Delivery Truck Frustrations Prompt New Loading Zone In Del Ray

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A new loading zone along Mount Vernon Avenue was approved to ease frustrations of unloading vehicles on a side street in Del Ray.

The Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board approved the loading zone for 7-Eleven in the 2100 block of Mount Vernon Avenue, a current street parking area for two vehicles. Delivery trucks do not currently have a loading zone for the business.

The change came after a resident of the adjacent 100 block of East Custis Avenue raised the issue of delivery trucks in no parking zones. The 7-Eleven manager Preeti Patel requested the loading zone with the Traffic and Parking Board to provide a dedicated parking space for loading trucks that 7-11 and other businesses can use.

"We have been in discussions with the 7-Eleven at 2108 Mount Vernon Avenue and the residents of the 100 block of East Custis Avenue for a while now because the delivery drivers for the 7-11 and other businesses as well have been using no-parking zones on the 100 block of East Custis west of Mount Vernon Avenue to unload their deliveries," said Max Devilliers, an urban planner for the City of Alexandria, at Monday's board meeting. "As you all know, the east-west streets in Del Ray are narrow as it is, so with the large 18-wheelers, etc, it gets to be a little too narrow, and there's also been some property damage in adjacent residents' yard."

Devilliers also noted concerns with large delivery trucks blocking the sidewalk in the no-parking zone.

The approved loading zone is on the street in front of the 7-Eleven parking lot. Board members had discussion about whether an 18-wheeler truck would block the entrance to the 7-Eleven parking lot on Mount Vernon Avenue. The parking lot has entrances from East Custis Avenue and Mount Vernon Avenue.

With the approval, signage reading "active loading and curbside pickup only" will be installed.