
Duke Street in Motion

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DUKE STREET Transitway ADVISORY GROUP
City Manager Jim Parajon has finalized his appointments to the Duke Street Transitway Advisory Group . The Advisory Group will meet several times over the next 12-16 months, usually from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., in the Community Room at the Alexandria City Police Department (3600 Wheeler Road). The meetings are open to the public. For members of the public who would like to view the meeting via Zoom, please register prior to the meeting. Links will be provided below.
On March 8, 2022, City Council approved the formation of the Advisory Group to assist City staff in the development of transit improvements for the corridor. Please read the fact sheet below for more details.
Advisory Group Meeting #2: June 1, 2022, 6:30-8:30. Community Room at the Alexandria City Police Department, 3600 Wheeler Road
Additional meeting materials, including the agenda, to be provided shortly.
Advisory Group Meeting #1: April 28, 2022
DRAFT DUKE STREET TRANSITWAY PROJECT VISION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
DUKE STREET TRANSITWAY ADVISORY GROUP MISSION AND CHARGE
ADVISORY GROUP MEETING #1 PRESENTATION
ZOOM MEETING RECORDING (Note: Meeting starts at the 29 minute mark. There is a break between the 1:42 and 1:52 minute marks.)

Thank you for taking an interest in Duke Street In Motion, a project to ensure that transit improvements on the Duke Street corridor align with all of the community’s needs, provide adequate transportation choices, and keep the region moving. Your voice matters – let’s set Duke Street In Motion together!
The City is excited to continue Duke Street In Motion, a project focused on ensuring that transit improvements in the Duke Street corridor, from the Landmark Mall area to the King Street Metro Station, provide efficient transportation options that align with all users’ needs, wants, and expectations.
This project was launched in June 2021 with several outreach events and an online feedback form requesting public input. Response to the feedback form was outstanding, with over 1,700 responses both online and from in-person pop-up events. Read the results in the Community Input Summary section below.
There will be many additional opportunities to provide input and feedback on the plans for transit improvements on the corridor throughout 2022 and into early 2023. Please register HERE for updates from Transportation & Environmental Services (TE&S), including Duke Street In Motion updates for the next phases of the project. – we are listening!

Community Feedback Results
The City of Alexandria has compiled the results of more than 1,800 feedback form responses from both online and in-person pop-up events for the Duke Street In Motion project. Watch the video below for a brief overview of some of the findings from the community's input.
Next Steps
Your voice matters! The community will create a vision for this corridor to steer the eventual outcome of improvements related to public transit, such as bus, as well as other related improvements for walking, riding a bicycle, driving, and using micromobility (for example, shared electric bikes and scooters). Based on the input received in the Summer 2021 project kick-off (see below), the City will develop a draft vision and goal statement for the alternative development and design phases of the project. The draft document will be available for review in Spring 2022.
The outreach plan for comments on the project's vision and goals are being finalized and will be shared on this page soon. In addition, the City is in the process of procuring a planning and design consultant to assist staff as we move into the Conceptual Planning and Preliminary Design phase of the project. This phase will start in the Spring of 2022 and will include many opportunities for public input throughout the planning process.
Project Background
In the 2008 Transportation Master Plan, the City identified three high capacity transit corridors that were then reaffirmed in the 2012 Transit Corridors Feasibility Study. The Duke Street Corridor was one of three identified in that study (along with the Metroway on Route 1 and the West End Transitway). On July 9, 2020, the City of Alexandria was awarded $75 million in regional revenues from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) in the 2020-2025 Six Year Program. This funding will be used to help construct the first phase of improvements identified in the planning and public input phases of the project. Prior to July 2020, through NVTA’s inaugural 2018-2023 Six Year Program, the City received $12 million in regional revenues, utilized towards the design and engineering phases of the project.
