Construction is set to begin on a replacement of the collapsed pedestrian bridge by the Freeman Store and Museum in Vienna.

The project will require crews to block off a portion of the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, necessitating a detour, according to the Town of Vienna.

“The detour will be set up in the parking lot next to the trail between Maple Avenue and Church Street for the duration of the project,” the town said in a tweet yesterday.

Construction is expected to take approximately six months, Vienna Public Information Director Karen Thayer told FFXnow, putting the project on track to finish this summer.

Heads up! Lookout for a detour along the W&OD trail as crews replace the collapsed pedestrian bridge between the Freeman Store and W&OD Trail. The detour will be set up in the parking lot next to the trail between Maple Avenue and Church Street for the duration of the project. pic.twitter.com/r56yRfklJ7

— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) February 7, 2023

The town has been looking to build a new bridge over Piney Branch by the Freeman Store for over half a decade now. The existing wooden bridge was closed off in 2016 after water issues and general deterioration rendered it unusable.

Built out of steel and timber, the new bridge will be 52.5 feet long and about 5 feet wide, according to the final engineering plan.

Construction was delayed after an initial request for contractor bids got no responses, and rising costs for lumber and other materials pushed the project over budget, the Vienna Town Council was told in 2021.

The town was able to close the budget gap with a $148,514 allocation from the Virginia Department of Transportation, which provided a grant as part of its Transportation Alternatives program for fiscal years 2023 and 2024.

As reported to VDOT, the bridge replacement carries a total estimated cost of $360,042.

Flippin’ Pizza, a pizza chain that serves New York-style pizza, appears to have closed its Reston location.

The business was located at 1110 South Lakes Drive in Suite 11130-F. It was closed when FFXnow passed by last Thursday afternoon (Jan. 26), despite posted operating hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursdays.

The company did not return requests for comment. A listed phone number and email were not functional. 

Flippin’ Pizza has many other locations throughout the country, including locations in Fairfax and Falls Church. Items on the menu include pies, pizza, and calzones.

(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).

The replacement will unfold in two phases “to reduce the customer impact,” according to Metro. During the first phase from June 3-26, the closure will also include the West and East Falls Church stations. Those stations will reopen on June 27.

(Correction: This article previously reported that the Ballston and McLean stations will also be closed during the first phase. Metro has clarified that they will remain open, but a shuttle will be needed to get around the East Falls Church station closure.)

“The Infrastructure team will focus on replacing 40-year-old steel rail that has become significantly more susceptible to rail breaks than rail in any other part of the system,” WMATA said. “Metro has been tracking rail breaks in the system to identify priority locations for replacement and has determined the rail in this stretch of track to be a top priority.”

The work will also include a replacement of the copper cables at the stations with fiber-optic cables, giving them “advanced radio, signal, and train communication technology.”

Metro typically schedules its major maintenance projects during the summer when there’s lower ridership, according to the news release.

This year’s plan is focused on modernizing the rail system. It will also involve single-tracking on the Maryland end of the Orange Line from May 12 to 22 and a 44-day shutdown of the Maryland end of the Green Line from July 22 to Sept. 4.

“Continued maintenance work is essential to safe and reliable rail service,” WMATA Executive Vice President of Infrastructure Andy Off said in a statement. “We are working strategically to target maintenance locations and minimize the impacts on customers as we conduct this critical work to upgrade systems, improve reliability, and modernize station facilities.”

A Metro spokesperson said the agency is “working on a shuttle bus plan to connect the closed stations and will announce the travel alternatives well ahead of the stations closures.”

This summer’s partial Orange Line shutdown won’t be as extensive as the three-month-long closure of 2020, when Metro overhauled the station platforms.

When ridership plummeted that spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency expanded the closure to include the Silver Line between Ballston and Wiehle-Reston East so that it could connect those stations to the upcoming extension into Loudoun County.

The Silver Line stations ultimately reopened that August, followed by the Orange Line stations just after Labor Day. Even with the unexpected leeway for construction in 2020, the Silver Line extension still encountered several delays before finally launching service last November.

