Make Seminary Road Safe for All Users

I support a road diet on Seminary Road that would improve safety for all road users, whether they walk, bike, drive or take transit. Therefore, I urge the Alexandria City Council to protect its residents and adopt the proposed 3-lane alternative between N. Quaker Lane and N. Howard Street which includes a center turn lane, buffered bike lanes, improved crosswalks, and pedestrian refuge islands mid-street near transit stops.

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BACKGROUND 

The City of Alexandria initiated the Seminary Road Complete Streets road project in spring 2018. Project goals set by the city are to improve safety and accessibility for all users-- people who walk, bike, ride transit or drive cars, and implement previously adopted plans, policies, and study recommendations. 

The best and safest street design option developed by the city is Alternative 3. This option would be a “road diet,” converting the four lane road to three lanes with a center turn lane, providing buffered bike lanes, enhancing crosswalks and adding pedestrian refuge islands at transit stops. Not only will the three lane design for Seminary Road reduce dangerous speeding, the center dedicated left turn lane will help to keep traffic moving while reducing the rear end collisions so common on four lane roads without protected turn lanes.

A similar project on King Street in 2016 reduced speeding by 18% without adding congestion, decreased crashes by 50% and did not result in a jump in neighborhood cut-through traffic.  

Redesigning Seminary Road would achieve our city's shared goals for safety, accessibility, and connectivity. The Transportation Master Plan sets a vision for a multi-modal future integrating walking, bicycling, and transit. The city's Complete Streets policy requires that our roadways serve all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and drivers, keeping everyone safe. Alexandria's Environmental Action Plan prioritizes low-carbon mobility options to fight climate change. It also calls for the city to “Develop a holistic city transportation system that puts the health, mobility, and accessibility of 'people first.' 

Despite the clear guidance of these approved city plans and the documented safety benefits, including the success on King Street, Alexandria's Traffic and Parking Board voted in June to recommend the option that maintains four lanes for motor vehicles.

City staff is required to present the traffic board's four-lane recommendation to the Alexandria City Council in September for a public hearing and vote. So, we are joining a broad coalition of Alexandrians in urging the City Council to consider and adopt the three-lane configuration as the safest design for all users.

Please support a safe Seminary Road now by signing the petition!