The Alexandria Brief: Tuesday, Feb. 24
Braddock Road corridor improvements approved 7-0 after marathon hearing; city manager presents budget tonight; filing deadline is Friday for special election
Good morning, Alexandria. Today is Tuesday, February 24 — the 55th day of 2026, with 310 days left in the year.
The Traffic and Parking Board voted 7-0 at 1:18 a.m. to approve the Braddock Road Corridor Improvements Project after 66 speakers testified over nearly three hours. More spoke in favor than opposed.
Tonight, City Manager Jim Parajon presents his proposed FY 2027 budget to City Council at 7 p.m., kicking off two months of public hearings and a likely collision with the School Board, which is requesting more than double the city’s guidance. And if you’re thinking about running for City Council as a Republican or an independent, Friday at 5 p.m. is your deadline.
Here’s what you need to know today.
1️⃣ Traffic and Parking Board unanimously approves Braddock Road corridor improvements
The Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board voted 6-0 early Tuesday morning to approve the Braddock Road Corridor Improvements Project after a marathon public hearing that stretched past 1 a.m. and drew 66 speakers. More residents spoke in favor than against — approximately 37 in support and 29 opposed — during nearly three hours of public comment.
The project includes protected bike lanes along Braddock Road between Russell Road and West Street, removal of most on-street parking between Mount Vernon Avenue and Russell Road, and shorter pedestrian crossing distances at major intersections. It stems from a 2023 Safe Routes to School audit at George Washington Middle School, VDOT’s designation of the corridor as a safety priority, and crash data showing 17 crashes and 8 injuries between 2019-2023 — plus a pedestrian fatality in 2015.
The board approved the city’s full recommendation without modifications, after defeating an amendment that would have retained parking on one side of the street west of Commonwealth Avenue. Opponents now have 15 days to file an appeal to the City Council.
I’ll have more on this throughout the day.
Read more: Traffic and Parking Board unanimously approves Braddock Road corridor improvements
2️⃣ City Manager presents FY 2027 budget tonight
City Manager James Parajon presents his proposed fiscal year 2027 budget to City Council tonight at 7 p.m. at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center, kicking off a two-month cycle of public hearings and work sessions before adoption on April 29.
The presentation comes as the School Board’s $408 million budget requests a 3.5% increase in city funding — $9.8 million — more than double the 1.5% increase Parajon provided guidance on. Board Chair Michelle Rief warned that if the full request isn’t funded, the division will face position cuts, larger class sizes, and difficulty retaining staff. A joint ACPS-City Council work session is scheduled for March 4.
Council will also receive a report on property assessments: the average single-family home value crossed $1 million for the first time, up 4.44% to $1,045,750. Assessment notices will be mailed tomorrow. Parajon presents the budget to the public on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Charles Houston Recreation Center.
Read more: Alexandria city manager to kick off FY 2027 budget season
3️⃣ Filing deadline is Friday for April 21 special election
Candidates who want to appear on the April 21 ballot for the City Council special election have until 5 p.m. Friday to file paperwork with the Alexandria Office of Voter Registration and Elections.
Sandy Marks, who won Saturday’s Democratic firehouse primary, must file a Certificate of Candidate Qualification and a Statement of Economic Interests. Independent candidates face a heavier lift: they must also submit a Declaration of Candidacy and petitions bearing at least 125 signatures of qualified Alexandria voters. Frank Fannon, the former Republican council member, has said he will run as an independent. The Alexandria Brief has reached out to the Alexandria Republican City Committee to see if they have a candidate.
One unanswered question: when the winner would be sworn in — and whether that would happen before the city’s April 29 budget adoption. The Alexandria Brief has asked the city about the timeline and will report when an answer is available.
