The project is being implemented as part of the recommendations from the Central Alexandria Traffic Study (CATS) to find ways to pursue interim and long-term improvements for safety, congestion, and cut-through issues at the intersection of West Taylor Run Parkway and Duke Street. The Duke Street and West Taylor Run intersection was identified as one of the highest crash intersections in the City through the City’s Vision Zero program. 

The project is focused on enhancing safety and access for people who walk, drive, bike and take transit at the intersection of West Taylor Run Parkway and Duke Street. It also includes providing new access onto Telegraph Road east of the West Taylor Run intersection. 

Yes. Traffic features, such as physical medians and improved traffic signals, will be constructed to make the continuous right-turn onto Telegraph Road permanent.

The previously proposed additional right-turn lane in advance of the intersection has been removed from the project, and the existing right-turn lane will remain as it is today.

During plan review, the state requested that the right turn be designed as a higher-speed, ramp-style configuration. However, the City had committed to the community that the new entrance to the service lane would function as a tighter, lower-speed right turn rather than a traditional slip ramp. We understood that the character and speed of this turn were important concerns for nearby residents.

The project team worked closely with the state to redesign elements of the intersection so that the existing right-turn lane configuration could remain in place. This approach reflects the preference expressed by the community while still meeting overall project requirements.

By eliminating direct access onto the Telegraph Road ramp from West Taylor Run Parkway, congestion on Duke Street can be improved and less people will likely use neighborhood streets to access this ramp.   As well, the signal timing adjustments will also encourage drivers to use Quaker Lane and Duke Street. While there will ultimately be an additional ramp onto Telegraph Road, the goal is to make it faster for cut-through traffic to stay on Quaker Lane and Duke Street.

The intersection of West Taylor Run and Duke Street will include curb-extensions, an enhanced sidewalk, shorter crossing distances, enhanced traffic signals and new pedestrian signals, and pedestrian refuges which increase safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists. The intersection will provide conflict free crossings for people walking.  With bus stops relocated to the intersection, people will have a safe and direct crossing to access the bus.  Staff will be exploring different types of improvements at the proposed access onto Telegraph Road depending on the final design plans.

This project will improve access to and from transit stops with more pedestrian/cyclist improvements and relocation of the bus stops to the intersection. 

The planning phase was complete in 2024. The Final Design is anticipated to be complete early 2026. The construction is anticipated to be complete in mid 2028. 

This project is separate from Duke Street Transitway however the schedules and designs of the projects are being coordinated since they overlap. Staff will be working with all design teams to ensure the best possible design and construction schedules. For more information on Duke Street in Motion, please visit alexandriava.gov/DukeInMotion.   Some elements of this project might be constructed with the Duke Street in Motion project, depending on project cost.

The City conducted two pilot projects aimed at reducing regional cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets and shifting traffic onto the major arterials.  To do this, we also must improve the flow of traffic on the arterials and make those routes faster than cutting through the neighborhoods. On April 23, 2023, the City and Traffic and Parking Board recommended to extend the pilot  phase II measures permanently. 

• Phase II included reinstating Phase I signal timing AND restricting access from West Taylor Run Parkway to the Telegraph Road ramp.  The pilot will tested how traffic patterns shift for cut-through drivers as well as the impact on the immediate neighborhood.  The larger intersection project proposes this closure and based on the outcome of the pilot phase II results, the has been permanently extended to the construction of this project.
• The traffic mitigation Phase I pilot used signal timing changes to successfully reduce cut-through traffic trips during the afternoon rush hour on West Taylor Run Parkway by 47% and even more on other neighborhood streets, shifting the traffic to Quaker Lane. 
• Visit the project page for more information about the Duke Street Traffic Mitigation Pilots.

Residents who use the Duke Street and West Taylor Run Parkway to access Telegraph Road will need to use the new access onto Telegraph Road as proposed by this project. 

Residents coming from Duke Street turning left into the neighborhood will not change their behavior, still using the left turn lane at the intersection. 

Residents coming from Duke Street turning right into the neighborhood will need to take a different route depending on the destination.  

• Residents on West Taylor Run Parkway will need to use the proposed right turn access onto the Service Road and turn right at the traffic signal. 
• Residents on East Taylor Run Parkway will need to use the proposed right turn access onto the Service Road and turn onto East Taylor Run Parkway. 
• Residents on Moncure Drive or Hilton Street will need to use the proposed right turn access onto the Service road and turn onto East Taylor Run Parkway, then proceed to South View Terrace. 

The City has explored this option with VDOT. However, VDOT has expressed they are not supportive of a project that would widen the ramp due to construction cost, right of way concerns, utilities, and overall feasibility to implement such a large project. 

This project is expected to bring significant improvements to the roadway because of the stop-and-go traffic caused by the ramp on-to Telegraph Road from eastbound Duke Street. However, staff also has plans to provide more reliable transit services through Duke Street in Motion, improve all traffic signals with more advanced equipment through the City’s adaptive signal program, and other on-going initiates like Vision Zero to improve safety.