A proposal to replace some office buildings in McLean Professional Park with condominiums won a unanimous recommendation from the Fairfax County Planning Commission on March 20.
During the public hearing, Dranesville District Commissioner John Ulfelder lauded property owner T&M McLean Venture’s partial redevelopment plan as “a great opportunity” that will further the county’s efforts to rejuvenate downtown McLean.
“Overall…this proposal is quite consistent with part of what we were trying to accomplish when we revised the comprehensive plan for McLean, or the [Community Business Center] portion,” Ulfelder said, “which was to bring in more residents, and so on and make this a more 24/7 place with opportunities for residential and commercial [activity].”
Adjacent to Sunrise of McLean Village, a senior living community that opened last spring, McLean Professional Park was built in 1980 and currently consists of 12 townhouse-style office buildings, all topping out at two or three stories tall.
T&M is seeking to replace six of those buildings with a five-story, 104-unit multi-family condo building, which requires rezoning 2.8 acres of the 4.4-acre site at 1477 Chain Bridge Road from a commercial district to a planned residential mixed-use (PRM) district.
The 235,000-square-foot, 68-foot-tall building will feature an underground parking garage with 192 spaces, along with 13 surface spaces. A 12,970-square-foot, publicly accessible corner park will add an open lawn, walking paths, shade structures and landscaping along Chain Bridge Road, and residents will have access to a private courtyard with a multi-use lawn, grilling and seating areas, and firepits.
The developer has also offered to construct a 12-foot-wide shared-use path on Chain Bridge, complemented by street trees, bicycle racks and cafe tables.
“It’s really going to be a pleasant environment for pedestrians who are walking along the street, but [it] also serves as a respite area,” Lynne Strobel, the applicant’s representative, said. “If people are walking, they could stop here, you know, sit down for a few minutes, or if they’re biking, they can stop, they can fix their bike.”
T&M also worked with Sunrise to improve their shared access point off of Chain Bridge, which “was identified as kind of an issue today,” Strobel told the commission. A traffic study found that the shift to a mix of residential and office uses will reduce trips to the site, since residents and workers will likely travel at different times of the day.
However, one resident opined in the public hearing that “McLean is becoming a European city” without the infrastructure to support the incoming development. She said it already takes her an hour to drive across McLean and questioned whether the ongoing crowding at local schools was considered.
According to county planner Daniel Creed, the condos will add six elementary school students. The Fairfax County School Board approved boundary changes last fall that are projected to reduce crowding at Kent Gardens Elementary School, which is facing the biggest challenges.
Commissioners observed that the area’s existing traffic issues are driven in part by construction to extend the I-495 toll lanes, a project that began in 2022 and isn’t set to wrap up until 2026.
“Every single side street, Balls Hill [Road], [Route] 123, everything is clogged,” Braddock District Commissioner Mary Cortina said. “So, I think that is a bigger issue. It’s not just that there’s more residential [development]. We have a bigger matter going on, and the whole region is snarled up right now until this is done.”
Ulfelder added that “we’ll have to see what happens” when construction finishes — and if Maryland gets around to replacing the American Legion Bridge and adding express lanes on its side of the Capital Beltway.
“I’m not going to hold my breath, though,” he said.
The condos at McLean Professional Park are envisioned more as an option for “empty nesters” and other McLean or Great Falls residents looking to downsize than for families, according to Strobel.
The units will mostly have two bedrooms and a “somewhat larger” square footage than the market average. Twelve workforce dwelling units (WDUs) will be provided, meeting the county’s standard of 12% of the total units.
When asked how the property owner will avoid pricing out WDU residents when it inevitably raises its the condo fees, Strobel said T&M might make those units slightly smaller than their market-rate counterparts and charge fees on a “per-square-foot basis.” She stressed that the WDUs will still be “good-sized units.”
With the planning commission’s endorsement in hand, T&M’s application will now go to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for a public hearing on May 7.
