In this issue...
Lee Chapel Road Improvements Move Forward & Town Hall Sept. 13th
Many of you have shared concern with my office about the safety of Lee Chapel Road, especially given the tragedy there earlier this year when two teenagers lost their lives in a horrible accident. At our last Board meeting, the Board supported my motion to adjust the Transportation Priorities Plan to provide initial funding of $5 million for the Lee Chapel Road safety project. To increase the expediency of this road improvement, I asked that the $5 million funding come from the currently allocated funds for the Shirley Gate Road Extension project.
Since January, I have been assessing ways to fund the project and working with our partners and staff to identify funding opportunities at the state level. One of the projects that has sufficient funding available, as well as a schedule that allows for a temporary transfer, is the Shirley Gate Road extension project. The Shirley Gate extension’s estimated cost is $22 million, and it is currently fully funded. While this project is vitally important, the need for expediency in moving forward with a project on Lee Chapel Road is significant and this $5 million for Lee Chapel is enough to get the project moving forward. As both projects are very important, my motion included that we continue to work with our partners to find additional sources to fund the remainder of the Lee Chapel project and to restore full funding to Shirley Gate as quickly as possible.
FCDOT and VDOT have evaluated three mid-term options to improve safety on Lee Chapel – removing the principal hill, removing both hills, and building the first leg of the eventual widened Lee Chapel Road. The alternative that appears to be the most prudent from a funding, timeline, and community support standpoint is a project that would eliminate the two hills and include two 11-foot lanes and a 6-foot shoulder on each side of the roadway. Preliminary costs for this project are approximately $9 million.
Sadly, the tragedy on Lee Chapel Road was not the first on this section of road and I as well as others have made efforts in the past to address the ongoing concerns about this roadway. This tragedy only amplified the need for safety improvements on this segment of Lee Chapel Road between Ox Road and the Fairfax County Parkway. In a coordinated effort with my office, Delegate Tran, Senator Barker, the offices of Supervisor Storck and Chairman McKay, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT), and the Park Authority, there have been a number of immediate safety improvements to the road while mid-term and long-term solutions were examined. As this article was being written, work to repave Lee Chapel Road was wrapping up, which included short-term safety improvements, including the addition of a shoulder wedge and rumble strips.
We will be further discussing this direction with the community and soliciting its feedback at a virtual town hall set for September 13th at 7pm. Delegate Tran, Senator Barker, the offices of Supervisor Storck and Chairman McKay, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will also be participating in the Town Hall. To participate in the town hall, use the login information for the meeting below.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Meeting ID: 214 328 203 374
Passcode: ZFKBoJ
Or call in (audio only)
Phone Conference ID: 839 896 41#
At the Town Hall I will be sharing further updates on the Lee Chapel Road safety improvements, the options considered and the recommended direction forward. There will be opportunity for community input and feedback. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to share your feedback with me either by calling my office at 703-451-8873 or emailing springfieldbos@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Other News and Information
- Save the Date – August 17, 7PM – Panhandling Town Hall
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Town of Clifton Public Hearing on Streetscape Project set for August 17th
- Consider Being an Election Officer!
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Deck Details Boot Camp (August 15th)
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Putting for Pets Golf Tournament (September 18th)
- Recycling Strategies and Recommendations
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Other News and Information
Save the Date – August 17, 7PM – Panhandling Town Hall
Please save August 17th at 7:00PM for an important regional virtual town hall on the increase in panhandling, the issues it is causing, our responses to date, and potential ways to address it going forward. Additional information will be sent via the Herrity Report and available on my website shortly.
Town of Clifton Public Hearing on Main Street Streetscape Project set for August 17
The Town of Clifton will be hosting a public hearing regarding its Main Street Enhancement Project Phase 2a on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023 from 7:30–9PM at the Wayne H. Nickum Community Meeting Hall (12641 Chapel Rd., Clifton)
The presentation will include information on proposed street and sidewalk improvements and utility undergrounding on Main Street (Rte. 645) from Ford Ln. to Chapel St. in the Town of Clifton. This project will improve safety and ADA accessibility for pedestrians and enhance the beautification and function of Main Street as a scenic and historic byway with landscaping and amenities.
