Updated Bus Rapid Transit Options For Alexandria's Duke Street To Be Presented

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Updated concepts for a Bus Rapid Transit system along Alexandria's busy Duke Street corridor will head for a new round of public feedback.

On Duke Street, the City of Alexandria is planning Bus Rapid Transit, which involves getting bus riders to their destinations quicker through ways like dedicated bus lanes, transit signal priority and queue jumps. The Bus Rapid Transit is at the center of the city's Duke Street in Motion, a transit-focused project for Duke Street between Landmark Mall in West End Alexandria and the King Street Metro in Old Town Alexandria.

The city already has a Bus Rapid Transit system called Metroway, connecting the Pentagon City Metro and Braddock Road Metro through dedicated bus lanes and mixed-use lanes.

"While the project aims to make the bus a better option, a lot can go along with that, including making Duke Street a safer and more pleasant for everyone to be on," said Jen Monaco, the project manager for Duke Street in Motion, in a community presentation. "Thousands of people use this corridor daily and with this project, we were trying to balance the needs of all people while creating a place that helps keep Alexandria moving forward as a sustainable community and gives people who live and work here options for how they get around."

The latest concepts for how the Bus Rapid Transit would look were created after the last round of public feedback in fall 2022. The final recommended concept will be presented to City Council on May 25, as well as curb features like sidewalks, shared use paths, and bicycle features.

The first concept calls for a mix of center-running bus lanes and mixed traffic.

Segment 1 from the West End to Jordan Street would have center bus lanes in both directions. Segment 2 from Jordan Street to Wheeler Avenue would be split into two: one with an eastbound center bus lane and westbound mixed traffic, and another with mixed traffic in both directions. Segment 3 from Roth Street to the King Street Metro would have mixed traffic eastbound through Telegraph Road and a westbound center bus lane.

The second concept calls for curb running lanes and mixed traffic.

Segment 1 from the West End to Jordan Street would have curb bus lanes in both directions. Segment 2 from Jordan Street to Wheeler Avenue would have mixed traffic in both directions. Segment 3 from Roth Street to the King Street Metro would have eastbound mixed traffic, westbound curb lane through the Telegraph Road interchange and center bus lanes east of Telegraph Road to King Street.

There are 11 potential Bus Rapid Transit stations identified along the corridor, including the start and end points in West End Alexandria and the King Street Metro. Other key locations include Jordan Street near Shoppes of Foxchase, near Alexandria Commons and West Taylor Run near the Telegraph Road interchange. Stops would be at least a quarter mile apart but no more than a half mile apart.

Curb concepts for the north side of Duke Street were also shared in the presentation. One concept calls for a shared-use path for much of Duke Street within the project scope as well as a cycle track and sidewalk for a small portion. Another concept calls for a greater mix of a shared-use path and cycle track and sidewalk for the corridor.

The full presentation of potential concepts is available on the project website.

The project originated from a 2008 transportation master plan, which led the city to do a feasibility study for the corridor. Although the study produced design concepts for the Duke Street corridor, the city wasn't able to obtain funding until a decade later.

Once the city started receiving funds through the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the Duke Street in Motion project began with community feedback on improving the Duke Street corridor. Using that public feedback, the city and a Duke street advisory group developed a vision and guiding principles for the corridor to create design concepts.

The city will hold an open house Thursday, April 20 from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Bishop Ireton High School, 201 Cambridge Rd. (enter at Door 15). Residents can attend any time during the scheduled meeting to provide feedback from the project team, and there will be a comment and question forum at 7:30 p.m.

Feedback will also be accepted in an online survey through April 30.

More information is available on the Duke Street in Motion project website.