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:

Guiding Principles

Alexandria Mobility Plan 

The Alexandria Mobility Plan, adopted in in Fall 2021, replaces the former transportation chapter of the City’s Master Plan. It lays out policies, and strategies to achieve a vision that Safe, seamless, and connected mobility options foster a thriving Alexandria for all. The plan is focused on how the City can improve the choices you have for getting around. The Transportation Planning Division is responsible for ensuring implementation of the plan and tracking plan progress. 

Vision Zero

Vision Zero is a multidisciplinary, multi-national traffic safety concept that aims to achieve a transportation system with no deaths and serious injuries. It began in Sweden in 1997 and has since been adopted by other countries and cities around the world.  The Vision Zero concept proposes that adopting communities recognize that traffic deaths and serious injuries are preventable through proper engineering, enforcement, evaluation and education. Thus, when communities adopt Vision Zero programs they are, in effect, rethinking traffic safety and setting programs and aggressive timelines to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries.

Transit  

Through its transit planning coordination with DASH, capital projects and regional coordination efforts, the Transportation Planning Division is working to expand access to transit, improve mobility throughout the city, and protect our environment. Transportation Planning is leading the effort to plan, design, and buildout the City’s three priority transitway corridors, or BRT corridors. These are:

• Metroway along Route 1 from Braddock to the Pentagon

-          West End Transitway from Van Dorn Metro to the Pentagon (in design)

-          Duke Street Transitway (in planning)

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, and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, City elected officials and staff seek to ensure that Alexandria interests are represented in regional funding and policy discussions.