According to its online rail data, the Vienna Metro station is averaging the most daily rail entries out of the four Fairfax County stations that will be affected this summer, as of November:

• Vienna — 8,794 entries
• West Falls Church — 4,674 entries
• Dunn Loring — 3,543 entries
• McLean — 928 entries

In a quarterly report last fall, WMATA reported its highest ridership levels since the pandemic took hold in March 2020, though the 45.6 million riders across rail and bus was still just 60% of 2019 levels.

The Mount Vernon RECenter is closing at the end of the month for a two-year, $74 million renovation project.

The nearly four-decade-old recreation center right off Belle View Blvd is set to close at 4 p.m. on Dec. 31 to allow for a massive expansion and renovation.

The plan is to add about 75,000 square feet to the rec center, which is set to include a two-story fitness center, building upgrades, an indoor track, a remodeled pool, and a second “NHL-sized” ice rink. The project is expected to take two years, with a reopening scheduled for the early part of 2025.

The Fairfax County Park Authority’s board officially approved the upgrades to its “oldest and most popular” facility back in March.

The recreation center, which opened in 1974, has had a myriad of problems in recent years, requiring workarounds and hundreds of thousands of dollars in short-term fixes. That includes renting ice chillers and dehumidification systems as well as fixing a failing roof.

While closing the entire facility for two years was a “tough” decision, it was the best option of several the county considered, FCPA director Jai Cole said in a press release:

The decision to close the entire facility for two years was a tough one; but it is the best option when it comes to delivering the most desirable outcome and limiting the impact of the closure on our customers. We have worked very hard to create a schedule that has enabled the facility to remain open for as long as possible prior to construction and to condense the closure period as much. While we understand that the temporary closing is challenging, we very much look forward to delivering a top-notch, state-of-the-art facility that will serve this community well into the future.

The total project is set to cost just over $74.4 million, an 83% increase over the proposed 2021 budget. Last year, county officials set the budget at $40.7 million, but it became clear that number was unrealistic.

According to a May 2022 presentation, bids came in much higher due to supply chain delays, building infrastructure challenges, and “complex construction phasing with market uncertainty.”

Even in the six months since then, the budget has risen again by another $7 million.

“The total project budget is $74,431,381 — an increase of $33.73 million over the original 2021 budget,” FCPA spokesperson Ben Boxer wrote FFXnow in an email. “The cost increase has been driven by ongoing supply chain challenges and inflation. The cost increase is consistent with construction cost increases across the board on all projects.”

The 24-month closing of the facility is also expected to cost the county $1.3 million in revenue.

The additional money needed for the project will come from a reallocation of other bond funds that had been marked for other projects as well as $25 million from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that was provided to the county, per Boxer.

Residents who have countywide rec center memberships will be able to use it to access the county’s eight other eight centers. The George Washington Rec Center near Mount Vernon High School will expand its hours on Jan. 2, 2023 to accommodate the closure of the Mount Vernon center.

The popular Water Mine at Lake Fairfax in Reston is officially closed for the season after its pool filtration system failed.

The closure at the Water Mine Family Swimming’ Hole was announced yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon by the Fairfax County Park Authority, which cited “mechanical failures beyond our control.”

The closure includes this coming Labor Day weekend (Sept. 3-4) and an event for dogs scheduled for Sept. 10 is also cancelled.

“We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to see you next season,” FCPA wrote in a statement.

An FCPA spokesperson told FFXnow that the park authority was aware before the summer season began that The Water Mine’s 25-year-old filtration system was in need of replacement. The agency has started to plan that project with the goal of implementing it before the facility reopens in 2023.

“However, based on the information we had prior to opening this season, we made the decision to open this very popular facility for the public until this recent mechanical failure made it impossible to continue to stay open,” the park authority said.

The emergency closure comes just two weeks after staff shortages forced the water park to operate with reduced hours. It was closed from Aug. 15 through 20 due to a lifeguard and staff shortage.

Its last day is typically the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Per the park authority, The Water Mine admitted 3,358 people over Labor Day weekend in 2021, equaling $50,000 in revenue. It had sold 347 advance tickets for the weekend this year.

The park authority confirmed that those pre-sale tickets will be refunded.