Fatal Shooting Reported in Mosby Woods — Mohammad Zekria, 37, of Fairfax was found dead in a vehicle on Friday (March 29) after a woman told police that her husband had shot someone and was threatening her and her family. Waisuddin Quraishi, 50, was taken into custody early Saturday morning and has been charged with second-degree murder. [FCPD]
Teens Driving Stolen Vehicle in Reston Arrested — “Three teenagers are in custody for evading police in a stolen car in Fairfax County. On March 19, just after 9 p.m., officers from the Reston Patrol Unit allegedly located a stolen car near the intersection of Centreville Road and Parcher Avenue. When they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, two teens hopped out of the car and began running away.” [WUSA9]
Bailey’s Crossroads Man Indicted for Bringing Gun to Church — “A 35-year-old Falls Church man faces a possible life sentence after a federal grand jury indicted him Wednesday for threatening members of a Haymarket church and bringing a dangerous weapon to a service there last September in an attempt to kill, according to court documents.” [Patch]
Foxes Found on School Playground Killed — “Fairfax County Public Schools officials had foxes on the playground of Bucknell Elementary School trapped and killed, earning the ire of some community members who are expressing disapproval of the decision…According to an FCPS spokesman, the Office of Facilities Management followed state regulations in deciding to trap and remove foxes.” [Fairfax County Times]
Virginia Member Sought for Metro Police Oversight Board — “Through April 11 at 5 p.m., the Investigations Review Panel for Metro will be accepting multiple recommendations to the Metro Transit Police Department for a member of the public to represent Virginia on the advisory board. It is also working to identify potential members for Maryland and at-large slots, which will be vacant in October.” [WTOP]
County Library Offers Light Pollution Monitoring Kits — “The Light Pollution Monitoring Kit, also known as the Dark Skies Kit, empowers citizens to fight light pollution by providing them with the tools needed to measure and monitor light levels in their communities. Starting April 2, twenty-five Light Pollution Monitoring Kits will be available as part of FCPL’s Library of Things.” [Fairfax County Public Library]
Clothing Store Relocating to Belle View — Top It Off, which sells women’s and children’s clothing and accessories, will mark its final day at Hollin Hall Shopping Center on April 14 after nearly a dozen years. “The store plans to hold a grand opening at its new Belle View Shopping Center location at a yet to be announced date.” [On the MoVe]
McLean Student Wins State Chess Tournament — “BASIS Independent McLean student Charles Wang finished first in the K-3 group of the 2024 Virginia Scholastic Chess Tournament, held recently in Roanoke. Charles outplayed more than 350 participants over the two-day event, coming out on top after five rounds of intense battles.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Monday — Expect showers throughout the day, with possible thunderstorms. High temperatures will be around 63, while lows will drop to 49. Rainfall may range between a tenth to a quarter of an inch. Chance of precipitation is 80% during the day and 90% at night. [NWS]
Updated at 11:15 a.m. on 4/1/2024 — Stretch Zone opened in Vienna today (Monday), but the ribbon-cutting has been postponed to 9 a.m. on Thursday (April 4).
Earlier: A fitness studio that offers to assisted stretching services is extending its reach into Vienna.
Stretch Zone will launch its new franchise at 138 Maple Ave West with a ribbon-cutting at 9 a.m. next Monday, April 1. The ceremony will be conducted by the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce.
Located in the Vienna Shopping Center between Foster’s Grille and Asurion Tech Repair and Solutions, the approximately 1,200-square-foot studio is Stretch Zone’s fifth in the D.C. area. The business can also be found in Reston, Ashburn, Potomac and Gaithersburg, and a sixth franchise is expected to open in Bethesda later next month.
“We have had many clients of ours who have come to our other locations from the Vienna area, and they’ve always requested that we be closer to make things more convenient,” franchise owner David Dykerman told FFXnow. “We felt like if we could make it convenient for customers we already have, there might be additional clients we could service and help in the Vienna area.”
Founded in 2004 by Jorden Gold, who wanted to help his grandfather improve his mobility, Stretch Zone employs a “practitioner-assisted stretching” method involving a patented strap that Dykerman says allows muscles to be “strategically” isolated.
According to the business, its practices help clients gradually increase their range of motion, while also reducing muscle stiffness and soreness, among other benefits.
Like other fitness trends, boutique stretching studios have faced their fair share of skepticism, but Stretch Zone has attracted at least one prominent supporter: former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who owns more than 10 franchises.
