[Archived] City of Alexandria Reduces Speed Limit on Seminary Road to Support Vision Zero Safety Goals

­­For Immediate Release: December 15, 2021

As part of the Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries, the City of Alexandria has reduced the speed limit on Seminary Road (between I-395 and the City limits) from 35 mph to 25 mph. This decision follows the Traffic and Parking Board’s unanimous recommendation to lower the posted speed. New speed limit signs were installed this week. 

Speed is a critical factor in the severity and frequency of crashes. This section of Seminary Road has the highest number of injury crashes per mile per year, compared to similar streets in Alexandria. Between January 2016 and June 2021, there were 239 reportable crashes on this section of Seminary Road. Of those crashes, two were fatal, eight involved severe injury and 59 involved non-life-threatening injuries. A third person was killed on Seminary Road at Fairbanks Avenue in September 2021. 

The likelihood of a person being killed or seriously injured when struck at 35 miles per hour is significantly higher than if that person is struck at 25 miles per hour. After the speed limit was reduced on Quaker Lane and on Seminary Road east of I-395, both speeds and average annual number of crashes declined. 

The Vision Zero Action Plan, which was approved by the City Council, identified speed limit reductions on high-crash corridors as a priority strategy to improve safety. Slower speed limits can save lives and support the City’s adopted Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2028. 

Visit alexandriava.gov/VisionZero for more information.

For inquiries from the news media only, contact Justin Thompson, Office of Communications & Public Information, at justin.thompson@alexandriava.gov or 703.618.1186.