Since the adoption of the 2012 Study, transportation priorities, land use plans, and (more recently) a major change in home-to-work travel patterns have created the need to re-evaluate the transit plans for the Duke Street Corridor. Staff will lead an extensive public outreach effort building on the concepts of the original study. While transit improvements are the primary focus of this effort, other community priorities such as safety, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and vehicle travel are also important considerations for this project. The alternatives identified in the 2012 Study will be reviewed, along with other alternatives identified by the public, during the public engagement phase.
Staff briefed City Council on the project at their November 24, 2020 legislative meeting, that presentation can be viewed HERE. You can also view a presentation from the Duke Street In Motion June 2021 community webinar HERE.

Summer 2021 Kickoff and Community Input Summary
In summer 2021, the City launched an extensive process to identify the community’s desired transit, street design, and safety improvements for the Duke Street Corridor, all while keeping congestion relief and quicker commutes top of mind. Prior to any discussion about what transit improvements might look like along the Duke Street corridor, the City hosted events and activities to hear from all those who live, work, and travel along it.
Duke Street In Motion began with a community visioning process to understand the needs, wants, and expectations of all users of the Duke Street corridor.
The goal is to plan for the future of the corridor based on the values, goals, and input of the entire community and all of its users – including all residents, workers, businesses, and visitors. The community-developed vision will identify the needs, values, and concerns of the diverse corridor users and neighbors to guide a revised design plan for Duke Street. The Duke Street In Motion vision process is a vital first step in this overall project and will ensure that all future project outcomes align with this community-developed vision for the corridor that will impact the region as a whole.
Community Input Summary: The project was launched in June 2021 with several outreach events and an online feedback form requesting public input. The City has compiled the results of the feedback forms and provided a summary report of the findings of your input. If you are interested in seeing all the data submitted, the complete results are available in this sortable Excel file.
Thank you to all who participated in the first public participation phase to help create the community-developed vision for Duke Street In Motion.
Summer 2021 Events
Webinar
Did you miss the webinar on June 23, 2021? To learn more about the project and listen to questions posed from the community, please view a recording of our informative Duke Street In Motion webinar HERE or view the slides HERE. A Spanish recording of the webinar is available HERE and the slides in Spanish are available HERE. Thank you again to all who attended and participated – we are listening!
Pop-up Events
Duke Street In Motion’s friendly bilingual street teams were at 23 events up and down the corridor for Duke Street In Motion Week (June 21 – June 28, 2021) and through the end of the feedback form term on July 31, 2021. Thank you to all who visited!

Related Projects
The Duke Street Transitway project will be closely coordinated with a number of other initiatives that are intended to more efficiently move people along Duke Street, improve mobility, and alleviate congestion.
- Duke Street is an important part of the Alexandria Transit Vision Plan 2030 network, providing connections to various parts of the city with frequent, all-day service.
- As part of the Smart Mobility Program, the City is currently installing additional Transit and Emergency Vehicle Signal Priority along Duke Street. If you’re interested, you can learn more about Transit Signal Priority here and watch a video about Intelligent Transportation Systems in general here.
- Duke Street was prioritized as one of the first two corridors in the City to receive signal upgrades through the Adaptive Traffic Signal Control project, which will allow the network of signals to better detect vehicles and automatically adjust their timing to improve traffic flow.
- The City was awarded funding to improve safety and traffic congestion at the high crash intersection of Duke Street and West Taylor Run Parkway.
- Because Duke Street was identified as a high crash corridor through the Vision Zero Action Plan, staff is also working to provide safety upgrades along the corridor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the City focusing on transit on Duke Street?
City Council has prioritized transit and transportation alternatives along the Duke Street corridor for more than ten years. In 2008, the Transportation Master Plan identified Duke Street as one of three priority transit corridors. In 2012, the City worked with the community to develop conceptual plans for the corridor. In 2018, the City received funding to advance the design, and in 2020, the project was fully funded.
Today, there is high-density residential throughout the corridor, and with more redevelopment, especially at the Landmark Mall site, there will be more people along Duke Street. Duke Street currently has the most ridership of any corridor in the City. This project is an opportunity to improve the existing transit experience and encourage even more use of buses to get around.
