Rob Krupicka, Alexandria Virginia City Council Member's Blog

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Washington Area Housing Partnership

The Partnership's Quarterly Housing News compiles articles and regional housing market trends for the Metropolitan Washington Area. This quarter's feature article, by Rob Krupicka, Councilmember with the City of Alexandria, includes an examination of the affordability crisis from the perspective of the local government. Mr. Krupicka outlines current housing trends and the options available to local governments as they work to produce and preserve affordable housing in their community. Also, as the housing market slows, learn more about how these trends are impacting jurisdictions and the metropolitan Washington region as a whole.

To download pdf version of the report click here.

Or here for a direct link to the report

4:17:31 PM

New Rapid Bus System

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- City leaders in Alexandria are planning some major adjustments to a highly traveled road.

Many commuters and residents said Jefferson Davis Highway in Alexandria is their number one traffic headache.

Now that Potomac Yard has become a big shopping attraction, many drivers said that they are usually stuck in traffic even longer.

To ease some of the congestion, Alexandria city leaders have approved the creation of what are called rapid transit lanes for public buses. These lanes connect the Braddock Road Metro station with Crystal City. One lane in each direction on most of Route 1 will eventually be for buses only. Officials hope the change will get people to take public transportation.

"We're looking at a time savings versus automobile for the full length of the corridor -- five to seven minutes -- and we're looking at a high frequency service," said Thomas Culpepper, a director at the Department of Transportation and Transit in the city of Alexandria.

City planners in Alexandria said there are plans for more than 1,600 homes in Potomac Yard.

"We're trying to make mass transit as convenient as possible and the question for our commuter is going to be, 'Do I want to sit in traffic or get on a bus that doesn't sit in traffic?,"' said Councilman Rob Krupicka of Alexandria's City Council.

4:11:28 PM