Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors approved Woodfield Acquisitions’ redevelopment of Roland Clarke Place at its Tuesday (Dec. 4) meeting.
The redevelopment is set to replace a vacant, two-story office building at 1941 Roland Clarke Place with a 308-unit residential complex just south of the Dulles Toll Road.
The seven-story apartment building will be about a mile between the Wiehle-Reston East and Reston Town Center Metro stations. Plans for the building include two interior courtyards, an outdoor pool, seating on a third-floor patio and a 409-space, eight-level parking garage behind the building. About one-third of the new development is slated to remain as open space.
The existing office buildings on the site were constructed in the early 1980s.
The board delayed making a decision after the project’s public hearing on Nov. 20. The Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously approved a series of proffers for the redevelopment on Nov. 15.
The board also greenlighted three other developments in Reston, including the Midline and the Tall Oaks Village Center, at the Tuesday meeting.
Images via Fairfax County and Fairfax County Planning Commission
Construction work on the second phase of the Metrorail Silver Line project brings lane and ramp closures from Monday (Dec. 3) until Saturday (Dec. 8).
Most of the closures avoid prime rush hour times.
In a post about the closures, the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project reminds drivers to use caution; remain attentive to all signage, barricades and speed limits; and obey all police and flagger instructions. Work is subject to weather changes.
Eastbound on the Dulles Toll Road has alternating right and left lane closures from just west of the Route 28 overpass to the Reston Parkway overpass on the following days:
- Monday to Friday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Alternating right and left lane closures are also westbound on the Dulles Toll Road between the Route 28 and Reston Parkway overpass. These will be in effect:
- Monday to Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Also heading westbound is a ramp closure at mile marker 3.3 to Access Road. The ramp will be closed from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Monday until Friday for striping.
Eastbound on Sunset Hills Road will have alternating right and left lane closures from 400 feet west of Town Center Pkwy to Bechtel Building Entrance. The civil work will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and from 9: 30 a.m. to noon on Friday.
Eastbound on Herndon Parkway from 1,000Â feet east of Van Buren Street to 800 feet west of Exchange Place will have a right lane closed from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Friday.
Several different spots westbound on Sunrise Valley Drive will have closed right lanes from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday to Thursday and from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Friday, including:
- from Dulles Technology Drive to Dulles Station Blvd
- from Thunder Chase Drive to Millburn Lane
- from Reston Pkwy to 200 feet west of Edmund Halley Drive
Edmund Halley Drive will have a right shoulder closed from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Friday.
As crews continue construction for the second phase of the Metrorail Silver Line project, road closures and detours will be along the Dulles Toll Road this week.
Most of the closures avoid prime rush hour times.
The lane, shoulder and road closures started on Monday (Nov. 26) and are scheduled to last until Sunday (Dec. 2), according to a post from the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.
The post reminds drivers to use caution; remain attentive to all signage, barricades and speed limits; and obey all police and flagger instructions. Work is subject to weather changes.
Eastbound on Dulles Toll Road has right and left lane closures of varying lengths from west of the Route 28 overpass to the Reston Parkway overpass.
The schedule for this is:
- Monday to Friday: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
There are also three left lane closures with stops every 20 minutes from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Thursday and Friday. Those closures are less than half of a mile west of Centreville Road to the east end of Herndon Station.
Starting at 10 p.m. on Friday, traffic eastbound on Dulles Toll Road near the toll plaza by Route 28 will be detoured to the right lane of the eastbound Dulles International Airport Access Highway. A second right lane will be closed as a safety buffer. Directly after the Centreville Road overpass, traffic will be allowed to re-enter the toll road lanes. This will last until 6 a.m. on Saturday.
Meanwhile, westbound on Dulles Toll Road there are alternating right and left lane closures of varying lengths between the Route 28 and Reston Parkway overpasses.
These will be in effect:
- Monday to Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Drivers heading westbound on the road will also experience three left lane closures with 20-minute stops from almost a quarter of a mile west of Van Buren Street to the west end of Innovation Center Station at 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Herndon Parkway East has a right lane closed 1,000 feet east of Van Buren Street to 800 feet west of Exchange Place. This takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from Tuesday until Thursday and then from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Friday.
Other roads affected include the Dulles International Airport Access Highway, Autopilot Drive, Dulles Greenway, eastbound on Sunset Hills Road East, westbound on Sunrise Valley Drive and southbound on Moran Road.
With little to no discussion and debate other than fixing a typo, the Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously approved a series of proffers for Woodfield Acquisitions’ redevelopment of Roland Clarke Place last night.
