Two appeals on the Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board’s approved Braddock Road changes to accommodate bike lanes are heading to City Council.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Pastor Kate Costa said the church is submitting an appeal Monday, March 9 after getting signatures from church members over the weekend. The appeal concerns the board’s Feb. 24 decision to remove on-street parking on Braddock Road, including an accessible parking space in front of the church.
A broader appeal of the Braddock Road decision signed by some Braddock Road residents and pastors of Community Praise Center and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church was submitted to the city clerk today (Friday), according to a news release.
Costa told ALXnow her hope is that City Council will reverse removal of parking on the segment of Braddock Road between Commonwealth Avenue and Russell Road.
“Our church is a church that doesn’t have a parking lot, and so we we need those spaces to be able to hold worship, to be able to have funerals, to be able to host community groups, to be able to have blood drives, all of the kind of things that a church does to serve the community,” Costa said.
The accessible space will be relocated from Braddock Road in front of the church to two locations at the Braddock Road intersections with Luray and Hancock avenues. Costa said that moves an accessible space that was 25 feet from the church, replacing it with new spaces that are 150 feet and 175 feet away.
“I kind of wish we had two or three handicapped spots, so we appreciate that they’re going to expand it to two spots,” Costa said. “But the location of those spots is really not acceptable for those who who have mobility concerns.”
The pastor says parking removal will make it difficult for the church to host high-demand worship days like Easter the way it can now. Aside from church members, Costa detailed community groups like the community choir that rely on the on-street parking. Since the group is largely adults 55 and older, Costa believes they may have to find a new meeting space if the parking is removed.
Costa believes the city can find a way to balance the needs of all road users and find a solution for weekend and night parking.
The Traffic and Parking Board decision came after hours of public testimony. Speakers who supported the proposal detailed the need for bike lane extensions to improve safety for bicyclists sharing the road with vehicles. Speakers opposed to the changes decried the loss of on-street parking near their homes and the church.
“Many members bike to church who live in Del Ray and close surrounding areas,” Costa said. “But we are a regional church, and we have people who drive from all the other areas of Alexandria and Fairfax and Arlington and D.C., so they aren’t able to to bike.”
According to a city staff presentation on Braddock Road, the changes would be implemented in 2027-2028 following a design phase. Costa hopes City Council will have the appeal on their agenda at either the April or May public hearings.
Photo via Google Maps.
