Fairfax County Puts $11 Million Toward Pedestrian Improvements

Thanks to a reallocation of some funds and savings on two big county projects , the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has identified about $11 million to complete planned improvements to pedestrian and road projects across the county.

The money became available when two other large transportation projects were unexpectedly completed under budget.

Burke Centre’s Virginia Railway Express parking was finished with $3.9 million to spare in federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds; another $7 million in federal Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) money was left over after the widening of Route 29 and Gallows Road to three lanes.

Supervisors also approved the use of $1.65 million in commercial and industrial (C&I) taxes for the projects.

Combined, the funding will go towards finishing more than 10 planned transportation projects around the county, including sidewalk and intersection fixes along Route 50 and bridge replacements in Chantilly and Reston, among others.

The largest sum of money will help pay for pedestrian and intersection improvements on Route 50 from Jaguar Trail to Seven Corners at Olin Drive. Approximately $3.7 million will go towards improving three intersections and eight sections of sidewalk there.

“The new projects will enhance safety, reduce bottlenecks and improve bike and pedestrian opportunities,” Board Chairman Sharon Bulova said in a statement.

None of the projects on the list are immediately in Oakton, but the following projects are nearby:

• Hunter Mill Bridge Replacement ($320,000): This money will cover the cost for the Virginia Department of Transportation’s preliminary engineering of the preferred bridge concept. The current bridge’s steel beams are corroded beyond repair. This bridge, which sits between Hunter Station Road and Lawyers Road, will eventually be rebuilt.
• Route 29/Gallows Road Lighting ($150,000): This project will install replacement light poles that are needed as a result of widening Route 29/Gallows Road. These light poles were not included in the original budget for the widening project.

For a full list of projects, click here.