Getting in and out of Reagan National Airport can be challenging for travelers, but there’s now a new plan to improve access to facilities, create more parking and address some serious traffic concerns.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has spent years working to find solutions to several pain points for Reagan National travelers and detailed how the project would improve signage, build a new public parking lot and realign roads.
The proposal also includes a new multi-use facility for a rental car center that would create more office space and parking, eliminating the need for the current leased space outside of the airport in Crystal City. Ride-hailing services would also have a new staging area nearby.
The proposal would also reroute some roads to help ease the congestion many drivers experience.
“DCA’s current roadway network experiences significant congestion and delays throughout the year. The configuration and layout of the roadway network does not convey traffic in an efficient manner,” the report said.
The airports authority outlined some of those improvements and how they would change airport access while connecting drivers to Route 1 and Crystal City, which includes revamping West Entrance Road to “allow for clear, concise wayfinding that would help reduce the need for drivers to make quick decisions and maneuvers in short periods of time,” according to the report.
The project would also create more space to merge for drivers getting on the George Washington Parkway by widening a ramp for northbound traffic. More access would also be created for pedestrians with the addition of a walkway from the Mount Vernon Trail to the airport, replacing the current tunnel that will be inaccessible during construction.
The plan comes as the airports authority works to address safety concerns brought on by congestion and an increase in travelers in the coming years. More than 16 million passengers are expected to travel through Reagan National by 2035, compared to 11 million in 2019.
If approved, the project would be completed sometime in 2032. Residents are invited to weigh in on the environmental impacts through Aug. 28.
A hard copy of the report can be accessed by visiting the Aurora Hills branch of Arlington Public Library at 735 18th Street S.