Right now, the bus along the corridor isn't competitive with a vehicle in terms of speed. A more efficient, reliable and comfortable bus service – with safe, connections -- will make it a more attractive option. A well-designed roadway can make travel safer and more efficient for everyone, reduce congestion, and improve air quality. The City wants to keep Duke Street in Motion.
Will this project include improvements for people walking and riding bicycles?
Yes. Since many people live, work, or visit locations within walking or biking distance to Duke Street, safe and convenient routes between bus stops and the places people need to go along the corridor will be essential elements of this project.
How will this project affect drivers and traffic conditions on the corridor?
While transit is the key focus of this project, Duke Street is an important connection for people in cars. Community conversations have made it clear that traffic along this roadway and through the adjacent neighborhoods is a major concern that needs to be considered with any changes to the corridor. Any major roadway design changes will include an analysis that will evaluate the impacts to traffic in the area.
How will this project balance the needs of today with future conditions?
The City’s goal is to plan for the long-term sustainability of the Duke Street corridor while supporting travel needs in the shorter term. The project coordinates with current and planned development along the corridor, as well as projects happening around the region. This project is a significant investment for the City, and we want to ensure the BRT system of the future incorporates the latest technology and considers future uses along the corridor.
Will this project address cut-through traffic? What is the City doing to monitor cut-through traffic?
During community engagement as part of the Central Alexandria Traffic Study and the Alexandria Mobility Plan, it was clear that cut-through traffic is a major concern in this area. While this project will not directly address cut-through traffic, making transit a more attractive option has been shown to move some people to use it more frequently. However, the City has a number of projects and initiatives aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing cut-through traffic through the Smart Mobility program and capital projects such as Duke Street at West Taylor Run.
What happened to the planned road connections between Duke and Eisenhower?
Potential overpasses linking Duke Street to Eisenhower Avenue were discussed many years ago by city Staff and Council. City Council did not take action to move this concept forward due to the cost and various community and traffic concerns, and this connection is not in any current City plans.
What is the current (pre-COVID) bus ridership and traffic counts? Are there projections for future ridership and traffic volumes?
The Duke Street corridor had the highest ridership of all transit routes in Alexandria (pre-COVID), with approximately 2,800 rides per day. During the initial BRT planning study in 2012, ridership estimates after full build-out of the BRT ranged from 6,000-13,000 riders per day. However, these numbers could change due to shifts in travel patterns and based on the outcome of the Duke Street In Motion process. Ridership estimates will be recalculated during the Environmental Analysis, which will occur after a conceptual plan has been selected. The analysis will consider post-COVID travel pattern changes (long-and short-term), changes in land use (most notably the Landmark Mall site), and the types of BRT improvements included in the Duke Street and the West End Transitway designs.
Like transit ridership projections, future traffic projections will have to be re-evaluated based on changing commuting patterns and new development. This will be part of the alternatives review and analysis portion of the project.
Pre-COVID traffic counts are as follows:
- Duke @ Landmark – 45,000 Average Daily Trips (ADT)
- Duke @ Pickett – 33,000 ADT
- Duke @ Jordan – 32,700 ADT
- Duke @ Quaker – 36,500 ADT
- Duke @ Talyor Run – 39,000 ADT
Why were the project boundaries determined to be between Landmark Mall and the King Street Metrorail Station? Why doesn’t the route connect to areas west of I-395 or to Carlyle/Eisenhower/Fairfax County to the south?
Boundaries for this transit corridor were established by City Council in 2008 and were then updated in 2012. The Duke Street Transitway will connect to another forthcoming transitway (the West End Transitway) at Landmark Mall, which itself will be a major destination, and will also connect to the King Street Metrorail Station, which is currently a major destination for riders along Duke Street.
There is only a small portion of Duke Street west of I-395 that is in the City of Alexandria. Should Fairfax County develop a plan for a BRT corridor to the west, the City will work with them to provide connections that could create a more regional transit network.
