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Mobil gas station near Tysons Corner Center seeks to modernize with convenience store

The Mobil gas station on Route 123 by Tysons Corner Center is getting a touch-up for the 21st century.

With a special exception application submitted to the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning on Jan. 10, Petroleum Marketing Group has proposed eliminating the station’s car wash and repair bays and replacing them with a convenience store.

While the store won’t be as extensive as a Wawa or Sheetz, it will offer coffee, doughnuts, and a variety of prepared food for customers looking to grab a snack while filling up their gas tank, development director Armand Keurian told Tysons Reporter.

“We just want a use that’s more conducive in today’s environment with a gas station, and as you can see, convenience stores and gas stations go together today,” Keurian said.

The conversion is part of a larger effort to upgrade the property at 1955 Chain Bridge Road that has been underway since PMG took control of the lease last year. So far, the company has rebranded the former Gulf gas station and installed a new canopy and fuel pumps.

Adjacent to a Sunoco, the Mobil station has eight fuel pumps and a 2,585 square-foot service building originally built in 1969. There are three vehicle service bays, a small snack shop, and a car wash that is no longer operational.

The convenience store will expand the snack shop to the entire one-story building, taking over the space currently occupied by the car wash and vehicle bays, which Keurian says “are really not being used to their full extent.”

According to PMG’s statement of justification to the county, the convenience store will employ eight workers total. It will have merchandise and display areas, a wall of refrigerated drinks, a restroom, and an employee workroom.

Space on the site’s southeast corner will be reserved for a possible future electric vehicle charging station.

PMG estimates that the redevelopment will increase travel to the site from 700 to 800 trips per day. While the majority of visitors are expected to be drivers, the company says it will make some safety improvements, including realigning and widening the existing sidewalk on Route 123 to 6 feet.

A side road parallel to Route 123 that connects the Mobil and Sunoco gas stations will also be closed off to “reduce vehicle conflicts,” the application says.

“The county’s asking for some pedestrian upgrades for their wants and needs,” Keurian said. “…They’re concerned about the walkability and safety. We’re all about safety too, so we’re amenable to their desires.”

In the statement of justification, PMG acknowledges that the gas station and convenience store will be an interim use until the site is fully redeveloped in accordance with the Tysons Comprehensive Plan, which currently designates it as retail mixed-use.

“This proposal is a unique opportunity to allow a long-standing business to adapt to changing market conditions in order to continue serving the surrounding community,” land-use attorney David Gill, who is representing PMG, wrote in the statement. “The proposal will provide a convenience store use that will serve the needs of motorists, while improving the traffic operations, safety, and ADA compliant pedestrian experience along this portion of Chain Bridge Road.”

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BREAKING: Pedestrian killed while crossing Route 123 in Tysons

Chain Bridge Road going south from Tysons Boulevard (via Google Maps)

Fairfax County police are investigating a crash that killed a pedestrian on Route 123 approaching Tysons Corner Center last night (Thursday).

The victim has been identified as 74-year-old Annandale resident Filadelfo Ramos Marquez, who was crossing Route 123 — also known as Chain Bridge Road — from west to east just south of Tysons Boulevard when the crash occurred around 9 p.m.

Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives have determined that the driver of a 2010 Toyota Camry was traveling south on Chain Bridge Road and hit Ramos Marquez, who was not crossing the roadway at a crosswalk, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

“Ramos Marquez was transported to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” the FCPD said in a report released this afternoon (Friday). “Preliminarily, speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash.”

Ramos Marquez is the 14th pedestrian killed in a vehicle crash in Fairfax County saw in 2021, which matched the total pedestrian fatalities from 2020.

His death came just one day after a bicyclist was killed on Route 123 at the Ingleside Avenue intersection in McLean.

Photo via Google Maps

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JUST IN: Police identify bicyclist killed in McLean crash

Three bicyclists have died in vehicle crashes in Fairfax County this year (via Pietro De Grandi/Unsplash)

The bicyclist who died in a vehicle crash on Route 123 in McLean yesterday (Wednesday) has been identified as Matthew Jaeger, 33, of McLean.

In a report released today (Thursday), Fairfax County police say Jaeger was riding his bicycle east on Ingleside Avenue. When he entered the intersection with Route 123, also known as Dolley Madison Boulevard, the driver of a 2014 BMW 328xi hit him.

Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives believe the driver was going south on Dolley Madison at the time of the accident, which occurred just after 2 p.m.

Jaeger was transported to the hospital, where he died from his injuries. As previously reported, the BMW driver stayed at the scene of the crash.

“Preliminarily, speed and alcohol are not believed to be factors in the crash,” the Fairfax County Police Department says. “The investigation remains active and details of the investigation will be presented to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for review.”

Fairfax County has now seen three bicyclists die in vehicle crashes this year.

