Food delivery robots from the startup Cartken have launched at the Mosaic District (courtesy Alex Zilberman/EDENS)
The robots are taking over the Mosaic District.
Starting today (Thursday), a fleet of boxy, self-driving bots will roam around the mixed-use Merrifield neighborhood, delivering food from restaurants in a pilot program by the delivery service Uber Eats and the robotics startup Cartken.
Right now, robot deliveries are available from the family-owned Greek restaurant Our Mom Eugenia, Pupatella Pizza and the Indian fast-casual eatery RASA, but other tenants could be added later. The pilot is slated to run through April 2024.
The Mosaic District is emerging as a prime testing ground for autonomous technology, hosting Fairfax County and Dominion Energy’s Relay shuttle — though the vehicle is currently sidelined by “mechanical issues” through Friday (April 21).
“We are excited to partner with Uber Eats and Cartken to bring cutting-edge technology to our community, and confident this innovative service will elevate visitor experience and customer engagement at Mosaic,” said Greg Dercach, vice president of property management for EDENS, which owns and operates the development.
Uber and Cartken — an Oakland, California-based artificial intelligence company created by former Google engineers — first teamed up to experiment with food delivery robots in the Miami, Florida, area, launching a pilot in December.
The companies chose to introduce the robots to the Mosaic District, their first site in Virginia, because of the development’s walkability and abundance of dining options.
“Uber and Cartken share a vision to provide greater affordability, reliability, and convenience to merchants and consumers — all at the touch of a button,” Noah Zych, Uber’s head of autonomous mobility and delivery, said. “Our expansion to Fairfax is another important step in this journey, bringing Virginia residents a little more Uber magic through sidewalk robot delivery.”
Sporting six wheels and a red flag, the robots are equipped with sensors and cameras that help them navigate and avoid collisions. They can carry 1.5 cubic feet — about two full paper grocery bags — and reach speeds of 3-6 mph, depending on the environment.
They will travel anywhere within the Mosaic District, though residents will have to step outside to pick up their deliveries.
While made by a different company, Cartken’s vehicles will look familiar to anyone who has recently visited George Mason University’s Fairfax campus, where robots from Starship Technology have been delivering food to students since 2019.
Founded in 2019, Cartken has also worked with Grubhub at some college campuses and deployed its robots to make Starbucks deliveries at malls in Japan.
“Our team at Cartken is excited to further partner with Uber Eats and expand our reach to serve the Fairfax community,” Cartken co-founder and COO Anjali Jindal Naik said. “Cartken is at an inflection point, where we are rapidly bringing our AI, computer vision, and lidar-less autonomous robots to more places, like Mosaic District, in partnership with Uber Eats.”
Patrons of the participating Mosaic District restaurants can request a delivery by robot through the Uber Eats app, which allows users to track the vehicle’s route and arrival time. A standard delivery takes 20 to 30 minutes, but there’s a “priority” option that advertises a 15 to 25-minute wait for a $1.49 fee.
