Transitway Corridor a Tech Report

Draft City of Alexandria Transitway Corridor Feasibility Study Corridor A December 2011 Transitway Corridor Feasibility Study Corridor A (North-South) December 2011 Prepared For: City of Alexandria Department of Transportation & Environmental Services 301 King Street City Hall Alexandria, Virginia www.alexandriava.gov Prepared By: Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Suite 400 11400 Commerce Park Drive Reston, Virginia Phone: 703.674.1300 www.kimley-horn.com City of Alexandria | TRANSITWAY CORRIDOR FEASIBILITY STUDY i Table of Contents Chapter 1 - Introduction 1 Background 1 Transportation Master Plan Context 1 Corridor A: North-South 2 Corridor B: Duke Street/Eisenhower Avenue 2 Corridor C: Van Dorn Street/Beauregard Street 3 Figure 1.1: Metrorail in Alexandria 2 Transportation Master Plan Transitway Goals 3 Figure 1.2: Transportation Master Plan Identified Transitway Corridors 3 Regional Plan Context 4 Figure 1.3: WMATA Priority Corridor Network Plan Schematic 4 Figure 1.4: WMATA Priority Corridor Network Plan Map 4 Neighboring Jurisdiction Plans Context 5 Figure 1.5: MWCOG Planned Priority Bus Corridors 5 Arlington County 5 Figure 1.6: Arlington County Planned Primary Transit Network 6 Fairfax County 6 Figure 1.7: Crystal City/Potomac Yard Transit Improvements Project Plan Schematic 7 Crystal City/Potomac Yard Transit Improvements Project 7 Figure 1.8: Regionally Planned High-Capacity Transit Lines in the Vicinity of Alexandria 8 Dedicated Transit Corridors Purpose 9 Corridor A (North-South) 10 Figure 1.9: Corridor A Study Area 10 Travel Pattern Evaluation 11 Table 1.1: Inflow/Outflow Analysis (2009 Data) 11 Chapter 2 - Existing Conditions 13 Introduction 13 Travel Patterns and Activity Centers 13 Transportation Conditions 14 Regional Traffic Influences 14 Local Transportation Conditions 14 Street Rights-of-Way 14 Figure 2.1: Corridor A North-South Street Rights-of-Way 14 Functional Classification 15 Figure 2.2: Study Area Street Functional Classifications 15 Street Cross Sections 15 Figure 2.3: Study Area Street Cross Sections 15 Daily Traffic 16 Figure 2.4: Average Daily Traffic Volumes on Study Area Streets 16 Traffic Flow 16 ii TRANSITWAY CORRIDOR FEASIBILITY STUDY | City of Alexandria Figure 2.5: AM Peak Hour Travel Time Run Summary on Patrick Street and Henry Street 17 Figure 2.6: PM Peak Hour Travel Time Run Summary on Patrick Street and Henry Street 17 Transit Use 18 Figure 2.7: Study Area Journey to Work Mode Split 18 Figure 2.8: King Street Trolley Line 18 Table 2.1: Existing Transit Ridership for Services Operating in Corridor A 19 Figure 2.9: Study Area Transit Services 19 Bicycle and Pedestrian Networks 20 Figure 2.10: Study Area Bike Network 20 Land Use and Development 21 General 21 Figure 2.11: Existing Study Area Zoning 21 Figure 2.12: Study Area Population Density (2000) 22 Figure 2.14: Study Area Population Density (2030) 22 Table 2.2: Population and Employment Summary 22 Population and Employment 22 Population 22 Employment 23 Figure 2.14: Study Area Employment Density (2000) 23 Figure 2.15: Study Area Employment Density (2030) 23 Summary of Existing Conditions 24 Chapter 3 - Concepts 25 Preliminary Transitway Concepts 25 Route/Alignment (General) 25 Operational Configuration 25 Runningway Accommodation 25 Northern Terminus 25 Southern Terminus 25 Mode/Service 25 Concept 1 (No Build) 26 Figure 3.1: Concept 1 (No Build) 26 Advantages 26 Disadvantages 26 Concept 2 (West Street) 27 Figure 3.2: Concept 2 (West Street) 27 Advantages 27 Disadvantages 27 Concept 3 (Patrick Street/Henry Street) 28 Figure 3.3: Concept 3 (Patrick Street/Henry Street) 28 Advantages 28 Disadvantages 28 Concept 4 (Washington Street) 29 Figure 3.4: Concept 4 (Washington Street) 29 Advantages 29 Disadvantages 29 City of Alexandria | TRANSITWAY CORRIDOR FEASIBILITY STUDY iii Chapter 4 - Public Process 31 Process 31 Corridor Work Group Membership 31 Discussion 32 Public Comments 32 Connectivity and Service to Destinations & Population 32 Community 32 Alignment/Route 32 Corridor Work Group Comments 33 Existing Conditions 33 Future Conditions 33 Future Services 33 Chapter 5 - Conclusions 35 Process Conclusions 35 Circulator Starter Ideas 36 Figure 5.1: Bidirectional Circulator Concept 1 36 Figure 5.2: Bidirectional Circulator Concept 2 37 Future Considerations 37 iv TRANSITWAY CORRIDOR FEASIBILITY STUDY | City of Alexandria chapter 1 King Street Trolley (Old Town, Alexandria) (Old Town, King Street Trolley to offer travelers seamless trips, time savings, Background real-time information, desirable amenities, and Traffic congestion is a challenging reality an enjoyable travel experience. in nearly every urban community in the Washington Metropolitan area. Peak periods Transportation Master Plan extend for multiple hours in the