RCA Newsletter: June 2026

Jol Silversmith
5 days ago
3 min read

The Rosemont Citizens Association is 100% volunteer-driven, but it is readers, members, and donors like you who power it—thank you! Would you consider a gift to the RCA to keep it moving forward?

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A New Option to Connect

The RCA has established an email list to provide an additional means to provide information and updates about neighborhood and city developments, which also can be used for community discussion. To sign up, please visit https://groups.io/g/RCA .

Last Call: We Need YOU for July 4th!

Thanks to all who attended our May 14 meeting. The program included a presentation by VRE, which is one of the stakeholders in the reconstruction of the rail bridges at King Street and Commonwealth Avenue, and by our neighbor Matt Pfeiiffer about Alexandria zoning rules. For more information about the rail project, please visit https://www.vre.org/alexandria-station-project/; the presentation also is available at https://a17392b4-c0c7-4f5f-a031-bf0e341725d9.usrfiles.com/ugd/a17392_92868e46b4ce479bb4693823f0376690.pdf. For a copy of the zoning presentation, please visit https://a17392b4-c0c7-4f5f-a031-bf0e341725d9.usrfiles.com/ugd/a17392_35d1ca60d6d24b119b30035ffebf950e.pptx

Fourth of July

Planning is under way for the resumption of the RCA’s annual independence day event at Brooks Elementary School - 10am to 2pm on July 4. A more detailed agenda will be posted closer to the event date, but we will need volunteers to make it happen - please sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0545ABA623A6F94-64043115-4thofjuly#/

July Happy Hour

Please join us for our next in-person happy hour at the Rosemont Cellar, 2 East Walnut Street, on Wednesday, July 8, 5pm to 7pm. The first 20 attendees get a free drink!

Early Voting

There will be primaries on August 4 for the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives and for the republican candidate for U.S. Senate. For more information, please visit https://www.alexandriava.gov/news-elections/2026-06-15/early-voting-begins-june-18-for-the-august-4-2026-dual-party-primary

Neighborhood Businesses

The RCA website includes a list of physical businesses in the neighborhood (https://tinyurl.com/437mu8mx) but we would like to expand it to include home-based businesses, as well as businesses owned by Rosemonters even if located outside of the neighborhood. If you would like to be added, please email us at jol@thirdamendment.com

PELT Committee

Earlier this month, the PELT Committee met with Silas Sullivan and

Alex Carroll of T&ES to learn about the changes to Russell Road

around Brooks Elementary School.

Why changes are necessary

To improve safety for residents and children near Naomi Brooks

Elementary School. There have been 7 traffic crashes and 2 people

injured since 2017 in this corridor. The project is part of the city-wide

“Safe Routes to School” program to reduce traffic speed, improve

pedestrian crossings, and increase sight distances around city schools.

Two options are being considered

The project focuses on a stretch of Russell Road between West

Maple and West Myrtle streets.

One option would replace four parking spaces with painted curb

extensions with flex-posts at corner intersections at Maple, Oak, and

Myrtle streets, for enhanced visibility.

The second option would replace twenty parking spaces with curb

extensions at every intersection from Maple to Myrtle. It would also

add raised median islands at the busiest crosswalks.

Where you can learn more and give your feedback

There are interactive maps of the two options as well as detailed

questions and answers at the project’s website:

alexandriava.gov/go/8332 . You can provide comments and

suggestions by emailing project coordinator Silas Sullivan at

silas.sullivan@alexandriava.gov.

Next steps

Because the parking changes require approval from the city's Traffic

and Parking Board, the project is expected to go before the board at its

July public hearing. Construction is anticipated in 2026-2027 as part of

the repaving process.

Resources from Alexandria Sheriff’s Office

The Alexandria Sheriff’s office offers a house-watching service (https://www.alexandriava.gov/sheriff/away-from-home-check). Additionally, the Sheriff continue to offer “Project Lifesaver” to help track adults and children with special needs (https://www.alexandriava.gov/sheriff/project-lifesaver).