Second Phase Duke Street Pilot Program On Signal Timing Begins

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The second phase of the Duke Street Traffic Mitigation Pilot program begins Monday, evaluating signal timing changes and the impact on cut-through traffic.

The pilot program on Duke Street in Alexandria seeks to reduce cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets, encouraging more use of arterial roads using signal timing changes. According to a report on the first phase of the pilot, the Duke Street corridor sees evening congestion causing cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets.

The first phase of the project from January to April changed signal timing during weekday evening rush hours. The pilot sought to make it quicker to use arterial roads like Quaker Lane and Duke Street to access the Telegraph Road leading to the Capital Beltway. According to the final report, the pilot resulted in a 41 percent decrease in cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets and 78 percent increase in cut-through traffic using Quaker Lane. In addition, cut-through traffic on the Telegraph Road ramp from eastbound Duke Street increased by 10 percent.

The second phase starting this Monday includes the signal timing changes from the first phase as well as restricting access from West Taylor Run Parkway directly onto the Telegraph Road ramp. This addition seeks to reduce congestion on Duke Street that results from the backup at the West Taylor Run Parkway signal, according to the city's website.

According to the city, drivers leaving neighborhood streets to Duke Street may experience longer queues "until people shift their behavior." Vehicles from West Taylor Run Parkway must also find another route to the Telegraph Road ramp.

The pilot program is being coordinated with the city's Duke Street Transitway project and the Duke Street at West Taylor Run intersection redesign. Those projects will be informed by the pilot program, and community engagement on the design of Duke Street is expected to begin in the fall.

The Traffic and Parking Board will hold a public hearing on Sept. 29 to decide if the second phase of the Duke Street pilot program will continue through March 31, 2023.

On Monday morning, Alexandria's Transportation and Environmental Services said work continues on a traffic signal at Duke Street and West Taylor Run Parkway. Delays and backups are possible as crews work on the issue.