A city task force has suggested using trolleys to shuttle visitors between Alexandria’s waterfront and the King Street Metro station, replacing the free bus that runs that route on weekends.
The new service is part of Alexandria’s preparations for the opening next April of National Harbor. The project, directly across the Potomac River from the city in Prince George’s County, includes 4,000 hotel rooms and a convention center.
The city budgeted some $700,000 to get ready for the opening of the convention center. City officials and business owners say they hope it will bring many new visitors. A water taxi service will run every 30 minutes between National Harbor and the city marina.
One of the city’s largest preparation expenses is setting up a shuttle service that connects the dock to the King Street Metro, a little more than a mile away. A trolley has been suggested instead of a bus because it is smaller and more maneuverable, said Rich Baier, Alexandria’s director of transportation and environmental services department.
At 31 feet long and 10 feet high, it is shorter than the buses or tour coaches that have trouble turning on Old Town’s narrow streets. Trolleys would run along King Street every 10-12 minutes, Baier said. They replace the city’s current free weekend shuttle, the DASH About, which runs a similar route, Baier said.