What is being done to address the east-bound backups at West Taylor Run / Telegraph Road?
We recognize that this is a concern to many residents and others who travel through the Duke Street corridor. While this issue will not be addressed as part of this project, the City has been awarded $5.7M funds from Virginia’s Smart Scale Program contributing to the redesign and construction of the Duke Street and West Taylor Run Parkway intersection, as well as additional access to the Telegraph Road interchange. Community engagement for the Duke Street and West Taylor Run project will begin in fall 2021, and the Duke and West Taylor Run Parkway intersection efforts will be coordinated with this Duke Street transit project to ensure that bus stop placement is aligned.
How will existing service / access roads be impacted?
How the access roads are used will be determined through the design process. Any changes to the service roads would involve an impact analysis and discussions with the community.
What are the next steps in the process, and how can the public provide feedback?
The next step is to create draft Goals and Vision Statements based on comments from the community. The City is currently bringing a design/engineering consultant on board to use the community input and vision to develop concept alternatives. The community will have the opportunity to weigh in on the project Goals and Vision statements and participate in the design planning process.
What are the typical elements or goals of Bus Rapid Transit projects?
Bus Rapid Transit (or BRT) system aims to make bus transit more efficient, reliable, and comfortable by adding elements often seen in rail transit like MetroRail. In general, BRT is a flexible system of facilities, equipment, services, and amenities that improve the speed, reliability, and identity of the bus. Specific BRT system elements vary but may include characteristics such as:
- More frequent service
- Upgraded bus stops with enhanced passenger amenities, including level boarding that makes it easier and faster, especially for passengers with difficulties.
- Vehicles and stations branded for easy recognition by riders
- Transit signal priority enabling buses to stop less often at red lights. (You can see a video about this technology here.)
- Queue jump lanes to allow BRT vehicles to bypass traffic
- Part-time or full-time bus lanes with to provide a bus-only pathway that can function similar to a rail-way, with dedicated space
- Pre-paid boarding using all doors to reduce the time it takes for passengers to get on and off the bus
How is this project different than the Duke Street Transitway effort in 2012?
A lot has changed since 2012. With the first phase of this project, we will be defining a Community Vision and specific Goals for the corridor, to make sure that we have an up-to-date understanding of how the community wants this corridor to function, feel, and look. Based on the Vision and Goals, we will re-evaluate previous transit plans for the Duke Street Corridor and develop alternative concepts to review with the community. After getting feedback, we will refine and finalize one concept and move forward with environmental analysis, design, and construction.
What are the potential outcomes of this project?
There are a few “givens” to this effort:
- The project area is defined as the Landmark Mall site to King Street Metrorail Station via Duke Street.
- Bus transit will be the primary component of the final concept.
- Bicycle, pedestrian, and vehicular improvements will be included, where possible, and will follow other City priorities like Vision Zero and the Complete Streets Design Guidelines.
- The project will involve coordination with other ongoing initiatives and projects.
There are several pieces that are yet to be determined, including:
- The potential use of dedicated transit lanes
- Removal/retention of service roads
- Station locations and amenities
- The system operator (WMATA or DASH) for any new bus service
- The potential inclusion of bike facilities, trails, sidewalks, landscaping, stormwater, drainage, etc.
- And more!
How will the community be involved?
Our goal is to include as many people from the Duke Street community as possible, throughout the project. In the first phase, we are building a community vision – so we need your input!
How will these improvements be funded?
On July 9, 2020, the City of Alexandria was awarded $75 million in regional revenues from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) in the 2020-2025 Six Year Program. This funding will be used to help construct the first phase of improvements identified in the planning and public input phases of the project. Prior to July 2020, through NVTA’s inaugural 2018-2023 Six Year Program, the City received $12 million in regional revenues, utilized towards the design and engineering phases of the project.
Documents
Contact
Mark Schnaufer is the City's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Program Manager and can be reached at mark.schnaufer@alexandriava.gov.