Alexandria is planning to use water taxis to shuttle visitors into Old Town from various locations around the region as a way to attract tourists and use the waterfront effectively, city officials said.
The taxis, which do not carry cars, would connect Alexandria to National Harbor, a retailing, dining and entertainment community under construction in Prince George’s County. There is also talk of establishing shuttle service to the Anacostia waterfront area in the District — home of the new baseball stadium — and an area close to National Airport to lure business travelers and people in town for conventions.
“I think water taxis would be great,” said Alexandria City Council Member Rob Krupicka. “It’s a great way to tie our jurisdictions together.”
Alexandria Deputy City Manager Mark Jinks said a private company — likely the Potomac Riverboat Co., which operates water taxis out of Old Town to Georgetown and Mount Vernon — would finance the project. He said the city has been talking with The Peterson Cos., which is building National Harbor, about starting taxi service when the development opens in March 2008.
Three council members strongly endorsed water taxis.
“You have a newstadium, and you have the National Harbor, and there’s a desire to try to tie into these other developments and bring tourists to Alexandria,” said Council Member Andrew Macdonald.
Council Member Ludwig Gaines said the taxis are a way to get people into the city without exacerbating traffic problems and they give tourists access to Alexandria’s historic charms.
“We have something that National Harbor doesn’t have: We have a unique history, a Colonial history. Getting those folks to the city is a way of getting tourists dollars in the city,” he said.
Krupicka said a water taxi system could eventually be a way for Alexandria workers to commute into the District. He said planning for the system would begin this fall and conclude sometime in 2007.
“There are a number of strong elements to why this idea is good. It helps ties together tourism, alternative transport and alleviate parking challenges by providing an alternative to driving,” he said.
Reactions to water taxi plan
» “Linking to the Old Town Alexandria area and the National Harbor hasn’t been formally discussed, but I think that would be a great idea.” — Adrian Washington, president and CEO of the Anacostia Waterfront Corp.
» Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Public Affairs Manager Tara Hamilton said it would be difficult to build a water taxi dock around National Airport because the land close to the airport is controlled by the National Park Service.
