Construction on a new pedestrian bridge in Reston Town Center will begin this week.
According to the town center, the bridge will cross over the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, which passes by the town center south of Bluemont Way.
It will provide a link between Reston Town Center and the nearby Metro station, “while significantly increasing the safety of those who utilize the trail,” a press release says.
Boston Properties (BXP), which owns the town center, expects that construction will result in some detours.
“A short diversion off the trail around the construction will be implemented in January and will be in place for the duration of the project,” Reston Town Center said in the press release. “In late winter, a portion of the trail will be closed for a short period of time requiring an additional detour.”
Reston Town Center didn’t address follow-up questions about the project, including exactly where the bridge will be located.
The bridge is being built by the contractor Clark Construction. Work is expected to wrap up around late spring or early summer of 2024.
(Updated at 5:40 p.m.) Fairfax County transportation planners are considering the possibility of adding a traffic beacon to the intersection of Sunrise Valley Drive and the Washington & Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) near Robert Fulton Drive in Reston.
(Correction: This story previously said the beacon is being considered for the intersection of Sunrise Valley Drive and Wiehle Avenue.)
Robin Geiger, a spokesperson for the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) , said that the project is in the early phases of planning.
“There is no specific timeline but the team is continuing to prioritize projects over the new few months to be included in the remaining $70 million the Board of Supervisors approved for active transportation projects,” Geiger said.
The board has committed to spending $100 million on projects that improve road safety or accessibility for pedestrians, bicyclists and other non-motorized travelers.
One of thousands of projects that are being considered by the county, the Sunrise Valley and W&OD project could be considered for funding this fall. FCDOT is considering adding beacons to the area because of the “historically elevated rate of bike crashes, likely because the W&OD trail is a popular bicycle route,” Geiger said.
Changes would also need to be coordinated with NOVA Parks and the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Geiger said it is unclear what kind of signal would be installed.
Because of the speed limit, traffic volumes and lane configuration of Sunrise Valley Drive and the regional trail, a rectangular rapid-flashing beacon is not recommended based on state guidelines and national best practice, according to FCDOT.
County planners advise that a pedestrian hybrid beacon may be more appropriate, but more traffic analyses are required because of an adjacent signal at Robert Fulton Drive.
Last month, the county narrowed its list for $25 million of the pledged active transportation project funding. Planners combed through more than 2,000 possible projects to develop a draft list of priorities that’s set to be approved by the Board of Supervisors today (Tuesday).
Construction is currently underway on a pedestrian bridge for the W&OD Trail over Wiehle Avenue.
Photo via Google Maps
Fairfax County officials gathered yesterday (Thursday) to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge for the Washington & Old Dominion Trail over Wiehle Avenue in Reston.
The $6.7 million project replaces an at-grade crossing and widens Wiehle Avenue from Sunset Hills to the Reston Fire Station and Pupatella Pizza entrances, according to the county. It will also accommodate future 5-foot-wide bicycle lanes.
The project, which is managed by Allan Myers VA, will wrap up by late spring to early summer of 2024, according to the county.
It’s intended to improve transportation safety in the area by eliminating conflicts between vehicles and trail users and minimizing rear-end crashes.
Since June 2018, 11 crashes at or near the existing crossing were reported, according to state data.
“The W&OD Trail is a heavily traveled regional pedestrian and bicycle trail in Northern Virginia. We estimate the number of daily trail users at the W&OD trail crossing at Wiehle Avenue is as high as 3000,” the county said.
The project was funded by federal and state grants.
As construction continues, the asphalt trail will remain open except from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
A 6-foot-tall safety fence will be installed on the asphalt trail to separate the trail from the construction area. Meanwhile, the gravel trail will be closed on the west side from 11480 Sunset Hills Road to the east from Michael Faraday Court.
The groundbreaking for the Wiehle Ave bridge was held this morning! The estimated completion date for the project is late spring/early summer of 2024. pic.twitter.com/5kBSMFcxW9
— The W&OD Trail (@WODTrail) March 9, 2023
Great morning for groundbreaking to kick off construction on W&OD Trail Bridge over Wiehle Ave. Bridge will greatly improve pedestrian/bike safety & access to Wiehle-Reston East Metro – joining communities! @KenPlum1 @ireneshintweets @JenniferBoysko @VAbikecommuter #HunterMill pic.twitter.com/dj7PUtHLrp
— Supervisor Walter Alcorn (@WalterAlcornFFX) March 9, 2023
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.
The iconic caboose in Downtown Herndon next to Herndon’s Railroad Depot and the Washington & Old Dominion Trail is getting a facelift.
Earlier this month, crews began working on repairing the exterior structure of the caboose. The project is expected to wrap up some time next month, according to the Town of Herndon’s Department of Public Works.
According to town staff, the caboose developed surface rust and paint began chipping off of the exterior, prompting the need for the project.