morning and Context introduction evening of typical weekdays. Incidents and The Alexandria Transitway Corridor Feasibility special events occur on a regular basis and Study was incepted to build on principles add to already challenging travel conditions. and concepts developed in the city’s adopted Alexandria is subject to travel demand from Transportation Master Plan (2008), which residents and workers within its jurisdictional envisions the following: boundary and by people traveling through the city. Improving people’s mobility by solely “…a transportation system that adding car-carrying capacity along existing encourages the use of alternative modes transportation corridors is an investment with of transportation, reducing dependence diminishing returns in Alexandria. The physical, on the private automobile. This system monetary, societal, environmental, and other will lead to the establishment of transit- costs of widening existing streets and building oriented, pedestrian friendly village new streets are vastly disproportionate to centers, focused on neighborhood benefits that would be realized. preservation and increased community cohesion, forming a more urban, vibrant Alexandria’s leaders, benefiting from and sustainable Alexandria. The City comprehensive evaluations of the city’s and will promote a balance between travel region’s transportation system recognize that a efficiency and quality of life, providing transportation strategy focused on multimodal Alexandrians with transportation choice, mobility has the potential to provide the most continued economic growth and a healthy significant benefit to the city at a manageable environment.” cost. A cornerstone of the city’s multimodal approach to transportation is high-quality and -capacity transit facilities and services. These transit facilities and services have the potential City of Alexandria | TRANSITWAY CORRIDOR FEASIBILITY STUDY 1 While a valuable asset to the Washington Metropolitan area and Alexandria, Metrorail’s alignment through the city limits its ability to serve the entirety of Alexandria (Figure 1.1). Regional bus services augment Metrorail by providing a significant amount of coverage throughout the city; however, they are not able The City’s transportation vision, articulated in to provide the quality and frequency of service the Transportation Master Plan, is supported ultimately envisioned by city leaders and by the following guiding transportation desired by the traveling public. To realistically principles: achieve the goal of offering high-quality transit services and facilities in key corridors citywide, 1. Alexandria will develop innovative local and the Transportation Master Plan identified three regional transit options. corridors (Figure 1.2) for high-quality, frequency, 2. Alexandria will provide quality pedestrian and and capacity transit service expansion. bicycle accommodations. 3. Alexandria will provide all its citizens, regardless Corridor A: North-South Figure 1.1: Metrorail in Alexandria of age or ability, with accessibility and mobility. This corridor would approximately follow US 1 4. Alexandria will increase the use of (Jefferson Davis Highway and Patrick and communications technology in transportation systems. Henry Streets) from the Fairfax County line on 5. Alexandria will further transportation policies the south to the Arlington County line on the that enhance quality of life, support livable, north. It would have the potential to seamlessly urban land use and encourage neighborhood connect to planned transit corridors in Fairfax preservation, in accordance with the City and Arlington Counties. Corridor A would Council Strategic Plan. provide services to through commuters who 6. Alexandria will lead the region in promoting currently drive along the US 1 corridor and environmentally friendly transportation policies. to residents and employees with origins and 7. Alexandria will ensure accessible, reliable and destinations along the corridor; would function safe transportation for older and disabled citizens. as an alternative to Metrorail services (Blue and Yellow lines); and would improve access to Alexandria’s citizens are already served by the key destinations within the city and in Fairfax city’s interconnected network of streets; local and Arlington Counties such as Old Town, bus service principally provided by DASH and Potomac Yard, Crystal City, the Pentagon, and Metrobus; Metrorail services along the Blue Ft. Belvoir. and Yellow lines at the Van Dorn, Eisenhower Avenue, King Street, and Braddock Road Corridor B: Duke Street/Eisenhower stations; and a growing network of sidewalks, Avenue trails, and bikeways. The Transportation Master This corridor would follow either Duke Street Plan provides guidance

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