Tuesday is an important day for commuters and residents who use Duke Street — one of Alexandria's most used roadways.
On June 27, the city council will host a public hearing and consider whether to accept the recommendations from the Transitway Advisory group. The meeting, which starts at 7 p.m., may go late into the night with time for expected feedback from residents. (Residents can sign up to speak here.)
If they are accepted, "this project will enter a new phase of planning and implementation as we re-imagine one of the most important corridors in our City," Mayor Justin Wilson explained in early June.
Ahead of the meeting, several community groups have weighed in on the plans. (See the community group letters to City Council here.)
The Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission wholeheartedly approves of the plan, noting in a letter to city council:
"The Environmental Policy Commission believes the proposed improvements to Duke Street are critical to meeting the goals of the City’s Environmental Action Plan 2040 and those of the recently approved Energy and Climate Action Plan to reduce emissions and vehicle miles traveled. The Advisory Group’s preferred option is the best way to generate more transit ridership and provide the best conditions for both cyclists and pedestrians, with separated facilities when possible. Moreover, this project also includes measures to enhanced pedestrian safety when crossing streets or accessing transit."
The Alexandria Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) also approves of changes that will make bicycling along the corridor safer.
The biggest changes will come from where and how buses travel along the roadway. Right now, buses are mixed in with other traffic all the way from the former Landmark Mall to the King Street metro station (and beyond, in both directions). Particularly during rush hour, this can cause backups for cars.
The proposal would call for:
- Segment 1: From Ripley to Jordan (the east end of the Harris Teeter shopping center at Jordan Street), with center-running bus lanes
- Segment 2a: From Jordan to Wheeler, with buses running in mixed traffic
- Segment 2b: From Wheeler to Roth, with a single direction (eastbound) center-running bus lane
- Segment 3: From Roth to Callahan, with center-running and mixed traffic/curb running and mixed traffic
Not everyone is thrilled with the changes, however.
The Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations is calling for a pause to reconsider the project and assess more data. "While we understand this project has been in the city’s plans since 2008, we also realize that much has changed since that initial decision was made. Remote work has become far more common, so the city’s projection of a 200+% increase in bus ridership, if the Transitway is built, seems far out of line with the gains any other city has realized through dedicated bus lanes," AFCA wrote in a letter to city council. Further, rising costs due to inflation mean the project is very likely to exceed grant money provided for it. "More consideration needs to be given to changing the scope of the project now and focusing on solutions that will improve both bus and vehicle traffic and safety, while staying within the $87 million grant," AFCA wrote.
The Taylor Run Citizens' Association raised concerns about upcoming changes to the intersections at West and East Taylor Run, Duke Street and Telegraph Road. "In general, we are in support of making improvements to Duke Street. However, we believe the plan often makes recommendations that benefit commuter traffic at the expense of people who live in the neighborhoods along the corridor."
Other groups that have raised concerns include a George Washington Park community group, the Strawberry Hill Civic Association, the (former) Longview Hill Citizens Association, the Colonial Heights Homeowners Association and others.
The Alexandria Transit Company, which runs the DASH bus service, is in full support of the plan — but former CEO Sandy Modell has called for a wholesale re-evaluation of the plan, citing the need for more data on who is riding transit, improved Telegraph Road access and an increased focus on signal control technologies.
