the $11.5 Million surplus from the $18 Million that Virginia gave Alexandria to support redevelopment along Eisenhower Avenue has also found other beneficiaries. Up against competition like the $600,000 Fairy riding the Frog, West Glebe Road no longer makes the cut. (If you would like to donate to the Save Arlandria Fund, please contact us here at the Arlandrian.)

April Fool's Day brings about a whole lot of joke headlines. Maybe our double entendre is in a similar vein as those.  Or maybe it's really too sad to be funny...even if you were to read it in a comic strip.

Excerpted from Warwick Village Voice, March 2004

The Arlandrian News Round-up "On the Homefront" Edition

Arlandria Forum at the Birchmere

Watch the video, take the survey
The Arlandria Action Plan Advisory Group heard from a panel of development experts at an event at the Birchmere. Watch the video of the event and take survey to tell the City about your thoughts on Arlandria, before passing it on to your friends and neighbors.

The 4MR Center

Repurposed with a purpose
The Special Use Permit to allow the former Duron building to be used as a community use (as outlined here) passed Planning Commission unanimously last week.  The only concern expressed about the plan was that the City wasn't spending enough to get the much needed community amenity up to par. Next up, the proposal is before City Council this Saturday, June 12th (docket report).  Meanwhile, a team of community heroes has been busy cleaning up the site.

Still cooking
The environmental designed chicken rotisserie restaurant approved for 3401 Mount Vernon Avenue is still progressing.  Word is that everything is still on schedule with construction set to commence in the Fall.  Meanwhile, chicken fans, Popeyes is back in business across the street at 3402.

Alexandria Crossing

Now receiving
Alexandria Crossing, formerly know as Glebe Park, has opened another phase of newly constructed affordable units on Old Dominion Boulevard, while the adjacent -- and sold-out -- market rate homes receive their final touches.  The yet-to-be-completed workforce condos at the site still have a few units on the market, but have otherwise pre-sold well. The affordable apartments on West Glebe Road are due to be completed in July.

Run Restoring
Next Wednesday, June 16th, the next meeting of Four Mile Run Restoration Joint Task Force will offer an early opportunity to review and comment on the engineering designs of the in-stream restoration of the tidal portion of the stream between Route 1 and Mount Vernon Avenue. The in-stream design is on schedule to be completed by the end of the year. The design is at a point where it is ripe for citizen input.

The Task Force will also be reviewing the three stimulating presentations by the finalists in the bridge design competition. The presentations came from three highly qualified design teams. But with money to design the bridge and no money to build the bridge, the Joint Task Force is looking for  ideas about ways to pay for the bridge construction. Getting the bridge built is a key component in the Master Plan. It will set a design standard and serve as a catalyst for future amenities in the corridor. Wednesday's 4MR meeting will be held at the Fairlington Community Center.

The news from Lynhaven
The Lynhaven Courier, the newsletter of Lynhaven Civic Association just out this week, has updates on the Arlandria-Chirilagua Festival coming to Four Mile Run Park (at Commonwealth Avenue) this Sunday June 13th and the recent Ruby Tucker day, honoring the memory of the late local civic activist and dear friend to us all.

Arlandria Intersection Improvement Meeting Summary

The City followed up on a March meeting about intersection improvements at the intersections of W Reed Ave and W Glebe Rd with Mt. Vernon Ave on Wednesday, Sep 23. Neighbors and a business owner or two were on hand for a presentation to review the preliminary design work of Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Four alternatives were presented.

Existing Intersection Issues
First, here's a little background from the 2008 Pedestrian and Bike Mobility Plan to get an idea of why this intersection is at issue. There are traffic and aesthetic issues, as well, but let me outline some of the safety concerns.

The first graphic, below, shows the intersections in question had medium crash density compared to similar sites, city-wide. The only high crash density in the city was just North between Russell Rd and Four Mile Run on Mt. Vernon Ave. I suppose work to resolve those issues will fall to a future effort.

This second chart identifies these intersections as providing fairly poor quality crossing conditions. This supports the need to make improvements at the two sites.
Finally, this third chart demonstrates the high volume of potential pedestrian activity. The relatively poor crossing conditions coupled with a high potential pedestrian activity further support the need to increase the quality of these intersections for pedestrians to avoid future pedestrian-related accidents at this site. Additionally, any effort made to give Arlandria more of a sense of place is a step in the right direction.


The Mt. Vernon/W Glebe Alternatives
Now that we have a little background, let's get to the good stuff. While four alternatives were presented for the W Glebe/Mt. Vernon intersection, only one option was presented in depth. Here is the full presentation.

The first three alternatives presented would require significant redevelopment to become possible, as they required the city to acquire additional right of way to carry out. The three throw-aways were 1) a roundabout with an offset approach, 2) a realignment to square-up the intersection, and 3) offsetting Mt. Vernon Ave (see following 3 images from the presentation for clarity). The roundabout option seemed overly complex compared to the one I mocked up in an earlier blog entry, though admittedly, my mocked up design was only loosely based on what roundabout standards I could find in various documents from VDOT and Maryland's DOT. Even my version requires the city to acquire right of way from 2 intersection-adjacent property owners.


