City of Alexandria 1998 Annual Report

Accomplishments and Events Transportation and Environment

Neighborhood associations, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Alexandria Restoration and Preservation Commission and the Historic Alexandria Foundation joined the City in challenging the proposed 12-lane Wilson Bridge project. Braddock Road Widening In January, the Department of Transportation (VDOT) began widening Braddock Road from two to four lanes between Mt. Vernon Avenue and West Street. The $17 million project, including the replacement of the railroad bridge over Braddock Road, is expected to be completed in the summer of 2000. Once completed, the project will improve traffic flow, enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety and provide utility upgrades. Upgrading the area’s storm sewers will alleviate current flooding problems at the Wythe and West Streets.

HOV Access at Seminary Road The Virginia Department of Transportation began a study of the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in the Shirley Highway (I-395/I-95) corridor in April. VDOT is studying ways to maximize the use of HOV lanes, including: lowering the HOV restrictions from three passengers to two; adding a third HOV lane; changing the restricted hours of use; and adding new HOV ramps. The study is expected to be completed in October. VDOT has committed $150,000 to perform preliminary engineering on adding an HOV ramp at Seminary Road following the completion of the HOV corridor study. An HOV ramp at Seminary Road would, for the first time, give carpool, vanpool, and bus commuters direct HOV access from northbound Shirley Highway to Alexandria employment sites.

Traffic Signal Upgrade

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The City began a scheduled upgrade of the City’s traffic computer system in July. The upgrade will provide improved timing of signals during peak and off-peak traffic periods and greater flexibility and reliability in managing traffic flow. The $3 million upgrade is funded with federal ISTEA funds through VDOT as part of the state’s program to promote projects that reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality. The target date for completion is October 1999.

Metrorail Service Average daily passenger boardings and alightings at the four Metrorail stations serving the City were down 2% to 22,387 during FY 1998. Daily ridership averaged 1,391 at , up 4%; 8,477 at King Street Station, up 7.4%; 1,907 at the Eisenhower Avenue Station, down 5.5%; and 5,612 at the Van Dorn Street Station, down 17.3%. The loss in ridership at the Eisenhower and Van Dorn Stations, which was anticipated, is due to the opening of the Franconia-Springfield in Fairfax and the elimination of these two stations as a terminus for bus routes.

Metrobus Service In FY 1998, the City accepted the recommendations of the Regional Mobility Panel and endorsed operational changes to the regional bus service that are intended to ensure the long-term viability of regional bus service in the Washington area. Additionally, the Regional Mobility Panel, which included Mayor Donley, approved a new Metrobus operating subsidy formula, which was endorsed by the participating jurisdictions, including Alexandria. The new formula will result in annual savings for the City of approximately $1,142,000 at full implementation in FY 2002.

DOT Paratransit Service In FY 1998, the number of trips provided by the DOT paratransit service decreased by 7%. Contracted van and taxi service supplied an average of 4,462 trips each month to people with disabilities, compared to 4,796 in FY 1997. Despite the decline in trips, the City’s annual subsidy for DOT service rose 3% to $607,373 in FY 1998. To improve overall efficiency, the reservation and trip routing elements of DOT service were computerized in February.

Alexandria Rideshare The Office of Transit Services and Programs continued to work with local employers on programs to promote carpools, vanpools and public transit, reduce parking demand, develop telecommute programs, and assist employees in finding alternative methods to get to work. As an employer, the City government continues to be a leader in promoting transit, with 282 employees enrolled in the transit benefit program that provides City employees $30 (in the form of passes or transit vouchers) contributed towards their commute by public transit. In FY 1998, 19 Alexandria employers offered a commuter benefit to their employees, up from 14 in FY 1997.

DASH Bus Service

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The City’s DASH bus system, operated by the Alexandria Transit Company, carried 2,293,493 passengers in FY 1998, 51,754 more than the previous year. DASH passenger fares covered 45.6% of operating costs, which is 10% above the national average.

City Council amended the City’s 1992 Master Plan to include the “Bicycle Transportation and Multi-Use Trail Master Plan.” This new plan calls for a system of bicycle trails totaling 85 miles: 69 miles on streets and 16 miles of off-street trails.

Environmental/Quality of Life Report In December 1997, City Council initiated a process to identify the most important environmental/ quality of life issues. The Environmental Policy Commission coordinated this effort and in June presented a report to City Council with its preliminary recommendations: conduct an Environmental/ Quality of Life Summit; develop an environmental section for the City’s Master Plan; improve communication and coordination within the City on environmental issues; and encourage the Planning Commission and City Council to give greater attention to environmental issues. Among the issues highlighted in the report were open space, water resources, transportation, visual impacts/ aesthetic issues, urban development; solid waste; and historical cultural resources. City Council has scheduled an Environmental Quality of Life Summit for Saturday, October 31.

Waste-to-Energy Facility New federal air quality regulations issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require upgrades to the emission control technology at the Arlington/Alexandria Waste-to-Energy Facility. At an estimated cost of $30 million, the facility will be required to add new gas neutralization and particulate matter containment technology. The costs for the project will be paid from reserve funds that were established in anticipation of the new environmental requirements. To take advantage of favorable interest rates in the bond market, the City worked with Arlington County to refinance the outstanding $62 million in bonds originally issued to build the facility in 1987. The refinancing is estimated to save $6 million in debt service payments over the term of the bonds.

Improvements in Wastewater Treatment

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Stringent water quality standards have been adopted by Virginia to restore aquatic wildlife that depend upon Virginia’s waterways for survival. These standards require a 40% reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients entering the Chesapeake Bay by 2000 and reductions in ammonia and other pollutant levels in treated water that is discharged into the Potomac River by the year 2002. To meet the new standards, the Alexandria Sanitation Authority, which provides wastewater treatment services for Alexandria and portions of Fairfax County, is upgrading its wastewater treatment plant. The $197 million project includes construction of new state-of-the-art facilities and rehabilitation of the existing plant. Alexandria customers will be responsible for 40% of project costs, while Fairfax County will cover 60% of the cost. The Alexandria share will be paid through rate increases phased-in over the next five years. The proposed increase, the first since 1989, will add approximately $9 per quarter to the average homeowner’s bill in 1998.

General General City Mail: [email protected] City To send mail to City Council, other elected officials and individual City departments, click here. Mail

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