A pilot project to convert the unit block of King Street — the part closest to the waterfront — into a pedestrian-only zone has been extended for another two months.
The pilot started over Memorial Day weekend and was scheduled to shut down after Labor Day, but Alexandria Transportation and Environmental Services announced on Twitter that the pilot was being extended to Nov. 20.
The extension is promising for fans of the pedestrian zone. Pedestrian zones, as the name suggests, close a block of the road to car traffic to make it accessible for pedestrians only. The trend has caught on in other parts of the region, with a pedestrian zone launching in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of D.C. late last month.
An ALXnow poll earlier this year indicated that 40% of readers supported a few more blocks being converted to pedestrian zones, with 33% saying everything up to the Metro station should be made a pedestrian zone.
The project follows the conversion of the 100 block of King Street to a pedestrian-only zone last year. The conversion of the 100 block also started as a pilot project before the City Council made the conversion permanent.
We've extended the King Street Place Pilot until November 20! And if you've recently visited the pedestrianized area or operate a business there, we want to hear about your experience 🗣️
Share your thoughts or ideas for improvements at https://t.co/JNagledCWS. pic.twitter.com/4mHGxgoxIw
— Alexandria Transportation & Environmental Services (@AlexandriaVATES) September 12, 2022
The City of Alexandria is still collecting feedback on the zone until the end of today.
