As the city works through some of the most high-crash intersections, it’s setting its sights on twin troublesome intersections in southern Old Town: the intersections of Duke Street with Route 1 (South Henry and South Patrick streets).
The Duke Street intersections with Route 1 are among the most crash-prone in the city, with over 70 crashes at the intersection since 2014, the city said in a release. Of those, four resulted in severe injuries and more than 20 resulted in non-life-threatening injuries.
The intersections are just north of where the two streets converge, crossing with the aterial Duke Street. Contributing to the chaos is a right turn lane off Duke Street onto South Henry Street.
The City of Alexandria has launched a the “Duke Street & Route 1 High Crash Intersection Audits Project” with the goal of evaluating safety issues and developing designs for improvements.
The City is collecting feedback on mobility, safety and access issues at the intersections. Feedback can be submitted online anytime before Tuesday, Feb. 28.
The project is supported by a grant from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) Regional Roadway Safety Program.
Alexandria Police are investigating a person of interest after Sunday night’s shooting near Holmes Run put a man in the hospital with multiple injuries.
The incident occurred at around 6 p.m. near an apartment complex in the 4600 block of Duke Street, according to police. A 22-year-old man was shot and suffered “multiple injuries” and is expected to recover.
“APD is currently investigating a person(s) of interest in relations to this incident,” Alexandria Police spokesman Marcel Bassett said.
No other information was released. Shortly after the incident, APD tweeted that it believed there was “no current threat to the public.”
The incident is still under investigation and APD asks anyone who with information to contact Detective John Bratelli via phone at 703-746-6699, email at [email protected], or to call the APD non-emergency line at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.
Notification:: There is a moderate police presence in the 4600 block of Duke Street. This is in response to a shots fired incident resulting in one person injured. The victim’s condition is unknown at this time. APD believes there is no current threat to the public. pic.twitter.com/LNTNKxVTIt
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) January 15, 2023
Map via Google Maps
(Updated 11:30 a.m.) As Alexandria sizes up Duke Street for dedicated bus lanes, a regional grant aimed at reducing congestion and improving air quality could be a vital piece of funding the transit line’s operation.
The bus lanes, part of a bus rapid transit (BRT) refit, is part of the Duke Street in Motion project, which aims to boost transit accessibility along Duke Street.
Nothing is set in stone, but a few of the several options being considered for sections of Duke Street include blocking off sections of the roadway for dedicated bus lanes.
“The City anticipates enhanced transit operations on Duke Street beginning around FY27,” Yon Lambert, the director of the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES), said in a memo to City Council. “The City began an engagement process in early 2021 followed by the Duke Street in Motion initiative in 2022. Transit improvements are being coordinated with other City projects along the corridor, including the intersection of Duke Street at West Taylor Run Parkway.”
At a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 13, the City Council is set to review requests for $4.5 million in Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) grants from the FY 2029 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program and Regional Surface Transportation Program.
The request includes a $750,000 ask for the Alexandria Mobility Plan, but the lion’s share of the grant request is $3.75 million to the Duke Street Transitway.
The $4.5 million request is in line with around how much the city has been granted over the last five years. To date, a report said the city has already received a total of $87 million in NVTA funding for design, right-of-way, construction and buses for the Duke Street Transitway project.
The grant proposal could be critical to supporting the Duke Street Transitway as the city heads into a lean budget season. Transitway programs can be expensive — a lack of funding killed dedicated bus lanes in a planned West End Transitway.
A presentation planned for the City Council says the grant would fund operations for transit service for the first 3-5 years of the BRT’s life.
Alexandria is planning for a transit-oriented overhaul of Duke Street, and city staff connected to the project told an advisory group earlier this month that rumors about eminent domain being used for the project are inaccurate.
Yon Lambert, the director of the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES), told the Duke Street in Motion Advisory Group that public concerns about eminent domain being invoked to acquire right of way for the Duke Street changes is at least premature if not unfounded.
Concerns about the city using eminent domain to acquire land along Duke Street became so prevalent members of the City Council asked staff about it at meetings this month. Lambert said right-of-way acquisition does not always involve eminent domain.
“There’s been some discussion and disinformation about what right of way is and use of it,” Lambert said. “The city regularly acquires the right of way when it is building capital projects like sewers or fire facilities… The right-of-way process is a normal component of all of our capital projects. There’s nothing unusual in us having a right-of-way element on a project.
Lambert said with the plans still in the early stages, it’s not clear that the city will have make any right-of-way acquisition.
“What I specifically want to address, with this project in particular: any right-of-way that we think we will have to acquire, and it’s not clear that we will have to acquire right-of-way… if we think we have to acquire any right-of-way, we see that as being a voluntary negotiation with adjacent property owners,” Lambert said. “We do not see any intent in this stage of the project to use eminent domain.”