Preparation for Delayed Southbound GW Parkway Closure Begins — “To prepare for the traffic shift, crews will begin to install temporary lane dividers on April 20. Motorists should expect single lane, northbound closures from 8 p.m. on April 20 to 2:45 p.m. on April 21 during these preparations. Crews will implement the new traffic pattern between 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 22.” [National Park Service]
New Dining Options Coming to Local Airports — “Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport announced a new slate of concessions, including spinoffs of some notable DC restaurants and brands. The phased rollout will begin later this year, and more than 80 new dining and retail options are expected open across both airports by 2026.” [Washingtonian]
Metro Shares Vision for Redesigned Bus Network — “Metro released its ‘visionary’ bus network redesign maps on Monday, proposing drastically more bus service to the region. The plan, which is 35% more expensive than the current service, is unfunded so far.” The 100 proposed bus routes include 24-hour service to Dulles Airport and a bus between Bethesda and Tysons. [DCist]
Mosaic ES Renovation Approved — “Fairfax County School Board members voted unanimously on an April 13 consent-agenda item to award a $41.4 million contract to Dustin Construction Inc. to expand and renovate Mosaic Elementary School in the Oakton area.” The project will add a 55,365-square-foot, two-story expansion to the building. [Gazette Leader]
Fort Belvoir Now Has a Panda Express — “Panda Express, a fast food restaurant chain specializing in American Chinese cuisine, opened April 6 at the Fort Belvoir Main Exchange food court. The eatery, which had been under construction since early last year, is located in a space formerly occupied by Boston Market.” [On the MoVe]
State Senate Candidates Debate Tonight in Vienna — Democratic candidates for the 37th Senate District, which includes Vienna, Merrifield, Tysons, Oakton and Fairfax City, will have a debate from 6:30-8 p.m. at the American Legion Post 180 (330 Center Street North). Incumbent Chap Petersen faces primary challenges from Saddam Azlan Salim and Erika Yalowitz. [Patch]
Virginia Revises Process for Removing Dead From Voter Rolls — “As Virginia election officials work to clean up the state’s voter rolls, they announced the discovery of a huge number of dead people still listed as registered voters in the state. After reviewing death records dating back to 1960, they found 18,990 deceased voters who had not been removed.” [WTOP]
Tuition Increase Proposed at GMU — George Mason University has proposed increasing tuition by $300 for the 2023-24 academic year to provide additional financial aid and offset “escalating operational expenses.” The increase could be eliminated for in-state undergraduate students if “the university’s broader funding requests” are included in Virginia’s budget by the General Assembly. [GMU]
It’s Thursday — Mostly sunny. Pleasantly warm. High of 87 and low of 50. Sunrise at 6:25 am and sunset at 7:50 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County’s population growth has slowed to a crawl, and it’s unclear if that’s a temporary result of the pandemic or a more permanent trend.
The newly published 2022 Demographic Report indicates that the county’s population has slowed since 2020. It decreased in 2021 for the first time since 1840, though 2022 saw a slight rebound from that — an increase of a fraction of a percent.
According to a press release on the report from the county:
Population growth has slowed down in the county since 2020. In fact, in 2021 the total population decreased, resulting in the first negative growth recorded in Fairfax County since 1840.
The Census Bureau Vintage 2021 Population estimates indicate that all factors — largely reduced international in-migration, declined natural growth and increased domestic out-migration — contributed to the slowing of population growth. The 2022 Demographic Report shows that our population growth saw a mild recovery (the total population in 2022 was estimated to be 1,172,646, a 0.2% annual growth), it remains to be seen whether the slowed growth is temporary due to the pandemic.
Still, population forecasts estimate continued but slow growth over the next few decades, from the current 1.2 million up to 1.4 million by 2050.
While the Town of Herndon’s population is expected to swell from 22,308 people to 28,385 by 2050, the forecasts estimate populations in Clifton and Vienna will remain fairly stagnant. Vienna is estimated to hit 17,326 residents by 2030 and stay around that number through 2050.
The report indicated the market value of housing units continues to outpace increases in household income, particularly in the Sully District:
In 2022, the county’s median market value of owned housing units was $648,270, a 10.9% increase from 2021. Among Supervisor Districts, the highest increase was in the Sully District (up 14%), and the lowest was in the Hunter Mill District (up 7.8%). The average monthly rent increased from $1,787 in 2020 to $1,913 in 2021, based on the latest 2021 Rental Housing Complex Analysis report.
Meanwhile, the report noted that the 2021 American Community Survey 1-Year estimated Fairfax County’s median household income only increased 4.5% between 2019 and 2021 — growing only half as fast as housing costs.
The survey estimated the county’s median household income as $134,115, which is almost double the national average of $69,717.
Maman Joon, a Persian restaurant originally based in D.C., is now open at Tysons Corner Center.
