The City collected community input on proposed shelter amenities for stations along the West End Transitway in Winter 2023.

On March 11, 2014, City Council passed a resolution to establish a Van Dorn/Beauregard Transitway Policy Advisory Group to provide input on key deliverables and make project recommendations related to the Van Dorn/Beauregard Transitway Alternatives Analysis (AA) / Environmental Documentation. The resolution allowed that group members may have differing opinions and not necessarily develop a consensus position, broker a compromise or take formal votes. More information about past engagement can be found in the project archive below.

The design work for Phase I started in November 2022. The design phase of the project is progressing at 90%. The 100% design plans are anticipated to be submitted in early 2025. 

Discussions with property owners began in Fall 2024, with right-of-way acquisition anticipated to be completed by Fall 2025. 

The West End Transitway Public Art Team is coordinating to create public art at each station along the Transitway. The team chose artists specializing in different media to be able to adapt to each station's unique characteristics. 

Concurrently, the City is working on the West End Transitway Operations Plan. The purpose of this effort is to develop multiple high-level transit operations plan scenarios that will enable the City to compare different approaches to transit service. The report will be finalized in early 2025 and provides information for leadership to determine who will operate the West End Transitway’s BRT service(s). Staff is working closely with WMATA and DASH to optimize implementation of our new BRT.

Scheduled to begin in 2025

There are several existing projects which will support the full operation of the West End Transitway. Currently, more than $96 million has been raised to facilitate implementation of these efforts. Funding awards/Projects include: 

• $4.6 million from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) for feasibility and inital design of corridor options. 
• $57.2 million - State Funding for design and construction of a first phase of Transportation Systems Management (TSM) infrastructure for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in the West End of Alexandria, including queue jump lanes, Transit Signal Priority, roadway improvements, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, streetscape improvements and buses.
• $6.3 million - State Funding for improvements to both walkability and transit accessibility in the area around Landmark Mall, including safe crossings over Van Dorn and Duke Streets, connecting to the future Landmark Mall transit hub.
• $23 million - State Funding for design and construction of transit hubs at Southern Towers and Landmark Mall. 
• $5 million in NVTA funding for the design of the South Van Dorn street bridges to accommodate multi-modal travel.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as lead agency and the City of Alexandria as project sponsor has prepared an Alternatives Analysis (AA) and Environmental Documentation for the West End Transitway.

The AA/Environmental Documentation provides a detailed analysis of three Alternatives - No Build, Transportation Systems Management, and Build - and an environmental analysis of each proposed Alternative as required for the project to be eligible to receive federal funding. The proposed Transitway will provide residents and visitors with an alternative mode of travel that is fast, efficient, comfortable, and reliable. Local, regional, state, and Federal partners and the public be invited to participate in the AA/Environmental Documentation for the West End Transitway to help identify transit needs, evaluate tradeoffs, identify measures of success, and identify hurdles to overcome.

On March 11, 2014, City Council passed a resolution  to establish a Van Dorn/Beauregard Transitway Policy Advisory Group to provide input on key deliverables and make project recommendations related to the Van Dorn/Beauregard Transitway Alternatives Analysis (AA) / Environmental Documentation. The resolution allowed that group members may have differing opinions and not necessarily develop a consensus position, broker a compromise or take formal votes.  

The Policy Advisory Group (PAG) Reviewed and Provided Guidance on:

1. Definition of the project purpose and need;
2. Refinement of alternatives;
3. Evaluation measures and priorities;
4. Evaluation results and determination of the LPA; and
5. Results of the environmental analysis.

West End Policy Advisory Group Members

• Sam Stiebel, Developer Representative
• Christine Hoeffner, Transit Professional
• Albert Himes, Transit Professional
• Jim Durham, Community Representative
• Christa Cochran, Community Representative
• Richard Gear, Community Representative
• Dak Hardwick, Budget & Fiscal Affairs
• Jake Jakubek, Transportation Commission
• David Brown, Planning Commission

West End Transitway Meeting Materials

December 3, 2015 - Sixth Meeting of PAG

• 6th PAG Meeting Presentation
• West End Transitway PAG Resolution of Support
• PAG Meeting #6 - Project Follow-up Fact Sheet
• Meeting Audio
• Meeting Video

May 28, 2015 - Fifth Meeting of PAG

• 5th PAG Meeting Presentation
• DRAFT West End Transitway Concept Engineering - Sheet 1
• DRAFT West End Transitway Concept Engineering - Sheet 2
• Proposed West End Transitway Street Cross Sections
• Meeting Video

December 18, 2014 - Fourth Meeting of PAG

• 4th PAG Meeting Presentation

October 23, 2014 - Third Meeting of PAG

• 3rd PAG Meeting Presentation
• Meeting Audio

October 22, 2014 – Second West End Transitway Public Meeting

• WET Public Meeting #2 Presentation
• WET Public Meeting #2 Display Boards
• Meeting Audio

September 18, 2014 - Second Meeting of PAG

• Meeting Audio
• Meeting Video
• Presentation

May 22, 2014 – First West End Transitway Public Meeting  

• Presentation
• Display Boards

July 30, 2014 – First Meeting of PAG 

• Meeting Audio
• Presentation
• Handout