Police are seeking additional information about the crash, asking people to contact detectives at 703-280-0543 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Solvers, which can be reached by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS.

Photo via Pietro De Grandi/Unsplash

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BREAKING: Fatal crash shuts down Route 123 in McLean

Dolley Madison Boulevard is closed between Old Dominion Drive and Elm Street (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 11:30 p.m.) Route 123 in McLean is closed in both directions after a bicyclist was killed in a crash.

The crash occurred at the Ingleside Avenue intersection. The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash remained on the scene, the Fairfax County Police Department says. The circumstances surrounding the crash were not immediately clear.

The bicyclist was transported to a hopsital, where he died from injuries sustained in the crash, police confirmed to Tysons Reporter.

The road, also known as Dolley Madison Boulevard, is currently closed to traffic between Old Dominion Drive and Elm Street

Police advise drivers in the area to utilize alternate routes.

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UPDATED: Route 123 reopens after fire burns down former governor’s McLean mansion

A fire burns down former Virginia governor Chuck Robb’s mansion in the 600 block of Chain Bridge Road in McLean (via FCFRD)

(Updated at 10:25 a.m.) A large fire burned down a house in McLean last night (Tuesday) that property records indicate belongs to former Virginia governor and senator Chuck Robb.

Units from the Fairfax County Department of Fire and Rescue responded to the 600 block of Chain Bridge Road before midnight and remained on the scene at least through 2:20 a.m.

When firefighters arrived, the two-alarm house fire was visible throughout the house’s first floor, the FCFRD said. It required assistance from the Arlington and Montgomery county fire departments.

Around 2:10 a.m., the fire was under control, and investigators were on the scene to determine the cause of the blaze. Two people were transported to a hospital with injuries considered non-life-threatening, but there were no reported firefighter injuries.

Fairfax County police closed all lanes on Chain Bridge Road (Route 123) from Merrie Ridge Road to North Glebe Road due to the fire department activity, eventually reopening the road around 9:30 a.m.

FCFRD spokesperson Bill Delaney told Tysons Reporter the cause of the fire has not been determined yet. The severity of the damage means the investigation could take weeks to complete.

Outgoing Gov. Ralph Northam expressed condolences to Robb and his wife, Lynda Johnson Robb, the daughter of former president Lyndon B. Johnson, for the fire.

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Police: McLean man dies after losing control of vehicle on Route 123

A McLean resident was killed over the weekend in what police say appears to be a single-vehicle crash on Route 123.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, 31-year-old Curtis Mathia Rustin IV was traveling northbound on Dolley Madison Boulevard “when he lost control of his vehicle,” a 2005 Nissan Altima, near the intersection of Waverly Way just before 2 a.m. yesterday (Sunday).

The car veered off the roadway and crashed into two trees. Rustin, who was the vehicle’s lone occupant, was pronounced dead at the scene by fire and rescue personnel who responded to the crash.

“Detectives believe speed may have been a factor of the crash and continue to investigate to determine if alcohol was also a factor,” the FCPD said in its report. “At this time, there is nothing to indicate any other vehicles were involved in the crash.”

Rustin is the eighth non-pedestrian to die in a vehicle crash in Fairfax County this year, according to police. The county has seen 10 pedestrian fatalities so far, nearly matching the total for 2020 with four months remaining in the year.

The FCPD says anyone with additional information about the crash in McLean can contact Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives at 703-280-0543 or by submitting an anonymous tip through the department’s Crime Solvers system.

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More than 3,000 people in McLean without power due to storm

Map of power outages in McLean due to storm on Aug. 26, 2021 (via Dominion Energy)

(Updated at 4:45 p.m.) A thunderstorm that has reportedly dropped hail in nearby Arlington County and D.C. has also knocked out power for more than 3,000 McLean residents.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for northeastern Fairfax County, though it was scheduled to end at 4:45 p.m.

According to Dominion Energy’s outage map, power outages attributed to failed circuits were affecting 1,638 customers around Ingleside and Langley as well as 839 customers in the area around the Route 123 and George Washington Memorial Parkway interchange.

Another 703 customers in downtown McLean are also without power, though a cause is still under investigation.

Crews are awaiting assignment, and an estimated time of restoration for the power outages is pending investigation, according to Dominion.

In addition, traffic delays may be coming after a downed tree was reported on the southbound GW Parkway after Route 123.

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Police identify pedestrian killed in fatal Tysons crash

61-year-old Falls Church resident Jose Matias Monjaras is the latest pedestrian killed in a vehicle crash in Fairfax County, the police department announced today (Monday).

The crash occurred at 11:05 p.m. Sunday (July 25) at the intersection of Chain Bridge Road and International Drive in Tysons.