Opened during the first week of April, the eatery is located at 8048 Tysons Corner Center on the mall’s second level next to the Pakistani cafe Cha Tea House, replacing the permanently closed Cava.
It joins a growing collection of tenants at the mall catering to the D.C. region’s robust and diverse Arab and Middle Eastern population, including the restaurant Istanbul Kitchen and the Saudi-inspired coffee shop Shotted.
“I think Tysons Corner mall is one of the best malls in the country,” Maman Joon co-owner Peter Tabibian said. “…We know there’s a lot of Persian community and a lot of people from Qatar, Saudi and Middle Eastern countries in that area. We thought there was a void for a Persian [or] Middle Eastern concept, and we thought it would be a great fit to put Maman Joon out there.”
Maman Joon’s expansion to Tysons follows what Tabibian says has been a successful opening in McLean, where the business is co-located with Z-Burger — another concept created by Tabibian and his business partner, McLean resident Kevin Ejtemai.
The paired restaurants opened at 1408 Chain Bridge Road over the summer, becoming the team’s first Virginia locations for both brands. Z-Burger also entered Alexandria’s West End in February.
Both restaurants are distinguished by fresh, quality ingredients and the care put into cooking each meal, Tabibian says. At Maman Joon, all of the meat is certified halal from Lorton-based Washington Lamb, and the chicken kabob, for instance, is marinated for about 38 hours.
“It’s really working out, because some kids come and get a burger and their parents get a kabob, and then vice versa and it’s just been excellent,” he said. “We could not ask for a better combination and a better location. It’s been wonderful.”
At roughly 2,500 square feet, the Tysons Maman Joon is smaller than the one in McLean, which shares about 4,000 square feet with Z-Burger, so the menu has been trimmed down. In addition to kabobs, the restaurant sells soups, salads, wraps and vegetarian rice dishes.
While Tysons Corner Center isn’t getting a Z-Burger, the food court is slated to fill a long-vacant space next to California Tortilla with My Own Pizza, a New York-style pizzeria at Federal Center Plaza in D.C. also run by Tabibian and Ejtemai.
Like at the original location, the pizza will be made on-site in a brick oven. No changes are expected to the menu, which also features calzones and salads.
The stall is about three weeks away from opening, Tabibian estimated, suggesting it could be ready in time for the summer.
“That’s going to be kind of a plus for us, being next to the movie theater,” he said. “It’s going to be in and out basically. Pizzas are really like, if you’re in a rush, you can get it out quickly. I visited most of the places in New York that sell pizzas, and I have talked to the people that have been making pizzas for 30, 40, 50 years, so I got a lot of secrets on how to make the best pizza. So, I think people are going to be out for a treat.”
Local Firefighter Rescues Cat in Tree — “Cat-astrophe avoided! Firefighter Austin Cole and crew from Tower 424, Woodlawn, C-Shift recently resc-mewed a cat who’d been lost for a few days. W/ safeties tied to ladder, Firefighter Cole climbed and warmed up to Asha w/a treat. Tears of joy shed upon reunification.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Lawyer Criticizes Grand Jury Decision in Police Shooting — “Carl Crews, an attorney representing the family of Timothy McCree Johnson, said in a statement that Fairfax County detectives ‘tanked’ the presentation of evidence to the panel considering whether to indict Sgt. Wesley Shifflett…A defense attorney for the officer noted [Crews] was not present during the proceedings.” [The Washington Post]
Route 1 Advocates Urge County to Fund Social Services — “Advocates for low-income residents of the Route 1 community, including a mobile home residents’ coalition, faith communities, activist groups and nonprofit service providers, showed up in force last week at the FY24 budget hearings held by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors” [On the MoVe]
School Board Adopts First-Ever Conduct Policy — “The Fairfax County School Board on April 13 voted 10-2 to approve a new policy that governs expectations of board members’ conduct — including with their employees — and stipulates corrective measures in case of violations.” The board will be required to review the policy every five years. [Gazette Leader]
