People can still drive. This will calm traffic for all on a road with speeding, which is inherently dangerous even if we were fortunate in one 4 year period (we require smoke detectors even in buildings that never had a fire) Some prefer driving on traffic calmed roads.
I dont know of any evidence saying most Alexandrians believe that everyone is entitled to a parking space right in front of their home. Thousands do not have that, whether they live in apartments (where parking spots are typically further) or in historic townhouses. I dont have data on it, but id suspect that less than 50% have such a proximate space. Im also not aware of any City policy suggesting every unit must have one.
It appears the candidates did not review City safety data before responding to questions about the Braddock Road Corridor Improvements Project. Between Russell Road and Commonwealth Avenue, there were zero crashes between 2018-2022. The existing shared bike lanes have been working well for that section of Braddock Road.
Everyone is in favor of safety, but there are considerations on the other side of the equation. Residents should be able to park near their homes. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church should have handicap parking spaces that are proximate to the church entrance. No one wants to sit in traffic.
It is disappointing that the candidates do not respect the overwhelming majority of Alexandria residents who say they do not and will not ride bikes.
According to 2023 Resident Transportation Needs Assessment, 80% of residents effectively never use a bike (75% "Never", 5% "One Time") and
50% of residents explicitly agreed with the statement: "I do not want to use a bicycle as a means of transportation".
In contrast, 73% of residents rely on a private vehicle as a driver on a weekly or daily basis.
There are lots of good reasons why not everyone can or wants to ride bikes: age, children, need to transport lots of large or heavy items and many more.
When the streets get backed up and gridlocked, cars burn more fuel and emissions go up, too.
Candidates should dig deeper into the Braddock Road issues and not simply repeat ideas floating across the city.
“Between Russell Road and Commonwealth Avenue, there were zero crashes between 2018-2022. The existing shared bike lanes have been working well for that section of Braddock Road.”
There aren’t many bike crashes on 395 either, because nobody rides bikes there because it isn’t safe to do so.
City after city has found that cycling increases once the network of safe infrastructure is established. It’s reasonable to expect the same in Alexandria, and the stretch of Braddock connecting to metro would be a key part of that network. And there are hints that this would be the case here: places where it is safe and comfortable to ride are often full of people riding. I live off Holmes Run Trail and it is very well used by bikes and scooters
"... Good Shepherd Lutheran Church should have handicap parking spaces that are proximate to the church entrance."
Nancy, did you review the details of the plan in the link you posted? A quick look at the project's webpage and the PDF of the plan (linked below) shows that far from cutting off handicapped car users from their church, the city will add accessible parking spots and new sidewalks out front where none exist now. It sounds to me that you've made your mind up to oppose these safety improvements and are willing to spread misinformation online to inflate your position on this issue.
People can still drive. This will calm traffic for all on a road with speeding, which is inherently dangerous even if we were fortunate in one 4 year period (we require smoke detectors even in buildings that never had a fire) Some prefer driving on traffic calmed roads.
I dont know of any evidence saying most Alexandrians believe that everyone is entitled to a parking space right in front of their home. Thousands do not have that, whether they live in apartments (where parking spots are typically further) or in historic townhouses. I dont have data on it, but id suspect that less than 50% have such a proximate space. Im also not aware of any City policy suggesting every unit must have one.
It appears the candidates did not review City safety data before responding to questions about the Braddock Road Corridor Improvements Project. Between Russell Road and Commonwealth Avenue, there were zero crashes between 2018-2022. The existing shared bike lanes have been working well for that section of Braddock Road.
https://www.alexandriava.gov/sites/default/files/2023-11/SRTS%20-%20Walk%20Audit%20-%20Report%20-%20GWMS%20-%20final.pdf
Everyone is in favor of safety, but there are considerations on the other side of the equation. Residents should be able to park near their homes. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church should have handicap parking spaces that are proximate to the church entrance. No one wants to sit in traffic.
It is disappointing that the candidates do not respect the overwhelming majority of Alexandria residents who say they do not and will not ride bikes.
According to 2023 Resident Transportation Needs Assessment, 80% of residents effectively never use a bike (75% "Never", 5% "One Time") and
50% of residents explicitly agreed with the statement: "I do not want to use a bicycle as a means of transportation".
In contrast, 73% of residents rely on a private vehicle as a driver on a weekly or daily basis.
There are lots of good reasons why not everyone can or wants to ride bikes: age, children, need to transport lots of large or heavy items and many more.
When the streets get backed up and gridlocked, cars burn more fuel and emissions go up, too.
Candidates should dig deeper into the Braddock Road issues and not simply repeat ideas floating across the city.
“Between Russell Road and Commonwealth Avenue, there were zero crashes between 2018-2022. The existing shared bike lanes have been working well for that section of Braddock Road.”
There aren’t many bike crashes on 395 either, because nobody rides bikes there because it isn’t safe to do so.
City after city has found that cycling increases once the network of safe infrastructure is established. It’s reasonable to expect the same in Alexandria, and the stretch of Braddock connecting to metro would be a key part of that network. And there are hints that this would be the case here: places where it is safe and comfortable to ride are often full of people riding. I live off Holmes Run Trail and it is very well used by bikes and scooters
"... Good Shepherd Lutheran Church should have handicap parking spaces that are proximate to the church entrance."
Nancy, did you review the details of the plan in the link you posted? A quick look at the project's webpage and the PDF of the plan (linked below) shows that far from cutting off handicapped car users from their church, the city will add accessible parking spots and new sidewalks out front where none exist now. It sounds to me that you've made your mind up to oppose these safety improvements and are willing to spread misinformation online to inflate your position on this issue.
https://www.alexandriava.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/Braddock%20Preferred%20Concept_02.03.26_.pdf