Fairfax County proposes crosswalks, bike lanes with annual road restriping program

Paving and re-striping season has descended upon Fairfax County once again, ushering in a series of public meetings later this month on proposed projects that include bicycle lanes and improved crosswalks.

Hundreds of miles of roadway will be repaved and re-striped by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) as part of the program throughout the state.

“VDOT and the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) use this program as an opportunity to increase driver, bicyclist and pedestrian safety with road and crosswalk improvements while minimizing the financial investment in restriping work,” FCDOT says on its website.

The first meeting kicks off next Monday (April 8) at 7 p.m. for the Franconia and Mount Vernon districts.

In the Franconia District, bicycle lanes on Oakwood Road between Van Dorn Street and Crown Royal Drive are proposed, along with crosswalk improvements at Terrapin Place and at the Crown Royal Drive and Founders Hill Place intersection.

The Mount Vernon District is slated for:

• Bike lanes on Laurel Crest Drive between Silverbrook Road and Douglas Fir Drive
• Bike lanes on Old Mount Vernon Road between Drews Court and Maryland Street
• Crosswalk improvements at Laurel Crest Drive and Paper Birch Drive

The Hunter Mill District’s meeting on April 9 will focus on Center Harbor Road in Reston, where bicycle lanes are proposed between Wiehle Avenue and Reston Parkway, and crosswalk improvements proposed at the Sundial Road intersection.

The Providence District meeting is set for April 10, with bike lanes proposed on Anderson Road between Birdwood Avenue and Magarity Road. A Capital Bikeshare station is also proposed near the intersection of Anderson Road and Dartford Drive.

Meetings for the Braddock, Mason and Springfield Districts are slated for April 11. Braddock is expected to have the following projects:

• Bike lanes on Heming Avenue between Heming Place and Braddock Road
• Crosswalk improvements at Heming Avenue and Hogarth Street
• Crosswalk improvements on Heming Ave at Elgar Street and Axton Street

Springfield is only slated for one road restriping that would add crosswalk improvements on Center Road and Garden Road.

The Sully District has the most proposed changes, which will be discussed at a meeting on April 23 at 7 p.m.:

• Bike lanes on Walney Road between Westfields Boulevard and Westmore Street
• Bike lanes on Field Encampment Road between Golden Oaks Lane and Centrewood Drive
• Crosswalk improvements on Field Encampment Road at Cider Barrel Circle and St. Germain Drive
• Crosswalk improvements at Compton Village Drive and Bradenton Drive

Paving begins in the spring and concludes in November. Exact dates for each project will be available 10 days before work is expected to begin.

Work hours are usually limited to outside of rush hours, although residents can expect work vehicles in their neighborhood during the project.

Links for each web meeting are available on FCDOT’s website, along with dial-in information.

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