Trolley Meeting Scheduled for Saturday
City will discuss proposed route and hours of operation for Mt. Vernon Avenue trolley.
Alexandria is holding a second public information meeting concerning expansion of motorized trolley service down Mt. Vernon Avenue at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning at Cora Kelly Recreation Center.
At the meeting, city officials will present an overview of the project and discuss preferred routing, hours of operation and headways.
In March, Alexandria’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services revealed the proposed trolley route (see attached map) at a public meeting. At the time, members of the Arlandria-Chirilagua Business Association raised concerns that the proposed route didn’t go farther north into Arlandria.
A few weeks later, members of Alexandria City Council also expressed concerns about the route not going a few more blocks north. Councilmembers Rob Krupicka and Del Pepper also questioned the name of the line. The working title is “The Del Ray Trolley,” but the councilmembers said they’d like to see something more inclusive like “The Mt. Vernon Avenue Trolley.”
Arlandrian-Chirilagua Business Association representatives plan to be in attendance at Saturday’s meeting.
“As business owners, it will certainly be in our best interest to advocate for expanding the trolley route into Arlandria,” ACBA President Juan Nelson Zavaleta wrote in an email to members.
The issue has also popped up at recent City Council candidate forums. Democratic candidates Allison Silberberg and Boyd Walker have both said they believe the trolley should go farther into Arlandria.
“Not going three more blocks into the heart of Arlandria just wreaks of unfairness,” Silberberg said.
Boyd Walker
11:20 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
I will be there on Saturday to support the Arlandria businesses that were left out the first itme. Jim Mathews of the Birchmere, with their brand new stage woould like the Trolley. RT's would like the Trolley. You could shop at Mom's organic with the Trolley, and you could get to the new 470 unit building with the Trolley. It would be a win-win for Arlandria and Del Ray.