Virginia Dels. Adam Ebbin and Charniele Herring, both Alexandria Democrats, introduced budget amendments at the General Assembly that would help pay the cost of relieving traffic congestion expected this fall when the Mark Center, a new Pentagon office building, opens in the city.

More than 6,000 Defense Department employees will relocate to the Mark Center, off of I-395, in September as part of the a military base-closing and realignment effort. Ebbin's amendment would provide $3 million to fund public transit to the Mark Center. Herring is requesting $17 million to fund road improvements to and from the center, including widening Seminary Road.
Del. David Englin, D-Alexandria, is co-patroning the amendments.

"It was clearly a mistake to choose the Mark Center for relocation — an area already swamped with congestion and with few viable public transportation options," said Ebbin. "But the move is happening, and with just eight months left until thousands of new workers move in, and road improvements several years away, we need to explore every possible option to mitigate the coming traffic nightmare."