Regional board approves 25-year, $297 billion transportation plan
Alexandria projects include Landmark Transit Center, Potomac Yard transitway extension
The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board voted Wednesday to adopt Visualize 2050, a long-range plan that will guide $297 billion in highway and transit investments across the Washington metropolitan area through 2050.
Several Alexandria projects are included in the plan and the accompanying four-year spending program, including the $27.4 million Landmark Transit Center, the $35.9 million Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway extension to Pentagon City, and the recently completed King and Beauregard intersection improvements.
The New Long Bridge over the Potomac River, a centerpiece of the plan, will increase passenger and freight rail capacity and benefit Alexandria commuters who use VRE. The plan also calls for continued investment in commuter rail service.
The vote at the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission office in Arlington followed more than three years of development and public comment. Transportation projects must be included in the federally mandated plan to receive federal funding.
“Our region’s transportation system has made tremendous progress over the last several decades as a result of committed planning and cross-sector coordination, but there’s still much more to be done,” said TPB Chair Walter Alcorn, a Fairfax County supervisor. “Visualize 2050 reflects extensive public engagement and continues to meet key environmental, mobility, and accessibility standards over the next 25 years.”
An estimated 85 percent of anticipated funding will go toward operations and maintenance, including repaving roads, rehabilitating bridges, and operating Metrorail, VRE, MARC, and bus transit. The remaining 15 percent is dedicated to expanding the system.
The region’s 14 lane miles of bus rapid transit are expected to grow to 93 lane miles by 2050, with stations increasing from 28 to 118. Major projects include the Long Bridge and the Purple Line light rail transitway in Maryland.
The region is projected to add 1.2 million residents and 800,000 jobs by 2050. Without the plan’s investments, average job accessibility by car would decline 11 percent; with them, the decline is projected at 5 percent. Non-driving options such as carpooling, walking, biking, and transit are expected to grow from 59 percent to 62 percent of all trips.
The final public comment period drew 231 comments. One commenter urged the board to “give Alexandria its West End Transitway,” calling the city “an economic powerhouse” and advocating for a fourth rail track to increase capacity.
In October, the board voted to defer the I-495 Southside Express Lanes project, citing a lack of consensus among involved jurisdictions.
The board also approved the FY 2026-2029 Transportation Improvement Program, totaling more than $17 billion in regional funding. Both the plan and TIP underwent air quality conformity analysis, confirming they meet federal standards.
The board also approved $10.7 million in federal grants for 25 projects supporting transportation for older adults and people with disabilities. Alexandria Council Member Canek Aguirre chaired the selection committee. The City of Alexandria received $125,000; other Northern Virginia grantees include Arc of Northern Virginia ($864,000), Dulles Area Transportation Association ($466,000), and Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington ($343,000 and $491,000 for two projects).
“It is a privilege for our board to identify and champion these impactful projects, which are essential to expanding transportation access for all our residents,” Alcorn said.
The full plan is available at visualize2050.org.