Since starting to franchise in 2015, the company has expanded to about 350 locations nationwide.
“We are not here to train people how to stretch. We want to provide the service of stretching for you,” Dykerman said. “Without doing any of the work, our clients are able to achieve a full-body stretch and get up from the table after 30 minutes and feel amazing.”
Featuring five stretching tables, the Vienna studio will have a similar look and feel to Stretch Zone’s other locations, but the staff of “very qualified stretch practitioners and managers” who have experience with the company could distinguish it, Dykerman says.
Walk-ins are accepted, but the business is built primarily on memberships, which are available in three-month and month-to-month options. Free demo sessions are offered at every location to first-time visitors.
To celebrate its opening in Vienna, Stretch Zone will offer a discount or an extra stretch to those who join its three-month membership program for the first month.
The studio will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
“I am looking forward to being involved with a great community,” Dykerman said. “We are interested in making ourselves available for events around the area, getting involved with schools, clubs, gyms. I think it’s a very active area in terms of fitness, and I think there’s so many people who will benefit from what we can do, and we hope to bring that to as many people as possible.”
Highway Lane Closures Lifted for Easter — “To help motorists get to their destinations without hassle, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will suspend most highway work zones and lift most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia for the Easter holiday from noon Friday, March 29, until noon Tuesday, April 2.” [VDOT]
Minimum Wage and Marijuana Sales Bills Vetoed — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed legislation Thursday that would have established a retail marijuana market in Virginia and raised the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour, torpedoing two top Democratic priorities from the 2024 General Assembly session.” [Virginia Mercury]
Annandale Sexual Assault Suspect Has Previous Arrests — “The man arrested March 22 for two brutal sexual assaults in Annandale has a lengthy arrest record, has been in court multiple times, but never served time in jail. Court records show he was arrested on Oct. 3, 2023, for attempting to disarm a law enforcement officer’s stun gun, a felony. On Aug. 15, 2021, he was arrested for assaulting a law enforcement officer.” [Annandale Today]
GMU Shares Spring Graduation Plans — “Barbara Humpton, president and CEO of Siemens, will deliver the main address during George Mason University’s spring commencement ceremony, Mason officials announced. The event is slated for Thursday, May 9 at 10 a.m. at EagleBank Arena on the university’s Fairfax campus.” [Gazette Leader]
New Principals Needed for Two Elementary Schools — “Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is in the process of identifying new principals for two more elementary schools in the Mount Vernon District — Hollin Meadows and Belle View Elementary.” Hollin Meadows principal Jon Gates has held the position since August 2002, and Thomas Kuntz has led Belle View since July 2006. Both men plan to retire. [On the MoVe]
Bikeshare Stations Added at GMU — Capital Bikeshare has added three new bicycle docking stations around George Mason University’s Fairfax campus. Supported by GMU and Fairfax Connector, the stations can be found at Patriot Circle and York Drive, on Rappahannock River Lane, and outside Horizon Hall and Harris Theater. [Capital Bikeshare/Twitter]
County Introduces Solar Panel Recycling — “Fairfax County launches a Solar Panel Recycling Program! Drop off your unwanted panels at I-66 or I-95 Recycling areas. A green step forward for our community. Drop-offs only. Let’s protect our planet together!” [Fairfax County Public Works/Twitter]
Create Eclipse Viewers at Kings Park Library — The library in Burke will help attendees create an eclipse viewer tomorrow (Saturday) at 2 p.m. ahead of the partial solar eclipse on April 8. “An eclipse projector is an easy and safe way to view the eclipsed Sun. We’ll provide supplies to make a pinhole camera or projector that lets you watch safely and easily from anywhere.” [Fairfax County Public Library]
It’s Friday — Expect sunny skies and a high around 60 degrees with breezy conditions, as a northwest wind starts at 11-16 mph and later increases to 18-23 mph with gusts up to 32 mph. Friday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 41 degrees. [NWS]
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is considering using kiosks equipped with artificial intelligence to provide select legal information in a variety of languages.
The kiosks would feature a virtual assistant that could answer frequently asked questions using a closed-AI system (as distinct from open AI), according to Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk, who introduced a board matter on the kiosks at the board’s March 19 meeting.
