Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

Route 7, Frontier Drive projects get partial funding from regional group

Published July 15, 2024 at 1:30PM

Eastbound Route 7 at Idylwood Road, heading toward I-66 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County will receive millions of dollars in state funding for major transportation improvements, but it didn’t get everything it asked for from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA).

Members of the regional organization, including Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay, adopted a new six-year program for fiscal years 2024-2029 on Thursday (July 11) that allocated $696.6 million to 23 projects designed to reduce congestion and add travel options, including five projects in Fairfax County and two in Fairfax City.

News

Construction begins at MetroWest on more condominiums

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 15, 2024 at 11:30AM | Updated July 16, 2024 at 1:14PM

Construction has begun on new condominium buildings for Oakton's MetroWest neighborhood (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A new condominium complex is under construction at MetroWest.

Crews have spent the past couple of weeks digging up a vacant lot in the middle of the Oakton development. Fencing and road blocks have been erected around the nearly 7.5-acre site, closing Royal Victoria Drive to traffic from Vaden Drive as well as footpaths used by residents to get to the Vienna Metro station to the north.

Countywide

‘Excessive’ heat expected in Fairfax County this week

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 15, 2024 at 10:30AM | Updated July 15, 2024 at 1:22PM

The sun glares over Waters Field in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

It’s going to be another hot and humid start to the week in the D.C. area.

An Excessive Heat Warning will take effect across the region, including for Fairfax County, at 11 a.m. and continue until 8 p.m. today (Monday). Shortly before 1 p.m., the National Weather Service also upgraded an Excessive Heat Watch for the same time frame tomorrow (Tuesday) to another Excessive Heat Warning.

News

After barricade, Centreville man charged with soliciting sex from child

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 15, 2024 at 9:30AM

Fairfax County police (file photo)

Fairfax County police arrested a Centreville man over the weekend who is suspected of soliciting sex from an 11-year-old child.

The arrest became complicated when the man allegedly refused to leave his home, and officers learned that he may be armed, the Fairfax County Police Department said in a news release on Saturday (July 13).

Countywide

Fairfax County offers financial aid to protect homes from flooding

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 12, 2024 at 2:30PM

A flooded neighborhood road (courtesy DPWES)

Amid an extended stretch of dangerous heat, humidity and potential drought, flooding hasn’t been the D.C. area’s top meterological concern this summer, but the possibility might’ve crossed some minds during a passing downpour on Wednesday (July 10) — remnants of Hurricane Beryl, which has devastated other parts of the U.S. and the Caribbean.

With climate change exacerbating storms and other extreme weather, Fairfax County has created a new grant program that will reimburse residents who shore up their home against flooding.

News

Fairfax City to replace more Old Town gas lamps with LED lights

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 12, 2024 at 11:30AM

A streetlight on North Street in front of Draper's Steak and Seafood in Fairfax City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

More of the gas-powered lamps around Old Town Fairfax will dim in the coming weeks, as the city advances to a new phase of its push to convert all streetlights to LED bulbs.

To kick off the project’s next stage, workers will remove 33 decommissioned gas lights this month, starting Sunday (July 14) on Chain Bridge Road between Main Street and North Street. Additional work is planned for July 21 on Main Street from Chain Bridge Road (Route 123) to Blenheim Blvd and on a portion of University Drive south of Main Street.

News

McLean police station designates traffic enforcement officer

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 12, 2024 at 10:30AM

Fairfax County Police Officer First Class Brian Hungarter is the new lead traffic enforcement officer for the McLean District Police Station (via Dranesville Dispatch)

The Fairfax County Police Department has assigned an officer to guide the enforcement of traffic laws and safety in its McLean District.

Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman shared in his Dranesville Dispatch newsletter yesterday that Police Officer First Class Brian Hungarter has been named the lead traffic enforcement officer for the station, which covers a 44-square-mile area from McLean, Great Falls and Tysons down to Merrifield and Pimmit Hills.

News

Reston Town Center bridge work to temporarily close W&OD Trail

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 12, 2024 at 9:30AM | Updated July 12, 2024 at 5:46PM

W&OD Trail users will be detoured while a pedestrian bridge is installed near Reston Town Center (courtesy Boston Properties)

The Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail will be momentarily off limits near Reston Town Center, as construction continues on a new pedestrian bridge.

The trail will be closed from Friday, July 26 through Sunday, July 28 while workers install the bridge, which will cross over the trail to connect the existing town center with the Reston Next development emerging around the Metro station.

News

Traffic clogs I-95 near Springfield after dump truck crashes into sign

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 11, 2024 at 3:45PM

Three northbound lanes on I-95 are closed to traffic after an overhead sign was damaged by a dump truck (via 511Virginia)

Virginia State Police are searching for a dump truck that reportedly crashed into an overhead sign on I-95 in Springfield and bolted.

Troopers were dispatched to northbound I-95 at 12:18 p.m. today (Thursday) after getting a report of debris near the 168-mile marker, which is just south of the Franconia-Springfield Parkway interchange, according to the VSP.

Around Town

FOX5 will showcase Fairfax City in live ‘Zip Trip’ TV broadcast

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 11, 2024 at 3:15PM

The Good Day DC team (courtesy FOX 5)

A news team from FOX5 D.C. will zip into Fairfax City tomorrow (Friday) morning for a live episode showcasing local businesses and student athletes.

FOX5 Good Day D.C. has chosen the city as the next subject of its “Zip Trip” series, which highlights different communities around the D.C. region. The morning show’s hosts, Marissa Mitchell, Tucker Barnes and Annie Mae, will visit the Old Town Square area from 7-11 a.m.