The annual Tour de Hunter Mill bicycle ride will kick into full gear early next month with new routes designed to show off sights and amenities throughout the district.
Registration is now open for the fourth iteration of the May 5 community bike ride, which was introduced in 2021 by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn.
The event will feature two brand-new routes — one spanning 16 miles and the other covering 27 miles — that both begin and end at the North County Governmental Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive) in Reston, with a rest stop at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens (9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court) in Wolf Trap.
This year’s routes will incorporate portions of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail and, for the first time, a new shared-use path along Route 7 (Leesburg Pike), according to Alcorn’s office.
The 10-foot-wide path is part of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Route 7 widening, which is redesigning key intersections and adding a lane in each direction from Reston Avenue to Jarrett Valley Drive just outside of Tysons.
Though VDOT is targeting July 31 for completing the overall project, the trail is already functional enough for cyclists and pedestrians to use — at least between Reston Avenue and Towlston Road, according to Brian Worthy, a spokesperson for Alcorn’s office. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be scheduled for late May.
“I’m excited that this year’s Tour de Hunter Mill will take advantage of the newest bike trail in the district — the new shared-used path along both sides of Leesburg Pike,” Alcorn said in a statement to FFXnow. “It will allow bikers to get from Reston all the way into Tysons safely, and it expands the transportation options for traveling safely along this busy corridor.”
Co-sponsored by the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling (FABB), Reston Bike Club and Reston Community Center, the Tour de Hunter Mill costs $30 for adults, but children 15 and under can participate for free, as long as they’re accompanied by an adult.
The fee includes custom Tour de Hunter Mill socks for at least the first 165 registrants and a $5 donation to FABB, a volunteer, nonprofit organization that advocates for bicycling to be “safe, accessible and commonplace in Fairfax County for all ages, abilities and skill levels.”
The event will begin at 8 a.m. with riders checking in at a welcome table. After some opening remarks, the 27-mile ride will start at 8:30 a.m., and the shorter route will follow at 8:45 a.m. Once they finish, cyclists will be able to enjoy “food & fun” at the North County Governmental Center from 10 a.m. to noon, according to the registration page.
In a promotional video for the Tour de Hunter Mill, Reston Bike Club Vice Chairman Joel Kuester expressed hope that next year’s routes will utilize the new W&OD Trail bridge over Wiehle Avenue, which was installed earlier this month and is slated to open for use in June.
“Tour is a great way for folks to get out and experience the local roads, the trails and so on, so they know how to get around by bike,” FABB President Bruce Wright said in the video.
In less than two years, the flooding that plagues Old Courthouse Road at Besley Road during every rain storm should be relegated to the past.
Construction has been underway since February to realign the intersection on the border of Tysons and Wolf Trap, giving it a literal boost with a bridge and other design and safety improvements.
In addition to replacing a “substandard” culvert with a bridge over Wolftrap Creek, the project will elevate and reconstruct about 1,000 feet of Old Courthouse Road and shift the Besley Road alignment east, according to a Fairfax County Department of Transportation presentation.
It will also add pedestrian improvements, including a crosswalk and refuge island east of Besley Road and walkways on both sides of Old Courthouse Road. The south side will get an 8-foot-wide shared-use path, while on the north side, a 5-foot-wide, concrete sidewalk will transition to an 8-foot shared-use path that connects to Spring Lake Trail, FCDOT spokesperson Freddy Serrano says.
Designed to accommodate a 25-year flood event, the project has been in the works for almost a decade now. FCDOT submitted preliminary plans back in 2016 and held its final community meeting on the design in February 2018.
The project is being funded by county bonds approved by voters in 2014. Its estimated cost of $15.5 million includes $11.4 million for construction.
Fort Myer Construction Corporation, the county’s contractor, is working in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s right-of-way from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays, according to Serrano.
Outside the right-of-way, construction hours are between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“There are a variety of phases to the project and impacts to traffic will vary depending on the phase of construction,” Serrano said. “There are short segments of road closure where traffic will alternate through the construction zone during some of the construction activities.”
Besley Road will be closed during the fourth phase of construction, which will focus on a 150-foot stretch of the road and is expected in the spring of 2025. FCDOT has proposed detouring traffic onto Arabian Avenue.
