The Future of Mobility in Alexandria
Since the Transportation Master Plan was adopted in 2008, technology has transformed how we use our streets and curbs. Smart phones had not yet saturated the market. TNC’s like Uber and Lyft had not yet provided a means to connect drivers with travelers. The first bikeshare had only begun in DC with 10 stations and dockless bikes, e-bikes, or scooters still in the distant future. The future of mobility remains even more uncertain with autonomous vehicles on the horizon and technology that helps improve planning and management of our transportation network.
It is in this context that Alexandria has begun the process of updating the 2008 Transportation Master Plan. The updated plan will be called the Alexandria Mobility Plan (AMP) to emphasize the importance of moving people and goods throughout the City. Going forward, the City will update the AMP every five to eight years.
This update to the Master Plan will ensure that transportation planning in the City continues to serve the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors throughout the City as the region grows and as new technology changes the way we think about transportation and mobility. The AMP will integrate and advance the goals of major city initiatives including the Environmental Action Plan 2040, Vision Zero, and the Complete Streets Policy and Guidelines.
AMP Process
The AMP process will culminate in 2021 through a two-phase effort.
Phase I (2019-2020) will include a review and update of the vision and guiding principles from the TMP as well as an update to the chapters on Streets, Transportation Demand Management (things the City can do outside of infrastructure investment to reduce congestion and single occupancy vehicle travel) and an exploration of policy needs related to the intersection of technology and mobility. It will also officially incorporate the 2016 Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan into the AMP.
Phase II (2020-21) will update the Transit, Parking and Curbside Management, and a complete Smart Mobility Chapters.
The first major wave of outreach of this planning process will be focused on the development of a vision for mobility in Alexandria and the guiding principles that will shape the development and priorities of the AMP.
Alexandria Mobility Plan - Advisory Committee
Meeting information and materials for the Alexandria Mobility Plan Advisory Committee, can be found on the Committee's webpage.
Plan Elements
The
specific contents of the Plan will be shaped by outreach on the 2030 vision for
mobility in Alexandria and updated
guiding principles, but will be structured around the following
elements:
Streets
Streets form the
foundation of the transportation and mobility network.
However, our understanding of how streets should be used has
evolved over the last decades. The Streets
chapter
will incorporate
the Complete Streets Policy
and Guidelines developed since the 2008 TMP, and
will seek to update the functional
classification of the City’s roadways
in a manner the City
balances the mobility
needs of all users. It will explore,
implementation of policies to better operate and manage the
transportation system, including traffic calming strategies and
strategies to potentially increase ways in which residents can utilize streets’
public space to increase quality of life
Smart Mobility (Phase I and II)
Smart Mobility is about using technology and data to improve how we manage the transportation network and improve mobility. During Phase 1, the chapter will establish the goals and objectives for advancing smart mobility and identify the policy questions that the Smart Mobility Chapter should address in Phase II. This chapter will seek to identify priority measures for the City of Alexandria to adopt in order to reap the benefits of new technological advances and achieve the 2030 vision for mobility in Alexandria.
Transportation Demand Management
TDM recognizes
that we cannot build our way out of congestion and instead
must manage demand for the use of our roadways. This chapter
will identify strategies that incentivize the use of more sustainable modes of
transportation—including new mobility options—to reduce
congestion and greenhouse gas emissions
primarily through marketing, education, and technology.
Public Transit (Phase II)
The update to this chapter will emphasize the finalization of the three major high-capacity bus corridors introduced by the 2008 Transportation Master Plan. The chapter will also consider fundamental changes to the City’s bus network to better serve current/future transit demand, and to better reflect community priorities for transit service.
Parking and Curbside Management (Phase II)
This chapter will provide fundamental changes to the way the City regulates the use of one of the most important public space: the curb. The curb will become essential in terms of freight loading, parking, and other uses. Correctly regulating the curb will not only increase the efficiency of parking and loading, but will also increase quality of life for curbside users.
2008 Transportation Master Plan and 2016 Update
The 2008 update of the City's Transportation Master Plan initiated an unprecedented paradigm shift, putting Alexandrians first and providing them with innovative transportation options. The goal of the 2008 concept-oriented Master Plan is to successfully integrate and link walking, bicycling, and transit together, providing connectivity and accessibility to all of Alexandria's recreational, cultural, and economic assets, along with those of the greater Northern Virginia region.
The Transportation Master Plan was developed by the members of the Ad Hoc Transportation Task Force and the City of Alexandria to ensure the wise, effective, and sustainable planning of the City's transportation future. It establishes a multi-modal vision that will guide the City forward in its transportation decision-making process.
In April 2016, City Council approved an update to the 2008 Pedestrian and Bicycle Chapters of the Transportation Master Plan. The update consolidated these two sections into one chapter. The update featured updated vision, goals, and planning objectives; pedestrian case study areas; defining bike networks; high priority projects and strategies. The update also featured a progress report, civic engagement summary, case study summaries, and a more detailed list of projects and phasing that were integrated into the 2008 Transportation Master Plan appendices.
The Transportation Master Plan includes an overview and six sections as described below:
Complete Transportation Master Plan (11 MB)
Overview
The Overview includes 1) the Vision of promoting balance between travel efficiency quality of life and, 2) the Guiding Principles that form a new template for transportation decision-making.
Section One – Transit Concept
The Transit Concept outlines a progressive vision for the future of travel throughout the City with a system of innovative transit vehicles operating along three primary transit corridors within secure rights-of way dedicated exclusively to transit use. The Plan is a vision for the development of clean, efficient enjoyable transit services that enhance mobility throughout the City and region for commuters, residents, and visitors.
Section Two and Three - Pedestrian and Bicycle Section
The Pedestrian Section calls for a city where public spaces, including streets and off-street paths offer a level of convenience, safety, and attractiveness that encourages and rewards the choice to walk regardless of age or ability. This section outlines supportive policies and targeted infrastructure investments that will make the City a regional leader in the creation of pedestrian-friendly streets. The Bicycle Section is a blueprint for creating a safe and convenient bicycle network that will increase the number of Alexandria's who bicycle for all trips shorter than five miles. With "complete streets" designed to enable safe travel by all users and routine accommodations for bicyclists, the City can make bicycling a viable transportation option. More information on the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.
Section Four – Streets Section
The Streets Section outlines approaches and techniques that will ensure streets are designed to safely accommodate all modes of travel, while preserving community character.
Section Five – Parking Section
The Parking Section provides a background of the City's existing parking policies, identifies the guiding principles for parking management, and includes specific actions and strategies for managing parking resources in a cost-effective manner that contributes toward the overall vision of the City.
Section Six – Funding and Implementation Section
The Funding and Implementation Section provides a list of federal, state, and local funding resources that the City may utilize to fund the identified actions, strategies, and plan concepts. The process and policies for identifying project funding priority and implementation are also included in this section.