Old Courthouse Road to get sidewalk upgrades, closing segment in Vienna

Construction begins today (Monday) on a long-gestating project to upgrade the pedestrian facilities along Courthouse Road NE in Vienna.

The asphalt path that currently runs along the east side of the road will be closed for several months between Pine Valley Drive and Battery Park Street, as crews replace it with a concrete, ADA-compliant sidewalk, the Town of Vienna announced yesterday (Sunday).

“The new sidewalk will be able to safely accommodate pedestrians and people with disabilities who use a wheelchair or other assistive devices, and the overall project will enhance the neighborhood appearance,” Andrew Jinks, the town’s transportation engineer, said in a news release.

Jinks deems the existing trail “unsafe” for pedestrians. In addition to being narrow with an uneven, cracked surface, it runs next to an open drainage ditch that the project will enclose with a curb and gutters.

Say goodbye to this unsafe pedestrian path along Old Courthouse Rd. between Battle St. and Pine Valley Dr! Beginning Monday, it will be closed for several months while it is replaced with an ADA-compliant concrete sidewalk and other improvements. Details: https://t.co/PXzfP584L6. pic.twitter.com/r5t8wKShRJ

— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) May 20, 2022

In the works since 2013, the full project extends to Gosnell Road beyond the town’s boundary. The remaining segment will be addressed by Fairfax County as part of an agreement with Vienna.

The $1.2 million project is being built by Sagres Construction, which was awarded a contract in March 2021.

It’s being funded by a combination of local and state funds, including a Safe Routes to Schools grant that the town got from the Virginia Department of Transportation in 2013 due to the site’s proximity to Westbriar Elementary School.

Vienna anticipates that construction on the new sidewalk will be complete in January 2023.