Construction of the overall project is scheduled to finish in December 2025.
This summer at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts just got busier.
After announcing an initial line-up in January, the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts unveiled additional shows on Tuesday (March 19) that have been booked for its summer 2024 season at the Filene Center, the park’s main outdoor amphitheater, and the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods.
The Filene Center’s season typically kicks off with “Blast Off!,” a free fireworks show, around Memorial Day in May, though the exact date won’t be announced until April in coordination with the President’s Own U.S. Marine Band.
The newly expanded slate of concerts features a range of genres, from 1990s R&B — represented by TLC, En Vogue and Jody Watley on July 5 — to musical theater belted by Tony-winning Broadway star Ben Platt on June 23.
There will be some notable collaborations between Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates and Elvis Costello on July 25, The Who lead singer Roger Daltry and singer-songwriter KT Tunstall on June 12, and indie bands The Mountain Goats and The New Pornographers on Aug. 4.
The National Symphony Orchestra is teaming up with indie musician Beck (July 27) and rapper Nas, who will commemorate the 30th anniversary of his debut studio album “Illmatic” on July 21. It has added “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” (July 24) to the list of movies getting a live score accompaniment, and audiences will be able to sing along to “The Sound of Music” on Aug. 16.
Other highlights include The Roots on Aug. 31, country singer Clint Black on July 3, rockers Cake (Aug. 2) and Blues Travelers (Aug. 23), and ’80s new wave band Crowded House, best known for “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” on Sept. 3.
Local musicians will also get a showcase, with rockers Virginia Coalition, emmet swimming and the Pat McGee Band coming together for “NOVA Nite” on Aug.7.
Over at the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, families will be treated to hour-long music, dance, theater, puppetry and magic performances on Tuesday through Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. from June 20 to Aug. 3.
Full schedules for both the Filene Center and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods can be found on Wolf Trap’s website. Tickets for the just-announced shows will go on sale at 10 a.m. next Friday, March 29.
This summer, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts will see the returns of John Legend and the Out & About Festival, along with some brand-new faces.
The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, the nonprofit that supports and programs the park, announced an initial lineup for the Filene Center’s summer season yesterday (Tuesday) that features both pop and classical shows.
Tickets for all the confirmed shows will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Feb. 16, though Wolf Trap members who donate $80 or more to the foundation can access presales right now.
In addition to a variety of concerts, Wolf Trap will introduce an expanded concessions building this summer with improved accessibility, including an elevator that will provide a stairs-free connection between the park’s upper and lower levels for the first time. The Meadow Commons project has been under construction since September and is expected to be finished this spring.
“[The Meadow Commons is] the embodiment of our community’s commitment and support to enhance the visitor experience through elevated concessions, improved accessibility, and more,” Wolf Trap Foundation President and CEO Arvind Manocha said. “With this upgrade, we’re dedicated to ensuring that all visitors can savor the magic of a performance at Wolf Trap.”
The Filene Center, the park’s 7,000-seat amphitheater, typically kicks off summer in late May around Memorial Day, but this year, the first performance on the schedule so far is the opera “Seven Deadly Sins” on Saturday, June 1. Kurt Weill’s “sung ballet” will be performed by up-and-coming orchestral musicians and opera singers in a collaboration between the National Orchestral Institute + Festival and Wolf Trap Opera.
The popular music slate starts on June 2 with The Beach Boys, led by original band member Mike Love. They will be followed on June 4-6 by John Legend, who visited last year and will sing songs like “All of Me” and Oscar winner “Glory” with the Wolf Trap Orchestra this year.
Other pop highlights will include:
- June 8: soul singers Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight
- June 9: rock/blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr.
- June 18-19: Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant and country singer Alison Krauss, whose June 18 show is a makeup for one that got postponed last year
- June 20: alt-rock band Wilco
- June 22: Out & About Festival, a showcase of LGBTQ artists that launched with Brandi Carlile in 2023. This year’s edition is headlined by Alabama Shakes lead singer Brittany Howard.