Nutley Street Lane to I-66 Closes for a Month — “A long-term closure of the right lane on northbound Nutley Street between Hermosa Drive and the ramp to I-66 East will begin at 9 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, April 18, to complete drainage work as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project. The closure will remain in place until approximately May 18.” [VDOT]
Government Contractor Moves Into Tysons HQ — V2X Inc., a “government services company formed through the $2.1 billion merger of Vectrus Inc. and Vertex Inc., said Monday it has officially moved its headquarters to Tysons.” Providing operations and logistics, aerospace, training and technology support, the new company is based at 7901 Jones Branch Drive, where Colorado Springs-based Vectrus had an office. [Washington Business Journal]
FCPS Sees Increased Enrollment for Arabic Classes — “Fairfax County Public Schools has good reason to celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month this April: enrollment in its Arabic language course has nearly doubled over the last decade…For the 2022–2023 school year, there are 838 students enrolled in Arabic 1–4 and International Baccalaureate courses.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
County Opens Registration for Therapeutic Summer Camps — “Registration for NCS’ 2023 Therapeutic Recreation Summer Camp opens on Wednesday, April 19. This is a wonderful opportunity for children and young adults with disabilities ages 5-22 to be involved in up to three weeks of a safe and fun summer program.” [Neighborhood and Community Services]
Bike to Work Day Adds Annandale Pit Stop — “For the first time since Bike to Work Day was established 22 years ago in the D.C. area, there will be a pit stop at George Mason Regional Library in Annandale. Bike to Work Day is May 19. Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association are coordinating the event with the goal of raising awareness about the benefits of riding a bike to work” [Annandale Today]
It’s Wednesday — Sunny. Mild. High of 74 and low of 45. Sunrise at 6:26 am and sunset at 7:49 pm. [Weather.gov]
For the next few months, drivers will have just one road to reach Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) from Wolf Trap.
The access point at Trap Road is scheduled to close at 7 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) and will remain blocked to traffic until 9 a.m. Saturday (April 22), the Virginia Department of Transportation announced last week.
Drivers will be required to use Towlston Road in order to travel between Route 7 and Trap Road.
“By Saturday, April 22 at 9 a.m., the eastbound lanes of Route 7 will shift to the south, and Trap Road will reopen at Route 7 to incoming traffic,” VDOT said. “Drivers on eastbound Route 7 will be able to turn right onto Trap Road.”
However, Trap Road will remain closed to outgoing traffic, which will still need to use Towlston through this summer. A full reopening is currently anticipated in August, according to VDOT.
The closure is part of the ongoing project to widen Route 7 from four to six lanes along a nearly 7-mile stretch from Reston Avenue to Jarrett Valley Drive. Under construction since 2019, the project is also adding 10-foot-wide shared-use paths on both sides of the roadway and redesigning key intersections.
New traffic patterns necessitated by a reconstruction of the Baron Cameron Avenue intersection will be in place until 5 a.m. Thursday (April 20). The new Lewinsville Road intersection is on track to open in May.
The overall Route 7 widening is expected to be completed by July 31, 2024, according to the project website. It costs an estimated $313.9 million.
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Fairfax County and the rest of the D.C. area.
In effect from noon until 8 p.m. today (Tuesday), the alert says a combination of strong wind gusts and low humidity have raised the risk of outdoor fires.
“A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly,” the NWS said. “A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.”
The full alert is below:
…RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR VIRGINIA, SOUTHERN MARYLAND, AND EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE…
* WINDS…West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…As low as 15 percent.
* IMPACTS…Critical fire weather conditions are expected through this evening. All outdoor burning is discouraged, as fires could rapidly spread and become uncontrollable.
* FUEL MOISTURE…Dropping to around 7 or 8 percent.
It’s a higher-level warning than the “elevated threat” alert that the NWS issued last Wednesday (April 12) when there were similar weather conditions.
