City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: NOVEMBER 5, 2026
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: LEAH RILEY, DIRECTOR, TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of Appeals Related to the Russell Road Safe Routes to School Improvements Project.
BODY
_____________________________________________________________________________
ISSUE: City Council consideration of appeals associated with the Russell Road Safe Routes to School Improvements Project.
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council retain the traffic control devices in the T&ES Director’s Modified Alternative C for Russell Road.
BACKGROUND: The Russell Road Safe Routes to School Improvements Project covers Russell Road between West Myrtle Street and West Maple Street near Naomi Brooks Elementary School. The project advances recommendations from the City’s Safe Routes to School walk audit for Naomi Brooks Elementary and furthers Complete Streets Five-Year Work Plan in conjunction with planned roadway repaving in spring 2027. This aligns with the adopted Complete Streets Policy to consider improvements in coordination with regular street maintenance. Improvements are intended to reduce vehicle speeds, increase pedestrian visibility, shorten crossing distances, and improve access for students, families, and other roadway users.
DISCUSSION: The City developed and shared two design concepts with the community. Concept 1 emphasized painted curb extensions and minimized parking impacts; Concept 2 incorporated median pedestrian refuge islands at additional crossings, with greater parking removal. Staff engaged the Rosemont Civic Association, school faculty and staff, the Naomi Brooks PTA, and residents through meetings, online concept review, and written comments. During the comment period, staff received approximately 170 comments.
On July 27, 2026, staff recommended a revised Concept 1 based on stakeholder feedback that limited parking removal while providing crossing improvements (Attachment 2). Following public testimony supporting more substantial pedestrian safety treatments, the Traffic and Parking Board recommended Concept 2 to the Director. The Board also asked staff to explore opportunities for additional parking to support school teachers and staff.
On August 7, 2026, the Director notified the Board that she would pursue Alternative C, a revised design that incorporates elements of both concepts. This approach places median refuge islands at West Masonic View Avenue and West Walnut Street, nearest the school boundary, and painted curb extensions at West Myrtle Street, West Chapman Street, West Oak Street, and West Maple Street. It preserves the key pedestrian safety benefits while reducing parking impacts relative to Concept 2.
Alternative C also proposed parking modifications to address school and neighborhood needs, including six additional on-street spaces on Johnston Place, five unrestricted spaces on the 600 block of Russell Road, and two loading/unloading spaces on that block. Staff coordinated with the school and Fire Department to evaluate parking and emergency access. Appeals were subsequently filed concerning the Director’s decision (Attachment 1).
Because the new parking and loading proposals had not been considered at the July hearing, those proposals were presented to the Traffic and Parking Board on September 28, 2026 (Attachment 2). The Board recommended against the proposed additional parking and loading changes. In an October 2, 2026 letter (Attachment 3), the Director accepted the Board’s recommendation not to change parking regulations on the 600 block of Russell Road, citing potential double-parking and operational concerns during school arrival and dismissal. However, the Director maintained staff’s recommendation to add six parking spaces on Johnston Place to help address growing school employee parking demand.
The recommendation now before City Council is therefore Alternative C as modified by the October 2 letter: targeted pedestrian refuge islands and curb extensions, the parking removals identified in the August alternative, six additional parking spaces on Johnston Place, and no new parking or loading changes on the 600 block of Russell Road. Council’s consideration of the appeals provides an opportunity to review the full project, including its safety design and parking modifications, and reach a final decision.
Staff therefore recommends that Council retain all of the traffic controls articulated in Alternative C. It advances the Safe Routes to School objectives, responds to the community’s request for stronger crossing protections near Naomi Brooks Elementary School, and addresses parking concerns where feasible without introducing the operational challenges identified on the 600 block of Russell Road.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact to this decision as the project implementation was previously budgeted into the Complete Streets program.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Traffic and Parking Board Dockets
2. T&ES Director Letters
3. Engagement Log
4. Presentation
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, P.E., Deputy City Manager
Hillary Orr, Deputy Director, T&ES, Transportation
Nick Rogers, Transportation Planning Division Chief, T&ES
Alexandria Carroll, Complete Streets Program Manager, T&ES
Silas Sullivan, Complete Streets Coordinator, T&ES