Medians, reduced crossing distances and curb extensions are just a few of the roadway changes being proposed for four intersections with Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria.
The preferred design options are meant to improve mobility, safety and access issues at the intersections of Mount Vernon Avenue at Glebe Road, Russell Road, Executive Avenue, and Four Mile Road. The options will be presented at the Traffic and Parking Board’s April 29 public hearing.
The project would extend curbs, remove street parking, add crosswalks along Mount Vernon Avenue, as well as add a pedestrian refuge island at the busy intersection of Mount Vernon Avenue and Glebe Road.
The changes are part of the city’s Vision Zero plan to eliminate fatal and severe crashes, and construction is funded by the city and from a Virginia Department of Transportation grant.
There have been three fatal pedestrian crashes along Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria over the years. Changes have been proposed since 2016, when a study outlined needed pedestrian improvements. The 2021 Arlandria-Chirilagua Small Area Plan also recommended changes at the intersections.
The city was set to deliver the plan to the Traffic and Parking Board in January, but the city was delayed because it needed to “allow staff more time to finalize a few details and respond to questions that have been raised related to right of way, pedestrian crossing analysis, traffic analysis, and turning movements before getting an official concept design approval.”
A popular bar on the border of Del Ray and Arlandria is looking to expand with expanded hours and live entertainment.
Hops N Shine at 3410 Mount Vernon Avenue is asking the city to approve a plan to extend its outdoor patio hours, allow outdoor cooking, and have “amplified soft background” music with a live musician.
The restaurant is asking that outdoor live music be allowed Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
According to their special use permit application:
- Patio hours would be extended an hour, until 11 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday
- The outdoor cooking would include s’mores over propane fire pits, and date night cooking classes with 16-ounce butane cans with portables stoves tops
- Opening the garage door in the front of the building, while continuing live indoor entertainment
- The addition of an acoustic musician Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 9 p.m.
- Introduce outdoor games like Jenga, cornhole and Connect Four
The matter goes before the Planning Commission on June 4.
Photo via Hops N Shine/Facebook
The Alexandria City Council will consider making electric scooter rides cheaper in the poorest areas of the city at its meeting on Tuesday night (March 12).
Council will vote at City Hall (301 King Street) on allowing staff to apply for a $200,000 grant from the Better Bike Share Partnership’s Living Lab Program. The city would have to contribute $20,000 toward the effort, which is intended to increase the ridership with an outreach campaign and by lowering prices for electric scooters and e-bikes in Arlandria and the West End.
“The City will work with local community organizations to build awareness for micromobility equity programs and facilitate new member sign ups,” city staff wrote in a presentation going before Council. “This program would offset costs associated with Dockless Mobility trips that start or end within designated equity zones.”
Alexandria has tried to expand ridership in the two areas since launching its Dockless Mobility Program in 2019. Consequently, the city’s three permitted operators (Bird, Lime and Spin) must operate a percentage of their fleet within Arlandria (5%), west of Interstate 395 (10%) and between I-395 and Quaker Lane (15%).
Exactly how much riders who live in Arlandria and the West End will save is unclear, but the non-electric Capital Bikeshare has a program that allows low-income riders to ride their bikes for $5 per year.
The Living Lab Program is a partnership between the City of Philadelphia, the National Association of City Transportation Officials and the nonprofit People For Bikes. If the city is chosen for a grant, the program would be implemented this fall and run until Spring 2026, after which it would be evaluated, according to the staff presentation.
The city’s draft resolution is below.
WHEREAS, in 2021, the City Council of the City of Alexandria adopted a dockless mobility permit program that includes requirements to encourage equitable deployment and usage across the city; and
WHEREAS, in 2023 the Better Bike Share Partnership (BBSP) announced a Living Lab Program intended to address key barriers to access and use of shared micromobility; and
WHEREAS, City staff submitted a letter of interest and received an invitation to submit a full proposal; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Alexandria desires to submit an application to Better Bikeshare Partnership (BBSP) for up to $200,000 to participate in the BBSP Living Lab Program for 2024-2026; and
WHEREAS, these funds are requested to fund efforts to increase membership numbers in the Dockless Mobility and Capital Bikeshare equity programs, and to reduce the costs associated with dockless trips that either start or end within designated equity zones in the city.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Alexandria hereby supports this application for an allocation of up to $200,000 through the BBSP Living Lab Program for 2024-2026.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Alexandria City Council hereby grants authority for the City Manager to apply for funds, allocate an additional $20,000 as a required 10% local match, and execute project administration agreements, as well as other documents necessary for approved projects.
ALXnow will be running a series of City Council candidate interviews through the local election filing deadline on April 4.
(Updated 2/15) After the tumult of the pandemic, Alexandria City Councilman Canek Aguirre thought this term would be a breeze.
Turns out it’s been anything but, with the city’s controversial upending of its residential zoning policies and welcoming of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals to Potomac Yard.
Now running for a third three-year term, Aguirre is touting a number of successes and says that the $2 billion Potomac Yard arena deal is “fragile,” but that it’s a net positive for the city.
