Kirby Road in McLean will be closed for much of next week for a culvert replacement.
That the road closure of Kirby Road at Claiborne Drive is expected to last from Tuesday (April 21) to Friday (April 24), according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
In a letter to constituents, Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said that work to repair flooding damage to Kirby Road last summer led to the discovery of a failed pipe.
More from Foust’s letter:
The work will be done during the week as daily traffic levels are significantly reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic and stay-at-home order. In addition to electronic notices, variable message boards will be installed at the intersections of Route 123 and Kirby Road and Old Dominion Drive and Kirby Road this week to inform drivers of the upcoming closure.
Following the massive July 8 storm event that occurred last year, an extensive emergency repair project was completed to reopen Kirby Road, which had been significantly impacted. While that work was underway, the failure of the pipe that will be replaced during this effort was discovered.
It was determined that additional survey, utilities research, easement acquisition, plan design, and construction would be needed and that the work would take until early 2020 to complete, which was well after Kirby Road was planned to reopen to traffic.
Thus, VDOT decided to substantially complete the Kirby Road emergency project and was able to reopen the road in December 2019. Since then, necessary survey and utilities investigation was completed, access rights were acquired, design plans for the culvert were developed, and materials were acquired to prepare for work to begin next week.
People will still be able to access properties along Kirby Road. “However, traffic will not be able to go beyond the point of pipe replacement in either direction,” according to VDOT.
Photo via VDOT/Twitter
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors plans to tackle traffic problems along Old Meadow Road as the Tysons One East project advances.
Yesterday, the board approved a rezoning request to increase the floor area ratio for a planned office tower near the McLean Metro station.
Akridge and the Ronald D. Paul Companies are plan to develop 1690 Old Meadow Road, a triangular spot between Dolley Madison Blvd and the Old Meadow Road, into a 15-story tower with Class A offices, restaurant, retail space, parking podium and outdoor terrace.
The development was held up by the acquisition of a public right-of-way.
“This application was filed on land area inclusive of VDOT right-of-way which was in the process of being acquired by the applicant,” according to county documents. “While VDOT on behalf of the Commonwealth concurred in the filing of the application, they generally will not sign the proffers, and would not in this case.”
Now that the right-of-way woes have been resolved, the county, developers and residents are trying to find ways to change the Old Meadow Road.
Scott Adams, the attorney with McGuireWoods who is representing the developer, said that the project includes a proffer for a traffic signal improvement at Colshire Meadow Drive and funds to build and improve roads in Tysons.
Amy Tozzi with the Old Meadow Coalition told the county officials during the public hearing yesterday that nearby residents have traffic and safety concerns that they worry won’t get addressed by the project.
“We understand all development is messy, but it shouldn’t imperil existing communities,” she said.
In response to Tozzi, Adams said that issues with the grid of streets in Tysons and accessing Old Meadow Road from Route 123 are too large for the project to address.
“Some of the concerns that they have are broader in scope than the smaller application we have,” he said.
As part of the board’s approval, county staff will work to create a plan to speed up transportation improvements to calm traffic along Old Meadow Road.
The changes could include:
- realigning the Old Meadow Road and Route 123 intersection
- constructing Lincoln and Roosevelt streets from Old Meadow Road to Magarity Road
- advance previously approved proffered transportation commitments like the traffic signal at the intersection of Old Meadow Road and Colshire Meadow Road and the Tysons East grid of streets
“In identifying improvements and solutions, staff should coordinate with stakeholders on Old Meadow Road, including residents and business owners and property owners,” according to county documents.
Image via One Tysons East
Fairfax County’s top official says new demographic data is expected to get shared publicly soon as the county continues to lead the increase of COVID-19 cases statewide.
Fairfax County now has two more coronavirus outbreaks since yesterday, bringing the total to 19, according to the Virginia Department of Health. There are 17 outbreaks at long term care facilities, one at a correction facility and one at a “healthcare setting.”
Virginia has 108 total outbreaks, with more than half at long term care facilities.
In a Twitter Q&A yesterday, Jeff McKay, the chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, said that demographic case data is expected to get posted online “shortly.”
At this point, the Health Dept is not providing case data on less than a county level. Thankfully, I know this will change soon. The Health Dept will have a dashboard online shortly with demographic case data. https://t.co/OOwdy7v5EQ
— Jeff McKay (@JeffreyCMcKay) April 14, 2020
Overall, 6,500 cases and 195 deaths have been reported statewide. More than 44,000 people in Virginia have been tested for the virus.
As of this morning, the Fairfax Health District had 1,298 cases — 91 more cases than yesterday’s count.
The Fairfax Health District includes Fairfax County, the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church and towns in the county.
In the Fairfax Health District, 256 people have been hospitalized, while 6,827 have been tested.
Yesterday, Fairfax County reported 21 deaths. All of the individuals who died from the illness were age 50 or older, with 18 of the people age 65 or older.
