City seeks public input on Duke Street intersection redesign
$5.7 million project targets high-crash location, neighborhood cut-through traffic
The City of Alexandria is nearing final design for a long-planned overhaul of the intersection of Duke Street and West Taylor Run Parkway, releasing 90% design plans Monday and inviting public comment on a project years in the making.
Officials are accepting feedback through Feb. 15 and have indicated a willingness to hold a public hearing if residents’ concerns cannot be resolved through direct discussions with staff.
The intersection was identified as one of the city’s highest-crash locations through Alexandria’s Vision Zero program. The Central Alexandria Traffic Study Task Force, comprising civic association leaders, recommended the city pursue both short- and long-term improvements to address safety and cut-through traffic plaguing surrounding neighborhoods.
The city secured $5.7 million from Virginia’s Smart Scale Program for the project, which has been in development since community engagement began in 2019. Work paused during the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in recent years.
The proposed improvements along Duke Street between West Taylor Run Parkway and Dove Street include new crosswalks, pedestrian signals and refuge areas, ADA-compliant curb ramps and a wider sidewalk along West Taylor Run Parkway.
A new left-turn lane and ramp would connect eastbound Duke Street to the existing southbound Telegraph Road on-ramp. By eliminating direct access to the Telegraph Road ramp from West Taylor Run Parkway, city officials say congestion on Duke Street should improve and fewer drivers will cut through neighborhood streets.
A widened concrete median would accommodate a future bus rapid transit station as part of the broader Duke Street Transitway project.
Construction is anticipated for 2027-2028.
Residents can review project plans at alexandriava.gov/transportation-planning/duke-street-and-west-taylor-run-project or schedule an in-person appointment at the city’s transportation office at 2331 Mill Road, Suite 302.
To review the project plans or submit questions and comments, contact the Project Manager, Anup Gautam, at Anup.Gautam@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.4155.
Solid analysis of the ramp redesign, especially the dual benefit of reducing cut-through traffic while setting up future transit infrastructure. I live near a similar intersection where re-routing eliminated aobut 30% of shortcut traffic almost immediately. The timing gap between construction (2027-28) and BRT station activation could be intresting tho.