Despite the mechanical and staffing challenges, the FCPA says the facility “had a great season, serving thousands of families throughout the summer.” Starting with Memorial Day weekend on May 28, the 2022 summer season drew a total of 87,000 visitors.

Angela Woolsey contributed to this report. Screenshot via Fairfax County Park Authority/YouTube

(Updated at 4:50 p.m.) The Audrey Moore Rec Center will be closed longer than usual for its annual summer maintenance to address mounting facility needs.

The closure will begin on Aug. 27 and continue past Labor Day until Sept. 9, the Fairfax County Park Authority announced on Friday (Aug. 5).

During that period, workers will attend to routine maintenance of the swimming pool’s whitecoat plaster as well as other improvements to the Annandale facility, which is the county’s oldest rec center.

“We understand closures can be very disruptive, but Audrey Moore needs some serious attention right now,” Cindy Walsh, director of the FCPA’s Park Services Division, said. “We ask for your patience as we work to make this facility cleaner, healthier and more attractive.”

According to the news release, the extended closure will enable workers to address maintenance “aimed at improving customer service in the short-term” without exposing visitors to paint and other chemicals.

The planned improvements include:

• Carpet replacement on the second level
• Main hallway drywall repair and painting and lighting upgrades.
• Remodeling the family changing room, including new tiles.
• Door replacement at pool entrance.
• LED lighting upgrades in some locker rooms and hallways.
• Basketball court flooring repairs.
• Remodeling the pottery studio (painting/drywall repair, sink and counter replacements, floor replacement).
• Fitness center ceiling and lighting upgrades.

Staff will also take care of a number of custodial tasks, such as:

• Cleaning all tables and chairs, mats and other equipment after heavy summer camp use.
• Scrubbing tile grout lines, cleaning heating, ventilation and air conditioning ceiling vents to improve airflow and appearance, etc.
• Replacing stained ceiling tiles in areas that are not scheduled for full replacement.
• Touch up and/or paint door frames.
• Schedule carpet cleaning in office/front desk area that would be difficult to do while open.
• Stain picnic tables on sundeck. Replace boards as necessary.
• Remove mineral deposits and polish metal and chrome fixtures throughout building.

Park authority spokesperson Judith Pedersen confirmed that the upcoming maintenance work is separate from the county’s pending plan to renovate and expand the Audrey Moore Rec Center.

The county was slated to unveil concept design options for that project this spring and hold a community meeting this summer, but the process has been slightly delayed.

“We do not anticipate [the renovation] project to begin until after the next bond cycle — pending passage, of course,” Pedersen said by email. “This is later than expected due to scheduling in coordination with other County capital projects, as well as supply chain and market pressures that have raised the cost of other capital projects and essentially have a ripple effect on the Park Authority’s capital program.”

Pedersen says design work will resume “once our cashflow situation is more clearly defined.”

The county’s last parks bonds were approved by voters in 2020 and included a portion of funding for the Audrey Moore project. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a change during the most recent budget process that shifted most bonds from every four years to a six-year cycle.

As a result, the next parks bond referendum won’t go on the ballot until 2026, according to Pedersen.

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.

Fairfax County Public Works and Environmental Services has started construction on a project to improve a watershed in Kings Park West near Burke by restoring eroded stream banks.

Part of a plan approved over a decade ago, the Shanes Creek restoration seeks to stabilize the channel and prevent future erosion and degradation along the stream. It will also reconnect the channel to its floodplain and restore native trees and herbaceous planting to promote natural reforestation and a healthy ecosystem, according to a project page.

“The project will restore more than 4,800 linear feet of natural channel and about 1,300 linear feet of outfall leading to it,” the project page says, noting that construction work began on April 13.

The project requires closures of the trail network leading from nearby residential neighborhoods into Royal Lake Park, which is just to the south of the creek.

“The existing parkland trails within the project boundaries will be closed for the duration of the project to ensure public and worker safety,” the Fairfax County Park Authority said. “Active construction is anticipated to be completed by winter 2023.”

According to DPWES, work on the stream will start at Roberts Road, and crews have begun to set up fencing, “trail closed” signs, and other equipment. Trail closures will depend on where construction is underway.