The Fairfax County Department of Emergency Management and Security advises that cigarettes and other smoking materials should be disposed properly in water, sand or an ash tray.
The Virginia Department of Transportation said there were “several reports of brush fires” last week. A brush fire near the Evergreen House apartments in Annandale on Thursday (April 13) affected about 2 acres of land, though the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reported that there were no injuries.
Virginia’s spring fire season typically falls between Feb. 15 and April 30, according to the state’s forestry department.
The D.C. area is currently in the midst of its warmest year on record, the Capital Weather Gang reported, with the 46.9-degree average temperature at Dulles International Airport surpassing the previous record in 2012 by 1 degree.
[4/18 at 12:15 PM]
A Red Flag Warning is in effect until 8 PM. A Red Flag Warning means warm temps, very low humidity, & strong winds are expected to produce an increased risk of fire danger. Dispose of smoking materials properly. Sink it or soak it in water/sand/receptacle. pic.twitter.com/Zkxgs3DAaA
— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) April 18, 2023
A #RedFlagWarning has been issued from Noon-8 pm today. We had several reports of brush
last week during similar conditions, so please dispose of smoking materials properly. #VaWX pic.twitter.com/gnrsgew7Vh
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) April 18, 2023
Fairfax County is reducing the hours for some waste collection services at the I-66 Transfer Station (4618 West Ox Road) and I-95 Landfill Complex (9850 Furnace Road).
Beginning May 1, the facilities will reduce hours for dropping off household hazardous waste (HHW) and electronics waste. The changes are ushered in by staffing shortages and are intended to maintain a “consistent quality service,” according to the county.
Currently, four of the seven total positions for environmental technology are vacant — positions that are hard to fill internally and externally, says Sharon North, a spokesperson for the county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES).
“They require specific training and knowledge to work with such materials, per federal and state regulation,” North told FFXnow. “The training is focused on packaging, labeling, and marking shipping containers and drums, as well as basic knowledge of chemical, environmental and health hazards, plus hazardous waste emergency response methods, procedures and regulations.”
Private contractors that the county typically relies on to supply field chemists and other staff have also been hit by similar labor problems.
“These challenges are not unlike what we are seeing throughout our DPWES operations with regard to frontline field personnel,” North said. “The most challenging positions are drivers, operators, technicians, maintenance and trades personnel, safety specialists and general labor.”
A breakdown of the new hours is below:
*The new I-66 HHW drop-off hours will be:
Monday and Friday: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday: noon to 5 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
*There are no HHW drop-offs hours on Wednesday.*The new I-95 HHW drop-off hours will be:
Wednesday: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.*There are no HHW drop-offs hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Sunday.
*The new I-66 electronics waste drop-off hours will be:
Monday: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday: noon to 5 p.m. (half day)Thursday: noon to 5 p.m. (half day)
Friday: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.*There are no electronics drop-off hours on Wednesday.
*The new I-95 electronics drop-off hours will be:
Wednesday: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.*There are no electronics drop-off hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Sunday
Metro will assemble an armada of shuttles this summer to support travelers during its multi-week shutdowns of several stations on the Orange, Silver and Green lines.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced yesterday that free shuttle buses will be available throughout the closures, which will begin on May 12 and roll out to Fairfax County’s Orange Line stations starting June 3.
During the closures, the agency will conduct maintenance work at each of the stations and modernize their facilities.
“Continued maintenance work is essential to safe and reliable rail service,” WMATA Chief of Infrastructure Andy Off said in the press release. “We are working strategically to target maintenance locations and minimize the impacts on customers as we conduct this critical work to upgrade systems, improve reliability, and modernize station facilities.”
In Fairfax County, the closures will take place in two phases.
First, the Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church and East Falls Church stations will close from June 3 to 25 so that Metro can replace the 40-year-old train rails and add fiber-optic cables.