- June 29: Broadway in the Park with Arlington’s Signature Theatre
- July 20: author Neil Gaiman will take the audience “on a literary journey”
- Aug. 1: Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me
- Aug. 10: Kidz Bop Live
- Aug. 17-18: Boyz II Men
- Aug. 25: rockers Indigo Girls and Melissa Etheridge
- Sept. 11: country singer Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
- Sept. 12, 14 and 15: James Taylor & His All Star Band
- Sept. 13: actors Kristen Chenoweth and Alan Cumming, singing Broadway hits
On the classical side, Wolf Trap Opera will stage productions of Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” (June 21, 23, 29 and 27), Puccini’s “La bohème” (July 19) and the Pulitzer-Prize-winning “Silent Night” by Kevin Puts (Aug. 9, 11, 15 and 17). The Mozart opera will be in The Barns at Wolf Trap, while the others will be at the Filene Center.
The National Symphony Orchestra is also set to perform live scores for screenings of the original “Star Wars” (July 13) and “Ghostbusters” (July 26).
The orchestra will also celebrate the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony” on July 12 by conductor Ruth Reinhardt and Wolf Trap Opera artists. The program will include Samuel Taylor-Coleridge’s “Violin Concerto” performed by violinist Njioma Grevious.
Wolf Trap’s 2024 Kay Shouse Great Performance, which is designated annually to honor the park’s founder, will be an evening with the Washington Ballet on Sept. 5.
The full schedule can be found on Wolf Trap’s website.
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts won’t unveil the artists booked for its upcoming summer season for a few more weeks, likely in late January or early February. But regardless of who’s on stage, Filene Center visitors can expect at least one improvement in 2024: an updated concessions area.
Construction on the new Meadow Commons building began in September after the demolition of the existing concessions stand, which had served patrons since the Filene Center opened in 1971.
Almost twice the size of its two-story predecessor, the three-story Meadow Commons is on track for completion in late spring, according to the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, the nonprofit that helps fund and program the park. That would be in time for the new season, which typically kicks off around Memorial Day.
“This new building will create just a wonderful new opportunity for patrons,” Beth Brummel, the foundation’s chief operating officer, said. “It’s probably one of the more visible [improvements] because it’s so connected to the experience of going to the concerts as well…So, we’re just really excited about it.”
Featuring a larger, modernized kitchen that can support a bigger menu as well as expanded restrooms, including family and ADA-accessible stalls, Meadow Commons constitutes the second phase of renovations slated for Wolf Trap under a park master plan updated in 2022.
The first phase replaced temporary vinyl tents near the Ovations restaurant with permanent pavilions. Finished in late July 2021, that project coincided with the park’s 50th anniversary season and aimed to encourage more year-round usage and visitation.
Meadow Commons, a $15 million project funded by a capital campaign that ultimately drew $75 million from donors over two years, was designed to improve the patron experience and make the Filene Center more accessible, Brummel says.
The new building will include elevators that finally connect the 7,000-seat amphitheater’s upper and lower levels, which can currently only be reached by stairs. The park’s lower levels will also be easier to access from the ADA parking and the picnic pavilions via a new, fully accessible path.
“The restrooms, the food service and the elevator in particular is a game changer to allow people with any kind of mobility issues to be able to access all of the different levels of the Filene Center without assistance,” Wolf Trap National Park Superintendent Ken Bigley said, adding that the National Park Service is “so thankful for the foundation’s support in making this happen.”
The accessibility improvements build off an earlier reconfiguration of the Filene Center’s front orchestra, which now have aisles so those seats could be reached from the back, Brummel noted. The amphitheater was also outfitted with screens in 2018 to give patrons on the lawn a better view of the stage.
In addition to the enhanced accessibility and expanded restroom and concessions space, Meadow Commons will bring modernized electrical, plumbing and stormwater management capabilities and a rooftop deck that will offer a panoramic view of the surrounding meadow and woods.
“I think it’s one of the flagship views of the park,” Bigley said. “So, there’s a section of this new building that will allow people to sit and enjoy a meal or enjoy a drink and look out on this beautiful view of the meadow.”