The fourth option is one that could be done within the existing right-of-way. Right-turn slip-lanes are created for both right turns off of Mt. Vernon Ave. Generally that change is considered a setback for pedestrians, but they plan to add additional traffic calming features designed to make the slip-lane feel like a pedestrian oriented space. Finally, the design includes shortening crossing distances by adding a pedestrian island at the northwest and southeast corners that narrow the intersection. The pedestrian island might include certain "gateway" features to make the intersection feel more like an entrance to Arlandria, but what that means remains to be seen.


Primary citizen concerns with this intersection alignment were that it is still not pedestrian-oriented enough. Some were concerned about slip-lanes, though it seemed the extra pedestrian features of the slip-lanes allayed their fears.

One suggestion was to make the right turn lane on eastbound W Glebe a straight and right-turn lane and to make the other lane a signaled left-turn lane. Staff explained that approximately the same portion of traffic goes right as goes both straight and left combined. Citizens were surprisingly less concerned with the traffic flow issues in favor of making the intersection more pedestrian oriented. As a worst case scenario, if the City makes the citizen recommended change and it does not work well, the City could cheaply put the lane alignment and signals back as they are shown in the diagram above.

Reed and Mt Vernon Intersection Improvements
Only a single option was presented for Reed/Mt. Vernon. It added bulb-outs to narrow crossing distance and an additional cross-walk, primaritly to get to and from the bus stops. Citizens thought adding a cross-walk both North and South of the intersection would make more sense. At the very least, the cross-walk should be on the north side instead of the south side, where the road will become narrowest.


Another big question was about a future plan to extend Reed into the Safeway/Datatel site and connect it to W Glebe Rd, as was suggested by the Arlandria Long Term Action Plan. People asked if all this work would be necessary if that plan goes through. City Staff said the current effort makes that effort more feasible in the future. It consolidates some driveways and makes the entrance to Wachovia better aligned with Reed. If the road were ever extended, it would likely pass through this same curb-cut.

Overall Concerns
Many were concerned about cost. The impression we've been given by the City is that the $500K in Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds set aside for "Revitalization of Arlandria" have to stretch over several projects. It looks like these intersection changes will take up somewhere in the $200K to $300K range (perhaps a little bit less) of that $500K. Sandra Marks said the project has not been approved yet and the soon to be formed Arlandria Implementation Advisory Group could have a say in prioritization of the project (more on formation of that group very soon). A delay for prioritization could impact the project start date. Attendees were mixed between getting something done ASAP and making sure this is where we want to spend much of the available CIP funding.

Other concerns were that if the engineering phase of the project were started today, actual construction would not begin until summer 2010. If we agree to this project, why does it have to take nearly a year to get started?

In all, it was a productive meeting, even if we felt we were not really given alternatives to work with. The city is, at least, trying to move forward with one major project in the area. The question still remains why this project was chosen over many others, but perhaps it was just a target of opportunity since changes can be made to the existing right-of-way.

Four Mile Run Park Expansion Meeting

At long last, the Four Mile Run Park expansion kickoff meeting has arrived (See a few past posts: 1, 2, and 3). This Thursday, come out to the properties and get involved with the planning process. The Northern Virginia Regional Commission has done a lot of work creating a vision for Four Mile Run and surrounding areas. Now, you can help form that vision into something real that could be an amazing recreational space for Arlandria and the whole city.

This meeting is a first step, and attendance is important to show the city that this is a priority. We will struggle to get money for this expansion if there doesn't appear to be much energy for this major boon to the neighborhoods of the North End.

Here's the official release:

OPEN SPACE PROPERTIES AT 4109-4125 MOUNT VERNON AVE.

The Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities invites the public to attend an informational meeting, to discuss the upcoming park planning and design process for the open space properties at 4109-4125 Mount Vernon Ave. The informational meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 6, at 7 pm on site at 4109 Mount Vernon Ave. The site was acquired in January of 2007 as part of the City’s Open Space Program.

The purpose of the meeting is to provide information and begin a discussion with the community about the park planning process in coordination with the Arlandria Small Area Plan and the Four Mile Run Restoration Master Plan. For additional information, call Laura Durham, Open Space Coordinator, at 703.838.5095, ext. 350.

It's just a short walk for many of us, so let's show up in force.

Future of W. Glebe and Mt. Vernon Intersection: I Recommend a Roundabout

We recently discussed two "Road Diets" that would benefit safety and traffic flow of the area. Another major traffic and safety obstacle in the area is the diamond shaped intersection of W. Glebe Rd and Mt. Vernon Ave. It is problematic for both pedestrians and drivers. This is not a novel observation: the following image is a conceptual plan for intersection improvement from the 2003 Arlandria Plan (PDF), though it is not clear if this particular alignment is still on the table.


