Politics & Government

Residents Speak Out Against Duke Street Widening

A public hearing was held Wednesday at Charles Houston Recreation Center.

Several Duke Street corridor residents spoke against city plans to widen portions to the thoroughfare at a joint meeting of the Alexandria Transportation Commission and the High Capacity Transit Corridor Work Group Wednesday evening at Charles Houston Recreation Center.

City plans call for Jordan Street to Wheeler Avenue to be five lanes. South Quaker Lane to Roth Street would be six lanes. Landmark Mall to Jordan Street, Wheeler Avenue to South Quaker Lane and Roth Street to the King Street Metro station would remain seven lanes and would not require additional pavement but would add a dedicated transit lane in each direction.

The changes wold allow for dedicated bus rapid tranit lanes, some turn lanes and a reversible lane between Jordan and Roth streets.

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Local resident Erin Winograd spoke against adding a permanent fifth lane to the Duke Street corridor between Jordan and Roth, citing concerns including increased noise in local neighborhoods and a possible decline in property values.

“There is simply no justification for adding a fifth lane to Duke Street,” Winograd said. “For no gain, the city is going to inflict plan on Duke Street. … Do not turn Duke Street into Duke Highway.”

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Alexandria resident Jessie Link told commissioners the expansion would have a negative impact on the street's access roads.

“We are a neighborhood of families," Link said. “Currently, children are able to walk safely down our access road. … There is no way I would feel comfortable raising a child on that street if the barrier is removed.”

Speaker Francisco Laguna claimed the redesign would reduce safety, require removing mature trees and increase pollution. “I think it would result in an illegal and unauthorized property value without compensation,” he said.

Vermont Avenue resident Yvonnie Petry said the Duke Street plans are a detriment to the attractiveness of the neighborhood and that removing tree cover damages nearby property value. “(I) urge you not to widen Duke Street, seize property and destroy values created by green space,” she said.

Their words had little impact on the Duke Street plans, which have already been recommended by the work group and approved by the Transportation Commission, the Planning Commission and City Council as part of a package that included transit recommendations for the Route 1 and Van Dorn-Beauregard corridors.

Rich Baier, director of city's department of Transportation and Environmental Services, told local residents that the widening would not impact frontage roads. “The frontage road won't change, with the exception of the median itself,” he said.

City staff members also said the trees slated to be removed are mostly Bradford pear trees that are nearing the end of their lifespan, provoking an outcry from local residents.

Poul Hertel, a member of work group, called the residents' concerns valid and acknowledged the project could impact property values. In the future, the city will likely move past the bus rapid transit lanes to a mode of transit that takes up less space, he said. But the current plans are already in motion.

“I think, from our perspective, it's a little late,” Hertel said.

Steve Sindiong, a principal planner with Transportation and Environmental Services, said the plan would preserve two general purpose lanes in each direction in peak time on Duke Street.

The commission tweaked minor language in the transit plan before adjorning.


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