After several years of discussion, the county has officially selected the likely path for the Soapstone Connector, a major $237 million connection planned between Sunrise Valley Drive and Sunset Hills Road in Reston.
At a board meeting yesterday (Tuesday), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors selected one of several options for the layout of the project. The motion was approved without any discussion.
Mayor Sheila Olem is running against councilmembers Sean Regan and Jasbinder Singh in the upcoming mayoral race on Nov. 8. This week, FFXNow will feature candidate statements in their unedited form. Statements are published in the order in which they are received.
What are your top three priorities for the Town of Herndon?
- Promoting active living by improving pedestrian, cycling, and transit spaces in our community.
- Using redevelopment to usher in mixed-use projects that add vitality throughout our 4.2-square-mile town.
- Working with partners to plan and design streets, sidewalks, paths, and transportation facilities to make them safe and accessible for people of all ages and abilities and vehicular transportation while keeping our taxes low.
What is the top challenge that the town faces and how do you hope to address it?
Getting our community partners to come back out for community events! I hope you will join me and attend NatureFest at Runnymede Park, September 25, the Herndon Home Coming Parade, Downtown Herndon, October 8. Wintermarket, December 10, Downtown Herndon. If you are looking to get involved with your community, we have many groups looking for volunteers.
With the opening of the Silver Line on the horizon, how do you believe the town can better prepare for transit-oriented communities?
The Town has been planning and preparing for the arrival of Metro for decades. Drive around the Herndon Parkway where the Metro will arrive, and you will see the new bus bays and kiss & ride bays for commuters to arrive on the north side of the Herndon Metro. Take a turn onto Van Buren by Haley Smith Park and you will see the ‘Complete Streets’ project which is part of the key connections for multi-modal travelers to connect between the W&OD Trail and our Historic Downtown to the Herndon Metro Station. The $120 Million in transportation/safety/stormwater projects funded with $85 Million from county, regional, state, and federal dollars (our partners). As a resident of Herndon since 1990 I have been personally involved in countless community meetings over the years, for the arrival of the Silver Line. I personally have been impressed over the last 20 years, at how far ahead of the ‘other’ metro stops the Town of Herndon’s planning has been. I will continue to collaborate with our community and partners on improving our community for all to enjoy.
Lee and Lee-Jackson highways may officially no more.
In a 9-1 decision, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted to change names of Lee and Lee-Jackson highways to Route 29 and Route 50 respectively.
Most Parents Believe FCPS is a Safe Environment — “Over 90% of Fairfax County, Virginia, parents who responded to a family engagement survey agreed their child feels safe at school and their child’s school is safe… the survey found 91% of the 35,109 parents and guardians who responded agreed or strongly agreed that their child feels safe at school, while 89% agreed or strongly agreed that their child’s school is safe.” [WTOP]
Advocates: County Not Doing Enough to Limit Deportations — “A Fairfax County policy aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants from deportation is not being implemented aggressively enough, a coalition of immigrant advocacy groups said — although they also acknowledge that Fairfax has been more aggressive than other jurisdictions on the issue.” [The Washington Post]
County Board Approves Bonuses for Police, Nurses — “The Board of Supervisors in Fairfax County, Virginia, voted Tuesday to authorize bonuses of up to $15,000 for new hires in certain jobs. The board authorized County Executive Bryan Hill to grant the bonuses, which Supervisor Pat Herrity called important to getting people into jobs ‘where we are losing recruits to surrounding jurisdictions.'” [WTOP]
Kite Flyers Reminded of Dangers — The county is reminding residents to avoid leaving kite string filament in trees or on the ground. County officials say that several incidents above Laurel Hill Park, the Central Green and Laurel Hill Golf Club. [Fairfax County Government]
Reston Association Pools Open for Extra Weekend — North Shore pool will be open this weekend from noon to 6 p.m. for members, adding a weekend to the typical pools season. [RA]
It’s Wednesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 78 and low of 60. Sunrise at 6:51 am and sunset at 7:20 pm. [Weather.gov]
A second round of hiring is underway for more 250 part-time positions at the future Wegmans Food Markets in Reston.
