Neighborhood Traffic Calming
Arlington's proximity to the ever-growing nation's capital means an increasing number of vehicles passing through the County each weekday, en route to and from destinations in and around Washington, D.C. And with traffic in the D.C. area ranked among the worst in the nation, the temptation to speed through neighborhoods, especially when traffic clogs up major arteries, can be irresistible.
Recognizing the critical importance of protecting the health and well-being of pedestrians, bicyclists and other drivers in its neighborhoods, Arlington County initiated a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program in 1999. Its central goal? To change driver behavior and transform the culture of neighborhood street use from "cars first" to "people first." Ultimately this means creating a user-friendly environment for all.
Neighborhood Traffic Calming (NTC) relies on devices like traffic circles, raised crosswalks, speed humps, turning and truck restrictions and "nubs" (curb extensions) to calm traffic. Arlington has funded over five million dollars in traffic calming projects since 1999.
For more information on traffic calming efforts in and beyond Arlington:
- NTC on the Arlington website
- View / Print / Download: Arlington NTC Map (1.6 MB)
Left click to view from server, or right click, then, "Save Target As" to download file to your hard drive. - Current Arlington NTC project list
- Traffic calming in Portland, Oregon
Includes a full community program: Slowing Traffic for Slow Neighborhoods, A Citizen's Guide to Anti-speeding Efforts.