Read more: Filing deadline is Friday for April 21 Alexandria City Council special election
📰 In brief
Regional officials briefed on Potomac sewage crisis; Virginia data tells a more specific story for Alexandria. Monday’s COG meeting confirmed pipe repairs are on track for mid-March; drinking water is safe. Virginia DEQ sampling shows Fourmile Run at the George Washington Parkway Bridge was the only Virginia-side location to exceed the federal recreational threshold. The recreational water advisory remains in effect. The Alexandria Brief
City Council approves Torpedo Factory franchise ordinance, Duke & Quaker townhomes, and curbside EV charging. All docket items passed unanimously at Saturday’s public hearing. The city will now issue an RFP for a new Torpedo Factory operator, with bids due April 27. The townhome project includes the first for-sale committed affordable four-bedroom unit in the city. More than 30 speakers also urged the council to cut the sheriff’s budget over ICE collaboration. The Alexandria Brief
Alexandria planners to host fifth Duke Street land use meeting Wednesday. City staff will unveil draft corridor themes and gather public input on the future of the 3-mile stretch from Alexandria Union Station to Van Dorn Street. The meeting is 7-8:30 p.m. at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial; virtual participation available via Zoom. The Alexandria Brief
Alexandria tenants demand accountability from housing authority after issues with rent ledgers. Residents detailed months of problems at Monday’s ARHA meeting, including mold, maintenance delays and billing mistakes. One resident said she was illegally evicted following rent ledger discrepancies, forcing her family into a shelter. ARHA officials attributed many problems to a new system rollout and estimated 95% of issues from 2024-2025 have been addressed. DC News Now
A student’s mission to preserve overlooked local history. ACHS senior Zhi McMillan developed an AI-powered online tour of Douglass Memorial Cemetery, where around 2,200 enslaved people are buried. The project, funded by a $10,000 Preservation Virginia grant, aims to preserve the cemetery’s history as the city works on flood mitigation. McMillan’s story was featured in the New York Times. Theogony
Agenda:Alexandria housing panel postponed to March 23. The event, titled “Housing in Alexandria: Are There Solutions That We Can Agree on?” scheduled for last night was rescheduled due to Sunday’s snowstorm closing the Minnie Howard school building. The Alexandria Brief
Today in Alexandria
Weather: Sunny, with a high near 40 degrees. Northwest wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
A chance of snow, mainly between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 32 degrees. Light southeast wind becoming south 6 to 11 mph in the evening. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sun, Moon, & Tide: Sunrise at 6:46 a.m. | Sunset at 5:55 p.m. | 11 hours & 8 minutes of sun | High tides at 1:06 a.m. & 1:19 p.m. | Low tides at 7:14 a.m. & 8:35 p.m. | The lunar phase is a Waxing Crescent.
🗓️ Things To Do
10 a.m.: English Language Learning Workshop at Beatley Central Library
10:15 a.m.: Family Storytime at Burke Branch Library
10:30 a.m.: Bilingual Storytime at Barrett Branch Library
11 a.m.: Baby and Toddler Time at Barrett Branch Library
2 p.m.: Smithson’s Gamble - The Incredible History Behind the World’s Largest Museum (virtual)
2 p.m.: Baby and Toddler Play Date at Burke Branch Library
4 p.m.: Creatives’ Club: Celebrating Black Creatives at Duncan Branch Library
4:30 p.m.: Tuesday We Play at Beatley Central Library
5 p.m.: One-On-One Computer Help at Barrett Branch Library
6:30 p.m.: Library 5-Year Plan Community Focus Group at Barrett Branch Library
6:45 p.m.: Eco:mmunion - Conversations to Sustain People and Planet at Barrett Branch Library
7 p.m.: Handcraft Tuesday - Evening Edition (virtual)
7 p.m.: Beer Yoga at Port City Brewing Company
🎶 Entertainment
219 Restaurant: Justin Gillen Trio at 9 p.m.
Atlas Brew Works ALX: Trivia at 7 p.m.
Laporta’s Restaurant: Antonio James at 6 p.m.
Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap: Combo Indigo at 6 p.m.
Lost Dog Cafe: Trivia at 7 p.m.
Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Trivia at 8 p.m.; Pete Baker at 8:30 p.m.
O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Trivia at 9 p.m.
Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
🏛️ City & Schools
Government: Open | Schools: Open | Flag: Full Staff | Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste Collection: On time
All day: Alexandria Archaeology Museum Closed — building maintenance
6 a.m.: Chinquapin Open at Chinquapin
10 a.m.: Torpedo Factory Art Center Closed — maintenance; reopens Wednesday
5:30 p.m.: City Council Legislative Meeting
6 p.m.: Minnie Howard Open at Minnie Howard
6:30 p.m.: Library 5-Year Plan Focus Group