“The distinction is that we will program the answers to frequently asked questions into the system using curated templates and language,” Lusk told FFXnow. “The AI program will not be creating its own answers.”
None of the questions are finalized yet, but they could help users identify forms and address other process-related queries. The virtual assistant would also be available online, and both resources would have accessibility features.
County and court staff are reviewing the kiosks and online AI program, and the board voted on March 19 to direct staff to finalize its review and report back. The county also plans to reach out to relevant nonprofits to assist in testing the kiosks, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at the meeting.
The kiosks and online resource would be an “extension” of the self-help resource center that the county rolled out in October, according to Lusk’s board matter. Staff at the resource center can explain court operations, provide contact information for legal services and answer some general questions.
The resource center launched to assist county residents who are representing themselves in court. The new resources could help residents who aren’t able to travel to the center, which is located in the Fairfax County Courthouse (4110 Chain Bridge Road), though no kiosk locations have been selected.
“Personally, I feel it could be beneficial to be placed in government facilities that are remote from the Fairfax County Government Center and the Fairfax County Courthouse,” Lusk said by email, citing the Gerry Highland Government Center (8350 Richmond Highway) or Franconia Governmental Center (6121 Franconia Road) as examples. “We know that people live great distances from the Government Center and Courthouse, which limits the accessibility of these services.”
The board matter passed unanimously, despite a public meeting notice issue that McKay said left some board members without the opportunity to see the kiosks. Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik also said she was concerned about making sure the kiosks were fully vetted before they’re implemented.
The topic will come to the board’s health and human services committee for additional discussion, though the board didn’t specify a date. The committee’s next meeting is currently scheduled for June 4.
Testing the kiosk with actual users and not rushing the process will be important, McKay said, adding that the county should also plan to reach out to the state about support for the program.
“What we don’t want to do is just rush in and further complicate and frustrate people where there’s a misinterpretation and they’re getting the wrong documents that they need to help their case,” McKay said.
Commuting will be easier for four families in the D.C. area, thanks to their new vehicles from a quartet of Virginia and Maryland automobile dealerships.
The businesses handed off the donated vehicles to their recipients — all single mothers — with a ceremony on March 18 at the National Automobile Dealers Association’s (NADA) headquarters (8484 Westpark Drive) in Tysons.
NADA, which represents over 16,000 auto dealerships nationwide, organized the initiative with Vehicles for Change (VFC), a nonprofit that accepts donated vehicles and gives them to families in Northern Virginia and Maryland who need access to independent transportation.
“Every day, our members see firsthand the benefits, opportunities and freedoms a vehicle brings to its owner’s life and family,” NADA President and CEO Mike Stanton said in a press release. “That’s why we’ve been engaged and supportive of VFC for several years and are excited to further embrace their mission this year.”
According to the release, NADA’s philanthropic arm — the NADA Foundation — located the donated vehicles and contributed $5,000 for each of them to cover the costs of refurbishments, repairs and other expenses that came with making them ready to drive.
Though the vehicles were donated, they’re not entirely free for the receiving families, who will each pay $950. They were provided 12-month loans from Sandy Spring Bank, which serves the D.C. region, and got warranties that cover the vehicles for six months or 6,000 miles.
The goal is to improve the recipients’ personal mobility, while also giving them “the opportunity to build their own credit portfolio and enhance their financial literacy,” NADA said.
“Access to a vehicle — by having reliable personal transportation — is paramount to a families’ ability to thrive,” NADA Board of Directors Chairman Gary Gilchrist said at the hand-off. “Not only will the vehicles here today give the recipients opportunities they might not have otherwise, but they also help families build their credit.”
According to NADA, the women who received the donated vehicles in Tysons plan to use them to get to their jobs or college, and to transport their children:
Sport Automotive Group in Silver Spring, Md., awarded a Toyota RAV4 to Candice McNair, a single mother of two daughters and a clerk in Annapolis, Md., who will use her vehicle to pursue her bachelor’s degree in health administration.
Nissan of Bowie in Bowie, Md., awarded a Nissan Versa to Toni Brown, a single mother of a teenage son and a medical secretary in Baltimore, Md., who will use her vehicle to alleviate the financial burden of her daily commute and access medical appointments.