The 85,000-square-foot store is located at the Halley Rise mixed-use development at the intersection of Reston Parkway and Sunrise Valley Drive. Marcie Rivera, a spokesperson for Wegmans, tells FFXnow that an opening date has not yet been determined.
There has been no shortage of thinkpieces about how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed workplaces, from the waning demand for office space to widespread staffing deficits as workers reevaluated their goals and working conditions.
Program to Control Deer Population in Fairfax County Begins — “Hunters who qualify and undergo training can now take part in the deer archery program in Fairfax County, Virginia, through February 18. The program began in 2010 as a part of the county’s deer management program to reduce and stabilize the white-tailed deer population.” [WTOP]
Temporary Traffic Signals Installed along Hunter Mill Road — Temporary traffic signals on Hunter Mill Road will be activated north and south of Colvin Run around noon tomorrow (Wednesday) as part of the Colvin Run bridge project. [Virginia Department of Transportation]
Duties Fall to Councilmember in Vienna — Town Council elections have been moved to November of next year, which means that Councilmember Ed Womers will remain mayor pro temper until a new council is seated. [Town of Vienna]
Reston Library Event to Explore Population Changes — Speaker Jeff Jordan, president and CEO of Population Reference Bureau, will visit Reston Regional Library from 2-4 p.m. for a roundtable discussion on how changing demographics affect decision-making. [Fairfax County Government]
It’s Tuesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 78 and low of 67. Sunrise at 6:50 am and sunset at 7:22 pm. [Weather.gov]
(Updated on Sept. 13 and Sept. 14 to clarify a crash account and add attribution) Increased redevelopment in the Town of Herndon’s transit-oriented core may come with a price: increased concerns about road safety in quiet neighborhoods designed for low speeds, town officials say.
Late last month, a Jeep flipped over on Spring Street, hitting a tree right in front of a home. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, police said.
A series of crashes in the area have prompted the creation of a neighborhood coalition that is calling on the town for change. Most of the residents are in and around Spring Street.
At the forefront of that effort is Stephanie Frye, who claims she was almost struck by a drunk driver in the middle of the day while walking her dog on the sidewalk of Spring Street in downtown Herndon.
She said a police officer told her the driver was going nearly 60 mph on a street where the speed limit is 25 mph. The driver crashed into another car and ended up on the frontward of a home on 651 Spring Street, destroying a concrete pillar on the site, she says.
The Town of Herndon said that there is no record that the individual was going nearly 60 mph on the road, according to a town spokesperson. The police department’s police report characterizes the incident as a DUI.
Since that May 2018 incident, Frye and other residents asked town officials to make the area safer.
Part of the problem is cut-through traffic. Many drivers seem to be using Spring Street to avoid Elden Street and the Dulles Toll Road.
“The regularity of seeing a car on its side in a ditch, a road sign at a 30 degree angle from being hit, cars flipped onto their roofs, car mirrors and other parts scattered in front yards, fresh tire marks on the sidewalks, cars crashed into town establishments has become a regular occurrence,” Frye said.
But of the four crashes that happened on this stretch of Spring Street from Elden to Van Buren streets this year, speed was not even a contributing factor, according to a spokesperson for the Herndon Police Department.
In two crashes, the drivers lost control of their vehicles. The third incident was a hit-and-run in which a car took out the sideview mirror of a car parked on the shoulder. The fourth crash was attributed to a driver who did not have the right-of-way.
“These have been the only four accidents over a twelve month period in that portion of Spring between Elden and Van Buren,” said police department spokesperson Lisa Herndon.
In April, residents compiled a list of incidents and mitigation measures to the town after a car crashed into a crepe myrtle on the side of the road.
Four months later, a Jeep took out the same tree as it careened onto its roof.
A seven-day speed study conducted by the town in mid-May found that speeds were below state standards that trigger changes to engineering traffic controls. Average speeds ranged between 28 and nearly 27 mph.
“The town is looking at the accident and assessing the area,” Kelly Garrone, a spokesperson for the Town of Herndon, told FFXnow.
