After two years in development, Alexandria and regional leaders unveiled today (May 28) the newly restored streetscape on Holland Lane in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood.
The Holland Lane Restoration Project has been in the works since 2024 and was completed; it includes repaving and reducing lanes on each side of Holland Lane, new pavement markings, flexible bollards, pedestrian signals and two-way bike lanes. The Alexandria Police Department also announced a high-visibility speed enforcement campaign for Holland Lane, which connects Duke Street and Eisenhower Avenue.
“I’m just really grateful that we’re able to do this,” City Councilman Canek Aguirre said at the unveiling. “If folks are watching, or if they come visit us here in the Carlyle neighborhood, they’ll see the speed of traffic going on right now and how cars are going slower.”
As previously reported, the street is in a highly dense area where a city presentation said up to 29% of drivers speed past the 25 mph limit by 5 mph or more. There were also 13 crashes on Holland Lane from 2018 to 2024, and six of those involved pedestrians who were injured.
Clark Mercer, executive director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, said that the project aligns with the organization’s long-running Street Smart campaign educating drivers on road safety throughout the region.
“Holland Lane is proof that thoughtful design saves lives,” Mercer said. “Combined with enforcement and education through the Street Smart campaign, this is the kind of comprehensive, coordinated approach our residents expect and that they deserve.”
APD Assistant Chief Mike May said that the police will not hesitate to give speeding drivers citations.
“A single moment of distraction, a failure to yield, or limited visibility can change lives forever,” May said. “Bottom line, as we travel through the DMV, we need to show respect and love for others. We need to slow down, pay attention and be safe.”
Alexandria has experienced a number of recent crashes between vehicles and pedestrians, including one that killed a woman on April 20 in Old Town North.
Crash victim Bob Cox, an Alexandria resident who lost both legs after being hit by a drunk driver in a parking lot five years ago, advocated for citywide bike lanes.
“I’m here today to advocate for bike lanes all over the city,” Cox said. “It doesn’t have to be that fast to have big consequences.”
