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Speed limits on two West End streets will drop from 35 mph to 25 mph beginning in April, the city announced today, citing more than 100 crashes on Edsall Road alone over the past five years — more than a third of which resulted in injuries.
The reductions affect Edsall Road, between South Pickett Street and the city boundary, and Yoakum Parkway, between Stevenson Avenue and Edsall Road. They are part of Alexandria's Vision Zero Action Plan, a citywide initiative adopted by the City Council in December 2017 with a goal of eliminating all traffic fatalities and severe injuries on city streets by 2028. More than 150 people were killed or severely injured in Alexandria traffic crashes between 2017 and 2021 alone. When the city developed the Vision Zero plan, speeding was among the most common concerns raised by residents.
Officials said speed is a significant factor in both the frequency and severity of crashes. At 35 mph, the risk of serious injury or death is significantly higher than at 25 mph.
The announcement marks the second time Alexandria has reduced speed limits on West End streets under Vision Zero. The city made similar reductions in October 2022.
The Traffic & Parking Board approved the speed limit reductions at a public hearing last October, along with a broader set of improvements for Yoakum Parkway. That design concept includes narrowing the roadway, improving pedestrian crossings, adding traffic calming measures, and installing separated bike lanes, while retaining existing parking spaces. Construction on both streets is expected later this year.
On Edsall Road, the city said it is continuing to explore additional design solutions as part of a separate West End high-crash intersection safety audit. Both streets are part of the adopted Landmark/Van Dorn Corridor Plan, which calls for transforming the area from an automobile-dominated stretch into a walkable, multimodal community.
More information is available on the project webpage.
