*NEW* This project was completed in October 2022! Through this project, the City installed:
- 10 new or upgraded crosswalks
- 5 median refuge areas for people crossing
- 2 key sidewalk connections
- 15+ ADA improvements
Project Background
Rayburn Avenue and Reading Avenue were repaved in Summer 2020. When streets are repaved, it provides an opportunity to upgrade parts of the street to better serve all users of the roadway. The City's Complete Streets Policy requires that improvements for all users of the street be made with regular street maintenance whenever possible. Potential upgrades that can be accomplished with street maintenance projects include:
- Road markings, such as crosswalks, travel lane markings, and bike markings
- Concrete, such as curb ramps, sidewalks, and medians
- Street signs, such as warning signs, parking signs, or other regulatory signs
- Minor traffic signal changes
The types of upgrades depend on context and vary from project to project. For Rayburn Avenue and Reading Avenue, crossing improvements and other upgrades were recommended as part of the City’s John Adams Safe Routes to School Walk Audit and identified through community outreach.
PROJECT GOAL
Improve mobility, safety, and access for street users of all ages, abilities, and modes of travel
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The project objectives below were developed through existing plans, best practices, and community input:
- Make crossing the street safer and more convenient
- Implement Safe Routes to School and Transportation Master Plan recommendations
- Improve safety around John Adams Elementary, especially for children
- Add and improve curb ramps for people using strollers or wheelchairs
- Fill sidewalk gaps, where feasible
- Balance safety and access improvements with residents’ parking needs
PROJECT TIMELINE
Community Engagement: 2019-2022
Planning: Fall 2019
Design: Spring-Fall 2021
Implementation: 2022
Project Development
Community Engagement
Winter 2020: ACPS Parent Travel Survey
In January 2020, Alexandria City Public Schools surveyed parents of John Adams schoolchildren about how they get to and from school. In the survey, parents shared their concerns with children walking or biking to school. Some of the concerns were:
- Amount of traffic along the route
- Speed of traffic along the route
- Safety of intersections and crossings
- Sidewalks or pathways
Spring 2020: Repaving Feedback Form
In early 2020, the City of Alexandria Department of Transportation & Environmental Services issued an online feedback form to the community to gather input on existing issues and desired improvements to the street. Issues that were shared by residents include, but are not limited to:
- Difficulty crossing the street
- Safety concerns near John Adams School entrance
- Poor pavement condition
- Unpredictable driving behaviors, such as unlawful U-turns
- Parking issues, included limited parking availability
The feedback received contributed to the project objectives stated above.
- The community feedback summary for Rayburn Avenue is available here.
- The community feedback summary for Reading Avenue is available here.
Spring 2021: Community Feedback on Proposed Street Design
In Spring 2021, the City solicited community feedback on proposed plans for Rayburn Avenue and Reading Avenue. The outreach materials are provided below:
Fall 2021: Traffic & Parking Board Public Hearing
On October 25, 2021, the Traffic & Parking Board approved the proposed changes to Rayburn and Reading Avenues unanimously. More information about the public hearing can be found on the Traffic & Parking Board webpage.
Other Public Input Opportunities
For questions or comments on this project, please contact Alex Carroll, Complete Streets Program Manager, at Alexandria.Carroll@alexandriava.gov.
Design
Status: Complete
Construction
Status: Complete
Project implementation began in June 2022 and concluded in October 2022.