Ideas include further reducing the speed limit to 15 mph, trimming trees to make sure speed limit signs are visible, adding speed camera on Grace Street near the school zone, and adding speed cushions in particularly problematic areas. They have also suggested making residential streets for “local traffic only” and upping police enforcement.
The stalled redevelopment of Downtown Herndon — which is on pause — and the start of service for Silver Line Phase II will likely bring more cars, town officials have noted in previous town meetings The town has several major projects in the works to add relief to area streets.
Residents wonder if it may be too late before a casualty takes place.
“This isn’t the first, and certainly not the last accident that has occured on Spring Street that could have killed one of our neighbors,” Frye said.
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.
Driver of Tractor-trailer Killed in Crash — The driver of a tractor-trailer that was traveling north on I-485 ran off the road and hit a pole near the Georgetown Pike exit. An investigation is currently underway.
Segment of New I-66 Express Lanes Open — The western section of the new I-66 Express Lanes open today. The nine-mile section runs between Route 28 in Centreville and Route 29 in Gainesville. [WTOP]
Tysons Corner Metro Station Changes Its Name — Corner is no longer a part of the Tysons Corner Metro Station’s name after four other station in the system changed names. Metro’s board approved the changes, which went into effect yesterday (Sunday), earlier this month. The changes come after requests from local jurisdictions to do so. [Washington Post]
Police Investigate Robbery at Reston Hotel — A man reportedly took merchandise without playing at the Westin on 11750 Sunrise Valley Drive. When the man was confronted, he allegedly assaulted a victim and ran away. [FCPD]
Prince Jewelers Robbed in McLean — Two men entered Prince Jewelers at 1961 Chain Bridge Road, destroyed cases and took merchandise. The case is under investigation. [FCPD]
It’s Monday — Rain starting in the afternoon. High of 82 and low of 72. Sunrise at 6:49 am and sunset at 7:23 pm. [Weather.gov]
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Town of Herndon police officers gathered on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail Wednesday to celebrate a peculiar site: a retired flight attendant pushing a beverage cart. “It was an…
The McClean Community Center’s annual Fall Community Parking Lot Sale — a large flea market for local residents and businesses — is returning next weekend. The sale is scheduled to…
Open Houses includes a 7 BD/7.5 BA home with a floor to ceiling fireplace, fenced yard and finished lower level.
Theoretically, an intrepid day drinker could hit up all three of the Oktoberfest celebrations around the Tysons area scheduled for next weekend. Provided they have a designated driver or don’t…
Town of Herndon police officers gathered on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail Wednesday to celebrate a peculiar site: a retired flight attendant pushing a beverage cart.
“It was an honor to welcome Paul “Paulie” Veneto to the Herndon as he continues Paulie’s Push,” the Herndon Police Department wrote.
At area Harris Teeter locations, leafy greens, herbs and vegetables trace their roots to Beanstalk, a new vertical farm in the Town of Herndon.
County kicks off opioid emergency training — The county is kicking off a series of trainings on opioid overdoses and naloxone education. The series, called ‘REVIVE!’, trains attendees on how to administer naloxone. [Fairfax County Government]
Town of Vienna to celebrate Patriot Day — Vienna’s American Legion Post 180 and local leaders will celebrate Vienna Patriot Day on Sunday at 9 a.m. on the Freeman Store lawn. [Town of Vienna]
Oak Hill Manor reopens after two years — The historic Oak Hill Manor in Annandale will open on Saturday, Sept. 17 from noon to 4 p.m. after a two-year pause due to the pandemic. [Fairfax County Government]
Release of suspect in home break-in upsets local family — “A Fairfax County family is living in fear after their house was broken into while they were home… On July 6, 2022, English and his family were at their Fairfax County home when they heard a window break downstairs.” [WJLA]
Mill Street to remain closed — The portion of Mill Street between Church Street and Maple Avenue will be closed this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a special event. [Town of Vienna]
It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 79 and low of 64. Sunrise at 6:46 am and sunset at 7:28 pm. [Weather.gov]
Phase two of the long-awaited Silver Line is likely slated for a late fall opening.
At a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority board meeting today (Thursday), efforts are underway to complete safety and certification requirements, according to Theresa Impastato, WMATA’s executive vice president and chief safety officer.
