The King Street Pedestrian Zone was officially expanded to reach Waterfront Park on Saturday (Nov. 12).
Council voted unanimously and without discussion on the permanent conversion of the unit block of King Street and the northern portion of Strand Street.
The City shut down the 100 block of King Street in 2020 to help small businesses with outdoor seating during the pandemic. The unit block of King Street and Strand Street were later added to the pilot.
A survey of community feedback on the closure found that 91% (of 1,853 survey respondents) rated the pedestrian zone as very positive, and that 89% of wanted it to be permanent.
The Waterfront Commission also approved the plan, and suggested to City Council the following “enhancements”:
- Strengthening temporary barricades to provide for the safety and security of pedestrians in these blocks until full implementation of street improvements
- Installing a sign on Strand Street at the intersection of Prince Street identifying “no outlet” or “dead end” and noting limited parking available on Strand Street
- Closing Strand Street at Prince Street and designating the metered parking spaces adjacent to Waterfront Park as Handicapped Parking and City Service Vehicles Only. Continue to allow vehicle access to the private garage at 110 S. Union Street. This would provide additional parking near the waterfront for disabled individuals, and would discourage traffic from drivers looking for limited parking in the 100 block of Strand Street
- Designating specific resources to provide appropriate City maintenance and security of the pedestrian zone
- Installing pavement markings on Strand Street clearly identifying the turnaround and no parking areas on Strand Street
Conversion costs will be minimal, said City Manager Jim Parajon in a note to Council.
“If the closure is approved, there will be minimal costs associated with updating parking signage and refreshing striping,” Parajon wrote. “All of these costs can be handled with existing budgets. Also, since there will be four metered spaces eliminated along the Waterfront Park to provide turnaround space and parking for police, this will total approximately $8,000 per year, or $666/month.”
Recent Stories
After years of planning, a new neighborhood was just approved to replace the former Vulcan Materials site in Alexandria’s West End. City Council approved the proposal 5-1 at their Saturday…
The Old Town Festival of Speed and Style is set to cruise back into Alexandria next month. The annual festival is returning for the fifth year in a row on…
Wondering how the real estate market in Alexandria did for the first quarter? Ask McEnearney dives into the numbers!
Drivers traveling near Shirlington and North Ridge or the Braddock neighborhood this weekend might want to plan ahead for some upcoming lane closures. The first one is a planned lane…
Unlike our competitors, Well-Paid Maids doesn’t clean your home with harsh chemicals. Instead, we handpick cleaning products rated “safest” by the Environmental Working Group, the leading rating organization regarding product safety.
The reason is threefold.
First, using safe cleaning products ensures toxic chemicals won’t leak into waterways or harm wildlife if disposed of improperly.
There’s a reason Well-Paid Maids has hundreds of positive reviews from happy clients in the D.C. area.
The home cleaning company pays cleaners — who are W-2 employees — a living wage starting at $24 an hour. Plus, cleaners are offered benefits, including insurance, 24 paid days off a year, 100% employer-paid commuting costs and more.
Lexi Grant, an operations manager at Well-Paid Maids, said it best: “People deserve their work to be respected and recognized. When that happens, you love what you do, and you create the best results.”
Del Ray Kitchen Confidential Design Tour
Please join us for Del Ray Kitchen Confidential – a walking tour of recently renovated kitchens in Del Ray with the experts who make the magic happen! FA Design Build owner Rob Menefee and Design Consultant Melissa Fielding walk us
Celtic Corridor in Concert at the Lyceum
Billy McComiskey, on button accordion, National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Award winner, All-Ireland Award winner, who has played with the Irish groups The Irish Tradition, Trian, and Green Fields of America. Billy’s playing is highly regarded as are his