sidewalk | FFXnow

Safety improvements planned for ‘disaster’ streetscape along Columbia Pike

Published January 25, 2023 at 11:00AM | Updated March 24, 2023 at 2:39PM

Columbia Pike between Backlick Road and Tom Davis Drive (image via Google Maps)

A stretch of roadside along Columbia Pike referred to as a “disaster” in a recent meeting — near where four people were struck by a driver last year — could be getting some safety-focused upgrades.

On Monday (Jan. 23), Fairfax County presented plans for a “Complete Streets” overhaul for a section of Columbia Pike from Backlick Run to Tom Davis Drive. The project involves the construction of a new 6-foot-wide sidewalk and a high-visibility crosswalk at Tom Davis Drive, along with ADA-compliant curb ramps and a 6-foot-wide strip of landscaping.

News

New sidewalk improvements planned at Spring, Locust streets in Herndon

By Fatimah Waseem

Published January 11, 2023 at 2:15PM

Town of Herndon government offices (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Sidewalk improvements are in the works for two streets in the Town of Herndon.

Included as part of the town’s long-range capital projects planning tool — the Capital Improvement Program — the town is planning a series of sidewalk improvements on Spring and Locust streets, each of which will cost over $1 million overall.

News

Study recommends more crosswalks, wider sidewalks in Huntington Metro corridor

By Matt Blitz

Published September 13, 2022 at 2:15PM | Updated December 9, 2022 at 1:59PM

Huntington Metrorail Active Transportation Study recommending where to implement "Safe Streets" (image via Fairfax County)

A new county-supported study is recommending pedestrian and bike-friendly improvements in the Huntington Metro corridor, including more crosswalks, wider sidewalks, additional lighting, and increasing shared-use paths.

At a virtual meeting tomorrow (Sept. 14) night, a Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) study – “Huntington Metrorail Active Transportation Study” – will be presented to the public that looked into the pedestrian and biking conditions within the Huntington Transit Station Area (TSA).

News

Vienna makes strides in use of trust funds to expand sidewalk network

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 12, 2022 at 3:00PM

The sidewalk on Plum Street SW from Cottage Street to Tapawingo Road is one of the completed Robinson Trust projects (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Town of Vienna has now committed about a third of the $7 million bequeathed by late councilmember Maud Robinson for building sidewalks to specific projects.

As of Aug. 2, the town has allocated approximately $2.3 million from the Robinson Charitable Trust based on open purchase orders, per Vienna’s finance department. The funds can be used to engineer, design and construct sidewalks in areas with existing curb and gutter.

News

Work to begin on contentious Vienna sidewalk project this week

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 11, 2022 at 10:15AM

Construction is expected to start this week on a sidewalk for Alma Street SE in Vienna (via Google Maps)

A sidewalk is coming to Vienna’s Alma Street SE, whether the residents there want it or not.

Construction to add about 1,500 linear feet of concrete, curb and gutter, driveway aprons, and ramps on the northwest side between Follin Lane and Delano Drive will begin by the end of this week, the Town of Vienna shared on Monday (Aug. 8).

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published July 29, 2022 at 7:30AM

A family hits the mini golf course at Jefferson District Park in Idylwood (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Metro Promises Relief for Train Riders Next Month — Starting Monday (Aug. 1), the addition of more rail cars will speed up service on the Orange, Blue and Silver lines to every 15 minutes on weekdays instead of the current wait times, which can reach up to 20 minutes. Metro says it anticipates expanding those service adjustments to weekends in September. [WMATA]

Man to Plead Guilty to Herndon Murder — A Virginia man told a Fairfax County judge he wants to plead guilty to the 1987 killing of 37-year-old Eige Sober-Adler in Herndon after being indicted in the case in January. Charles Helem is already serving life in prison for strangling and killing his ex-girlfriend, Patricia Bentley, in Chantilly in 2002. [WTOP]

News

Congested McLean intersection up for redesign with new walkway

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 24, 2022 at 2:15PM

Thursday afternoon traffic at the Balls Hill Road and Old Dominion Drive intersection (via Google Maps)

Fairfax County has a plan to fix the Balls Hill Road and Old Dominion Drive intersection, but it will likely take another half-decade for the changes to fall into place.

Construction on the proposed realignment — which will split the X-shaped intersection into two T intersections — isn’t expected to start until the spring of 2027, finishing in fall 2028, Fairfax County Department of Transportation staff told the community in a pair of meetings this week.

News

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

By Angela Woolsey

Published May 23, 2022 at 1:30PM

The current asphalt path on Old Courthouse Road west of Tysons (via Town of Vienna/Twitter)

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).

Countywide

Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published April 13, 2022 at 7:30AM

People sit and walk by Occoquan River in Lorton (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Arrests in Fairfax and Arlington Counties Stir Debate over Bail Reform — “The man who was arrested on Sunday for robbery and carjacking after an inter-jurisdiction car chase on I-395 was awaiting trial in Fairfax County for stealing a car, court records show…Randall Mason, the president of the Arlington Coalition of Police, said Fairfax County’s release of the alleged carjacker put officers, the driver and the public at risk of injury.” [ARLnow]

Fairfax Real Estate Listing Goes Viral — “The $800,000 listing, a five-bedroom, 3.5-bath, single-family home, is only accepting all-cash offers despite needing multiple repairs and coming with roommates who aren’t paying rent and don’t have a lease. Oh, and potential buyers can’t see the lower level.” [Axios]

News

Vienna to build more sidewalks using Robinson Trust funds this spring

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 31, 2022 at 1:55PM

The north side of Adahi Road at the Park Street intersection, where Vienna plans to add sidewalk (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Vienna is dipping into its sidewalk trust funds again.

During its March 21 meeting, the Vienna Town Council approved spending $261,448 to build sidewalks along two residential streets using money from the Robinson Trust Sidewalk Initiative, which was established by the late councilmember Maud Robinson’s estate after her death in 2019.