Data via Virginia Department of Health
Drive-Thru Testing Site in Falls Church — “Right by Washington-Liberty High School on Quincy St. is a drive-thru coronavirus testing site. Testing at the site, run by Arlington County and Virginia Hospital Center, is by appointment only.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Vienna Officials Tackle Budget Scenarios — “Because various revenue sources likely will take hits before and during fiscal 2021, which begins July 1, town officials provided the Council with three budget scenarios that calculated revenue losses based upon different dates for when government operations and society at-large return to normal.” [Inside NoVa]
No Reopening Date Yet For Farmers Markets — “Many farmers markets were expected to open within the next few weeks but were indefinitely delayed because of safety concerns over COVID-19, according to Fairfax County’s website.” [Reston Now]
Support Local Journalism! — Our sister site Reston Now now has a Patreon account for $6 or $10/month memberships. If you are able to, please consider supporting to keep the lights on at a local news site. [Patreon]
We recommend people wear face coverings when they are in public settings, especially when it is hard to maintain social distancing, such as in a store. Cloth face coverings should be made of tightly woven fabric and should fully cover the mouth and nose. https://t.co/1XAzn7dOTa
— Jeff McKay (@JeffreyCMcKay) April 14, 2020
The Vienna Town Council has new measures to help businesses and residents struggling financially due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Last night (Monday), the council approved extending the deadline for real estate taxes, along with changing the town’s meal tax provision, according to a town press release.
“Even though the Town has its own significant, pandemic-related financial impacts to address, Town Council wants to make what temporary changes it can to assist our restaurants and property owners,” Mayor Laurie DiRocco said in the press release.
Now, the first 2020 installment of real estate taxes in the town will be due on Aug. 28. Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors also extended its real estate tax deadline to August.
As for the meal tax, the town adopted an emergency ordinance that will be in effect from April 14 to June 13, the press release said.
“For the next 60 days, through June 13, the Town will waive any penalty and interest fees for late payments. In addition, the Town will increase the on-time payment discount from 3% to 10%,” the press release said, adding that restaurants pay collect meal tax payments from diners to the town.
Fairfax County officials have created a fund to support small businesses struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Board of Supervisors approved creating the “Fairfax County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Microloan Fund” during their meeting today (Tuesday). The board expects the loan program to be ready by May 1, according to county documents.
The program allows the Community Business Partnership (CBP) to distribute roughly $1.2 million to eligible small businesses in the county. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees make up about 94 percent of businesses in the county, according to the documents.
Businesses who undergo a pre-submission counseling session will be able to apply for loans up to $20,000 and will be able to use the money for things like rent, equipment and critical cash operating expenses. The loans will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, the documents say.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said the county’s program complements federal aid, including financial assistance from the Small Business Administration.
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity said he was concerned about the administrative costs of operating the county’s program. He also proposed an amendment requiring the CBP to direct small business owners to seek federal aid prior to seeking local assistance.
McKay said Herrity’s amendment, which did not pass, was not necessary because the CBP already encourages individuals to seek federal avenues for help. He also noted that many businesses are falling through the cracks due to the limits of federal assistance, including delays in the rollout of funds.
Other county officials encouraged the county to reach as many affected businesses as possible.
Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck said he hopes the program champions “administrative flexibility” in order to help out businesses with between two and 10 employees.
The funding for the program is coming from $2.5 million in the Economic Opportunity Reserve to support economic relief efforts.
Staff in the Department of Economic Initiatives will monitor the distribution of the funds to figure out how to use the remaining $1.28 million, according to county documents. After 45 days, staff will let the board know if they recommend additional funds for the program.
McKay also directed county staff to explore additional relief options for businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Catherine Douglas Moran and Fatimah Waseem contributed to this story.
Image via Fairfax County
People who are staying home and looking to do some reading can still order books while supporting local businesses.
Tysons Reporter rounded up the book stores around Falls Church, Vienna, Merrifield and Tysons that are offering delivery services and curbside pickup.
The Falls Church bookstore (2200 N. Westmoreland Street) is offering virtual offer talks, online book groups and delivery for book orders.
The store stopped offering curbside delivery to encourage people to stay at home, according to its website.
Staff are taking phone and online orders for people living in parts of North Arlington, Falls Church and McLean. Bibliophiles can get their orders delivered or shipped.
People looking to support the bookstore can buy gift cards and become Libro.fm members.
The comic book and game store (586 S. Washington Street) is accepting orders and making deliveries within 10 miles of the shop at noon and 5 p.m. daily, according to Facebook posts.
The Falls Church store will start closing at 6 p.m. every day “for the foreseeable future,” a Facebook post said.
The indie bookshop (110 Church Street NW) in Vienna is taking phone and email orders with “minimal contact” curbside pickup and “Bike Pedalers delivery service,” according to its website.
People can order bottles of wine, snacks and games along with their books. Gift cards are also available.
Events and book clubs have been cancelled due to the coronavirus.