The Fairfax County Police Department now says a preliminary investigation suggests Monjaras was crossing Chain Bridge at the intersection without getting the right of way.

The driver of a 2015 Toyota Corolla was traveling north on Chain Bridge Road through a green light and struck Monjaras in the intersection. The driver remained at the scene. After lifesaving efforts, Monjaras succumbed to his injuries. Preliminarily, speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors for the driver. The investigation remains active and details of the investigation will be presented to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for review.

This was the county’s eighth crash involving a pedestrian fatality in 2021 so far and the third in the McLean Police District. The others occurred in the Falls Church area, first on Lee Highway on Jan. 28 and then at the Arlington Boulevard and Graham Road intersection on April 9.

Pedestrians have also been killed in crashes in Alexandria, Great Falls, and Beacon Hill. There have been two fatal crashes in Annandale.

Contractor chosen to build bicycle and pedestrian bridge over I-495 at Tysons Corner

The Virginia Department of Transportation will build a shared-use path on Old Meadow Road and a pedestrian/bicycle bridge over I-495 (via VDOT)

The Virginia Department of Transportation has selected Shirley Contracting Company to build a bridge and shared-use path along Old Meadow Road, providing a crucial connection from Tysons Corner Center to the McLean Metro station over I-495.

The contract was awarded in June but has not been finalized yet. VDOT project manager Abraham Lerner confirmed that construction is still expected to start this summer.

“At this time we do not have a specific date when the construction of the Tysons Old-Meadow Road project is expected to begin,” Lerner told Tysons Reporter by email. “We need to finalize the administrative processes related to getting the contractor under contract…We will reach out to the community prior to starting construction work.”

Based in Lorton, Shirley Contracting is an affiliate of Clark Construction, which has been involved in numerous other projects in Fairfax County, including the second phase of Metro’s Silver Line project.

The project will provide a bridge over the Capital Beltway for pedestrians and bicyclists, who currently have no easy way to cross the interstate at the Route 123 interchange. It will also involve the addition of a 4,662-foot-long, 10-foot-wide trail along the west side of Old Meadow Road.

Construction will unfold in two phases due to the availability of funding, according to Lerner.

The first phase will introduce the bridge and a portion of the shared-use path up to the Provincial Drive intersection. Construction will be supported by $8.5 million in funding and is expected to be complete in the summer of 2022.

The shared-use path will then be extended to Route 123 during the project’s second phase, which will begin construction once “additional funding becomes available,” VDOT says.

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UPDATED: Unknown device that shut down Route 123 in front of CIA HQ identified

Updated at 2:40 p.m. — The electronic device discovered outside of CIA’s Langley headquarters, leading to a two-hour closure of Route 123, turned out to be innocuous, a CIA spokesperson says.

“The investigation identified the small electronic device by our front gate to be a remote for a dog training collar with no security implications,” CIA spokesperson Nicole de Haay told Tysons Reporter in a statement. “Our front gate is all clear, and the matter is resolved.”

Updated at 1:30 p.m. — Route 123 has reopened in front of the CIA in McLean, the Fairfax County Police Department says.

The road was closed for roughly two hours while the intelligence agency investigated “a small electronic device” found outside its headquarters with support from local police.

“In coordination with our law enforcement partners, we’re investigating a small electronic device found outside the secure perimeter of CIA Headquarters near our front gate,” CIA spokesperson Nicole de Haay said in a statement. “Consistent with our standard protocols, we’re taking the appropriate security precautions, which include closing the front gate to CIA Headquarters.”

De Haay said the CIA will update its statement as more details about the situation become known.

Earlier: Route 123 is currently closed to traffic around the CIA headquarters in McLean.

The Fairfax County Police Department said just after 11:20 a.m. that Dolley Madison Boulevard has been shut down between Georgetown Pike and Savile Lane “for law enforcement activity in the area.”

A traffic alert from Fairfax County says drivers should “expect delays for an undetermined amount of time.”

Just last month, Route 123 was closed in the CIA headquarters area in response to a security incident where an individual reportedly attempted to drive through the gates and was stopped by armed guards.

That incident concluded when an FBI agent who responded to the scene shot the man, who later died from his injuries and has never been publicly identified.

The CIA directed follow-up inquiries about the incident to the FBI, which said it was conducting an internal review of the incident in accordance with its policies for shootings involving agents.

The FBI told Tysons Reporter on May 20 that it had no further information or comment beyond its public statement, reprinted below, announcing the individual’s death.

The subject involved in the shooting incident outside CIA Headquarters at approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, May 3, 2021, died from his injuries after being transported to the hospital. The FBI reviews every shooting incident involving an FBI special agent. The review will carefully examine the circumstances of the shooting and collect all relevant evidence from the scene. As the review remains ongoing, we cannot provide any additional details at this time.

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