Fresh off sidewalk improvements opening west of the Tysons Corner Center Mall, plans for bicycle and pedestrian improvements east of the mall just been approved and are moving forward towards a 2020 completion.
The new path would run along Old Meadow Road south from Route 123 through the rapidly redeveloping Tysons East to a bridge that would connect to the Tysons Corner Center mall.
The new path would offer a connection to the mall for the new residential and commercial developments proposed for the area. The project would also include a 10-foot shared-use path connected to other paths and sidewalks in the area.
“The project received design approval in December 2018,” said Abraham Lerner, associate manager of special project development with the Virginia Department of Transportation. “We are working on the final design… The main focus in the next two months is on advancing the engineering design of the pedestrian-bicycle bridge over the Beltway.”
Lerner said the final design process uses the alignments approved but with refinements and additional details to ensure the facility aligns with current standards.
According to Lerner, if the project continues as scheduled, VDOT will begin looking at right-of-way acquisition for the project starting in spring. Utility relocation is scheduled to run from November 2019 until April 2020, with construction from April to November 2020.
Images via VDOT
A vehicle caught on fire and stopped two lanes of traffic on the Beltway near Tysons this afternoon.
The burning car was stuck in the left lane of the southbound side of the Beltway near the Dulles Toll Road.
The fire occurred around 1 p.m. and was the scene was cleared by 2 p.m. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
#Tysons Outer Loop near Dulles Toll Rd, vehicle fire along the left side #vatraffic #dctraffic pic.twitter.com/X1OcrdU08m
— Jerry Booth (@TrafficBooth) December 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/WTOPtraffic/status/1076180484525297667
Photo via Twitter
Tysons Corner Center estimates 3.65 million shoppers are likely to visit the mall during this year’s holiday season.
With the crush of shoppers filling parking lots and local roads, the mall and I-495 Express Lanes operator Transurban put together some suggestions for spending more time shopping and less time parking.
The best time to shop, we’re told, is before noon from Monday through Thursday, between Dec. 10-20. On Dec. 21, winter break for many local schools starts and lasts until Jan. 4, meaning even the mornings at the mall are more likely to be crowded.
The fastest suggested route into the mall is to access to eastern garage near Barnes and Noble using Westpark Drive. Shoppers are also encouraged to use the Jones Branch Connector, which partially opens this weekend.
Transurban, naturally, recommends the Express Lanes as a time-saving option.
“Shoppers driving to the mall can save time by taking the 495 Express Lanes and using Westpark Drive for direct access to Tysons Corner Center,” said Elisa Bell, a marketing director for the company.
Metro is also an option. The Tysons Corner Metro station connects to The Plaza, which is connected to Tysons Corner Center.
If you want a take a car but don’t want to park, services like Uber and Lyft can get you there — just “ask your driver to enter the Center near the entrances to Rt. 7 or International Drive off Fletcher Street to avoid time in traffic around the Center,” according to the mall.
Valet parking is available for $12 near Coastal Flats outside the Bloomingdale’s. A portion of valet proceeds are also donated to the Northern Virginia Family Services. The “Front and Center” parking in Garage C, meanwhile, is closest to the mall and costs $7. Both of these parking options earn shoppers discounts at mall stores and restaurants.
For those who don’t mind a longer walk, Garage B and C are both still free.
Big backups have formed on the Inner Loop of the Beltway due to a jackknifed tractor trailer.
The crash happened in the northbound lanes of I-495 between I-66 and Route 7, north of Merrifield. Two lanes of traffic appear to be getting by the crash scene, based on traffic camera images, but major backups have formed.
One person was reported injured and has been transported to a local hospital.
Units on scene of jack knifed tractor-trailer I495 NB Prior To Leesburg Pike. One person transported to area hospital. 3 main lanes closed on I495 NB due to crash. Only right lane is open. Unknown duration. @VSPPIO on scene. pic.twitter.com/ykya39bSIJ
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 3, 2018
(Updated at 6:50 p.m.) There’s skepticism in McLean about a plan to close Beltway access during weekday afternoons, but the McLean Citizens Association may vote to support a pilot phase for the project.