The upgrades at Wolf Trap won’t stop with the new concession area. Other changes proposed by the master plan include a pedestrian tunnel to replace the existing at-grade crossing at Main Circle and Barn roads, a new arrival hub, a 65-space accessible parking lot and a reconfigured circle in front of the Filene Center’s main gate to improve vehicle circulation.
Brummel says the Wolf Trap Foundation and National Park Service haven’t established a list of priorities or schedule for those additional projects yet. For now, they’re just looking forward to finishing Meadow Commons and seeing how it’s received by visitors when the Filene Center reopens.
“We’re excited [to make] the action, the process of visiting Wolf Trap to be just a little bit easier, whether it’s food service or accessibility or restrooms,” Bigley said. “It is already a very special place that we’re very proud of, and this will just take it to the next level.”
The Fairfax County Park Authority is celebrating spooky season with a bat-focused festival next weekend.
The 2023 Bat Festival is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 29, from 3-6 p.m. at the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts (1551 Trap Road).
Fairfax County is home to eight different species of bats, with big brown bats and Eastern red bats as the most commonly seen, according to the county’s wildlife management department.
“Come celebrate the captivating world of bats, learn about the vital role they play in our ecosystem, understand the threats they face and what you can do to protect them,” Fairfax County said in a release.
A pair of experts will be on hand to help “unveil the mysteries” behind the creature and talk about the challenges they face.
“Enjoy interactive activities for all ages and join our optional costume contest,” the event website said.
The educational tables and costume contest are scheduled for 3 p.m., followed by bat expert presentations at 4 p.m. and a bat listening demonstration at 5:30 p.m.
Guests are encouraged to bring picnic blankets, chairs, food and beverages. Registration is free online.
Photo via Clément Falize/Unsplash
Updated at 4 p.m. on 9/26/2023 — The traffic pattern change at Lewinsville Road and Route 7 has been rescheduled for 5 a.m. on Thursday (Sept. 28), the Virginia Department of Transportation says.
Earlier: One portion of the ongoing project to widen northern Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) is complete.
The revamped Lewinsville Road intersection in the Wolf Trap area will fully open to traffic tomorrow (Tuesday) morning, the Virginia Department of Transportation recently announced.
Final work on the intersection will continue tonight into the morning, in preparation of the new traffic pattern taking effect by 5 a.m.
“Temporary traffic patterns may be in place during the overnight hours between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. while crews complete the transition,” VDOT said. “Please use caution and be alert to directional signage that will be in place to guide drivers through the intersection.”
Under the new configuration, Lewinsville Road has been realigned with the McLean Bible Church’s east entrance on the south side of Route 7. A displaced left-turn lane separates Route 7 traffic headed east onto Lewinsville from westbound Route 7 traffic.
Traffic signals have been placed at both McLean Bible Church entrances, but a new acceleration lane lets drivers from Lewinsville Road turn right onto westbound Route 7 without having to stop at the light, as shown in a simulation video from VDOT.
Under construction since spring 2019, the Route 7 Corridor Improvements Project is widening the roadway from four to six lanes along a nearly 7-mile stretch from Reston Avenue to Jarrett Valley Drive just north of the Dulles Toll Road.
The $313.9 million project is also adding 10-foot-wide, shared-use paths on both sides of the corridor and reconfiguring several intersections, including Lewinsville and Baron Cameron Avenue in Reston.
Work is scheduled to be completed by July 31, 2024.
A critical vehicular link between Reston and the Wolf Trap area has been restored.
The new, two-lane Hunter Mill Road bridge over Colvin Run is now fully open, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced yesterday (Wednesday).
Located near Baron Cameron Avenue between Lake Fairfax Park and Colvin Run Park, the expanded bridge has one travel lane in each direction, saving drivers from the hassle and potential confusion of having to yield to oncoming traffic.
More on the project from VDOT:
The new bridge (located between the Dulles Toll Road and Baron Cameron Avenue):
- Improves traffic flow by replacing the nearly 50-year-old weight-restricted one-lane bridge that required drivers to stop if there was traffic crossing the bridge in the other direction
- Includes a median/splitter island separating the two lanes to improve safety
The Hunter Mill Road over Colvin Run Bridge Replacement project, which is now complete, also includes:
- An improved trail crossing south of the bridge
- Landscaping in the median/splitter island
- Abutments for a future trail bridge over Colvin Run (the rest of the trail bridge will be constructed by Fairfax County)
Construction on the project began approximately two years ago in August 2021. Built in 1974, the previous bridge had just one lane and was limited to carrying 10 tons at a time, even though the road was used, on average, by 8,500 vehicles per every day, as of 2019.