“Replacing the track in this section is a top priority to ensure safety and increase reliability,” WMATA said.
A combination of local, express and limited-stop shuttle service will be offered:
Orange Line Shuttle: Local service between Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church, East Falls Church, and Ballston-MU stations.
- Local service between McLean, East Falls Church, and Ballston-MU stations.
- Every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6- 9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
Orange Line Express: Express service between Vienna and Rosslyn stations.
- Service every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6-9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
- Service every 10 minutes during non-rush hours. (9 a.m.-3 p.m., 7-9 p.m.)
Silver Line Limited: Limited-stop service between Washington Dulles International Airport, McLean, and Rosslyn.
- Service every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6-9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
- Service every 10 minutes during non-rush hours. (9 a.m.-3 p.m., 7-9 p.m.)
Silver Line riders will need to take a shuttle to bypass the East Falls Church transfer station. Trains between Ashburn and McLean will run every eight minutes, except after 9:30 p.m., when they will operate every 10 minutes.
Both of the Falls Church stations will reopen on June 26, but the Vienna and Dunn Loring stations will stay closed through July 16 to finish the rail replacement and cable installation.
Free local shuttle service will be provided betwen the Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church stations, operating every 5 to 10 minutes on weekdays and every 10 minutes on weekends while Metrorail is open.
Beacon Center Wendy’s Misses Opening — “Dozens of excited people lined up outside the restaurant’s doors located at 6634 Richmond Highway in the Beacon Center shopping center for the Wendy’s location’s opening. However, no one from the restaurant showed up to open the doors, leaving everyone quite disappointed.” [ABC7]
Northern Virginia Losing Economic “Mojo,” Researcher Says — “[Terry] Clower, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University, provided an overview of the region’s economy for the more than 100 attendees at the breakfast, at Belle Haven Country Club. He noted that while the Northern Virginia economy is resilient and the unemployment rate is low, there are headwinds.” [Inside NoVA]
Three Displaced by Centreville House Fire — Investigators have determined that fire pit ashes discarded in a plastic trash can caused a two-alarm house fire in the 15400 block of Eagle Tavern Lane on Saturday (April 15). The fire caused an estimated $110,000 in property damages and displaced three residents. [FCFRD]
Old Dominion Pizza Opens in Fairfax — The Arlington-based business opened its new Fairfax City location yesterday (Monday), marking its first expansion. The restaurant’s most popular pizza — a pepperoni pie with oregano and chili-infused hot honey — is called “The Patriot” in honor of George Mason University. [Patch]
Contract for New Louise Archer Playground Approved — “Fairfax County School Board members on April 13 unanimously approved a consent-agenda item to purchase playground equipment for Louise Archer Elementary School in Vienna, using a $400,750 contract with Centennial Contractors Enterprises Inc.” [Gazette Leader]
Mason District School Board Rep Kicks Off Campaign — “School board member Ricardy Anderson told the crowd at her re-election campaign kickoff on April 16 that she will work hard to ensure Mason District schools get enough resources. Anderson is one of just four members of the Fairfax County School Board running for re-election.” [Annandale Today]
Reston Woman Quits Job to Hike Appalachian Trail — “A couple weeks ago, Cris Howard was living in Reston and in her 33rd year of an executive-level biopharmaceutical career…On Good Friday quit her longtime job. Two days later, she was in Springer Mountain, Georgia, starting her trek on the 2,200-mile trail.” [WTOP]
New Vendors Line Up for Mount Vernon Farmer’s Markets — “The 2023 season for Fairfax County Farmers Markets kicks off Wednesday, April 19 with the opening of the McCutcheon/Mount Vernon Farmers Market. Several new vendors will make their debut there this season, according to farmers market coordinator Caroline Hockenberry.” [On the MoVe]
It’s Tuesday — Mostly sunny. High of 67 and low of 46. Sunrise at 6:28 a.m. and sunset at 7:47 pm. [Weather.gov]
