New design guidelines offer vision for future Tysons Community Circuit trail

TysonsReporter.com February 13, 2023 at 1:34pm

Tysons Community Circuit collector street intersection design (via Fairfax County) — An intersection of the Tysons Community Circuit at a collector street, based on the design guidance (via Fairfax County)

Crosswalk design will be particularly important when the circuit crosses major roads — especially the Capital Beltway (I-495), Leesburg Pike (Route 7) and Chain Bridge Road (Route 123) — and when it switches to the opposite side of the street, according to the document.

The guidance also has examples of amenities for the trail, like benches, trash receptacles and bicycle and scooter parking racks. It recommends incorporating “colorful decals and pavement markings” to reinforce the Tysons brand and create a sense of place.

Decals and pavement markings can also:

Provide directional information

Mark travel distances

Supply event information

Celebrate the seasons

Transmit safety messages

Spread knowledge of history, literature, the arts, nature, science, etc.

Now that it has the board’s endorsement, the guidance will be used during reviews of development applications, according to a county staff report.

Along with the three-block segment in The Boro expansion, the Fairfax County Planning Commission approved a development plan for a residential building at The Mile in May that includes a 7,595-square-foot portion of the community circuit.

“The guidance is intended as a working document, and subject to refinement to reflect changing development conditions along the Circuit to ensure the best outcomes for the Circuit as a recreational trail and placemaking element in Tysons,” county staff said. “In locations where redevelopment is not anticipated, segments of the Circuit could be constructed with public funds, grants, or through public-private partnerships.”