“We are attempting to keep as many open as we can while construction is occurring, so there is not a clear map of what is open now [versus what] will be later,” DPWES spokesperson Sharon North said by email. “…We are working to install the fence and signs as we can.  The limits of disturbance will be well marked before construction of the stream starts.”

The Board of Supervisors approved a watershed management plan for the Pohick Creek watershed in 2010. The plan called for stream restoration efforts to re-establish those waterways that would help minimize erosion, including planting vegetation to stabilize and protect stream banks.

Commuters passing through Vienna will need to last another week without their Starbucks fix.

The drive-thru cafe at 362 Maple Avenue East has been closed since Sunday (March 13) for renovations, as indicated by multiple signs posted around the building.

However, the coffee chain’s absence from town won’t be felt for long. The store will reopen on March 26, a Starbucks spokesperson told FFXnow.

“As a standard course of business, we continually evaluate our store portfolio, using various criteria to ensure we are meeting the needs of our customers,” the spokesperson said in an email. “…The store will reopen with new furniture, art, and handoff counter to better serve customers in the Vienna, Va., community.”

Starbucks employees elsewhere in the country have reported less savory reasons for store closures, as more than 100 locations explore the possibility of unionizing.

Workers in Merrifield and Springfield stores are currently seeking to hold union elections, becoming the first sites in Fairfax County to join the nationwide Starbucks Workers United campaign.

(Updated at 8:45 a.m.) Car Crash Closes Old Dominion Drive — “Old Dominion Dr is closed between Balls Hill Rd & Mottram Dr in McLean, likely for several hours. A car crashed into a utility pole. No injuries. Please avoid the area while crews work to repair the pole.” [FCPD/Twitter]

Judge Denies FCPS Request to Keep TJ Admissions Process — “A federal judge has denied the request of Fairfax County Public Schools for a stay of his order invalidating the admissions system at prestigious magnet school Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, marking another serious blow for Virginia’s largest school system.” [The Washington Post]

Reston Shooting Still Unsolved — “It’s been one year since 40-year-old Santos Antonio Trejo Lemus died from gunshot wounds he received while walking near his home in Reston’s Winterthur Apartments. To date, no one has been charged in Lemus’ homicide.” [Patch]

Rep. Connolly Tests Positive for COVID-19 — “This morning, I tested positive for covid. I am mildly symptomatic and will be self-isolating. Fortunately, I’m vaxxed and boosted. This pandemic isn’t over yet so if you haven’t gotten your booster yet please do.” [Gerry Connolly/Twitter]

Person Injured in Shooting at Springfield Residence Inn — A driver shot at occupants of another car in the hotel parking lot at 6412 Backlick Road around 7:06 a.m. on March 8, according to the most recent police weekly recap. One person was hit and taken to the hospital for injuries not considered life-threatening. [FCPD]

GW Parkway Construction Closes Turkey Run Parking Lot — “The National Park Service is imposing a temporary closure of parking lot C-2 and partial closure of parking lot B at Turkey Run Park as a part of the project to rehabilitate the north section of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The dates of the closure are March 14, 2022, until further notice.” [NPS]

Former Vienna Mayoral Candidate Runs for West Virginia House — “Pasha Majdi, who served on the Vienna Town Council for six years before making an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2020, is running for office again — in his new state of residence, West Virginia. Majdi is seeking the Republican nomination to run for the 100th District seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates.” [Sun Gazette]

Reston Real Estate Company to Expand — “Fast-growing Reston real estate firm Verity Commercial has received a ‘significant investment’ to drive its expansion into new markets. The firm…received an undisclosed amount from Germany-based RSBG Global Cos. through its San Jose-based subsidiary, Vela Tech Holding Inc.” [Washington Business Journal]

Baby Pigs Born at Frying Pan Farm — “Nike, a year and a half old Hampshire Cross sow, delivered her first litter of piglets on February 24. For her first time, she acted like a pro and delivered in less than two hours.” [Fairfax County Park Authority/Facebook]

It’s Monday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 57 and low of 31. Sunrise at 7:23 a.m. and sunset at 7:16 p.m. [Weather.gov]