Transportation Changes to Watch Out for in the New School Year

The Heights Building Exterior.

The Heights Building – on Wilson Blvd. in Rosslyn
H-B Woodlawn and the Shriver programs are moving to the new Heights building in Rosslyn, bringing more than 700 students to the area. This will bring an increase in school buses at drop off and pick up times (9-9:24 a.m. and 4:06 p.m.) All buses will load and unload behind the school on 18th Street, which will be closed to general traffic. During the day, there will also be an increase in pedestrian traffic as students leave campus at various times during the day.

Dorothy Hamm Middle School– Stratford Building on Vacation Lane
The biggest change at this location is that the new Dorothy Hamm Middle School (DHMS) is a neighborhood-serving middle school whose start time is at 7:50 am. The previous occupants, the H-B Woodlawn and the Shriver (formerly Stratford) programs, served students from all over the County, so most students relied on bus transportation and arrived around 9:00 am. Now that it is a neighborhood middle school, commuters and residents can expect more students walking to and from school in the early morning hours.

Old Dominion Drive
As part of the new school design, changes are being made to ensure student safety:

• A new traffic light is being installed at the school driveway and Old Dominion Drive;
• Variable message signs have been placed on Old Dominion near the location of the new signal where students will be crossing and where drivers will exist the campus to alert drivers that a new signal is coming; and
• DHMS staff will be positioned at the end of the driveway to support student crossing.

Military and Lorcom Lane
Drivers also should expect to see students crossing both Military Road and Lorcom Lane where they intersect with Vacation Lane. To support our walkers and bicyclists at these locations, APS has been working with Arlington County Transportation Engineering and Operations on several infrastructure improvements surrounding school, including:

• Installing high visibility crosswalks at Lorcom Lane and Vacation Lane;
• Constructing curb bump-outs and high visibility crosswalks at Military Road and Vacation Lane, which will reduce the crossing distance for students; and
• Adding ‘See Me’ flags (also found in Westover) at both intersections to increase student visibility. (https://www.seemeflags.com/).

DHMS staff will also be at these locations in the morning to support students crossing to school.

Intersections of Nelly Custis Drive/Military Road and Lee Highway and Quincy St./Military Road

Other places surrounding the school where drivers should be alert to student crossing activity are at Nelly Custis Drive and Military Road and at the intersection of Lee Highway and Quincy St./Military Rd. Two crossing guards will be supporting students in the morning and afternoon at these locations.Finally, updated school zone flashers and signage will be installed on Lorcom Lane, Old Dominion Drive, and Military Road, reminding drivers that they are entering a school zone where speeds are reduced and fines are increased. Flashers operate approximately 30 minutes before start time and 10 minutes after in the AM, and 10 minutes before dismissal time and 30 minutes after in the PM. The speed limit on these roads during the morning and afternoon arrival and dismissal times will be slowed to 25 mph.

Additional information at https://dorothyhamm.apsva.us/post/transportation-information-for-dhms-2019-2020/

Alice West Fleet Elementary School – Old Glebe Road next to Jefferson Middle School

Fleet Elementary School will open on the campus of Thomas Jefferson Middle School, which starts its day at 7:50 am. With the addition of the elementary school, the site will remain active for buses, pedestrians and drivers until 9 a.m. when Fleet begins its day, and through 4 p.m. for dismissal. Drivers are reminded that 1st St S. is one way, and many students will cross at 1st St. and Old Glebe Rd. or 2nd St. and Old Glebe. A crossing guard will be stationed at 2nd St. and Old Glebe Rd. to cross both Jefferson students and Fleet students.

Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School – 23rd Street
Drew Elementary School is now a neighborhood school. With that, neighbors and drivers will see more walkers and biker riders in the area. “See Me Flags” will be deployed at the intersection of Glebe and Walter Reed to assist with crossing.

Montessori Public School of Arlington – S. Highland Street (next to Career Center)
The new standalone, K-5 Montessori school is now located in the former Patrick Henry Elementary School building. Because this is a countywide program, residents will notice more buses around the school.There is also a change in drop-off and pick-up at the Career Center to accommodate relocatable classrooms.

The key changes are:

• Entrance on Highland Street is BUS ONLY and one way. Buses will exit onto Walter Reed Drive. *Note that with the new 8-plex, students will be moving between buildings during the day, so for their safety, visitors should enter off Walter Reed at other times.
• The south entrance next to the library from Walter Reed Drive is No Entry from 7:30-8:30 a.m. to accommodate our buses.
• ACC parent drop-off is between the 15-minute parking signs on Highland Street (about 9 spaces worth), with queuing on 9th

On-site parking has been reduced due to the addition of the 8-plex. Additional staff parking is available in the ECDC garage on 9th Street.