Arlington County Board Approves $3.4 Million for Priority Neighborhood Improvements
February 14, 2012
- Six resident-identified projects funded
- Improvements include bike lanes, pedestrian safety, street lighting, park improvements, ART bus pads, beautification
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Arlington County Board today unanimously approved $3.4 million in funding under the Neighborhood Conservation program for six improvement projects identified by neighborhoods.
“For decades, the Neighborhood Conservation Program has helped keep our neighborhoods strong and vibrant,” said County Board Chair Mary Hynes. “It’s unique – it relies on problem identification and planning from the grassroots up. Neighborhoods identify what needs to be done to improve safety, beautify public spaces and upgrade parks and other amenities. Then they work with residents from other neighborhoods to develop a prioritization that all consider fair and results in local improvements to our quality of life.”
The Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee (NCAC) ranked proposed projects submitted by the neighborhoods. The Committee recommended the following projects for County Board approval:
- Westover Village -- Patrick Henry Dr-16th St. N to Washington Blvd. -- $531,829 for pedestrian safety, bike lanes and beautification.
- Williamsburg -- N Sycamore St.-26th St. N to Williamsburg Blvd -- $679,101 for pedestrian safety, bike lanes and ART bus pads.
- Claremont – 23rd St S – S Culpeper St. to S Columbus St. --$495,671 for pedestrian safety and beautification.
- Cherrydale – 20th St. N – N. Kenmore St. to N. Monroe St. -- $562,481 for street improvements including sidewalk, curb, gutter, streetlights.
- Aurora Highlands -- S Fern St – 22nd St. S to 19th St. S -- $683,673 for sidewalk, curb, gutter, streetlights.
- Arlington Forest – $485,000 for seesaws, climbing structure, swings, accessible paths to play areas, new trash can and recycling container, bicycle racks, fence, accessible picnic table and sand play/boulder area.
This is the third round in funding for key recommended Neighborhood Conservation projects from the 2010 voter-approved $9 million Community Conservation Bond.
About Neighborhood Conservation
Under the Neighborhood Conservation Program , residents, through their neighborhood associations, identify improvement priorities in their neighborhoods and work with the County to get those projects funded. Introduced in Arlington decades ago, the program has been studied by many other communities and has become a model for making improvements in established urban neighborhoods across the country.
The Neighborhood Conservation Program is funded by bond referenda approved by Arlington voters. Advisory Committee members meet monthly to oversee the program and twice a year recommend qualified projects to the County Board for approval of bond funding. For more information, read the staff report from the County Board’s February 14, 2012 Meeting Agenda 
(Item #19).
(Item #19).Arlington, Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world - including the Pentagon - Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.
