SPORTS

City of Alexandria, VDOT, and Monumental Unveil Transportation Plan for Arena Development

The transportation plan for the new arena includes upgrades to Potomac Yard Metro Station. (Image via VDOT)

ALEXANDRIA, VA-Since the announcement in December that the Caps and Wizards are moving to Alexandria, there have been a lot of questions about the proposed arena development in Potomac Yard. One of the main concerns of residents is transportation. How will people get to and from games and events? Yesterday (Feb. 1), the Virginia Department of Transportation, the City of Alexandria, and Monumental Sports & Entertainment gave the public its first look at a plan that provides answers.

The presentation addresses public transportation access via Metro, and traffic on Route 1 and Glebe Road. The arena, which will hold up to 20,000 people, is expected to host 300 events a year At least 40 of these will coincide with rush hour on weekdays. According to the presentation, half of attendees are expected to travel by car (driving or rideshare) while the other half will get to the arena by public transit, biking, or  walking.

The presentation indicates that peak times will see 2,800 cars out of 4,000 total, a considerable number. But it says that more people – 10,000 – will use Metro, bike, or walk.

For car traffic, the plan is to:

1) Maximize Route One throughput and efficiency,

2) Minimize traffic through local streets,

3) Create dedicated rideshare zones on- and off-site, and

4) Ensure plenty of on-site parking while protecting nearby neighborhoods.

The plan includes improvements to Route One. (Image via VDOT)

The 2,800 peak car trips will account for about six percent of traffic volume. Therefore, improvements to Route One will be made. These include:

1) Expanded turning lanes to reduce back up,

2) Dedicated through lanes for commuters,

3) Dedicated turn lanes for game day traffic to separate it from commuter and local traffic,

4) Coordinated signals to move game day traffic off Route One and into the site, and

5) Dedicated on-site parking with queuing off Route One.

According to the presentation, there will be satellite parking sites at the Huntington and Eisenhower Metro garages for people coming from the South, East and West; and at the Pentagon City and Crystal City garages for people coming from the North. All  will be able to take Metro for “the last mile.” to the arena.

So, what about Metro? As reported by NBC4 Washington in December, Metro’s GM Randy Clarke said the Potomac Yard Station, which opened in May of last year, “would likely need  major modification to handle big crowds.” The station at present only has one staircase and escalator for each platform. Its designers were not considering that it might be used for an arena.

As a result of this station upgrades are part of the plan. These include a widened bridge, more fare gates, and more escalators while allowing bus connectivity.

Additional transportation options highlighted are eventual Water Taxi access and a new VRE station. Both would reduce crowds at the Metro station.

A breakdown of the investment (Image via VDOT)

The plan considers funding for all necessary improvements. The presentation estimates the investment will be between $245 and $325 million.  It notes that this plan is an “initial concept” that will “evolve” with community involvement.

[SEE ALSO: How Alexandria Is Celebrating Black History Month]

Kevin Dauray

Kevin is Publisher's Assistant with The Zebra Press. He has been working for Alexandria's "Good News" newspaper since 2019. A graduate of George Mason University, he earned a bachelor's in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. He also studied at the Columbia School of Broadcasting and holds a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marymount University. He is an alumnus of T.C. Williams High School. Go Titans!

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