Rosenthal Automotive Group based in Reston, Va., awarded a Nissan Altima to Tammy Carter, a single mother of two teenage daughters and a patient access specialist in Prince William County, Va., who will use her vehicle to decrease commuting time and transport her children to extracurricular activities.
Carter Myers Automotive Group based in Charlottesville, Va., awarded a Kia Rio to Adrianna Boyer, a single mother of two young children and a sales administrator in [Loudoun] County, Va., who will use her vehicle to get her son engaged in afterschool activities.
VFC founder and president Martin Schwartz noted that access to transportation enables people to be more involved with their family and community, in addition to making work, medical appointments and other tasks more convenient.
“This car is not just a mode of transportation; it’s a lifeline that will bring back normalcy to our lives,” Boyer, the Loudoun County resident, said. “Now, with the joyous addition of a car to our lives, I can foresee a positive shift. The ability to go to the grocery store, attend doctor appointments, and respond swiftly to emergencies is a game-changer.”
According to Fairfax County’s transportation data dashboard, the vast majority of residents drive to work, and about one in five households spend over 15% of their income on fuel, maintenance, tolls and other vehicle-related expenses.
Over the past decade, there’s been a slight uptick in households that don’t have a vehicle, from 5.1% in 2012 to 5.7% as of 2022.
(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) It has not been a great week for plans to bring professional sports teams to Northern Virginia.
Just a day after negotiations for a Washington Wizards and Capitals arena in Alexandria officially fell through, George Mason University has announced that it’s no longer planning to build a joint baseball and cricket stadium in Fairfax for the Washington Freedom.
“After hard work and due diligence from the team at Mason, we have concluded that this opportunity does not meet the strategic objectives and interests of our campus and community and the Washington Freedom,” GMU President Gregory Washington said in a statement. “We appreciate the continued feedback and dialogue with leaders across the Commonwealth and with the local community.”
The decision to part ways was mutual, according to a statement from the Washington Freedom, which indicated that it’s still looking to build a stadium somewhere in the D.C. area.
“While we have decided to go in a different direction, we are appreciative of the dialogue and partnership with GMU,” the team said. “We remain committed to working with the broader DMV community to grow the sport of Cricket in the region and to build a multipurpose stadium that will be the future home of the Washington Freedom.”
The university first announced in 2022 that it was partnering with Major League Cricket and Washington Freedom owner Sanjay Govil to study the feasibility of a multi-purpose facility at its West Campus that could host professional cricket matches and college baseball games.
GMU’s governor-appointed Board of Visitors gave university administrators the green light in January to start negotiating a ground lease for the prospective stadium site, which encompass 15 acres between Braddock Road and Campus Drive.
Though the project was still in the planning phase, Mason staff and Govil said at a virtual town hall on Jan. 29 that they hoped to finish construction on a temporary facility that could seat 7,000 to 10,000 spectators by 2025.
As the proposal gained more attention, residents of the area around GMU’s campus began to organize opposition, raising concerns about the potential traffic and environmental impacts, noise and light pollution, and a process they perceived as lacking in transparency.
In a Feb. 7 letter to elected officials, the GMU Board of Visitors and the GMU president’s council, a group of neighborhood associations working together as the GMU Braddock Road Adjacent Community Coalition called for a halt in the stadium project “until a thorough and proper evaluation can be accomplished with all affected parties in attendance.”
“While we recognize change is necessary it also needs to be targeted and sized appropriately to address known university problems with consideration of adjacent neighborhood concerns paramount,” the coalition wrote. “The creation of a commercial zone that benefits some and punishes others on state supported property is an egregious abuse of positional power.” Read More
The deal to bring the Washington Capitals and Wizards to Alexandria’s Potomac Yard is officially dead, and the developer says suggestions that an arena could be built in Tysons instead were the final nail in the coffin.
Alexandria City officials revealed yesterday (Wednesday) that they had ended negotiations with developer JBG Smith, Wizards and Capitals owner Monumental Sports & Entertainment, and other stakeholders for a stadium in the proposed Potomac Yard Entertainment District. About an hour later, Monumental owner Ted Leonsis and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the two professional sports teams will stay at Capital One Arena in Chinatown after all.
