July 25, 2024

Neighbors,

It’s been a decade since Metro’s Silver Line first opened serving just five stations at the time (Phase 1), and this week marks the rail line’s 10th anniversary. Among these Phase 1 stations, the Wiehle-Reston East Station is wholly in the Hunter Mill District, and the Spring Hill and Greensboro stations are shared with the Providence District.

Today, with the entire Silver Line open for nearly 2 years, it may seem like a fixture to the many people who ride it, but it was decades in the making. The planning for the Silver Line actually began in the early 1960s with the construction of Dulles Airport, and the idea to bring it through Tysons resulted from a community planning effort in 1993, followed by the adoption of an updated Tysons Comprehensive Plan in 2010.

The Silver Line exists today because of the dedication of many county, state, regional and business and civic leaders over the decades. And because of the commercial landowners around the stations and Dulles Toll Road users (i.e., you and me) who continue to repay loans that financed its construction.  

We have seen residents and businesses moving to the areas near the Silver Line stations like the Volkswagon headquarters and Fannie Mae offices in Reston. This is a result of the county’s transit-oriented development strategy that calls for using the Silver Line to create communities where people can live, work and play — and if they choose, without cars.

This strategy focuses growth in a few areas, and leaves green spaces and lower density areas of Fairfax County alone. And this land use strategy has contributed to a surprising statistic the Board received earlier this week. Tree cover in both Hunter Mill and Fairfax County overall increased by 3% from 2012 to 2021. That is excellent news!  

So as we celebrate and appreciate the 10-year anniversary of the Silver Line, let’s also remember how it fits into our long-term growth and green space preservation and promotion strategies. Happy birthday Silver Line!

Regards,

Walter

The bridge over Wiehle Avenue is now open! Walkers, runners and bikers on the W&OD Trail now finally have a safe way to get across this busy intersection.

While the bridge was anticipated to open earlier this month, the project ran into unexpected delays in making sure it was properly grounded from the nearby high-voltage electric transmission lines.

You'll still see ongoing construction work around the bridge since the overall project isn't complete yet. A shared-use path along Wiehle Avenue still must be constructed. As a result, there will be sidewalk closures near the bridge with marked detours available.

The Summer Olympics begin this week, and the Public Library can help you get into the spirit of the games with its reading list that highlights the inspiring people, stories and history behind the games. Here are just a few of the titles:

• Rome 1960: The Olympics that Changed the World by David Maraniss. The first commercially televised Summer Games, the 1960 Olympics served as a window to the era, with Cold War spies, equal rights, the rise of corporate branding and the first doping scandal.
• Something in the Air: American Passion and Defiance in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics by Richard Hoffer. This historic account captures the essence of the 1968 Games by following the American team through feuds, protests and the tensions of the era.
• The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown. This is the underdog story of the University of Washington's eight-oar crew team that challenged Great Britain and Germany for Olympic gold.



The library also offers many fiction and nonfiction books about Paris, the City of Light, like The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz which includes 50 original recipes.

COVID-19 is making a resurgence this summer in Virginia and Fairfax County. In the Fairfax Health District, people diagnosed with COVID increased to 3.5% of all emergency department and urgent care visits this month — up from 1.2% in early June.

Why it Matters: Older adults age 50-plus make up a large number of cases during the past three months, according to the Virginia Department of Health data.

Prevention Tips: Follow these Fairfax County Health Department tips, including:

• Improve ventilation when gathering indoors. Open windows when safe to do so and use ceiling fans to improve air flow. Set your thermostat to “auto” to continuously run your HVAC system’s fan.
• Wash hands often.
• Clean high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, and countertops.

Get Vaccinated: Since protection from past infections and vaccinations declines over time, it is important to stay up to date on your vaccinations to restore immunity.

• Everyone aged 6 months and older should get a COVID vaccination. Only about 24% of county residents have gotten the most recent vaccine.
• The updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine will be available this fall, the CDC announced.

Following a Board of Supervisors request from my April Board Matter, the Fairfax County Police Department presented options on Tuesday on modernizing the school crossing guard program.

Why it Matters: Last December, the Fairfax County Police proposed to transfer responsibility for guarding the nine school crossings in Vienna to the town. However, the Town of Vienna noted that this has always been a county responsibility.

It became clear to me that the situation in Vienna was only one symptom of a countywide problem where, on an average day, 45 Fairfax County Police officers are temporarily taken off patrol duty to do crossing guard duty when regular crossing guards are not available. I very much appreciate the officers who do crossing guard duty.

Three Alternatives Presented:

• Fairfax County Public Schools takes over and runs the program, potentially as a privatized program.
• Collaborate with the schools to train administrators, staff or security staff to back up crossing guards when regular crossing guards are not available.
• Beef up/increase funding for the existing program within the Fairfax County Police Department.

Bottom Line: No changes next month or even next school year will be made as possible program improvements are vetted and existing crossing guards consulted. Whatever final outcome is worked out over the coming months, it’s not a question of whether these crossings will be guarded, rather how and what county or FCPS agency will be responsible for administering the program. Our children’s safety is my top priority as we look to improve this corner of county government

To install a new pedestrian bridge (a different bridge from the one just opened over Wiehle Avenue!), the W&OD Trail near Reston Town Center will be closed this Friday through Sunday, July 26-28.

What’s Closed: The trail closure will be from a point just west of Town Center Parkway to just east of Reston Parkway. Detours will be in place and marked.

The Reston Town Center Transit Station also will be closed. Impacted bus stops will be relocated along Bluemont Way, and regular service at the station resumes on Monday, July 29.

This is not a fun reminder, but if you pay your real estate taxes directly – not as part of your mortgage payment — the first half of your taxes are due on Monday, July 29.

Pay online here. E-check payments are free, and you may schedule when the payment is made. Learn about the other ways to pay your bill.

If you don’t have your bill or have other questions, contact the Department of Tax Administration by email at DTARCD@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-222-8234. 

Watch this video on the many ways you can pay your taxes.

Once again, it’s Christmas in July. First Baptist Church of Vienna is holding its annual community event on Sunday, July 28 at 10 a.m. It benefits unhoused families and individuals, providing free food and refreshments, rides and amusements for children, free haircuts, school supplies, clothing and more. Everyone is welcome to attend and participate in the festivities.

For more information, to volunteer or to donate supplies, please contact First Baptist Outreach Coordinator Stacey Seay at 703-938-8525.

Herndon-Area Residents May Notice Odors Near the Fairfax Water Treatment Plant

If you live near Fairfax Water’s Corbalis Drinking Water Treatment Plant just north of Herndon and Reston, you may notice a strong odor in the air. It’s due to increased algae levels in the Potomac River water treated at this plant. You may also see a white stringy substance in streams due to the algae breaking down. Fairfax Water says that the quality of your drinking water remains unaffected, however.

Fairfax County 4-H Fair & Carnival Starts Aug. 1

The Fairfax 4-H Fair is Aug 1-4, and unlimited ride wristbands are on sale now! Buy them online for $20 or onsite for $25. The fair offers carnival rides, games, food, live entertainment and the opportunity to watch livestock, see 4-H exhibits and enter your own creations in the fair. Details.

80s Tribute Band Plays at Reston Town Center on July 27

Step back in time with the region's best 1980s tribute band, The Reflex on Saturday, July 27 at 7 p.m. at the Pavilion at Reston Town Center. Enjoy the full-on retro concert experience.