Complete Streets Program

The City’s Complete Streets Program includes a variety of initiatives to make it easier, safer, and more comfortable for residents and visitors to walk, bike, and use public transportation, no matter their age or ability. These include:

• Implementation of the Alexandria Mobility Plan: Pedestrian & Bicycle Chapter. Expanding and improving the City’s sidewalk and bicycle network.
• Neighborhood Sidewalk Program. Providing new sidewalks on neighborhood streets.
• Safe Routes to School. Planning and implementation of safety improvements to support students walking and biking to and from school.
• Multi-Use Trails. Expanding and improving the City’s off-street trail network.
• Complete Streets Design Guidelines. Using today’s best practices to improve mobility, safety, access, and comfort for all roadway users.

Development Review

Transportation Planning staff work with Development and Right of Way Services, Planning and Zoning, and other partners on a collaborative development review process that strives to balance quality development and the transportation needs of the growing community. The City of Alexandria envisions an integrated, multimodal transportation system that is accessible and safe for all users. For Alexandria to maintain its attractiveness as a place of residence and commercial destination, transportation infrastructure and impacts associated with new developments are reviewed by staff to ensure proposals are consistent with transportation policies such as the Transportation Planning Administrative Guidelines, Complete Streets Design Guidelines, Transportation Master Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan, Open Sidewalks Policy, and vehicle and bicycle parking requirements.

Long Range Transportation Planning Studies 

The Transportation Planning Division is responsible for leading long range transportation planning efforts and participating in other City efforts that may have a long term impact on mobility. Long Range Planning is responsible for tracking progress on implementing the Alexandria Mobility Plan, adopted in 2021, collecting data through resident surveys, supporting Small Area Plan development, conducting studies to advance major transportation projects, and coordinating with long range regional planning efforts. 

The Transportation Planning Division also supports the Transportation Commission, which was established to advocate and promote the development of a balanced transportation system for the City of Alexandria, through oversight of the implementation of the Transportation Chapter of the City's adopted Master Plan.

• SMALL AREA PLANS 
  Transportation Planning staff work with the Planning and Zoning Department, other City departments, and community partners to help shape the Master Plan through Small Area Plan updates. When Small Area Plans are identified for review, Transportation Planning works to ensure the updates are consistent with the goals of the Alexandria Mobility Plan. During this process, staff define overall transportation principals and goals for the area and identify opportunities for specific transportation projects that will help the City be more accessible, safe, and convenient. Some recently completed Small Area Plans include Arlandria-Chrilagua (2021), Landmark/ Van Dorn Corridor Plan Amendment (2021), and Eisenhower East (2019).
   

Regional Coordination 

Through the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC), the WMATA Board, the VRE Operations Board, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, and our rail partners, City elected officials and staff seek to ensure that Alexandria interests are represented in regional funding and policy discussions. 

The Transportation Planning Division is responsible for developing and supporting long range planning efforts, making it safer and easier to walk, bike, and use transit, working towards the City’s Vision Zero goal, ensuring new developments promote a multi-modal transportation network, transit planning, and coordination with DASH and regional partners.

The Division seeks to ensure that all parts of the City government that impact transportation work towards achieving the guiding principles of the Transportation Chapter of the City’s Master Plan, consistent with the City’s multi-modal element of the Strategic Plan. When combined, these guiding principles promote ACCESS to high quality mobility choices in Alexandria.