“The project involves the removal of the rust, repainting of the exterior surfaces including the undercarriage, and restoration painting of the W&OD seal and associated lettering on the caboose,” the town wrote in a statement to FFXnow.
The caboose was brought to the Town of Herndon in 1989 after the Herndon Historical Society expressed interested in securing a caboose for the Herndon depot.
The all-steel caboose, which weights 45,300 pounds and is roughly 37 feet long is base don a design used on U.S. railroads after World War II.
The latest work on the caboose is being completed by The Matthews Group, Inc. under the supervision of the town’s Department of Public Works.
Photo via NOVA Parks/Twitter
Local police have arrested a Herndon man in connection with a series of indecent exposure incidents near the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Reston and Herndon.
Fairfax County police arrested and charged Juan Alfaro Rodriguez, 42, with five counts of indecent exposure. Rodriguez was arrested on Thursday for warrants from another state.
Detectives believe the suspect was involved with at least 13 cases in Fairfax County and eight incidents in the Town of Herndon. The arrest was made after collaboration between the Herndon Police Department and FCPD.
Rodriguez lived in the Town of Herndon since January, according to FCPD Lieutenant Ryan Lazisky, assistant commander of the violent crimes division. He had an outstanding warrant for attempted rape in New York.
Detective continue to investigate if Rodriguez is linked to other cases.
“We believe there is information out there that could lead us to additional charges,” Lazisky said at a press conference today (Monday).
FCPD received a tip from the U.S. Marshalls last week. The department’s fugitive team acted promptly to arrest Rodriguez, who was attempting to flee the state.
Photo via FCPD
The Fairfax County Police Department is seeking the public’s help to identify a man in a photo who may be involved in multiple grabbings, assaults, and an attempted abduction over the last few weeks on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail.
In the latest incident last night (Tuesday), a man attempted to grab a teenage girl as she was walking on the 1800 block of Old Reston Avenue at around 8:10 p.m. The attempted abduction comes just a week after a naked man grabbed a woman last week and where other indecent exposures took place.
At a press conference today (Wednesday), FCPD Sgt. Tara Gerhard said the man may be connected to an unidentified number of incidents throughout the month. The police department is working through other cases to determine if the suspect may be linked to other cases.
“As a mother, as a woman and as a member of the community, I am just as concerned,” Gerhard told members of the media.
Detectives continue to investigate the series of indecent exposures & assaults on the WO&D Trail. The man below is a suspect in the incident that occurred last Friday in Herndon & believed to be related to the other cases. Call 703-691-2131 w/info. https://t.co/1TZN6TedK7 pic.twitter.com/Q9ZABWYC3e
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) August 31, 2022
The suspect is described as a Hispanic man, roughly 5 feet and 11 inches in height, with an athletic build. He was wearing a black, hooded sweatshirt and black shorts in last night’s Old Reston Avenue incident.
Police officers canvassed the area last night and today. FCPD is also working with neighboring jurisdictions.
Gerhard urged community members to provide any information they can — including surveillance footage or any details about the suspect in photo pulled from surveillance video by a Town of Herndon resident.
Here’s how to provide information to FCPD:
Anyone with information about this case can contact detectives at 703-246-7800, option 3. Community members residing in the area are asked to review home surveillance for any suspicious activity. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone — 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), and by web – Click HERE. Download the ‘P3 Tips’ App and follow the steps to “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers”. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards of $100 to $1,000 dollars. Please leave contact information if you wish for a detective to follow up with you.
A naked man grabbed a woman at the Washington & Old Dominion Trail between Town Center Parkway and the Fairfax County Parkway in Reston on Friday (Aug. 26), according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
The suspect may be connected to other indecent exposure incidents in the area, police say. Later that day, police officers in the Town of Herndon investigated an indecent exposure on the trail near Ferndale Avenue.
County police say that, around 8:12 a.m., a man approached the woman from behind and grabbed her around the waist near mile marker 18.5. The woman was able to break free.
Police were unable to catch the suspect, who ran off without pants. They describe the suspect as white or Hispanic, between 5’5”and 5’8”, and between 30 and 40 years old. He has athletic build and was wearing a dark-colored head band and a yellow exercise vest.
Police believe the same man may also have exposed himself between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Aug. 3, 15, and 18 on the trail near Fairfax County Parkway.
Here’s more from FCPD on how to provide information about this and other incidents:
Anyone with information about this case can contact detectives at 703-246-7800, option 3. Community members residing in the area are asked to review home surveillance for any suspicious activity. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), and by web – Click HERE. Download the ‘P3 Tips’ App and follow the steps to “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers”. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards of $100 to $1,000 dollars. Please leave contact information if you wish for a detective to follow up with you.