After joining Leonsis and city leaders in December to tout the Wizards and Capitals’ planned move across the Potomac River, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin lamented that “personal and political agendas” at the state level torpedoed a significant economic opportunity, while the city expressed disappointment in how discussions between Youngkin and the General Assembly unfolded.
However, JBG Smith CEO Matt Kelly pointed to a different culprit, claiming that “special interests” seeking to combine a sports arena with a casino in Tysons had “complicated and ultimately blocked” the Potomac Yard negotiations.
Despite our best efforts, this project was unable to get a fair hearing on its merits with the Virginia Senate. It is now clear that our efforts may have been complicated and ultimately blocked, in part, by special interests seeking to move the Monumental arena to Tysons Corner and to combine it with a casino. The Washington Post and other outlets have reported on this scheme and the hundreds of thousands of dollars, enormous sums in Virginia politics, of political contributions associated with it — a large portion of which were directed to key senate leaders. When one follows the money, the implications are deeply troubling for Virginia and for the future of transparency in economic development pursuits, especially those that seek certainty through the now damaged MEI legislative process.
The Washington Post reported on Sunday (March 24) that Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34), hopeful Fairfax County casino developer Comstock CEO Christopher Clemente and political consultant Ben Tribbett, who counts both Surovell and Comstock as clients, had raised the idea of moving the Wizards and Capitals to Tysons instead of Alexandria with Monumental executives.
According to the Post, Leonsis and the other Monumental executives quickly rejected the proposal, which also didn’t appeal to Youngkin.
State Sen. Dave Marsden (D-37), who patroned the ultimately postponed bill to make Fairfax County — specifically a site in Tysons along Metro’s Silver Line — eligible for a casino, says he was never involved in “any serious talk” about combining the casino with a Monumental arena. The idea was “casually talked about” during the General Assembly’s session, which ended on March 9, but he never viewed it as a legitimate possibility.
“I think that was a last-minute thing people threw out there,” he told FFXnow. Read More
N. Va. Sees Rise in Home Sales — “The number of home sales in Northern Virginia rose 2.2% compared to a year earlier, the first year-over-year increase since November 2021. That is in contrast to the national housing market, which saw sales fall 3.3%. Northern Virginia also saw a dramatic increase in home sales from the previous month, up 32%.” [WTOP]
Governor Vetoes Gun Safety Bills — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin has vetoed an assault weapons ban and a slate of other gun-control bills passed by the Virginia General Assembly, but he signed a pair of…measures into law: One bans a device that turns a semiautomatic firearm into a machine gun, and the other allows a parent or guardian to be charged with a felony for allowing a child who has been deemed a threat to have access to a gun.” [Washington Post]
Marshall HS Hires First Varsity Boy’s Volleyball Coach — “Marshall High School has named Chris Denny as its head boys volleyball coach for what is anticipated to be a varsity team for the first time this coming fall season. Previously, boys volleyball was a club team in Fairfax County Schools, but that status is expected to be [change] to full varsity for the 2024 fall campaign.” [Gazette Leader]
Police Warn Against “Rescuing” Baby Wild Animals — “Our Animal Protection Police Officers and Wildlife Management office receive many calls this time of year from residents who are seeking help for young wildlife that appear to be orphaned or abandoned. While these actions are well-intended, it is important to realize intervention may be unnecessary and can be detrimental to wildlife.” [FCPD]
Virginia Among Leaders in Book Bans — “Nearly 400 book titles were targeted for bans in Virginia libraries last year, among the most in the nation, according to new data from the American Library Association (ALA)…Virginia had the fifth-most challenged titles in the country at 387 — and more than any other state on the East Coast, except Florida where there were 2,672.” [Axios Richmond]
McLean Alum Recognized for Nonprofit Work — “One McLean HS alumna is uplifting pediatric cancer patients and making a major impact while studying at Harvard University. Olivia Zhang, a freshman at Harvard University, was honored with the prestigious Diana Award for founding and operating Cancer Kids First, the world’s largest youth-led pediatric cancer nonprofit.” [Fairfax County Public Schools/Facebook]
Vienna Pizzeria Offers Free Slice to Marshall Students — “Pizza Vienna…celebrates the incredible achievements of our local talent, Ilia Malinin, a proud graduate of Marshall High School in Vienna…All John Marshall High School students are invited to enjoy a FREE Cheese Pizza Slice on us! This offer is valid for any between 10.30 am and 5 pm every day till Mar 31st, 2024.” [Patch]
It’s Thursday — Expect rain mainly before 11am accompanied by patchy fog until 10am. The day will be cloudy with a high near 53 and a 60% chance of precipitation. Night will be initially cloudy but gradually clear, with a low around 38 and 9-14 mph winds gusting as high as 22 mph. [NWS]
Maryland’s plans for the American Legion Bridge and its side of the Capital Beltway remain a big question mark, but its drivers at least will get a head’s up before they reach the toll lanes now under construction in McLean.
