Angela Woolsey | FFXnow

After deadly crash, county to study lighting, cost of removing hills on Lee Chapel Road

Published January 25, 2023 at 3:30PM

Fairfax County is planning on removing hills on Lee Chapel Road after multiple fatal crashes (via Pat Herrity/Twitter)

With its lone survivor still hospitalized, this month’s crash that killed two teens on Lee Chapel Road has spurred Fairfax County to step up its efforts to address long-standing concerns about the safety of the key Fairfax Station th0roughfare.

During its meeting yesterday (Tuesday), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed transportation staff to develop a cost estimate for a project that would widen the two-lane road to four lanes and eliminate hills that limit driver visibility along a roughly 1-mile segment between Ox Road (Route 123) and Fairfax County Parkway.

News

Metro maintenance plans will shut down some Tysons area service this summer

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 25, 2023 at 1:30PM | Updated January 31, 2023 at 4:02PM

A train at the Vienna Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 3:50 p.m. on 1/31/2023) Just three years after going a full season without Metro, Fairfax County’s Orange Line stations will again be subjected to an extended summer shutdown, as the transit agency works to upgrade some of its equipment.

As part of a larger maintenance work plan, the Vienna and Dunn Loring stations will be closed from June 3 to July 27 so Metro can replace a steel rail that has degraded, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Agency announced yesterday (Tuesday).

News

Dunn Loring resident displaced by house fire

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 25, 2023 at 9:30AM

A house on First Avenue in Dunn Loring after a fire (via FCFRD/Twitter)

One person lost their home this morning (Wednesday) in a fire in Dunn Loring.

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department says it had units dispatched to the house fire in the 8200 block of First Avenue at 5:02 a.m. When they arrived at the small, wooden house, “heavy fire” was visible.

Countywide

Fairfax County enlists faith groups to spread word of need to act on climate change

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 24, 2023 at 3:45PM

Fairfax County is planning pilot project to get different parts of the community more involved in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (via Fairfax County)

The clock is ticking on Fairfax County’s goal of achieving net-zero new carbon emissions by 2050.

With local government and school operations accounting for just 5% of all emissions, the county is developing a plan to help residents and organizations take action to reduce their carbon footprint and combat climate change.

Around Town

Pottery Barn now under construction at the Mosaic District

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 24, 2023 at 1:30PM | Updated January 24, 2023 at 1:49PM

A Pottery Barn store is under construction at the Mosaic District (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Construction is underway on a new Pottery Barn on a prominent street corner in the Mosaic District.

No signs indicating the store’s identity have been posted yet, but the home furniture company has filed for a commercial alterations permit to renovate the space at 2905 District Avenue, Suite 100.

Countywide

Fairfax County’s lone remaining taxi operator requests easing of rules that ‘age out’ vehicles

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 24, 2023 at 11:45AM

A taxicab in a parking lot (staff photo by David Taube)

With the rise of ride-hailing services, Fairfax County has seen its taxicab fleet whittled down to just one operator.

That operator, Old Dominion Transportation Group (ODTG), hopes to extend the life of its 130-vehicle fleet by asking the county to revise an existing requirement that phases out taxis once they reach 10 years of age or more than 500,000 miles traveled.

News

Fairfax Connector will make service changes next month, including new route to Tysons Metro

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 24, 2023 at 10:15AM

A Fairfax Connector bus stopped at the Tysons Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A bus route carrying passengers between western Fairfax County and Tysons on the new I-66 Express Lanes will take effect early next month.

Fairfax Connector will start operating its new Route 660 on Monday, Feb. 6, providing weekday, rush-hour service from the Stone Road Park & Ride in Centreville to the Tysons Metro station, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation announced Friday (Jan. 20).

News

NEW: BB gun shooting of red-tailed hawk at Lake Accotink Park under investigation

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 24, 2023 at 9:30AM

A red-tailed hawk was found in Flag Run creek at Lake Accotink Park (photo by Trang Vu)

Virginia’s Conservation Police are investigating a reported shooting of a red-tailed hawk at Lake Accotink Park last week that required the bird to be euthanized.

A woman saw the hawk flying near the North Springfield park’s carousel on Wednesday (Jan. 18) afternoon. When she tried to get closer for a photograph, though, she found it “struggling” in Flag Run, a creek that passes through the park, according to Diva Crows, a local songbird rehabilitation center.

Around Town

McLean Community Center’s new director hopes to create ‘warm, inclusive environment for all’

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 23, 2023 at 3:00PM

To Betsy May-Salazar, the McLean Community Center (MCC) is a place for making connections.

Funded by a special resident tax district, the facility at 1234 Ingleside Avenue serves a variety of functions, from organizing community events like the annual McLean Day festival to offering educational classes and providing meeting space.

News

The Mather, senior living high-rises in Tysons, hits construction milestone

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 23, 2023 at 11:45AM

The Mather, a pair of senior living apartment high-rises in Tysons' Arbor Row neighborhood, topped off this January (courtesy Mather)

The Mather is now as tall as it’s ever going to get.

The apartment high-rise buildings for adults 62 and older “topped off” earlier this month, less than a year after beginning vertical construction.