“We can’t be stuck holding a bag with a bunch of debt,” Aguirre said. “I think that’s there’s still some questions around that. I just want to say this deal is very fragile. There’s a lot of different pitfalls.”
Aguirre wants more city representation on the Virginia Stadium Authority board, which would own and finance the arena. He also says that new taxes created for and generated from the site will potentially help pay for city services and keep residential property rates steady.
“Transportation is the biggest portion of this that can completely fold the entire deal,” Aguirre told ALXnow. “Not just funding but also making sure that we’re thinking outside the box to make adjustments to different modes across the region and across the area, because this isn’t just affecting Alexandria, it’s also Arlington and south Fairfax County. And honestly, because this potentially draws people from the entire region, how do we put protections in place for the community, for Del Ray and Arlandria, not just for parking, but also for housing.”
Like his colleagues, Aguirre was sworn in virtually after winning his second election in 2021. Now with nearly two terms under his belt, he is among the more senior members of Council, along with John Taylor Chapman (four terms), Vice Mayor Amy Jackson (two terms) and outgoing Mayor Justin Wilson (five terms).
“I was joking with Chapman and Wilson shortly after the 2021 election that this term was going to be easy,” Aguirre told ALXnow. “During the pandemic I didn’t take a day off for like a year-and-a-half, practically.”
Aguirre says that the city’s ARISE Guaranteed Income Pilot is his proudest achievement, providing $500 a month to 170 randomly selected participants for two years. He also said that the next mayor needs to be a communicator who can run a tight meeting.
“Definitely need a good communicator, someone who is collaborator, someone who’s willing to bring people together, who’s going to listen to everybody, try and bring all the ideas to the table,” said Aguirre, adding that he has not decided on whether to make an endorsement. “Personally, this is just my own thing, I like someone who knows how to run a tight meeting. You don’t want to be keeping people forever at meetings, and so being able to have a good meeting is as important to me as well.”
Aguirre announced that he’s running for reelection to the Alexandria Democratic Committee on Feb. 5.
“We’ve made some great strides together to meet collective bargaining agreements, Landmark Mall finally coming back to life, the first fare-free bus system in the region, and, oh, by the way, the largest electric bus fleet in the Commonwealth,” Aguirre told the ADC. “We opened a new metro station, we fully funded our schools and… all the while we still had time to do a guaranteed basic income pilot here in the city.”
He continued, “I don’t want to stop now. I want to keep on going. I want to keep on fighting for all you keep on fighting for our democratic values. So I’m humbly asking your support. I’m humbly asking for your vote.”
A first generation son of Mexican immigrants, Aguirre was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Latino studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For the last eight years has been chair of the Virginia Board of Social Work, and through City Council is the i
Aguirre is also the lone Latino running in this year’s June 18 Democratic primary, and says he’s looking out for the interests of the city’s fastest growing demographic. There are nearly 30,000 Latino residents in the city today (about 18% of all residents), about triple the number in 1990, according to the city.
“Even though I represent Alexandria, there’s a larger burden, if you will, representing for the region in the state, a growing demographic,” Aguirre said. “That’s not lost on me.”
Aguirre said in his next term he wants DASH bus service to continue to be free for riders, and for it to expand into Arlandria.
“That’s very important to me,” Aguirre said. “A huge pet peeve of mine is that the bus doesn’t go all the way down Mount Vernon Avenue. It basically stops at E. Reed Avenue and then doesn’t service the rest of Arlandria.”
Alexandria has also experienced a crime surge since the pandemic, and Aguirre said that the city’s search for a new police chief will help reduce crime.
“With the Chief retiring, we’re gonna have an opportunity to try and find somebody new and I think that’ll definitely be not just a priority, but something that’s drilled home with the next person in charge,” Aguirre said.
Aguirre’s campaign kickoff will be held at El Cuscatleco Restaurant (3819 Mount Vernon Avenue) on Feb. 17 from 1 to 3 p.m. Alexandria’s Democratic primary is on June 18.
Del Ray/Arlandria bar Hops N Shine (3410 Mount Vernon Avenue) is celebrating its five-year anniversary tomorrow (Saturday) with live music, craft activities, and a local beer tasting.
The bar’s anniversary party is scheduled to run from 1-8 p.m. on Saturday, with arts and crafts for kids from 1-6 p.m. and live music from 2-6 p.m.
The event listing said it would include sample beers from Lost Rhino, Dynasty, City State, Cigar City, and Oskar Blues as well as a selection of new sandwiches.
The bar launched in 2019 and became a staple of the Arlandria/Del Ray area with events like packed trivia nights.
It’s occasionally been a victim of its own success in the past: facing scrutiny from the Planning Commission and backlash from neighbors over noise violations.
Photo via Hops N Shine/Facebook
Liquor store thefts jumped more than 200% in Alexandria in 2023, according to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority.
There are six Virginia ABC stores in Alexandria. The store with the most incidents is the Arlandria store at 3815 Mount Vernon Avenue in the Del Ray North Shopping Center, which saw 43 incidents of theft last year, up from just eight reported incidents in 2022. The store with the highest amount of theft is at 501 Montgomery Street in Old Town North, which saw 23 incidents.
