By Brian Trompeter
A revamping of traffic signals on two of Vienna’s busiest roadways – Maple Avenue (Route 123) and Nutley Street – has been in the planning stage for five and a half years and town officials expect work finally will begin before year’s end.
The Vienna Town Council on Aug. 28 approved a $383,290 contract with Whitman, Requardt & Associates LLP to perform construction services for the project. The company will provide construction management, quality control, and inspections and documentation required by the state and federal governments.
The Council on July 10 awarded a nearly $3.13 million contract Richardson-Wayland Electric Co. LLC to construct the project. The initiative will interconnect and upgrade all traffic-signal controllers and cabinets along the two major roadways within the town’s limits and permit the town to manage the signals from a single point using a server and software from McCain Transparity TMS.
“We hope to see physical construction taking place later this year,” said Andrew Jinks, the town’s transportation engineer.
Vienna Continues High Tax-Collection Rate, Will Publish List of Delinquent Accounts: The Vienna town government has collected all but $10,260 of $12.5 million in billed real-estate taxes, said Finance Director Marion Serfass.
As of June 30, the end of fiscal year 2023, the owners of 10 properties owed a total of $35,453, which was a decrease of $18,425 from the previous year. Some of those taxes since have been paid, officials said.
The Vienna Town Council on Aug. 28 agreed, as it does each year, to publish a list of delinquent real-estate-tax accounts on the town’s Website and in a local newspaper. The Council also voted to write off bills amounting to less than $5 each, which this year amounted to $43.91.
The town government in fiscal 2023 collected 99.9 percent of owed real-estate taxes. Vienna routinely collects more than 99 percent of delinquent taxes annually, officials said.
Vienna Town Government Receives Financial-Reporting Honor for 36th Straight Year: Vienna Finance Director Marion Serfass on Aug. 28 accepted on the town government’s behalf a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and audit. This marks the 36th consecutive year that GFOA has so honored the town
An impartial GFOA panel judged that the report met the high standards of the program, which include demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to communicate clearly the town’s financial story and motivate potential users and groups to read the report.
GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement is highest form of recognition for governmental accounting and financial reporting, town officials said.
Vienna Town Council OKs Software-Maintenance Contract for Police Department: Vienna Town Council members on Aug. 28 unanimously approved an up-to-$95,578 sole-source contract with Tyler Technologies to maintain software used by the Vienna Police Department.
The vendor will maintain services for the police department’s computer-aided-dispatch, law-enforcement-records-management and mobile-data systems.
Vienna Council Approves 2 Sidewalk-Related Contracts: Urban Ltd. won two sidewalk-related contract awards from the Vienna Town Council on Aug. 28.
The Council unanimously agreed to apply to the Maud Ferris Robinson Charitable Trust for $161,700 to pay for Urban Ltd. to produce engineering-design reports for the five following sidewalk projects:
• Johnson Street, S.W., from Glen Avenue to end of street ($30,300).
• Saint Andrews Drive, N.E., from Maple Avenue to Westbriar Drive ($33,050).
• Saint Bernard Drive, N.E., from Maple Avenue to Westbriar Drive ($29,100).
• Ridge Road, S.W., from Hillcrest Drive to Frederick Street ($24,200).
• Frederick Street, S.W., from Tapawingo Road to Kingsley Road ($45,050).
The Council on Aug. 28 also agreed to apply to the trust for $78,450 to have Urban Ltd. prepare the final engineering design for a sidewalk project on the east side (odd-numbered addresses) of Frederick Street, S.W., between Meadow Lane and Tapawingo Road.
The trust, endowed by a $7 million bequest from late Vienna Town Council member Maud Robinson, already has financed a bevy of sidewalk projects in town. Robinson died in March 1997 at age 96.
Vienna Again to Hold ‘Eye-to-Eye’ Campaign to Protect Pedestrians: Drivers are more likely to notice – and yield to – pedestrians and bicyclists if those on foot make eye contact with them. That’s the concept, backed up by data, behind the town of Vienna’s plan to again initiate its “Eye-to-Eye” pedestrian-safety program.
The initiative is being pushed by the Vienna Pedestrian Advisory Committee and Vienna Police Department, committee member Brian Land told the Vienna Town Council at its Aug. 28 meeting.
“When pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers see eye-to-eye, crashes and injuries are reduced and lives are saved,” Land said. “No matter who has the right-of-way, all parties at intersections and crosswalks should travel defensively and make eye contact with other travelers before proceeding.”
According to a recent study, without eye contact from pedestrians, about 55 percent of drivers did not stop at pedestrian crossings, Land said. But when pedestrians stared directly at drivers’ eyes, about 68 percent of drivers stopped.”
The Pedestrian Advisory Committee and police department procured 1-by-1-foot signs stating “Look. Make Eye Contact Before Crossing” and featuring a depiction of a pedestrian looking at a driver. These will be installed at several Vienna crosswalks, including ones featuring push-button-activated flashing beacons.
“Pedestrians are reminded to cross streets at intersections and marked mid-block crosswalks,” Land said. “Between dusk and dawn, wear bright clothing, make eye contact with drivers before stepping onto the street and continue to look for oncoming traffic until the other side of the road is reached.”
Land urged drivers to obey speed limits, check crosswalks and mid-block crossings for any pedestrians, make eye contact with those waiting to cross the roadway and yield to allow pedestrians to do so.
Vienna Selects 3 Firms for On-Call Engineering Services: Three engineering firms on Aug. 28 received the Vienna Town Council’s nod to perform on-call work.
The Council approved contracts with the following companies: Rinker Design Associates PC; Rummel, Klepper and Kahl LLP; and Whitman, Requardt & Associates LLP. Town staff evaluated nine proposals and negotiated contracts with the selected firms.
