King Street | ALXnow

Alexandria seeks $35M in VDOT grants for King Street, Mount Vernon Avenue projects

Published June 9, 2026 at 12:30PM

Plans to overhaul King Street access road near the Bradlee Shopping Center (image via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon is asking for City Council’s permission to apply for $35 million in state funding for two transportation projects approved in 2024.

City Council will consider Parajon’s proposal to apply for the Virginia Department of Transportation SMART SCALE funding at its meeting tonight (June 9). The funding requests include $27 million in mobility enhancements along King Street between Quaker Lane and Menokin Drive, and up to $8 million for pedestrian improvements on Mount Vernon Avenue at the intersections with Executive Avenue and Russell Road in the city’s Arlandria neighborhood. The city has a deadline of Aug. 1 to submit projects to VDOT for consideration.

Around Town

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream to have $1 scoops at Old Town opening in June

By Katie Taranto

Published May 29, 2026 at 1:45PM

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream options (courtesy of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream)

Just in time for the hot summer months, Old Town’s ice cream scene continues to expand with the arrival of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.

The New York City-based ice cream brand has announced it will hold a grand opening on Thursday, June 18 for its new shop at 400 King Street. Customers can receive celebratory $1 scoops from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on opening day, and the first 100 guests will get a branded tote bag.

Around Town

Life Alive Cafe to offer samples at farmers market ahead of June opening in Old Town

By Katie Taranto

Published May 28, 2026 at 11:45AM

Life Alive Cafe interior (courtesy of Life Alive)

Guests at the Old Town North Farmers’ Market will be able to sample food from a fast-casual vegetarian restaurant opening soon in Alexandria.

Life Alive Cafe — which plans to open Tuesday, June 9 at 400 King Street — will make an appearance at today’s market (May 28) from 3-7 p.m. at 901 N. Royal Street. The restaurant will also appear at the market on Thursday, June 11, according to a newsletter from the Old Town North Community Partnership.

News

Next road closure for VRE project at Alexandria Union Station starts tonight

By Emily Leayman

Published May 28, 2026 at 10:00AM

Alexandria Station in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Road closures will resume around Alexandria Union Station (110 Callahan Drive) starting tonight (Thursday) as Virginia Railway Express continues bridge work over King Street and Commonwealth Avenue.

King Street will be closed between Russell Road and Daingerfield Road from 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28 through 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 3. Commonwealth Avenue will remain open with a single alternating lane controlled by a flagger. Sunset Drive will remain open. Traffic detours run on Duke Street.

Around Town

Alexandria journalist swaps news for retail with Made in ALX

By James Cullum

Published May 26, 2026 at 3:45PM

Beth Lawton, owner of Made in ALX at 415 King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

After 20 years in journalism, Beth Lawton says she’s traded the stress of deadlines for the stress of owning a business in Old Town.

In addition to being a mom with two kids, Lawton has spent the last five years selling handmade items from dozens of local artists at her shop, Made In ALX. At the end of 2024, she had to hang up her journalism hat as the publisher of Alexandria Living Magazine and at least temporarily left behind a long career in journalism.

News

VRE pushes back road closure to late May for rail bridge work near Alexandria Union Station

By Emily Leayman

Published May 13, 2026 at 1:45PM

Alexandria Union Station sign (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

The Virginia Railway Express is postponing the next of its road closures to accommodate rail bridge work near Alexandria Union Station (110 Callahan Drive).

Construction on the two replacement rail bridge spans over King Street and Commonwealth Avenue has been rescheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Friday, May 29, running through 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 2. King Street will be fully closed between Russell Road and Daingerfield Road during construction. Traffic will be detoured to Duke Street, and Commonwealth Avenue will remain open with a single travel lane with alternating traffic directed by flaggers. Sunset Drive will remain fully open.

News

New shuttle between King Street Metro and George Washington’s Mount Vernon launches Friday

By James Cullum

Published May 4, 2026 at 2:45PM

George Washington's Mount Vernon estate (via Facebook)

A new shuttle service will soon make it easier to travel to George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate from the King Street Metro station in Old Town.

Starting this Friday, May 8, $10 roundtrip shuttle tickets will be available with service to Mount Vernon on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through June. Each shuttle departing the King Street Metro station can hold up to 20 passengers for an approximately 20-minute ride to the historic estate.

News

New sculpture outside courthouse paired with Declaration of Independence readings by Alexandria women

By James Cullum

Published May 1, 2026 at 3:55PM

At the unveiling of "00:10:00," a new temporary public art installation outside the Alexandria Courthouse at 520 King Street (via City of Alexandria)

A new temporary art installation commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was recently unveiled outside the Alexandria Courthouse in Old Town, featuring a reading of the document by prominent Alexandria women.

News

Road closures start today for VRE bridge replacement project at Alexandria Union Station

By James Cullum

Published May 1, 2026 at 12:50PM

The Amtrak and VRE station (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Road closures will begin tonight as the Virginia Railway Express replaces two bridges near Alexandria’s Union Station (110 Callahan Drive).

VRE is replacing two bridge spans on King Street and Commonwealth Avenue in a project that begins tonight (May 1) at 7 p.m. Between now and 10 p.m. Monday (May 4). King Street will be fully closed between Russell Road and Daingerfield Road, with traffic detoured to Duke Street, according to VRE.

Around Town

Old Town’s Il Porto to celebrate rebrand with ‘Renaissance’ dinner tomorrow

By Katie Taranto

Published April 29, 2026 at 1:45PM

Il Porto Ristorante on King Street (via Google Maps)

A longtime Italian restaurant in Old Town is celebrating its rebranding with a special dinner tomorrow night (Thursday).

Il Porto Ristorante is working on “refreshing the brand” at 121 King Street, with plans for a new logo, revised website and updated menus “to reflect a more modern look while staying true to what Il Porto has always been,” a spokesperson told ALXnow.

News

Hit-and-run on King Street adds to string of pedestrian crashes in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published April 23, 2026 at 11:55AM | Updated April 24, 2026 at 12:07PM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a hit-and-run on King Street on Wednesday night (April 22).

The Alexandria Fire and Police Departments received multiple calls around 11 p.m. reporting that a man had been struck by a vehicle near the intersection of King Street and Park Road in the Taylor Run neighborhood, near the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. The striking vehicle was described in radio dispatches as a Ford pickup truck of unknown color missing its passenger-side mirror.