The Thursday vote sets into motion a series of waivers and modifications to allow a new residential complex to be built just south of the Dulles Toll Road. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will consider the project on Tuesday (Nov. 20).
The development will replace the office buildings at 1941 Roland Clarke Place and 1950 Roland Clarke Place. A 308-unit residential building will replace 1941 Roland Clarke Place, including roughly 37 workforce units. The application says 1950 Roland Clarke Place will be redeveloped as a small park until another development on the site can be planned.
Though no open space was required for the site, a little over two acres of the new development will remain dedicated as open space. In addition to two private courtyards within the residential complex, two smaller parks and a dog park surround the proposed residential building.
Among the waivers and modifications received for the site an allowance of a residential building 59 feet from the Dulles International Airport from the zoning ordinance’s minimum distance of 200 feet.
The existing office buildings on the site were constructed in the early 1980s. In 2008, the redevelopment of the buildings was planned into three new office buildings, but the plan was never implemented.
Photos via handout/Fairfax County Planning Commission
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board of Directors voted Wednesday (Nov. 14) to increase rates on the Dulles Toll Road for the first time since 2014.
The hike will raise the toll from $2.50 to $3.25 at the main toll plaza and from $1 to $1.50 on ramps, starting in January. The rate increases are necessary to fund the Silver Line extension project and improvements on the Dulles Toll Road, according to the MWAA.
The decision came “after careful consideration of public input received at the three toll rate public hearings held this summer, the public comments received on-line and the recommendation of the Dulles Corridor Advisory Committee,” said Warner Session, chairman of the Airports Authority Board.
In 2014, an agreement froze increases before tolls rose again to continue funding Silver Line construction. “Under the contract governing construction of the Silver Line, the Airports Authority is required to use revenues from the toll road to help fund the [Silver Line] project,” according to a Nov. 14 MWAA press release, adding that other funding includes Fairfax and Loudoun counties, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Airports Authority and the federal government.
Last month, a federal appeals court in Richmond affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the tolls helping to fund the Silver Line construction.
MWAA held a public hearing in Reston back in July to hear feedback on the proposed rate increases. The Dulles Corridor Advisory Committee reviewed and recommended the rates adopted by MWAA’s Board, according to the press release.
The next expected toll rate increase is planned for 2023.
Photo via MWAAÂ
The historic designation debate — In this opinion piece, the writer explores two historic designation issues in Herndon and Reston. [Greater Greater Washington]
Trout fishing season is here — You heard that right. The Fairfax County Park Authority invites you to fish for trout at Lake Fairfax Park. Season passes are available. [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Tishman Speyer sheds some land — The Pinkard Group paid $3.15M to acquire the 3.3-acre parcel at the corner of the Dulles Toll Road and Monroe Street in Herndon, part of the Woodland Park East development, from Tishman Speyer. [Bisnow]
Climate change in schools — Well, not in schools. The Fairfax County School Board passed a resolution last night calling on state and federal action on climate change. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
In the time machine — Flavors of Fall brought beer, wine, food and fun to Reston Town Center last weekend. Mercia Hobson offers a recap here. [The Connection]
Photo by Lindi Mallison
A stinky situation on the Dulles Toll Road has resulted in a lane closure and a significant cleanup effort.
A garbage truck’s load of trash caught fire this afternoon, shortly after 4 p.m., prompting the truck driver to dump the burning refuse on the side of the westbound Dulles Toll Road near Wiehle Avenue.
The fire was extinguished and the effort to remove the charred garbage is now underway. According to WTOP, the ramp from Wiehle Avenue to the westbound lanes of the toll road are currently blocked.
I deleted the tweet, sorry pic.twitter.com/wPLu4ziVHW
— Chris McNulty (@Vaphilly624) September 19, 2018
Quite a garbage situation. pic.twitter.com/cfnnGHHQFB
— Katherine (@scarletalphabet) September 19, 2018
A segment of the eastbound Dulles Access Highway will be closed on Saturday (September 22) from around 10 p.m. through Sunday (September 23) at 6 p.m.
Crews are scheduled to complete utility work on an overhead pedestrian bridge along the highway, which will be closed from the start of Innovation Center Station at the mile marker 1.7 to mile marker 2.7.
Traffic from the eastbound landers will be diverted to the left lane of the eastbound Dulles Toll Road. Drivers will not pass through any toll booths on the toll road during the planned detours.
Traffic will return to normal patterns just east of the Centreville Road overpass.
Drivers are encouraged to exercise caution and pay attention to all signs and barricades. Large vehicles may enter and exit the highway at various times. All work is dependent on the weather.
