• To better evaluate the feasibility and success of shorter-term solutions to more immediately address the neighborhood cut-through traffic concerns voiced by the community, the project team is working through a two-phased pilot to address traffic congestion along Duke Street and shift cut-through traffic off neighborhood streets.  With new access to a data management platform, the City is better equipped to evaluate changes and understand the impacts to the community.  Visit the project page for more information about the Duke Street Traffic Mitigation Pilots.
• The traffic mitigation Phase I pilot used signal timing changes to successfully reduced cut-through traffic trips during the afternoon rush hour on West Taylor Run Parkway by 47% and even more on other neighborhood streets, shifting the traffic to Quaker Lane.  
• The project team is working with the community to develop a plan for Phase II of the pilot, which includes reinstating Phase I signal timing AND restricting access from West Taylor Run Parkway to the Telegraph Road ramp.  The pilot will test how traffic patterns shift for cut-through drivers as well as the impact on the immediate neighborhood.  The larger intersection project proposes this closure as a full time solution, and the pilot will help inform the future design.  
• The project team will meet with the community in fall 2022 to get feedback on updated concept plans for the intersection and the ramp.  This project is being closely coordinated with Duke Street Transitway corridor redesign project.  Community engagement on corridor designs will begin in September 2022. 

The Duke and West Taylor Run Parkway intersection has been the topic of discussion for a number of years and was identified as a high crash location through the City's Vision Zero Program.  The Central Alexandria Traffic Study (CATS) Task Force took a comprehensive look at traffic issues in the area and included among the final recommendations that City staff pursue short- and long-term improvements to the intersection of Duke Street, and West Taylor Run Parkway and their impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.   The City began to address the recommendations immediately and sought funding for both short and long-term solutions.  The city was then awarded $5.7M funds from Virginia’s Smart Scale Program contributing to the redesign of the West Taylor Run Parkway intersection, as well as additional access to the Telegraph Road interchange.

 In February 2019, the City hosted a community meeting to get input on the concerns and issues at the intersection of Duke Street and West Taylor Run Parkway. The concept plan that was included in the grant application was shared, and the community provided feedback on the design.  The team discussed the timeline, funding, and process for community engagement for both the short and long-term recommendations for this project.  However, the project was put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic due staffing needs for other City priorities.  

In 2021, the City project team expanded to include consultants who would assist with traffic analysis and concept designs for both the ramp and the intersection.  They also worked with the community to design a two-phase Pilot that would test various signal timing and intersection design options to measure the impact of traffic congestion along Duke Street and alleviate cut-through traffic in the neighborhoods.  The first pilot was completed in April 2021 and showed very positive results.  The second pilot is being discussed with the community in August 2022.   In fall 2022, the team will engage with the community to get feedback on the updated design options that incorporate feedback from the 2019 discussions.  

• Multimodal Transportation Analysis  - Spring 2022
• Concept Design - Summer 2022
• Community Outreach/ Engagement - Fall 2022
• Final Design - Spring - Summer 2023
• Construction - 2024/2025 (Potential for short-term mitigation implementation earlier)

• Duke Street Traffic Mitigation Pilots 
• Central Alexandria Traffic Study Community Meeting – 2/4/2019
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Meeting Presentation
  • Central Alexandria Traffic Study (CATS) Recommendations Progress
  • CATS Comments Summary

Contact: Ryan.Knight@AlexandriaVA.gov