Tomorrow evening, the McLean Citizens Association (MCA) Board of Directors is scheduled to vote whether or not to endorse the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) pilot program for a controversial proposal to close the northbound ramp from Georgetown Pike onto the Beltway during evening rush hour.
The MCA Board of Directors meeting is open to the public and will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the McLean Government Center (1437 Balls Hill Rd).
The logic of the MCA’s resolution is that the four-month inconvenience of testing the closure is better than a more permanent change based on traffic model predictions alone. Among alternatives proposed by the MCA to closing access to the Beltway would be tolling the ramp.
The proposal stems from the heavy amount of cut-through traffic driving through the largely residential McLean streets to avoid traffic jams on the Beltway. The northbound ramp from Route 193 (Georgetown Pike) onto the Beltway in McLean is the last entrance before the American Legion Bridge, a major bottleneck for regional traffic.
The problem has been exacerbated by the rise of apps like Waze and Google Maps, which encourage Maryland commuters to use McLean streets as a shortcut, according to local residents.
VDOT’s proposed pilot program would close the northbound ramp from 1-7 p.m. on weekdays for a four-month trial, during which VDOT would collect data on whether the closure was successful in reducing cut-through traffic.
VDOT has previously held two meetings on the subject, during which most of the feedback was critical of the proposal. Residents in McLean and Great Falls said the proposal would force residents to take a more inconvenient route to access the Beltway.
The MCA’s resolution expresses support for the VDOT proposal on the grounds of testing the proposal rather than relying on traffic models alone. The resolution says that the testing the proposal as a pilot project would show the real-life impact of the change.
Also under consideration is an alternative proposal put forward by one member of the MCA, which calls for VDOT to halt all consideration of the project entirely.
Photo via Virginia Department of Transportation
Opponents Speak Out at Ramp Closure Meeting — “Proponents were more vocal Oct. 18 at the second Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) meeting about possible temporary closures of a ramp leading from Georgetown Pike to northbound Interstate 495 in McLean, but a majority of local residents who have sounded off still oppose it, VDOT officials said.” [InsideNova]
Police: DUI Suspect Kicks Officers in Merrifield — “During the traffic stop, the officer determined that the driver was under the influence of alcohol and arrested Joshua Ginchereau, 37, of Woodbridge. During the arrest, Ginchereau resisted and kicked 3 officers.” [FCPD]
McLean Firm Wins NATO Contract — “MCR, LLC has been awarded a five-year Advisory and Assistance Services (AAS) framework contract by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to provide a wide spectrum of scientific, engineering, project management, acquisition, and military functional expertise” [BusinessWire]
Tysons Company Acquired — “Applied Insight, a government IT services company, is deepening its inroads in the national security and intelligence community markets by acquiring McLean-based Organizational Strategies Inc., a 20-year old company that has worked closely with the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.” [Washington Business Journal]
Fall Foliage Mostly MIA in Va. — “By the final third of October, fiery colors of fall are usually all over the place in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Not this year. While we are still at least a week or two from typical peak fall foliage in the immediate D.C. area, this year’s delay in autumn color is unlike anything in recent memory.” [Washington Post]
Photo via VDOT
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is looking at drastic measures to try and reduce the impact of congestion in I-495 on the neighborhoods near the Beltway.
Traffic on the Beltway bottlenecks at the American Legion Bridge. While longer term plans are in development to extend the express lanes to the bridge, as it stands the bottleneck builds on the Virginia side in the afternoons. Congestion on I-495 often results in navigation apps like Waze of Google Maps redirecting drivers through the smaller side streets in the surrounding neighborhoods, overcrowding the residential streets and sometimes sealing local residents inside their driveways.
On Thursday (Sept. 13), VDOT will host a meeting to discuss proposals to address neighborhood access and congestion concerns, among them a plan to implement a pilot program that would limit access to the ramp from Georgetown Pike to Northbound I-495 during weekday afternoon/evening periods.
While closing the ramp would limit access from the Beltway to local streets, it would also limit the access for local residents to the Beltway.
The meeting will be held at McLean High School (1633 Davidson Road) at 7 p.m. Public comments can also be emailed to [email protected] with “McLean Traffic Analysis” in the subject line.
Photo via Virginia Department of Transportation
