Alexandria mayor proposes making part of King Street pedestrian only

Old Town Alexandria could soon go car-free. The mayor has proposed making part of King Street pedestrian only.

Alexandria's historic waterfront is always packed with tourists and locals alike. Now, Mayor Justin Wilson and Councilman John Chapman are aiming to entice even more of them by proposing a "pedestrian plaza" that ties into the newly-expanded waterfront park.

The proposal would shut down the first one or two blocks of King Street on weekends, which would expand opportunities for outdoor dining and live entertainment.

Alexandria tried a similar plan back in 2006, and while the response was mostly positive, some business owners suffered lower sales.

Wilson argues that today's environment is different and says they'll draw on specific feedback from the first trial, hoping for more success the second time around.

The closure won't happen right away.

City officials told FOX 5 they consider the Blue Line Metro closure a transportation emergency, so they won't implement anything until fall at the earliest when the nearby metro stations are back open.

If it gets the go-ahead, it could become permanent next spring.