The Virginia Department of Transportation is working with its Maryland counterpart on an agreement that will enable the I-495 Northern Extension (495 NEXT) builder to install signs related to the project on the northern side of the Potomac River.
Six sign structures and accompanying power and communications utilities need to be built in Maryland so the upcoming I-495 Express Lanes can operate correctly, VDOT officials told the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) at its March 19 meeting.
“We need to have signage in Maryland so people approaching our express lanes understand what to do and how it works,” Virginia Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller said. “…It’s about our cooperation with Maryland to get the things that we need in Maryland done so that our lanes will work appropriately and properly when folks get to Virginia.”
Under the agreement, VDOT and its private partner Capital Beltway Express — a joint venture of the engineering firm Fluor and toll lanes operator Transurban — will install and maintain most of the new signs, which will provide directions for using the express lanes and other messages.
Maryland will be responsible for two guide signs for the interstate’s exits that aren’t related to the express lanes, according to VDOT acting megaprojects director Michelle Shropshire.
The CTB will be asked to authorize VDOT staff to sign the agreement at a meeting in April.
Miller noted that the presentation came just a few days after the two-year anniversary of the official start of construction on 495 NEXT, which will widen 2.5 miles of I-495 from the Dulles Toll Road in Tysons to the George Washington Memorial Parkway in McLean with two express lanes in each direction.
“I remember cutting the ribbon [on] a very chilly morning in Northern Virginia. It was a great day,” he said.
The toll lanes remain on track to begin operating in December 2025, and the overall project is set to finish in May 2026, Shropshire said.
As construction continues to move along, some Fairfax County officials raised concerns last month about a lack of clarity on VDOT’s efforts to coordinate with Maryland and the impact of the road work on McLean residents, commuters and the environment.
Virginia and Maryland’s then-governors Ralph Northam and Larry Hogan announced a $1 billion agreement in 2019 to rebuild the aging American Legion Bridge and expand their respective sides of the Beltway to address traffic congestion. However, public opposition held back Maryland’s toll lanes project, and Transurban pulled out altogether last March.
Maryland signaled that it may pursue a fully public project when it applied for a federal grant in August, and officials held public open houses last fall to get feedback on a proposal that would replace and widen the bridge, along with a portion of I-270.
Last week, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit from environmental, neighborhood and historic preservation groups seeking to block the potential project, but Maryland’s plans going forward remain unclear.
“This is an important step forward to D.C. area residents who are counting on this project to bring needed congestion relief, better transit service, and improved bike and pedestrian connections in this corridor,” said Jason Stanford, president of the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance, which supports the toll lanes projects. “Now that this obviously frivolous lawsuit has been dismissed, it’s time for Maryland to move forward with this critical, multimodal transportation improvement for our region.”
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit included the Northern Virginia Citizens Association, a group of McLean residents who also sued VDOT last year over 495 NEXT. Residents along Live Oak Drive in particular have vocally opposed the project, lamenting the loss of trees and other environmental and health impacts.
In recent emails to VDOT officials, some reported that construction has, at times, disrupted their phone, cable and water services.
VDOT will provide an update on 495 NEXT at two public meetings next month: a virtual one on April 8 and an in-person one at Langley High School (6520 Georgetown Pike) on April 11. Both meetings will last from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
