Some residents have pushed back on proposed lane changes and parking removals on Braddock Road ahead of the Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board’s review on Monday.
The changes are being proposed on the major route between West Street near the Braddock Road Metro and Russell Road in the Del Ray and Rosemont neighborhoods. The city has worked on the Braddock Road Corridor Improvements project since last year as a response to concerns from Alex311, the 2023 Safe Routes to School walk audit at George Washington Middle School and the Virginia Department of Transportation.
According to the city’s project website, the proposed pedestrian and bicyclist improvements include:
- Providing continuous bike lanes between West Street and Russell Road
- Adding a two-way bike lane connecting the Potomac Yard Trail, the Metro Linear Trail, and Braddock Road Metro Station
- Adding new bike lane connections on Commonwealth Avenue as it intersects Braddock Road
- Providing safer crosswalks at intersections and near the Metro through shorter crossing distances and improved visibility
The roadway changes that the Traffic and Parking Board will consider are:
- Reducing lanes in each direction from two to one on Braddock Road between Mount Vernon Avenue and West Street
- Removing on-street parking on Braddock Road between Mount Vernon Avenue and Russell Road, except about 100 feet in the unit block of E. Braddock Road and 60 feet in the 200 block of E. Braddock Road
- Consolidating the turn lanes and through lanes on the Braddock Road approaches to the intersection of Braddock Road, Russell Road, and W. Alexandria Avenue
- Consolidating turn and through lanes at approaches to the intersection of Braddock Road and Commonwealth Avenue
- Consolidating the eastbound turn lanes and through lane on Braddock Road at Mount Vernon Avenue, and convert the westbound lanes from three left, through and right lanes to two through/left and right-only lanes.
- Removing on-street parking on Commonwealth Avenue between Braddock Road and Spring Street
- Adding a commercial loading zone on Braddock Road between the Yates Corner driveway entrance and the Metro Linear Trail
- Relocating one disability parking space from the unit block of W. Braddock Road and adding ones on Hancock Avenue at Braddock Road and Luray Avenue at Braddock Road
In a video update to constituents, Mayor Alyia Gaskins noted that the Traffic and Parking Board, not City Council, votes on the project. The mayor said she received feedback from residents in support due to bicycle access improvements and those opposed due to parking concerns in front of homes…