City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: DECEMBER 7, 2016
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Title 10 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic), Chapter 1 (General Provisions), Section 10-1-15.1 (Truck Traffic; Prohibited on Certain Streets; Penalty) of The Code of the City of Alexandria, Virginia, 1981, as Amended, by Adding Language to Prohibit Truck Traffic on West Linden Street Between Commonwealth Avenue and Russell Road.
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ISSUE: Consideration of a proposed ordinance to prohibit truck traffic in the unit block of West Linden Street between Commonwealth Avenue and Russell Road.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council consider the proposed ordinance on first reading and set it for public hearing, and final passage on Saturday, December 17, 2016.
BACKGROUND: West Linden Street is classified as a local street on the City’s street classification map and provides a connection between Mount Vernon Avenue and Russell Road. This section of West Linden Street has residential homes on both sides of the street and there are no commercial properties. The Traffic and Parking Board considered this request at the Board’s October 24, 2016 meeting to prohibit truck traffic in the unit block of West Linden Street. Two members of the community, Linda Holland and Marguerite Lang, spoke in favor of the proposed restrictions and no members of the public spoke in opposition. Following the public hearing on this matter, the Board voted unanimously to recommend a prohibition of through truck traffic on West Linden Street between Commonwealth Avenue and Russell Road. As a traffic control action affecting truck routes in the City of Alexandria, City Council approval of this recommendation is required.
DISCUSSION: West Linden Street runs between Mount Vernon Avenue and Russell Road and is a convenient cut through between Del Ray and Russell Road providing connectivity with King Street. This block of West Linden Street is a narrow residential street that is only 20 feet wide with parking on the north side of the street. By comparison, the standard residential street is 30 feet wide. Residents expressed concerns about commercial trucks using West Linden Street and have requested “No Thru Truck” restrictions to prevent through trucks from using West Linden Street. Trucks that have business on this block may still travel on the street with the proposed restriction. City staff performed a study in May 2016 and found that 2,875 vehicles per day travel on West Linden Street with 478 of those vehicles being trucks. Based on the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) policy index (Attachment 4), a street with a total traffic volume between 2,000 and 4,000 vehicles per day should have a total truck volume of between 100 and 200 trucks per day. Based on the CTB policy index, the frequency of truck traffic on the unit block of West Linden exceeds the number which is compatible with the area. Thus, the unit block of West Linden Street meets the Commonwealth Transportation Board criteria for prohibiting through trucks and staff recommends that City Council consider the ordinance for a “No Thru Truck” restriction.
The City Code defers to Virginia State Code because the City Code does not define “truck.” Virginia State Code, 46.2-100, defines "truck" as “every motor vehicle designed to transport property on its own structure independent of any other vehicle and having a registered gross weight in excess of 7,500 pounds.” A “No Thru Truck” restriction will therefore prohibit any vehicle in excess of 7,500 pounds from using West Linden Street as a through street.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Ordinance Cover
Attachment 2: Ordinance
Attachment 3: Map
Attachment 4: Commonwealth Transportation Board Criteria.
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Joanna Anderson, Deputy City Attorney
Dori Martin, Assistant City Attorney
Yon Lambert, Director, T&ES
Carrie Sanders, Deputy Director, T&ES/Transportation and Transit
Bob Garbacz, Division Chief, T&ES/Traffic Engineering