One lane of the new span was completed in December.
The project cost a total of $5.2 million, relying on funds from the federal, state and Fairfax County governments.
Hunter Mill Rd drivers don't need to yield to oncoming traffic at Colvin Run in #Vienna anymore – the two-lane bridge fully opened today! The now complete project also includes a raised median and an improved trail crossing south of the bridge.
Read more: https://t.co/N92AqLAo8P pic.twitter.com/yMjBU8R87H
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) August 9, 2023
The guitarist from The Police, a “Glee” crooner and even Emily Dickinson will pay a visit to The Barns at Wolf Trap over the next year.
The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts unveiled an initial lineup of performances today (Tuesday) for the 2023-2024 season at its 382-seat indoor venue, which primarily operates from October through May after the park’s Filene Center concludes its summer season.
Tickets for the newly announced shows will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. this Friday (Aug. 11). They’re already available for purchase by Wolf Trap members, who are donors of $80 or more.
The upcoming season will feature performers from a variety of genres, including rock, musical theater, folk, comedy and chamber music, according to Wolf Trap Foundation President and CEO Arvind Manocha.
“The Barns gives everyone the chance to enjoy their favorite artists in a uniquely intimate setting, and this season continues to underscore Wolf Trap’s commitment to providing diverse and innovative performances for our patrons,” Manocha said in a statement. “We can’t wait to share the rest of this season’s lineup.”
Still performing at 80 years old, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Andy Summers will open the season on Oct. 13 with his “The Cracked Lens + A Missing String” tour, which combines music, photography, theater and short story readings.
Other highlights include jazz from the Branford Marsalis Quartet on Oct. 17-18, the 10th anniversary tour of indie/folk band The Lone Bellow on Nov. 26-27, and a holiday concert by actor and singer Darren Criss on Dec. 2-3.
Criss’s “A Very Darren Chrissmas” show is among several shows aimed at musical theater fans. The Barns will also host singer Linda Eder on Nov. 2, Broadway actor Stephanie J. Block on Feb. 9-10 and Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young on March 1.
In addition, the season will feature chamber music curated by artistic advisor Wu Han, starting on Nov. 3-4 with violinist Pinchas Zukerman celebrating his 75th birthday by playing work by Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Dvořák.
The Orion String Quartet’s farewell tour (Nov. 19), the music of Beethoven (March 10 and April 19) and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (Jan. 28), and Emily Dickinson’s poetry (April 5) will also figure into the chamber music lineup.
A full breakdown of the season from the Wolf Trap Foundation can be found below. Read More
(Updated at 12:30 p.m.) A gas leak has closed Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) at Beulah Road and Forestville Drive in the Wolf Trap area.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department units are currently at the scene and expect to be there for “an extended period of time,” the department said at 11:39 a.m.
“Leesburg Pike is closed in both directions. Please seek alternative routes,” the FCFRD said.
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the closure may last “several days” as crews make repairs.
A Washington Gas representative says “a third party” hit one of the company’s 6-inch main lines. The location of the line required the intersection to close for repairs.
The “large volume” gas line was hit during construction work on the roadway, according to the FCPD public affairs bureau.
“Due to the scope of the repair ahead, it is estimated that the repair will take several days,” Sgt. Jacob Pearce told FFXnow.
Construction to widen Route 7 from Reston Avenue to Jarrett Valley Drive just north of Tysons has been underway since 2019.
#FCFRD units are on scene of an outside gas leak at the intersection of Leesburg Pike and Forestville Drive in the Great Falls area. Crews will be on scene for an extended period of time. Leesburg Pike is closed in both directions. Please seek alternative routes. pic.twitter.com/fAP7Dj6nac
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) July 21, 2023
The road is expected to be closed for several days while the repairs are completed. Please use an alternate route. #FCPD https://t.co/TLmPpuwkKi
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) July 21, 2023
