Voter-Approved Eden Road Improvements Completed Ahead of Schedule
By Nina Sherer, Public Works and Transportation
Posted on July 16, 2021, July 16, 2021

Eden Road Improvements

The Public Works and Transportation Department is pleased to announce work to improve Eden Road, from Calender Road to US 287, has been completed approximately two months ahead of schedule. This transformative project began construction in November 2019 and brought much needed roadway and drainage improvements to south Arlington.

Improvements completed under this project include:

  • Rebuilding Eden Road from a county-type road to a three-lane undivided concrete roadway with a 50-year life
  • Installing storm water infrastructure to mitigate flooding concerns
  • Installation of sidewalks
  • Renewing water and sanitary sewer lines
  • An extra-wide shared bike trail on the north side of Curry Road
  • Streetlight improvements

This project also included the installation of roundabouts at the intersections of Russell Curry, Ledbetter, and Calender Roads. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, roundabouts are more efficient and less costly than traditional intersections. Most significantly, the use of roundabouts has been proven to increase safety for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Compared to a traditional signalized or stop-controlled intersection, roundabouts reduce the potential for the types of crashes resulting in serious injuries or fatalities by up to 82 percent.

Although roundabouts are new to many Arlington drivers and will require time for adjustment, there are some general guidelines to assist with the transition:

  • All traffic flows in a counterclockwise manner around a center island
  • Vehicles entering the roundabout must yield to traffic already circulating
  • The design of the roundabouts results in lower speeds, generally 15-25 mph, throughout the roundabout

The City uses an annual pavement survey program to inventory the condition of all streets within the city limits. The condition of each street segment is reported as an Overall Condition Index (OCI) Rating between 0-100 based on the “ride” and “distress” of the segment. Roads with a rating lower than 50 are called “red streets” and recommended for inclusion in the department’s Capital Improvement Program. Roads with a rating between 50 and 70 are called “yellow” streets and are included in the City’s Street Maintenance Program. Prior to construction, the OCI rating for this section of Eden Road was 54 but increased to 100.

Funding for this project was approved by Arlington voters as part of the 2014 Bond Package and aligns with City Council’s priorities to Enhance Regional Mobility and Champion Great Neighborhoods.

Interested in learning more about projects approved in the 2014 and 2018 Bond Elections? Check out the Bond Tracker webpage for maps, project timelines, articles and more.


Street Construction Projects, Bond Program, Enhance Regional Mobility, City Council District 2
News, Streets