King Street Trolley Extension Envisioned In Future Service Plan

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The Alexandria Transit Company's DASH Bus released a vision plan for the next six fiscal years, outline bus service expectations for the coming fiscal year and goals for future years.

The six-year plan envisions development of future DASH Bus service, any fare adjustments and capital investments as well as service expectations for the next year. One of the future goals is extending the King Street Trolley to the Eisenhower Avenue Metro in fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1, 2025.

The King Street Trolley is a free service that runs every 15 minutes between the King Street Metro and City Hall. The extension would connect to the developing Carlyle neighborhood, which has seen new residential and retail development.

According to the draft plan, the extension would require three new trolley vehicles. All three would be expected to be electric as DASH works to transition the trolley service to electric buses. DASH will also seek to expand morning service hours and find ways to integrate service more with the Old Town Circulator.

Trolley service changes would require additional funding with City Council approval.

Other future priorities will include DASH seeking funds for improvements on Line 30, Line 32, Line 103 and Line 104 in fiscal year 2025; additional improvements on Line 32 in fiscal year 2026; and coordination with the city on the future West End Transitway and Duke Street Bus Rapid Transit.

DASH transitioned to a fare-free service in September 2021 and proposes no changes to fares through fiscal year 2025 and beyond.

With City Council in the midst of budget discussions for fiscal year 2024, the greatest focus for DASH is service for the upcoming year. Under its baseline proposal based on city budget expectations, service would not change in fiscal year 2024. Enhanced service on Line 35 and Line 36A/B is planned if DASH receives extended funding from the I-395 Commuter Choice Program.

An alternate proposal for fiscal year 2024 would make additional service improvements not yet implemented from the 2022 Alexandria Transit Vision. This would include more frequent Sunday service on Lines 33 and 34 serving the upcoming Potomac Metro station from Arlandria and Del Ray (Line 33) and Old Town Alexandria (Line 34). Service improvements are also proposed on Line 31 from the West End to Old Town during midday and weekends and Line 32 off-peak and weekend service from Landmark to the King Street Metro.

Service improvements in the alternate proposal are possible if added through City Council's add/delete discussions in the budget process. The Line 33 and 34 improvements are identified as top priorities to improve connections to the Potomac Yard Metro, which is expected to open in May.

The six-year Transit Development Plan is updated every year to outline future goals and anticipated service for the next fiscal year based on the city budget. The full draft plan is available here.

Comments on the plan may be sent by April 14 to dashbus@alexandriava.gov, the DASH Customer Service Center at 703-746-3274, or at public meetings. The DASH Board of Directors will hold a public hearing on the plan on April 12 at 5:30 p.m.