Permanent 200 Block Of King Street Closure Recommended To Alexandria Council
ALEXANDRIA, VA — Lower King Street's pedestrian-only zone could get another permanent expansion, which would come with additional parking removals on Old Town Alexandria's main street.On Monday, the Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board recommended making the 200 block of King Street a vehicle-free pedestrian zone permanently. There are already permanent pedestrian zones in the 100 block of King Street, the unit block and the Strand. "I think this project has a lot of potential for our city, and I think we're really leading by example for the entire DC region and really the nation as a whole," Max Devilliers, an urban planner with the city's Transportation and Environmental Services, told the board. "We do have very few pedestrian public right of way in this region."Alexandria City Council had approved the 200 block to be a pedestrian zone as a pilot program in November 2024. The first phase of the pilot ran from Nov. 22, 2024 to Jan. 3, 2025 to coincide with the holiday season. The second phase is in progress from March 14, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2025.With the permanent program, 17 parking spaces would be permanently removed, and the traffic signal at the Fairfax and King Streets intersection would be modified. The parking spaces include one 15-minute visitor center spot and two-hour metered parking for the remainder. Like the other pedestrian zones, the 200 block features a 22-foot-wide space allowing for emergency vehicle access. Devilliers said support for the pedestrian-only block before the pilot began was 33 percent of occupants in the 200 block. That has risen to 56 percent of occupants during city staff's latest outreach over the last month. A city staff report noted that three businesses and the two residents on the block remain opposed due to difficulty conducting deliveries without a travel lane, a belief that another vehicle-free block isn't needed, and increased noise from people on the block.A community feedback form on the pilot program found 55 percent in support during phase one and 87 percent in phase two. Asa Orrin-Brown, who owns a photography business, told the board that Old Town is clients' most requested place to shoot photos and has heard positive feedback about expanding the pedestrian zone."Honestly, expanding the pedestrian zone is the biggest thing the city has done in the time that I've lived here to help my business," said Orrin-Brown.Visit Alexandria President and CEO Todd O'Leary wrote to the Traffic and Parking Board in support of the permanent pedestrian block, saying it helps boost the city's reputation as a destination and supports the local economy. O'Leary pointed to the success of promoting the 100 block pedestrian block. "We are confident that a permanent pedestrian corridor on the 200 block will help build the critical mass needed to further energize that area of the city," O'Leary wrote. "As more businesses adapt and innovate within this space, the area will continue to evolve into a destination that benefits the local economy by those who enjoy it."City Council could review the 200 block permanent closure proposal in the fall before the program expires.Then-Mayor Justin Wilson and Councilmember John Taylor Chapman had presented the proposal in September to extend the pedestrian zone to the 200 block of King Street. The 200 block of King Street is a two-way street with businesses and on-street parking. The adjacent 100 block became a pedestrian zone in May 2020, and the change was made permanent in October 2021. The unit block and the Strand were added as a pedestrian zone over Memorial Day weekend 2022, and the permanent pedestrian zone was approved in November 2022.Streetscape improvements for the permanent pedestrian zones in the 100 and unit blocks of King Street plus part of Strand Street are in the planning phase. This is being incorporated into the larger Waterfront Implementation Project, with design continuing into 2026 and construction beginning as soon as late 2026.The article Permanent 200 Block Of King Street Closure Recommended To Alexandria Council appeared first on Old Town Alexandria, VA Patch.
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