The Hearing will be held in an open format with doors open at 7PM and a presentation beginning at 7:30PM followed by a question-and-answer session. Members of the public will have the opportunity to provide public comments and discuss the project individually with project team members until 9 PM.
Property impact information and tentative construction schedules are available for review at the above address and will be available at the Public Hearing.
Give your written or oral comments at the meeting or submit them no later than Aug. 23, 2023 to Amanda Christman, Town Clerk, Town of Clifton, P.O. Box 309, Clifton, VA 20124. You may also e-mail your comments to clerk@cliftonva.gov. Please include “UPC 109949 Clifton Main Street Streetscape – Phase 2a” in the e-mail subject line.
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Consider Being an Election Officer for the Upcoming General Election
Fairfax County Office needs election officers countywide for the November 7th General Election and the 2024 elections. Compensation begins at $250 and training is provided online and in-person for new officers. More information on serving as a Fairfax County election officer can be found here. Apply today.
There is also a need for bilingual Virginia voters who speak Vietnamese and English or Korean and English to serve in the Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly, and Falls Church areas. To serve as a designated bilingual election officer, you must also complete a short oral language skills assessment. More information on serving as a language election officer can be found here.
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Deck Details Boot Camp Hosted on August 15th
Planning a new deck this summer or fall? Consider using the Land Development Service’s Typical Deck Details resource.
The Typical Deck Details document contains comprehensive explanations on the materials and equipment needed to build a deck that will meet Virginia Residential Code and, if followed completely, can assist you in the following ways:
- Save time during the permit review and inspections process.
- Save money by not requiring a custom architectural plan as well, reducing the length of time to prepare your permit application and the time the permit is under review by the county. Regardless, use of the Typical Details document ensures quality and a safe deck.
Fairfax County Land Development Services (LDS) is offering Deck Details Boot Camps this summer. These sessions are conducted in person; however, a recording will be available in August. All sessions will be in room 106 of the Herrity Building, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. Please register below if you are interested in attending:
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Putting for Pets Golf Tournament - September 18th
The Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter and the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce are once again hosting their Captain’s Choice Putting for Pets Golf Tournament to benefit homeless pets at the shelter. It will be held at the Chantilly National Golf and Country Club on September 18th, starting at 9AM and running until they host their dinner and awards presentation.
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I look forward to supporting this event every year and the great work that they do for our four-legged friends. If you’d like to consider participating and being a sponsor, use the QR code above or this link.
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Recycling Strategies and Recommendations – What Goes Where?
Are you unsure of what is considered recyclable and what isn’t? Or how to properly recycle specific types of items? The county website has a guide for residents to help manage their waste and provides tips via a search engine based on what you are looking to dispose of.
Most people now realize that glass should not be placed in single stream recycling bins as it ends up contaminating other recyclable materials, damages the processing equipment and ends up in the landfill. Glass can be recycled through a number of sources including the Purple Bins located throughout the county and some local resources like the Resource Recovery Project that collect glass from locations in the community.
Other items that can cause issues with machinery and processing if attempted to be recycled in single stream recycling bins include what’s called “the Filthy Five” and should not be placed in single stream bins:
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- Plastic Bags – can be recycled at most grocery stores
- Shredded Paper
- Hangers, Cords & Hoses
- Takeout Containers & Cups
- Dirty Diapers
For more information, please see the County’s recycle here. |
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Email
Office
(703) 451-8873
Website
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Free Summer Concert Series @ Burke Lake Park |
Every Wednesday 7pm
Through August 23rd
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
The English Channel
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
The Road Ducks
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
The Colin Thompson Band
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Riptide
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Wanted- pal for gorgeous 62 lb. floof-ball, eager to please, friendly, engaging and loves attention. Easy to play fetch with and she gives up the ball softly because she knows the game will continue. She is eager to meet you and your dog (if you have one) since she has gone on walkabouts from her home and met up with other dogs eager for their version of skipping school. She would love some training time to engage her active brain!
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