There was only one agenda item for Tuesday evening’s special meeting of the Seminary Hill Association — what’s going on with Seminary Road.
The major east-west artery in Alexandria is scheduled to be repaved in 2019 from the I-395 interchange to Quaker Lane. Repaving provides the City with an opportunity to make safety and traffic improvements for all users. This could include creating bike lanes on the road, making visibility improvements at key intersections for pedestrian safety, and changing traffic flow.
However, rumors have started that the City has already decided to reduce Seminary Road from two lanes in each direction to just one lane in each direction with medians and bike lanes added. Residents are concerned about ambulances and fire trucks being able to get through, traffic jams and more if that were to happen. City officials say there are no finalized plans for the roadway and data and input are still being collected.
Representatives from the City’s Transportation and Environmental Services declined invitations to attend Tuesday night’s SHA meeting, but TES Director Yon Lambert sent association board members a letter ahead of Tuesday's meeting to clarify the City’s plans.
“Contrary to rumor, the city has not yet proposed any changes, nor have any conclusions been drawn,” Lambert wrote. City staff, along with private consultants, are developing “multiple concepts” for Seminary Road and will present those to the community for input. City staff is looking at data, talking to residents and more. In the end, Lambert wrote, “the City might not recommend any other changes other than the needed maintenance.”
City of Alexandria, Transportation & Environmental Services (TES)
More than 50 people packed the warm room at Immanuel on the Hill Church Tuesday evening for the association meeting, the purpose of which was to find out what residents are thinking and discuss how to bring residents’ concerns to city officials. SHA as an entity has not decided whether to make an official statement.
Several residents reminded others in the room to stick to the known facts, follow the process and keep an open mind about the possibilities. “We should all be open to both change and compromise,” said Catherine Richards, a retiree who lives on Seminary Road.
The concerns brought up by residents included the speed of cars (even though the speed limit has been reduced to 25 mph), the closeness of sidewalks to the street, lack of crosswalks at critical intersections and bus stops, and the condition of the roadway itself.
One resident encouraged City officials to divide the project in two: the section west of Pickett Street that is currently six lanes and includes the fire station, Burke Library, Hammond Middle School and the I-395 interchange, and separately the long stretch east of Pickett street, which is four lanes and much more residential.
Bill Pfister, PTA president of McArthur Elementary School and a resident of Fort Williams Parkway, said walking on the sidewalks on Seminary Road can make him anxious. The section west of Quaker Lane is not “walkable” for students according to Alexandria City Public Schools officials because the intersection at Quaker Lane is too busy. “We don’t let our kids walk on Seminary. It feels too dangerous,” he said.
Current City Council Member John Taylor Chapman came to the meeting after National Night Out festivities to listen to residents. “There’s no formal plan,” he said, for Seminary Road at this time. “I know folks who have emailed me have been rather upset about what has been put out there – they feel like this is already a done deal, and it is not.”
Chapman strongly encouraged residents to stay engaged in the process, to pay attention to the schedule of the Traffic and Safety Board and to send input to city officials.
“I think there’s real opportunity here to have some critical input because council members and some of the policy makers in the city staff don’t necessarily live in those neighborhoods and don’t see what’s going on, good or bad,” he said.
City Council candidate Elizabeth Bennett-Parker was also in attendance.
To submit comments on Seminary Road (and other upcoming repaving projects, including Mount Vernon Avenue, West Braddock Road and more), go to www.alexandriava.gov/tes/info/default.aspx?id=103183.
More information about the Traffic and Parking Board, including recent meeting minutes, is available at www.alexandriava.gov/TrafficParkingBoard. The board meets on the fourth Monday of each month at City Hall in the Council Chambers. The next meeting is Aug. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