Lambert said eminent domain is still a tool in the city’s toolbox for making improvements that are necessary to the public interest, but with this project, the city “wants to make sure right of way set aside for this project is voluntary.”
In the same vein of corrections about misconceptions surrounding the Duke Street projects, Lambert said the Transitway proposal won’t necessarily have a one-size-fits-all application along the corridor. There are multiple options, from transit separated from traffic to buses mixed in with traffic, with multiple segments along the corridor.
“I think it’s natural and reasonable to think about it as doing something from end to end,” Lambert said. “Multiple [City] Councils have told us and the staff… that Council wants to see ensuring transit on Duke Street. But part of the reason it’s broken out into segments… [we] want to make sure it’s clear that there may be different solutions for different segments.”
Lambert said while some segments may see substantial improvements, others may only see more incremental improvements.
The advisory group is scheduled to meet again on Thursday, Dec. 15.
The intersection of Duke Street and West Taylor Run Parkway has been a hot spot for car crashes and at a meeting tonight, city staff are scheduled to present plans to give the intersection a makeover.
The meeting, held at nearby Bishop Ireton High School (201 Cambridge Road) from 7-8:30 p.m. tonight (Tuesday) will include an overview of the current intersection and a look at potential design changes.
“During the meeting, City staff will cover both the West Taylor Run intersection on Duke Street and the proposed access onto Telegraph Road east of West Taylor Run,” a release said. “There will be an open house section, a presentation and an opportunity for participants to ask questions and/or provide feedback about the project.”
The city’s website said the intersection has seen frequent crashes in recent years.
“The Duke and West Taylor Run Parkway intersection has been the topic of discussion for a number of years and was identified as a high crash location through the City’s Vision Zero Program,” the site said. “The Duke Street and West Taylor Run Parkway Project aims to improve safety while reducing neighborhood cut-through traffic. The project will redesign the intersection in conjunction with the addition of a new ramp to access Telegraph Road.”
The intersection was also included in earlier changes to keep more cut-through traffic on Duke Street and out of nearby residential neighborhoods.
The city’s website said plans include eliminating direct access to the Telegraph Road ramp from West Taylor Run Parkway, which would help disincentivize commuters using the residential street to get around Duke Street congestion.
“By eliminating direct access onto the Telegraph Road ramp from West Taylor Run Parkway, congestion on Duke Street can be improved and less people will likely use neighborhood streets to access this ramp,” the city’s website said. “As well, the signal timing adjustments will also encourage drivers to use Quaker Lane and Duke Street. While there will ultimately be an additional ramp onto Telegraph Road, the goal is to make it faster for cut-through traffic to stay on Quaker Lane and Duke Street.”
The intersection was also included in earlier changes to keep more cut-through traffic on Duke Street and out of nearby residential neighborhoods.
Final concepts for the new intersection are expected to be finished in spring 2023, with construction starting in 2025 or 2026 with a year of construction.
Via Google Maps
It’s been a busy week of meetings in Alexandria.
First, parents met with Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) leadership in a forum addressing safety in schools, a major talking point in schools after the murder of a student this summer and issues involving violent “crews” in ACPS.
In an Agenda Alexandria meeting, City Manager James Parajon said adding density to the city is vital to meeting affordable housing needs, though some in the audience expressed concerns that added density could harm the “historic nature” of Alexandria.
Lastly, the Chamber ALX held its Best in Business awards last night. Land use attorney Cathy Puskar was named the 2022 Business Leader of the Year and restaurant Chadwicks (203 Strand Street) was named Overall Business of the Year.
Top stories
- New Duke Street development replacing car dealership with affordable housing
- Tenant arrested for allegedly pointing handgun at landlord in West End apartment
- City Manager: Trading height for affordable housing means ‘unlikely’ impact on historic districts
- Alexandria mayor to present multi-year plan to rename streets named after Confederate soldiers
- Potomac Yard Metro station hits major milestone after earlier plans derailed by delays
- Alexandria lowers speed limits on major West End streets
- Falafel Inc. opening on Halloween on King Street in Old Town
- Nine more COVID deaths in Alexandria within the last month
- Public comment period closing on three Duke Street Transitway options
- Alexandria City Council hires auditor to review allegations of police misconduct
The Beyer Land Rover dealership at 2712 Duke Street could soon be replaced with a new 94-unit affordable housing development (item 9).
The project, Witter Place, is being put together by Community Housing Partners (CHP). The Virginia-based non-profit has worked in affordable housing development since 1975, but this is CHP’s first project in Alexandria.
“The proposal consists of a 94-unit, 136,087 gross square feet (GSF) multifamily building, with a two-level partially below grade parking garage,” a staff-report on the development said. “The building will range in height from four to five stories, with a maximum height of 60 feet. All units in the proposed building will be affordable to households at a variety of income levels ranging from 40% to 60% AMI.”
