Study Finds Arena Plan Would Need $135 to $215 Million in Transportation Investments

A study commissioned by Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration, the city of Alexandria and Monumental Sports and Entertainment found $135 to $215 million in transportation investments would be needed to bring the Washington Wizards and Capitals to Northern Virginia.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin at the entertainment district proposal announcement on Dec. 13 in the City of Alexandria. (Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury)

The study by engineering firm Kimley-Horn also found the increase in traffic and rail passengers that would be spurred by the construction of an arena would require an additional $2.5 to $7.5 million annually for operational improvements such as increased Metro service and other multimodal solutions.

To meet those costs, the Virginia Department of Transportation is proposing to allocate up to $200 million of additional funding.

“We are very encouraged by the results of this study by a nationally renowned expert in transportation,” said Virginia Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard “Shep” Miller III in a statement. “Because Alexandria had the foresight to plan for this kind of dense development, we will focus on peak traffic around games and events, and we believe this study gives us a clear path forward.”

But some state legislators such as Del. Karrie Delaney, D-Fairfax, the chair of the House Transportation Committee, have questioned whether Virginia should be responsible for the millions in proposed transportation investments that would be needed for the private company to develop the arena.

“The state does have a function of funding our infrastructure projects, but if we are enhancing infrastructure for a private company’s development, then I don’t believe that needs to be 100% the role of the commonwealth,” said Delaney. “Unless we’re really able to see a very soundly projected return on that investment, then that cost would, at a minimum, need to be shared.”

The December proposal by Youngkin and Monumental Sports and Entertainment, which owns the basketball and hockey franchises, has sparked sharp controversy in Northern Virginia and Richmond, where the General Assembly has to sign off on plans related to the financing of the potential arena deal. Plans call for the creation of a $2 billion entertainment district in Alexandria that would include not only a sports arena, but also a practice facility for the Wizards, a performing arts venue, an expanded esports facility, and new retail, residential, restaurants, hotels, conference facilities and community gathering spaces.

Among the loudest concerns about the proposal are how the already heavily trafficked Potomac Yard neighborhood where the district would be sited could handle the heavier transportation loads it would bring.

Transportation study findings

Kimley-Horn found existing service at the Potomac Yard Metrorail station could not handle the passengers the arena is expected to bring, which would lead to “extreme crowding” lasting between an hour and an hour and a half after sporting events. To accommodate the higher loads, the study said the state could expand access to and increase service at the Metro station and improve the use of the Metroway bus service and existing dedicated transit lanes for buses.

Currently, the area has access to bus and rail, but has limited bus bays and constrained capacity at the rail station. The area also lacks access to the George Washington Parkway and Mount Vernon Trail.

The study suggests near-term solutions such as expanding access and increasing service to Potomac Yard Metro station, using parking at nearby Metro stations, and building new bicycle and pedestrian connections.

In the future, the study suggests that the Virginia Railway Express be converted to bidirectional service and that a bicycle and pedestrian connection to George Washington Parkway and Mount Vernon Trail be constructed as ways to further alleviate congestion.

VDOT proposal

Based on the Kimley-Horn study, the Virginia Department of Transportation is proposing a range of investments and goals.

Goals include maximizing the capacity and efficiency of Route 1, which carries more than 50,000 cars per day on average, and minimizing traffic through local streets.

To do that, VDOT is proposing to create dedicated rideshare zones, expand the bus rapid transit network and invest in “complete streets,” or street development plans that consider the needs of not only drivers, but also pedestrians and cyclists.

The agency is also proposing to connect bike routes to the site, and constructing a new 2,500-space garage and tap into nearby office garages that are not used at night to prevent overflow into residential areas.

Continued criticisms

However, Andrew Macdonald, a local resident and former Alexandria vice mayor who helped organize the Coalition to Stop the Potomac Yard Arena, said the plan fails to protect the surrounding neighborhoods.

Macdonald said Alexandria lacks the multiple Metro stations, road access points and parking garages that serve the teams’ current location in Washington, D.C.

“A sports arena was never part of the Potomac Yard plan, which envisions a residential community, with parks and maybe a school, mixed with other commercial development,” Macdonald said in an email to the Mercury.

He added that “Alexandria and the commonwealth are not listening to the concerns of residents but are focused on convincing the General Assembly to pass legislation for a Sports Authority before the public has had a chance to weigh on the plan and examine all the impacts in a comprehensive and transparent manner.”

General Assembly response

Many lawmakers said Friday morning they were still reviewing the study. The General Assembly is currently considering budget amendments and legislation linked to the arena plan, including a bill that would create a new authority to issue $2 billion in bonds to develop the entertainment district.

A critical component of the legislature’s consideration is how much money Virginia should give to Metro.

Metro, which is jointly funded by Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., is facing serious financial shortfalls. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the body that oversees Metro, says that if it doesn’t receive notification that neighboring jurisdictions will provide more money by mid-March, it will have to consider job and service cuts.

Virginia law limits increases in the state’s Metro contribution to 3% annually. If the state’s payments exceed that cap, the state code directs the Commonwealth Transportation Board to withhold 35% of funding for capital and operating assistance.

Youngkin’s budget proposal does not include additional funding over what the state provides Metro, but it would allow Virginia to go above its cap if Metro provides a corrective action plan by Nov. 30. That plan must include, at a minimum, measures to reduce the system’s total and overhead costs, a report on how many employees are needed for transportation services and their miles traveled, and a timeline for when different parts of the system will become automated.

Northern Virginia jurisdictions, including the counties of Fairfax and Arlington, also contribute funds to Metro’s operations.

Lawmakers have made two budget requests in the House and Senate that would give WMATA an additional $130 million over a two-year period.

Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax, who introduced the House amendment, is also proposing a temporary suspension of the 3% cap.

by Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury

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