Traffic & Transit
Frustrations Arise As Seminary Road Lanes Are Reconfigured
Commuters have shared photos and videos of traffic as a portion of Seminary Road now has one through lane in each direction.
ALEXANDRIA, VA — Commuters are voicing complaints about the newly-reconfigured Seminary Road after Alexandria City Council voted 4-3 to implement a "road diet" in September.
Council's decision reduced Seminary Road between North Quaker Lane and North Howard Street to one through lane in each direction with a center turn lane and added a new bike lane in each direction. The roadway previously had two through lanes in each direction.
As crews re-striped the road in early November, residents spoke out about growing congestion. A new Facebook group called Alexandria Residents against Vision Zero and the Seminary Road Diet is seeing residents share their daily experiences on the reconfigured Seminary Road. One Facebook user, William M. Bertles III, told the group it took 15 minutes to go a half mile during the 8 a.m. morning rush hour from where Janneys Lane turns into Seminary Road.
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Others have shared similar images and sentiments on social media.
Good morning from Quaker Lane and Seminary Road Mayor Justin Wilson @justindotnet ! #JustinsTrafficJam @AlexandriaPatch pic.twitter.com/NIHQOHD9YE
— Kirk Blalock (@KirkBlalock) November 13, 2019
My vote in the next Alexandria election is now officially up for sale for anyone willing to fix the utter disaster that is now Seminary Road. It shouldn’t take forty five minutes to take my kid to daycare 3 miles away.
— katybatey (@KatyBatey) November 6, 2019
Residents have also raised concerns about emergency vehicles headed to Inova Alexandria Hospital at the North Howard Street intersection. The center turn lane is designated as a way for emergency vehicles to get through, but first responders have to navigate around the new median islands being installed. The new medians are at Chapel Hill Drive, Beth El Hebrew Congregation, Fort Williams Parkway and near the Seminary Road entrance of Virginia Theological Seminary.
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Alexandria's Transportation & Environmental Services department has acknowledged delays while the project is under construction. During the week of Nov. 11, staff have been monitoring traffic conditions as well as working on median islands for pedestrians. An update to City Council is expected at the end of the week.
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