Alexandria City Council To Vote on Extending King St. Pedestrian Zone To Waterfront Park

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Later this month Alexandria City Council will vote on a pilot program to connect King Street’s Pedestrian Zone to Waterfront Park. Documentation indicates that if approved, the program will last three months, starting Memorial Day weekend and ending on Labor Day.

Though he is not sure how Council will vote, Mayor Justin Wilson told The Zebra that extending the area “has been a priority of the city for quite awhile.”

Waterfront Park is known for its art installations and welcoming atmosphere, where residents and visitors can enjoy live music and shop in nearby businesses.

Making King Street pedestrian-friendly had been in the works prior to the pandemic. The mayor and Councilman John Chapman first brought up the pedestrian zone three years ago, centered in the 100 block with the possible addition of the 200 block.

Plans changed when the pandemic arrived in Alexandria in March 2020. For months, most businesses and restaurants were shuttered. Once things began to open back up, the pedestrian zone moved forward quickly – first as its own pilot program and then permanently – to help restaurants stay afloat, thereby giving a boost to the city’s economy.

Now one of the city’s main attractions, the zone is not only used for outdoor dining but also recreation and retail.

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