The W. Braddock Road Corridor and N. Howard Street Access and Safety Study seeks to develop a conceptual design for safety and access improvements on W. Braddock Road, between N. Van Dorn Street and Crest Street, and on N. Howard Street between Seminary Road and W. Braddock Road. Potential improvements include enhanced crosswalks, dedicated bicycle infrastructure, signal timing adjustments, improvements to pedestrian access and other features to be explored during the concept phase. 

The study area, an approximately 1.5 mile segment along W. Braddock Street is a key east-west connection in the City and facilitates the daily movement of hundreds of students between the Minnie Howard Campus and Main Campus of the Alexandria City High Schools. Improving this segment of W. Braddock Road builds upon recommendations from the 2023 Safe Routes to School Walk Audit for the Minnie Howard Campus, implements principles of the Vision Zero Action Plan, and provides opportunities to enhance the City's existing bicycle and sidewalk network and can improve safety for all roadway users.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a program that promotes walking and bicycling to school through infrastructure improvements, enforcement, safety education and encouraging walking and bicycling to school. In order to create safer routes to schools, City Staff routinely undertake Walk Audits, or plans, to identify concrete opportunities to increase the safety for students walking and biking to school, and to create a safer and healthier community for all. 

In 2023, City Staff completed a walk audit for both campuses of Alexandria City High School (main campus and the Minnie Howard Campus) and developed a series of recommendations which can be found in the Safe Routes to School Assessment.  The audit process included community outreach, data analysis and recommendations. The walk audit occurred during the construction of the new Minnie Howard Campus building, so a review of the previous recommendations in light of the new design will be critical. A copy of the audit is below.

• Safe Routes to School Assessment - Alexandria City High School Campuses

PLANNING & DESIGN

Status: Ongoing

Staff and the design team have kicked off an existing conditions study, including site visits, reviewing previous community input and analyzing safety reports to develop concept plans which seek to implement safety and access improvements along the study corridor on W. Braddock Road and N. Howard Street. The team will develop design concepts for community input in Spring 2026 and identify a preferred design by Summer 2026. 

IMPLEMENTATION

Status: Not Started

For additional information, please contact Sara Brandt-Vorel, Transportation Capital Project Manager, at sara.brandtvorel@alexandriava.gov