The new building will include a courtyard and rooftop terrace for residents.
In addition to the affordable housing component, Witter Place will also make some improvements to Duke Street.
“The project will reduce the number of existing curb cuts and will eliminate conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians along Duke Street by locating parking garage access to the south side of the property along Witter Drive,” the report said. “The project also proposes an enhanced streetscape along Duke Street, including a 10′ wide sidewalk with street trees.”
Ultimately, the staff report recommended approval of the project. The project is going to a Planning Commission hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 1, and to the City Council on Saturday, Nov. 12.
“Staff recommends approval of the Development Site Plan and associated Special Use Permit subject to compliance with all applicable codes and the following staff recommendations,” the report said.
Alexandria planning staff say there’s no preferred option for the Duke Street transitway, but the three choices offer varying impacts on drivers.
This month, city staff have conducted meetings in a public engagement process to talk about the project and gather input on the three options before a plan is finalized for City Council to consider. City staff will conduct a final open house to discuss the entire project on Wednesday, October 26, at 5:30 p.m. at Patrick Henry Recreation Center (4653 Taney Avenue).
Residents can also fill out an online feedback form.
The option to have a dedicated center bus lane in the middle of Duke Street would ultimately result in the fastest experience for riders, but the construction would heavily impact traffic an already clogged Duke Street. This option would mean the construction of multiple bus bays.
The second option would convert lanes at the edge of the street into dedicated bus lanes, which would double as turn lanes for vehicles at intersections. The third option would mix buses with regular traffic.
Amy Hillis, a resident of the Duke Gardens neighborhood, says that the city’s presentations are lacking.
“The city says this is an engagement period, and staff is asking citizens to advise on selecting two preferred options,” Hillis said, considering the mixed traffic alternative as a “do-nothing option.”
Hillis added, “Some options will require eminent domain and land acquisition – no notional cost estimate on that. And zero estimate on the cost per bus rider today versus in the future as an end state goal.”
The busy four mile stretch of roadway has been divvied into these sections:
- Segment 1: West End to Jordan Street
- Segment 2A: Jordan Street to Wheeler Avenue
- Segment 2B: Wheeler Avenue to Roth Street
- Segment 3: Roth Street to King Street Metro Station
All options include a road widening in segments 2A and 2B.
Construction could start as soon as 2026, but the construction schedule depends on the alternative that is chosen.
“It depends on what the preferred alternative is, that will dictate the design schedule and construction schedule,” Project Manager Will Tolbert said at a community presentation last week. “That’s hard to give you a range, but that’s hard to commit to until we have that confirmed alternative.”
Tolbert continued, “Unless there’s something I haven’t been told, there is no preferred alternative. We’re really truly looking for feedback on this range of alternatives now.”
Popular sandwich franchise Jersey Mike’s Subs is opening a new location in Alexandria tomorrow.
The shop is opening at 3219 Duke Street — formerly Sweet Frog — on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
In addition to in-store dining, guests can order through the website or app and delivery is available. The restaurant is open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., seven days a week.
The grand opening will coincide with a fundraiser — kind of. The fundraiser is running from Wednesday to Sunday, Oct. 23, supporting the One Love Foundation, but donations are only valid for customers who received a coupon through a “grassroots effort” prior to opening and it is not available on online, app, or third-party orders.
“Customers who receive a special fundraising coupon distributed through a grassroots effort prior to the opening can make a minimum $3 contribution in-store to One Love Foundation in exchange for a regular sub,” the restaurant said in a release. “Customers must have a coupon to be eligible. Coupons are not available for online, app, or third-party orders.
Photo via Jersey Mike’s/Facebook
A Washington, D.C. man is behind bars after allegedly stealing a car from a lot in an industrial area of the city and fleeing from police.
The incident occurred shortly after 10 p.m. on Thursday, August 22. Police received a call that several people were moving vehicles in the fenced in parking lot of a car repair business in the 3200 block of Colvin Street.
Police arrived and saw the 22-year-old suspect allegedly climb a fence to the lot and get into a Dodge Ram with its lights on, according to a search warrant affidavit. When police made their presence known, the suspect allegedly ran on foot from the scene and was arrested a short distance away.
Another suspect stole a red Ford Mustang and was not arrested.
The suspect told police that “he received a key fob for the Dodge Ram from the unknown suspect operating the Mustang, whom he claimed not to know the identity of,” police said in the search warrant affidavit.
“The suspect was to drive the Dodge Ram ‘somewhere in Maryland,'” police said in the search warrant affidavit.
“I was told, texted, to go to a certain place,” the suspect allegedly told police.
The suspect was charged with failing to stop at the scene of an accident, fleeing from law enforcement and grand larceny. He released on recognizance and goes to court on September 28.