Photos via Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
The eastbound Dulles Access Highway (DIAAH) will be closed between Centreville Road and Fairfax County Parkway from Friday (August 3) at 10 p.m. through Monday (August 6) at 5 a.m.
Traffic from the eastbound lanes will be diverted to the left lane of the eastbound Dulles Toll Road and will then be returned to the DIAAH once past the construction area. The closure is necessary to allow Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project crews to complete storm drain work in the area.
DIAAH drivers will not have to pass through any toll both on the toll road during the detours. Eastbound toll road traffic will be restricted to two lanes. All drivers are strongly encouraged to exercise caution and pay attention to all signs and barricades.
Map via Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
Several lane, shoulder and road closures will be in effect along the Dulles Toll Road, Herndon Parkway, Sunrise Valley Drive and Sunset Hills Road this week.
Drivers are encouraged to pay attention to all signs, barricades and speed limits. Slow vehicles may be entering and exiting highways and surrounding roads.
A complete breakdown of closures, provided by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, is below:
Dulles Toll Road East
When:   Monday, July 23 – Friday, July 27, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Saturday, July 28, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
What:Â Â Â Â Alternating right and left lane closures of varying lengths
Where:Â Â From mile marker 1.3 to 5.2 (from just west of the Route 28 overpass to the Reston Parkway overpass)
Why:Â Â Â Â Â Civil work
Dulles Toll Road West
When:   Monday, July 23 – Friday, July 27, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., Saturday, July 28, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Sunday
What:Â Â Â Â Alternating right and left lane closures of varying lengths
Where:Â Â From mile marker 5.7 to 1.5 (between the Route 28 and Reston Parkway overpasses)
Why:Â Â Â Â Â Civil work
Dulles Toll Road West
When:Â Â Â Thursday, July 26, 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
What:Â Â Â Â Two right lanes closed
Where:Â Â From mile marker 4.5 to 3.5 (from 3/10 mile before the Fairfax County Parkway overpass to the Monroe Street/Van Buren Street overpass)
Why:Â Â Â Â Â Pedestrian bridge construction
Dulles Toll Road West
When:   Friday, July 27 – Saturday, July 28, 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
What:Â Â Â Â Full closure
Where:Â Â From mile marker 6.2 to 2.4 (Single lane closures begin prior to the Wiehle Avenue overpass. Full closure from the Fairfax County Parkway to Centreville Road; follow detour along the southbound Fairfax County Parkway, westbound Sunrise Valley Drive, and northbound Centreville Road where traffic will re-enter the westbound Dulles Toll Road)
Why:Â Â Â Â Â Pedestrian bridge constructionÂ
Dulles Toll Road West
When:Â Â Â Saturday, July 28, 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
What:Â Â Â Â Three left lanes close with 20-minute stoppages on right through lane
Where:Â Â From mile marker 6.6 to 4.2 (between the Wiehle Aveue overpass and the Fairfax County Parkway overpass)
Why:Â Â Â Â Â Striping
Sunrise Valley Drive East
When:   Monday, July 23 – Thursday, July 26, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Friday, July 27, 9:30 a.m. to noon
What:Â Â Â Â Right lane closed
Where:Â Â From Edmund Halley Drive to Colts Neck Road
Why:Â Â Â Â Â Clearing and civil work
Sunset Hills Road EastÂ
When:   Monday, July 23 – Thursday, July 26, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Friday, July 27, 9:30 a.m. to noon
What:Â Â Â Â Alternating right and left lane closures
Where:  From 500 feet west to 500 feet east of 12011 Sunset Hills Road
Why:Â Â Â Â Â Civil work
Sunset Hills Road WestÂ
When:   Monday, July 23 – Thursday, July 26, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Friday, July 27, 9:30 a.m. to noon
What:Â Â Â Â Two left lanes closed
Where:  From the entrance to 12011 Sunset Hills Road to 500 feet west of the entrance
Why:Â Â Â Â Â Civil work
Herndon Parkway East
When:   Monday, July 23 – Thursday, July 26, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday, July 27, 9:30 a.m. to noon
What:Â Â Â Â Right lane closed
Where:Â From 1000 feet east of Van Buren Street to 800 feet west of Exchange Place
Why:Â Â Â Â Â Equipment mobilization
Beginning tomorrow (July 12) and on Friday night (July 13), triple lane closures on planned on the Dulles Toll Road after 10 p.m.
Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project crews will continue to install equipment under the pedestrians bridges at the Reston Town Center and Herndon Metrorail Stations that cross over the eastbound and Westbound lanes of the Dulles Toll Road.
