Manager's Report - 25 Oct 2013

Page updated on Feb 21, 2014 at 4:11 PM

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Extension of Waste Disposal and Service Agreement with Covanta Energy

The City of Alexandria and Arlington County are currently evaluating extending the Covanta Energy from Waste lease from 2025 until 2038. Covanta Energy operates the Energy from Waste facility located at 5301 Eisenhower Ave. A proposed extension would result in the substantial cost savings in fees charged to the City and County, and ensure that the City and County had continued access to this green high tech facility. The City will be holding a public information meeting on Tuesday, October 29, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Samuel Tucker Elementary School (cafeteria), located at 435 Ferdinand Day Dr.  For more information, contact Yon Lambert, Deputy Director Transportation & Environmental Services at Yon.Lambert@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.4081, or visit the City’s Solid Waste web site.

Alexandria Leaf Collection Program Starts October 28

The City’s Department of Transportation & Environmental Services (T&ES), Solid Waste Division will begin leaf collection services Monday, October 28 through Friday, December 27. There are three ways to recycle leaves: 1) raking them to the curb, 2) placing them in paper leaf bags for collection, and 3) composting leaves and yard waste at home. Information on collection dates, zone locations, and leaf bag location can be found on the City’s Leaf Collection web site, or by calling the City’s leaf collection hotline at 703.746.5323.  Residents can sign up for weekly progress updates by signing up for Solid Waste eNews and by liking the T&ES Facebook page.

Public Meeting on Proposed King Street Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements

A second public meeting to gain community feedback on the proposed King Street bicycle and pedestrian improvements will be held on Wednesday, October 30, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Maury Elementary School (cafeteria), 600 Russell Rd. The City, which received valuable feedback and concerns at a public meeting on September 18, will present another alternative. The project will be presented to the City’s Traffic and Parking Board on Monday, November 25, at 7:30 p.m., at City Hall (301 King St.) in the Council Chambers.

City of Alexandria Celebrates Chinquapin Park Recreation Center Reopening on November 2

The City will celebrate the reopening of the Chinquapin Park Recreation Center on Saturday, November 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Chinquapin Park Recreation Center, 3210 King St. Admission is free and all ages are welcome. The Center is reopening after being closed to the public since mid-June for scheduled repairs. Improvements include heating and air-conditioning system updates, locker room upgrades, and play material enhancements, as well as regular yearly maintenance. The Center opens to the public on Friday, November 1, at 6 a.m.

City Installs Wayfinding Signs on S. Washington Street

Commuters may notice new vehicular wayfinding signs have been installed on South Washington Street. The signs, part of the Washington Street Streetscape Project, were funded through Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)/Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) monies related to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge settlement agreement with the City.   They are also part of the City’s larger coordinated sign program approved in the 2010 Wayfinding Guidelines Manual.  Funding from the City’s Capital Improvement Program has been allocated for fabrication and installation of the entire wayfinding system over the course of multiple phases, beginning in fiscal years 2010 through 2020.  The Washington Street signs were installed in advance of their scheduled phasing to take advantage of the VDOT/FHWA monies, which funded the fabrication and installation of six wayfinding signs and other streetscape improvements.  Future phases in the city wide wayfinding program will include pedestrian kiosks and directional signs, City gateway signs, parking garage directional and identification signs, vehicular signs for primary and secondary routes, Metro station visitor kiosks, historic interpretive panels, and shared use trail signs. 

Public Meeting on the Interim Braddock Neighborhood Park

On Tuesday, October 29, the Braddock Implementation Advisory Group will host a public meeting to review conceptual designs for an interim park on the city-purchased parcel at 600 North Henry Street.  This parcel was purchased with City open space funds. The City will present three conceptual layout plan options and discuss the different relationships to the surrounding community that each may provide. The Advisory Group and the community have the opportunity to provide the City feedback on the interim park’s design and potential small-scale activities. Slated for construction in mid-2014, the interim park is for resident use and enjoyment until the block redevelops, and the full one-acre park called for in the Braddock Metro Neighborhood Plan is constructed.   For more information, contact Nathan Imm at nathan.imm@alexandriava.gov, or Laura Durham at laura.durham@alexandriava.gov. 

Regional Street Smart Campaign Kickoff

On October 22, a press conference and kickoff of the fall Street Smart campaign was held to raise awareness and reduce pedestrian/cyclist injuries and fatalities in the region.  Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg represented Northern Virginia at the event.  The Street Smart campaign encourages drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists to exercise caution and look out for each other.  This regional effort includes the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia.  On, October 24, a local Street Smart Safety Zone was held in front of the King Street Metro Station, a high traffic commuter area.  This event highlighted educational safety tips, outreach, and promotion for people commuting into and out of Alexandria.  To encourage safe bicycle riding at night as the end of Daylight Savings Time approaches, the City’s Local Motion program provided bicycle lights to cyclists at the Braddock Road Metrorail Station.

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