I spoke with Sandra Marks at T&ES this week on the status of intersection evaluation. The city hosted a midday meeting in March that a few citizens were able to attend, but that was geared mainly towards business owners. The city of Alexandria is currently studying short and long-term solutions for improvements, though she could not go into specifics at this point. They're working with Kimley-Horn on the engineering study. She did say they were considering numerous alternatives for the intersection and that they would be discussed with the community in early September. One solution mentioned in our conversation was a roundabout, considered one of the long-term alternatives due to its impact on surrounding properties. Let's look into the Roundabout option.

This Slate article does a great job in pointing out the various benefits of roundabouts (Tip: GGW). Read it before you draw any conclusions. It also links to this NIH safety study that states:

There were highly significant reductions of 38% for all crash severities combined and of 76% for all injury crashes. Reductions in the numbers of fatal and incapacitating injury crashes were estimated at about 90%.

Here is a quick VDOT pamphlet about driving in roundabouts with a few pro-roundabout tidbits on the second page.

I mocked-up an oval roundabout option below, though this is merely a drawing and does not take account of all roundabout design and engineering considerations. Until we see the options being developed, it will be difficult to choose a preference, but a roundabout seems the best option for safety, traffic flow, and aesthetics. A circular roundabout would be ideal, but that would cut significantly into surrounding property due to the geometry of the intersection. For the mock-up, I made the assumption that all approaches to the intersection will be 2 lanes based on the road diet article linked above. Since W Glebe carries about 19,000 Average Daily Traffic (ADT) and Mt. Vernon only 12,000 ADT, the oval should be oriented to minimize the turning radius for traffic on W. Glebe.

Here are problems with the intersection as-is and how the roundabout option could alleviate these problems:

1. Tendency to promote jaywalking. To get from the Southwest corner to the Northeast corner of the intersection is via crosswalk is roughly a 160 ft. The straight-line distance between these two points, jaywalking diagonally, is only about 52 ft (see image for clarification). To cross legally, you must walk nearly in the opposite direction of where you are headed. This makes jaywalking tempting as people tend to avoid walking in what feels like the wrong direction.

The Jaywalking Fix. In the roundabout scenario mocked up below, that same southwest to northeast corner trip would be reduced about 43% to a 90 ft. walk. Jaywalking is disincentivised because the path around the roundabout seems more natural to a pedestrian. Besides the tendency to cause jaywalking, one pedestrian safety problem with the existing intersection are the two free-flow right turns from W. Glebe onto Mt. Vernon Ave. Cars often assume they have the right of way and come close to hitting pedestrians in the crosswalk.

2. Left turn from eastbound Glebe to Northbound Mt. Vernon. A major driver problem with the existing intersection is this left turn is not a dedicated left turn. Traffic backs up as left turners have to wait for long lines of oncoming traffic to clear the intersection. It's common for few cars headed straight or left to make it through the intersection during a light cycle when a left turner is near the front of the queue. Cars headed straight dart into the right turn lane to get around left turners which causes additional accident risk. Many pedestrian friendly designs would increase pedestrian safety somewhat but would do little for the traffic problems at the intersection, nor the aesthetics.

The Fix. A "modern roundabout" where there are no stop signs or traffic signals and traffic approaching the intersection yields to traffic in the circle keeps traffic moving. There are no left turners as all drivers turn right into the roundabout and continue around the circle to their exit point. Traffic keeps moving and all drivers have equal priority.

3. The intersection is situated as a gateway to the neighborhood, but lacks any distinguishing features other than a difficult traffic pattern. The intersection is surrounded by parking lots and plastic back-lit signage. It puts an unwelcoming foot forward for northbound traffic. On top of that, it is an awkward intersection.

The Fix. A roundabout always includes a raised portion in its center to slow traffic and deflect cars in the right direction. Within this curbed-off area, landscaping, a statue, or other public art indicative of Arlandria can be added to present a welcoming gateway. Traffic signals are removed and the intersection is left uncluttered.

Why not now? The biggest obstacle to the roundabout option, besides cost, is the encroachment into the parking lots of LoanMax and the 7-11 shopping center. With the sample configuration I mocked-up, LoanMax would lose minimal spaces (perhaps none) and the shopping center with 7-11 would likely only lose up to 7 spaces. However, the 7-11 lot could re-align several spaces and get some or all of those 7 spaces back. So, if the city would attempt to work with these businesses to avoid having to utilize eminent domain, a roundabout could be built without upsetting businesses too much, if at all. After all, selling a small slice of property that is being used for parking spaces that could probably be replaced seems like a good deal to me. Capital Improvement Funds are allocated to the area, so money is available for the intersection if that ends up a neighborhood priority. Maybe the roundabout doesn't need to be such a long-term alternative, after all.

To inquire about the intersection work and let the city know you'd prefer a roundabout, contact Sandra Marks (email: sandra.marks@alexandriava.gov , phone: (703) 838-4411 x170 ) or send an e-mail to the mayor and city council stating your preference and that you'd like to see Arlandria Capital Improvement Program funds go towards this project. You could also mention Arlandria's need for a road diet, while you're at it. You'll have your opportunity to raise your comments following the early September meeting, as well.