INCIDENT ALERT (2/2): …as investigators work to determine if this incident is connected to another incident that took place in Fairfax County earlier today. If you have any information, please call 703-435-6846. pic.twitter.com/TqyMxZ3jwi
— Herndon Police (@HerndonPolice) August 26, 2022
Within the next decade, Fairfax County could see pedestrians and bicyclists split up along its stretch of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, among other potential changes at its regional parks.
In a new, five-year strategic plan released last Tuesday (Aug. 9), the Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority (NOVA Parks) proposes expanding the “dual trail” design introduced last year in Falls Church to other segments of the 45-mile, cross-county park.
The agency is targeting more urban areas — specifically Vienna, Herndon and Reston, and Arlington — for the expansion, which would turn the one-track W&OD Trail into two separate paths for cyclists and users on foot.
“This kind of improvement expands the capacity of the trail so that cyclists and walkers can have a safer and more enjoyable experience,” NOVA Parks communications director Kelly Gilfillen said by email.
According to the 2023-2027 strategic plan, which lays out its near-future vision and priorities for the 12,000-plus acres of parkland it oversees, NOVA Parks will partner with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority to design and implement the dual trails.
While the plan calls for developing plans for Arlington County Dual Trails by 2024, it sets a goal of 2027 for designing the Vienna and Reston/Herndon sections.
“Most of Vienna, Reston, and Herndon are urban, so most of that area would probably be considered,” Gilfillen said. “We do not yet have those details planned. That will be part of our work over the next few years.”
The Fairfax County area is also home to four out of the five parks that the plan highlights for “signature” projects:
- W&OD Trail Visitor Center: likely in Loudoun County, per ARLnow
- Gateway Wetlands Park
- Pohick Bay expanded camping and associated amenities
- Occoquan indoor/outdoor Adventure Center
- Hemlock Facility Update
NOVA Parks hopes to work with Fairfax City to restore the wetlands at Gateway Regional Park, a 1-acre rest stop at the corner of Pickett and Old Pickett roads, by 2024.
“This would be like a very small version of Huntley Meadows Park,” Gilfillen said. “NOVA Parks would restore the wetlands that were once a part of this park, which is adjacent to Accotink Creek. A raised boardwalk would feature interpretive displays for environmental education.” Read More
More Money Requested for Silver Line Phase Two — “Officials with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority are seeking an additional $250 million in funding to pay for construction…citing the project’s complexity, coronavirus-related restrictions, an increase in the cost of building materials, and supply chain slowdowns as key factors for the cost increase.” [The Washington Post]
Mochi Doughnut Eatery Opens in Vienna — The regional chain Donutchew has opened a franchise in the former Starbucks at 107 Maple Avenue West, offering about 20 flavors of doughnuts made with glutinous rice flour. The shop gives Vienna a second option for mochi doughnuts and bubble tea after Bubble Mochi opened nearby in January. [Patch]
Man Robbed on W&OD Trail in Herndon — “The victim reported he was walking along the W&OD Trail on the afternoon of Thursday, July 14, 2022, when he was approached from behind by two unknown suspects. The suspects robbed the victim of personal property. The case is under investigation.” [Herndon Police]
Vienna Business Committee Chair Dies — “It’s not easy assuming a leadership role during a pandemic, but Robert ‘Bob’ Leggett did it willingly and enthusiastically when he became chairman of the Town Business Liaison Committee (TBLC) in 2020. Upon learning of his death on Sunday, July 17, 2022, Town leaders reflected on Leggett’s ability to bring people together for the greater good of the community.” [Town of Vienna]
Fairfax Station ATM Stolen From Gas Station — “Authorities say two men forced their way into a gas station in Fairfax and stole the automated teller machine inside. The incident happened just after 4:05 a.m. Tuesday at the Exxon at 5211 Ox Road. Police say the men loaded the ATM into a white van and fled the area.” [FOX5]
Vienna Revises Historic Site Definition — The Vienna Town Council voted unanimously on July 11 to amend an ordinance to make buildings, structures, businesses and sites eligible for the town’s historic register if they’re at least 100 years old. The town previously defined sites as historic if they’ve been at their current locations or in continuous use or operation since before 1900. [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]
County Library Foundation Board Elects New Chair — “The Fairfax Library Foundation is excited to announce that Miriam Smolen has been elected chair of the board of directors beginning in 2022-2023. Miriam will replace outgoing Chair, Patricia Reed. She previously served as the board’s special projects lead.” [Fairfax Library Foundation]
Students Master Cake and Swordplay at Summer Arts Program — “The teenagers are part of Fairfax County Public Schools annual Institute for the Arts, a summer program that encourages kids — even those not enrolled in FCPS — to explore subjects like ‘Modern Buttercream Techniques’ or ‘Stage Combat’ that either aren’t traditionally offered during the school year or may not fit into a student’s academic scheduling needs.” [FCPS]
It’s Wednesday — Humid throughout the day. High of 90 and low of 76. Sunrise at 6:01 am and sunset at 8:32 pm. [Weather.gov]
