7 Alexandria Intersections To Get Safety Audits Through Federal Grant

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A federal grant will help the City of Alexandria address safety at what it calls seven "high-crash intersections" in the West End.

The Safe Streets & Roads for All grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will fund safety audits and conceptual designs to improve safety at seven intersections. The project is expected to begin in fiscal year 2024.

The intersections include South Van Dorn Street and South Pickett Street, South Van Dorn Street and Edsall Road, Seminary Road and Mark Center Avenue, Seminary Road and Kenmore Avenue/Library Lane, King Street and Dawes Avenue, King Street and 28th Street, and King Street and Park Center Drive.

The city's Vision Zero Crash dashboard tracks crashes and whether they caused property damage only, injuries or a fatality. For example, the dashboard shows a fatal pedestrian crash in 2019 at Mark Center Drive and Seminary Road as well as a pedestrian crash with a severe injury in 2018 at that location.

At South Van Dorn Street and South Pickett Street, a fatal crash happened in 2014, and a crash with a severe injury happened in 2016.

At King Street and Park Center Drive, there was a fatal pedestrian crash in 2011, fatal crash in 2018 and crashes with severe injuries in 2014 and 2017.

King Street and 29th Street South had a severe injury crash in 2013 and severe injury pedestrian crash in 2020.

At South Van Dorn Street and Edsall Road, there were pedestrian crashes with a severe injury in 2013 and 2019.

At King Street and Dawes Avenue near Bailey's Crossroads in Fairfax County, severe injury crashes were reported in 2016 and 2020.

In the area of Seminary Road and Kenmore Avenue, there was a severe injury pedestrian crash in 2017.

The project is part of the city's Vision Zero plan to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2028 in Alexandria. Other recent Vision Zero efforts include an upcoming school zone speed camera program, no turn on red restrictions at some Patrick and Henry Street intersections headed to the Traffic and Parking Board in February and speed limit reductions in areas of the West End.