Three lanes will be closed, resulting in 20-minute traffic halts after midnight each night.
Beginning Thursday at 10 p.m., three left lanes of the eastbound Dulles Toll Road will be closed to traffic between the Monroe/Van Buren Street and Reston Parkway overpasses. One right lane will be open to traffic and 20-minute stoppages will occur in the right lane of the eastbound lanes after midnight. Lanes will reopen on Friday at 5 p.m.
On Friday at 10 p.m., the three left lanes of the westbound Dulles Toll Road will be closed to traffic between the Wiehle Avenue and the Monroe Street/Van Buren Street overpasses. One right lane will be open to traffic and 20-minute stoppages are planned after midnight on the right westbound lane and on the ramp from Fairfax County Parkway to the westbound Dulles Toll Road lanes.
Normal operations will resume on Saturday (July 14) at 6 a.m. Utility work is expected to continue through July.
Maps via Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
Crews will continue to perform utility work on Centreville Road near the Dulles Toll Road overpass in Herndon through Friday (July 13).
Alternating left and right lane closures on northbound and southbound Centreville Road and along the ramp from the westbound Dulles Toll Road lane to northbound Centreville Road and Elden Street will also take place.
Work is scheduled to take from today through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on Friday from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
Access to businesses and ramps will remain open while maintenance work continues. Drivers are encouraged to exercise caution and pay attention to all signs and barricades.
Large, slow vehicles will exit and enter roads in the area throughout the day.
Map via Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
For Dulles Toll Road users — The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is seeking public comments about proposed rate increases on the road. The online commenting period is now open and ends on August 3. [MWAA]
Local teen wraps up Nickelodeon show — Sissy Sheridan, a 14-year-old Restonian, wrapped up the first season of the “DIY With Me” web series for Nickelodeon. In the show, Sheridan teaches viewers how to make crafts. Next year, she’ll be attending a performing arts school in Virginia to work on her acting career. [The Washington Post]
Plotting a garden — Want to grow your own veggies, flowers and fruit? Reston Association’s community garden plots have spaces available in two of their five locations. [RA]
A quiet ascent — LeaseAccelerator, a Reston-based accounting software firm, is deepening its own pocketbook. The company expects to quadruple its revenue this year. [DC Inno]
Photo via Twitter user @MrErrett
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority will hold a public hearing in Reston on July 17 to hear feedback on proposed rate increases along the Dulles Toll Road.
Under the proposal, commuters would pay fifty cents more at ramp plazas and seventy-five cents more at the mainline plaza beginning in 2019. According to the MWAA, rate increases are necessary to fund the Silver Line extension project and improvements on the Dulles Toll Road.
The public hearing is scheduled for July 17 from 5-8 p.m. at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive). Two other hearings will be held at Spring Hill Elementary School in McLean and Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn.
Attendees are encouraged to comment on how the planned toll increase of $1.25 for a typical Dulles Toll Road trip should be allocated between ramp and mainline plazas. The MWAA is also seeking comments on whether toll plaza lanes that allow customers to pay with cash should be converted to “E-ZPass only” tolling.
Comments on other operational improvements, including whether or not credit cards should be accepted at toll plaza lanes, are also encouraged.
MWAA representatives will be on site to discuss the proposal. Translators will also be available at each public hearing. The public engagement period will run from July 2 through August 3. Comments can be submitted to [email protected].
The MWAA’s board is expected to vote on planned toll increase later this year.
Commuters on the Dulles Toll Road could pay 75 cents more at the main toll plaza and 50 cents more at each ramp. The proposal will be presented to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s Board of Directors on Wednesday (June 20).
If approved by the board, tolls would increase from $3.50 to $4.75 for most one-way trips beginning in January. Rates would be higher for larger vehicles.
In 2019, tolls are expected to generate $198.7 million in revenue, nearly 30 percent more than the currently generated revenue. Despite projected increases in revenue, the number of toll transactions is expected to decrease by 6.4 percent next year due to declines in road usage during weekends and off-peak hours.
A nearly 1.5 percent increase is expected until 2023Â when the next planned toll increase is scheduled to take effect.
Public hearings on the proposal are set for July 11 in McLean, July 17 in Reston and July 19 in Ashburn. During the meetings, attendees can discuss their thoughts with authority officials, as well as whether or not the board should switch to electronic-only tolling.
The board is expected to vote on the final proposal in October. Plans to increase tolls have been in the works since 2009. Revenue generated from toll transactions would cover debt tied to the Silver Line.
Photo by Fatimah Waseem
