Community Corner

Changes Proposed for Seminary Road Intersection

Alexandria transportation officials are examining ways to improve traffic at the intersection of Seminary Road and North Quaker Lane.

Alexandria transportation officials are quietly examining ways to improve traffic backups at the intersection of Seminary Road and North Quaker Lane.

The main problem is that traffic headed eastbound on Seminary Road—either to turn right onto southbound North Quaker Lane or to continue straight into Janney’s Lane—backs up in the right lane, Bob Garbacz with the Alexandria Department of Transportation and Environmental Services told members of the Seminary Hill Association Thursday. (See the map at right for details.)

“That’s a problem, because they’re all trying to get into the same lane,” Garbacz said. “ ... It’s just too much for that lane of travel to handle.”

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Traffic officials are considering make the right lane on eastbound Seminary Road a right-turn lane only. Through-traffic and traffic turning left would use the left lane. However, with that option, the lanes on Seminary Road and Janney’s Lane would not match properly.

A majority of community members at the Thursday meeting told Garbacz they disapproved of the plan. Residents said they were fearful a constant stream of cars turning right onto North Quaker Lane would inhibit pedestrian traffic and make it more difficult for people who live on North Quaker Lane to turn out of their driveways. They also raised concerns that the intersection backups would create a situation similar to the backup to Telegraph Road on eastbound Duke Street.

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Garbacz said he expected the backups for both eastbound Seminary Road lanes, under the preliminary plan, would be equal because half the vehicles go straight, and half turn right.

“It won’t prevent all of the jockeying, but the backups, the queues, would be about the same length,” he said.

Nan Jennings, chairwoman of the Seminary Hill Association’s board of directors, said the plan wouldn’t end backups on North Quaker Lane itself. “It’s not like you’re getting them through the whole complex and out of the neighborhood,’ she said.

Resident Carolyn Griglione cautioned against a “fix” that would draw more traffic into the area. “I would rather sit there and be inconvenienced and be sure the other people are being inconvenienced so maybe some of them will stay on (Interstate) 395 and not go through our neighborhoods,” she said. “If we do this, we will just invite more traffic.”

The association decided to further discuss the options for the intersection in the future.


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