Leah may not be able to make it into the store, but that doesn't mean we don't have a fun announcement for #NewReleaseTuesday. Introducing, Bike Pedalers, Bards Alley's local delivery service in partnership with Bikes@Vienna! Have a Vienna zip code? We'll deliver, free of charge! pic.twitter.com/xDEreMY3ut
— Bards Alley Bookshop (@BardsAlley) March 24, 2020
The comic book store chain is offering 25% off graphic novels, hardcovers, and softcover, according to its website.
The Vienna store (426 E. Maple Avenue) is temporarily closed, but accepting mail order delivery orders, according to the website.
People can find information about Facebook Live events on the store’s Facebook page.
The bookstore giant has two local stores: Tysons Corner Center and the Mosaic District.
Both locations are temporarily closed but offering curbside pickup for online orders, according to its website.
Barnes and Noble has information about its upcoming live events on Facebook and Instagram.
Photo via One More Page Books/Facebook
After 9-year-old Vienna resident Matteo Lambert pledged to help local businesses by returning the money they previously donated to his charity, he ended up surpassing his goal.
With the help of a GoFundMe page, Matteo and his dad Brandon Lambert were able to crowdsource $3,276, which is now in the hands of 10 local businesses that are struggling because of the pandemic.
Matteo, along with help from his father, personally delivered checks to the doors or mailboxes of the local businesses he decided to support. The pair was sure to take necessary health precautions, Brandon said.
Originally, the pair’s goal was to raise $2,020 to simply payback eight businesses that originally helped him fundraise for Hopecam, which allows severely ill cancer patients to connect digitally with friends and fight social isolation.
Now, the money will not only go to support the original eight, but also to Ciao Osteria and Skorpios Maggio’s Family Restaurant — two businesses that Matteo said have gone above and beyond to assist their communities in this time of crisis.
Last Thursday (April 9), the owners of Skorpios Maggio’s donated meals to town employees who help keep the local parks in good shape, Sherry Maggio, one of the eatery’s owners, told Tysons Reporter.
Ciao Osteria, though located in Centreville, has been active in response to the COVID-19 crisis and donated meals to first responders in the last few weeks, according to its website.
Other businesses that will benefit from the fundraiser include:
- Bazin’s On Church
- Grassroots Fitness
- Karin’s Florist
- Machine Swimming School
- The Vienna Inn
- Dr. Eva Pleta Dentistry
- Dr. Jack Weil Pediatric Dentistry
- Ghaffari Orthodontics
Though Matteo and other kids will start online classes through Fairfax County today (April 14), the father-son pair said they now plan on using their extra time to sew capes for kids in hospitals through Matteo’s non-profit Off the Charts Club. The organization helps to empower kids despite any disability or challenge they might be facing.
“We are just trying to make a difference in the community and do anything we can to help others,” Matteo said.
Photos courtesy Lambert Family
Tysons Reporter reports local news for Tysons, McLean, Vienna, Falls Church and Merrifield.
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As Fairfax County continues to lead the increase of COVID-19 cases statewide, new data says the county has more than a dozen outbreaks at long term care facilities.
Overall, 6,171 cases and 154 deaths have been reported statewide. More than 42,000 people in Virginia have been tested for the virus.
As of this morning, the Fairfax Health District had 1,207 cases, continuing to lead all other jurisdictions in Virginia for the highest number of reported cases. Roughly half of the COVID-19 patients are under the age of 50, while the other half are ages 50 or older.
The Fairfax Health District includes Fairfax County, the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church and towns in the county.
More data on the Fairfax Health District, according to the Virginia Department of Health:
- 17 outbreaks — one at a correctional facility and 16 at long term care facilities
- 235 hospitalizations
- 6,618 test results
Virginia has 102 total outbreaks, with more than half at long term care facilities.
Yesterday, Fairfax County reported 21 deaths. All of the individuals who died from the illness were age 50 or older, with 18 of the people age 65 or older.
While the county’s health department has declined to provide more information about cases due to privacy laws, the state’s health department has started to provide more information about outbreaks and hospitalizations by health district.
Fairfax County Residents to Receive Health Alert Toolkit
Fairfax County announced yesterday (Monday) that county residents can expect a COVID-19 toolkit to arrive in the mail soon.
According to the county, the health alert toolkit includes:
- instructions on what to do if you are sick
- actions to take if you are a close contact of someone who is sick
- details on how to identify and talk to close contacts who are at risk for illness if you are sick
The toolkit is also available online in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Urdu, Arabic, Farsi and Korean.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue COVID-19 Cases
In the new weekly update on the coronavirus, the county’s fire department said that seven personnel have tested positive for the virus and two have recovered as of Sunday (April 12).
Of the five people who are currently COVID-19 positive, three had an on-duty exposure that likely caused the virus, the fire department said.
“All personnel are closely monitored by a nurse at Fairfax County’s Occupational Health Center,” the update said. “Fairfax County Fire and Rescue will notify the public or any applicable persons if there is any concern of exposure.”
In addition to the personnel who have tested positive, seven other members are quarantined.
Data via Virginia Department of Health
