Town of Herndon seeks funds for East Elden Street widening, trails

Two major transportation projects in the Town of Herndon are vying for regional funding.

The Town of Herndon is seeking up to $1.5 million from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for street improvements and a widening of East Elden Street, along with up to $750,000 for improvements to town-wide sidewalks and trails.

The $57.3 million project will widen East Elden Street by accommodating a median and dedicated turn lanes, new travel lanes east of Herndon Parkway and dedicated bicycle lanes.

Streetscaping is also planned, including wider sidewalks, street trees, lighting, accessible pedestrian signals, and updated bus stop amenities. Decorative crosswalks will be installed, and the Sugarland Run Crossing will be updated with a bridge to tackle flooding, according to the town’s website.

Bicycle lanes will be added from Monroe Street to Herndon Parkway. A cycle track from Herndon Parkway to Fairfax County Parkway is also planned to “combine the user experience of a separated path with the on-street infrastructure of a conventional bike lane,” according to VDOT.

Intended to manage traffic in a congested area, the project is in the engineering design phase, according to the website.

“Between downtown Herndon and the Fairfax County Parkway, the street has seen increased congestion and reduced vehicular mobility in recent decades,” the town’s website says.

Construction on the duct bank is scheduled to begin in early 2023, and construction on widening is set to begin in early 2025, according to VDOT.

Funds, if approved, would be allocated through the Virginia Department of Transportation for fiscal year 2029 federal funding.

The project was approved on the Herndon Town Council’s consent agenda at a Dec. 13 meeting.

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