Mayor Justin Wilson and Council member John Chapman are proposing turning the last few blocks of King Street closest to the Potomac River waterfront into a pedestrian-only zone on weekends.
This isn't the first time the proposal has come up -- back in 2006, a few blocks of lower King Street were blocked off to traffic on the weekends during the summer as a trial. Wilson said in an email to residents this weekend that he thought the idea was good, it was just ahead of its time.
The purpose of the 2006 trial, according to city documents, was as follows:
"The objective of the pedestrian plaza concept was to provide a unique space in Old Town for the enjoyment of local residents and visitors, and to enhance the business climate for local merchants. By creating a special environment that captures the essence of both historic and modem day Alexandria, the plaza's objective was to provide a relaxing and vibrant expanded place for people to stroll, shop or dine, potentially drawing in new and returning customers for local businesses."
During that trial, vehicular traffic was banned from lower King Street on the weekends. Low-key entertainment, benches and more filled the streets. King Street closed at 3 p.m. on Fridays for four weekends and reopened at 6 a.m. Mondays.
"While pedestrian users of the plaza (83%) supported it, the view from merchants was mixed. In particular, some of the merchants in the 200 block of King Street reported a drop in sales, and no merchant in either the 100 block or the 200 block reported a significant increase in retail sales," according to city documents. In fact, several merchants in the 200 block of King Street reported a decrease.
The difference now is that the Old Town Alexandria waterfront has been activated with a new park, public art installation, more events and attractions for residents and visitors alike. The initiative would start in the spring of 2020.
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The following is the complete note Mayor Wilson put in his email newsletter (the June 2019 Council Connection) to residents on June 1, 2019:
Almost exactly thirteen years ago, the City spent a summer experimenting with a closure of King Street to vehicles on weekends. By giving the road space over to pedestrians, the City attempted to replicate numerous cities around the world who have taken asphalt designed for cars and created new vitality.
While there were concerns voiced by businesses in the vicinity, the closure was popular with the pedestrians themselves. The experiment was unfortunately limited and short-lived.
Now, over a decade later, a newly expanded Waterfront Park, with public art, active programming and adjacent businesses has created expanded visitation. My view is that this is the perfect time to resurrect a good idea that may have been slightly before its time in our City.
Councilman John Chapman and I have proposed that the appropriate City agencies engage the business and residential communities to prepare a new recommendation for a pedestrian zone in the unit, 100-block and potentially 200-block of King Street in Old Town.
We view this moment as the perfect time to see these blocks, connecting Market Square with our Waterfront, as not just roads to carry cars, but vital space to support commerce, visitation and the history of our community.
I am optimistic that such a proposal would expand outdoor dining in the corridor, provide active programming in the area, and become a signature area for our City.
Let me know what you think as we continue the discussion of this concept.
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Residents and business owners may send feedback on the idea to justin.wilson@alexandriava.gov or to other members of the city council. (Contact information is available here.)
