Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
🌤 Today’s weather: Sunny. Mild. High of 68 and low of 46.
🌤 Tomorrow: Mostly sunny. Mild. High of 67 and low of 46. Sunrise at 5:53 am and sunset at 8:15 pm.
🚨 You need to know
You might want to take things a little slower when you drive south of Alexandria from now on.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) announced that the speed limit will be reduced from 45 mph to 35 mph from the Alexandria city limits down to Fort Belvoir.
The new signage is set to go up on May 23.
The VDOT release is below:
On May 23, the speed limit on Richmond Highway (Route 1) between Jeff Todd Way/Mount Vernon Memorial Highway and the Alexandria southern city limits will be permanently reduced from 45 mph to 35 mph to optimize safety and operations for pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers and transit users, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation and Fairfax County Department of Transportation.
Signs displaying the new 35 mph speed limit will be installed May 23 along the approximately seven-mile stretch of Richmond Highway.
In August 2021, after hearing from communities along the Richmond Highway corridor, VDOT began a study assessing the current 45 mph speed limit, with two public information meetings held in November 2021 and July 2022. The study team formally recommended lowering the speed limit to 35 mph between Jeff Todd Way/Mount Vernon Memorial Highway and the Alexandria southern city limits due in part to the segment’s high crash rate. The team also found that Richmond Highway between Buckman Road/Mount Vernon Highway and the Alexandria southern city limits had a higher incidence of pedestrian/bicycle crashes and speed-related crashes compared to other sections of Richmond Highway.
Image via Google Maps
📈 Tuesday’s most read
The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for May 16, 2023.
- JUST IN: One person injured in shooting near the Braddock Road Metro station (2959 views)
- Notes: Real estate sales declining across Northern Virginia (664 views)
- Maryland man busted for allegedly stealing $1,500 in products from Target in Potomac Yard (472 views)
- ACPS says long lines at high school are part of adjustments to new security measures (313 views)
🗞 Other local coverage
- Prepare to Party: Portside in Old Town Summer Festival Returns to Alexandria June 16 and 17
Zebra (Tuesday @ 4:53 pm)
- Alexandria Old Town Springtime Art Festival Returns to John Carlyle Square May 20–21
Zebra (Tuesday @ 3:21 pm)
- 1 Injured In Old Town West Shooting: Alexandria Police
Patch (Tuesday @ 2:26 pm)
- Cautious Optimism On Flood Mitigation Progress: Advisory Group
Patch (Tuesday @ 1:49 pm)
- Portside in Old Town Summer Festival Set for June 16, 17
Alexandria Living (Tuesday @ 12:34 pm)
- ‘Town of Potomac’ (Now Del Ray) Added to Historic Endangered Places List
Alexandria Living (Tuesday @ 8:12 am)
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on today in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
- No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.
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Just Listed includes a 1 BD/1 BA freshly painted condo with an in-unit washer/dryer, hardwood floors and built-in cabinetry.
If you had a chance to enhance a child’s future with a time commitment of less than 2 hours a week, how would you respond? You have that opportunity right now to join over 200 Alexandrians as a reading tutor volunteer with the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC).
ATC tutors work with one child in kindergarten, first, or second grade in Alexandria public schools who need extra help with reading. Tutors meet with their Book Buddy 1-2 times each week for 30 minutes October-May at school, during school hours. Many struggling readers only receive one-on-one instruction through this program, and it makes all the difference. Last year, ATC served 195 children, of whom 82% ended the year reading on grade level and 96% made substantial reading gains. But the need is great, and we are still seeing learning lags from the pandemic.
This year, ATC plans to significantly increase the size of the program to reach over 250 students and to serve every elementary school in Alexandria. This is very exciting news, but we will only succeed if we can recruit more tutors. ATC trains you, matches you with a child, and provides ongoing lesson materials and support.
If you have been thinking about buying your first home or haven’t owned one in the last three years, THIS IS FOR YOU!
In the DMV area, it can be difficult to save the downpayment necessary for you to get into your own home. We have a solution. The Funder’s Summit!
We have assembled a summit with different municipalities to tell you how to access their funds for your home purchase.
2023 Alexandria Fall Festival
Food trucks, bounce houses, pony rides, magic shows and more at the 2023 Alexandria Fall Festival, an Alexandria Living event presented by The Patterson Group. Join us at River Farm on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