Virginia ABC said that there were a total of 100 reported thefts from Alexandria stores last year, versus 31 thefts in 2022, an increase of 222%. The increase in thefts isn’t just being felt in Alexandria, but throughout Virginia.
“Sometimes there were more than two thefts in one day,” an employee of the Arlandria store tells ALXnow. “They just walk in, take bottles and walk out. We don’t stop them, we just call police and they come in and review the security footage and sign insurance forms.”
Virginia ABC does not employ security guards in its network of 400 stores, and is undertaking a “multi-pronged approach to address retail and internal theft,” according to Pat Kane, a public relations specialist for Virginia ABC.
“No product in our store is worth risking the safety of our team members and customers,” Kane said. “Virginia ABC values its relationships with local law enforcement. Staff are trained to gather actionable information to generate usable suspect information and leads.”
Kane said the changes include:
- Emphasizing staff interaction with customers
- Minimizing the quantity of high-theft products that are placed on shelves at any one time
- Moving products for maximum visibility by staff members
- Enhancing camera systems
- Ensuring the sight lines of camera systems
- Lowering inventory levels at stores
- Adding additional in-store staff
The Alexandria Police Department said that liquor store thefts pose a significant risk to the public, and that any suspicious activity should be reported by calling 911.
“Larceny with intent to sell or distribute stolen products is a felony and can result in jail time,” said APD Communications Manager Tracy Walker. “APD is aware of this crime trend occurring nationally and within our community and we make patrol of these store areas a part of our daily field operations and the broader strategy to suppress retail robberies.
Alexandria Police Department is investigating two incidents of gunfire Sunday night, though no one was reported injured.
Eight-to-10 gunshots were reported just before 9 p.m. in the parking lot of the shopping center in the 4000 block of Mount Vernon Avenue. The victim told police that he got into an argument with a Hispanic male in the parking lot and that the suspect fired his handgun at him, striking his car, according to the police scanner.
Two hours after the shooting, APD tweeted that the investigation is ongoing and that the entire block was shut down.
At around 11 p.m., a bullet was fired into the window of a home in the 400 block of N. Armistead Street in the West End.
Anyone with information on these incidents can contact the APD non-emergency number at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.
The scene of a shooting in the 4000 block of Mt. Vernon Ave. is now clear.
No injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing.— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) January 22, 2024
There is a significant police presence in the 4000 block of Mt. Vernon Avenue in response to a shooting. The block is closed to traffic due to the investigation.
No injuries have been reported.
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) January 22, 2024
Officers are on the scene of an illegal discharge into a residence in the 400 block of N. Armistead. No injuries reported.
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) January 22, 2024
A juvenile male sustained minor injuries after being pistol-whipped and robbed in Arlandria on Monday night.
At around 11:18 p.m., the victim was robbed by two males outside of an apartment building in the 3800 block of Executive Avenue, according to the Alexandria Police Department.
One of the suspects allegedly struck the victim in the head with his handgun, and the suspects then stole the juvenile’s shoes, car keys and phone, according to the police scanner.
“No arrests were made,” said APD Communications Manager Tracy Walker. “The teen declined to be transported for medical treatment.”
APD says that the incident remains under investigation.
Anyone with information on this incident can reach out to the APD non-emergency line at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.
(Updated 1/9) A set of Complete Streets changes for Mount Vernon Avenue through Arlandria is headed through city review starting later this spring.
The City of Alexandria released a set of ‘preferred alternatives’ for changes to several Mount Vernon intersections. One of the biggest changes will be to the intersection with Glebe Road.
The staff report says the angle of the current intersection encourages drivers to take fast turns and multiple people have been killed walking on those intersections.
The preferred alternative is a roundabout with an odd, elongated shape meant to suit the intersection better.
The roundabout aims to reduce vehicle speeds and reduce the opportunity for crashes, with large pedestrian refuge areas installed at every crossing.
North of the Glebe Road intersection, twelve parking spaces would be removed at the intersection with Russell Road to make way for curb extensions and green space, with a bus shelter on the east side of Mount Vernon Avenue.
Smaller curb extensions would also be installed at the intersections of Four Miles Road and Executive Avenue with Mount Vernon Avenue.
The proposals were scheduled to go to the Traffic and Parking Board for a public hearing on Monday, Jan. 22, but the city said in a release that the consideration was deferred to an unspecified date this spring.
A man was taken to the hospital after stumbling into Tiger Market & Bakery (3903 Mount Vernon Avenue) with apparent stab wounds.
Scanner traffic indicated the incident happened around 4:40 p.m. Alexandria Police Department (APD) Communications Manager Tracy Walker told ALXnow a suspect fled the scene in a vehicle after allegedly stabbing a man in Arlandria.
Walker said the wounds appear to be non-life threatening, but the victim was taken to a hospital for medical care.
Walker said there is moderate police presence at the scene as APD investigates the stabbing.
Image via Google Maps. James Cullum and Vernon Miles contributed to this story.
