Dear Providence Residents,
A healthy environment enhances our quality of life and preserves the vitality that makes Fairfax County a special place to live and work. The County has a responsibility to decrease our collective carbon footprint and implement smart policies and programs to keep us safe and protect our environment.
This week I would like to highlight some environmental projects and accomplishments in Fairfax County, and specifically right here in Providence.
Please find the following Providence District updates in this week's edition of the newsletter:
- Autonomous Electric Shuttle Pilot Project
- Community-Wide Energy and Climate Action Plan CECAP
- The Solarize Fairfax County 2020 Program
- Invasive Plants in Fairfax County
I hope this finds you and your family safe and well.
With Gratitude,
Supervisor Dalia Palchik
|
|
Autonomous Electric Shuttle Pilot Project |
|
Fairfax County and Dominion Energy are partnering to launch an autonomous electric shuttle, "Relay," that will operate between the Dunn Loring Metrorail Station and the Mosaic District in Fairfax County. "Relay" will be the first test of driverless public transportation in the D.C. region, and it’s also the first state-funded autonomous transportation project in Virginia. In Summer 2020, the shuttle will be on roads around the Mosaic district undergoing testing. A public launch date and other service details will be available soon.
The pilot project team will test this driverless, public transportation option to evaluate its effectiveness and safety and see how it can be used as a “first and last-mile” transit option to relay riders and help connect the community, activate neighborhoods and attract businesses.
This pilot project is a partnership between Fairfax County, Dominion Energy, EDENS (Mosaic), The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) and George Mason University (GMU).
|
|
Community-Wide Energy and Climate Action Plan CECAP |
|
Fairfax County is developing its first-ever Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) and your input is needed! Only three percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the County come from local government and school operations, the rest are from cars and trucks on our roads, energy use in our buildings, waste management processes, and other community sources. It’s up to all of us to take steps, even small ones, to reduce our emissions so that our families, friends, neighbors, and future residents of Fairfax County are spared the consequences of climate change and can thrive in a clean, healthy, prosperous community.
Join one of three virtual public meetings in late August and early September and take the CECAP public survey to share your opinions and suggestions. Your input will be considered by the CECAP Task Force as they make decisions about climate change mitigation goals, strategies, and actions we can take in the years to come.
|
|
The ever popular Solarize Fairfax County program is back once again, providing county residents and businesses the chance to install solar arrays at a discount. The Solarize program offers participants a streamlined process for exploring and pursuing solar power for their residences and places of business. Through August 31, Solarize reduced rates will be available through a pre-qualified solar installer, Solar Energy World.
All county residents and business owners are eligible for a free, remote assessment to evaluate if solar is appropriate for their home or commercial building. Additionally, residential Solarize 2020 participants are eligible for a complimentary, virtual home energy assessment to help improve their home energy performance holistically. Solarize participants can also bundle electric vehicle charging stations with their solar system purchase to realize additional savings.
|
|
FCPS Virtual School Garden Meetup |
|
How does your garden grow? Join FCPS Get2Green and gardening experts from the Fairfax Food Council’s Urban Agriculture Working Group to discuss keeping school gardens active during virtual learning. Learn about available resources and support for school gardens, share your garden challenges and ideas, and find answers to your questions. All FCPS employees and community members working with school gardens are welcome to join. This meetup will take place virtually on Tuesday, September 1 from 4:30-5:30pm. Register for the FCPS Virtual School Garden Meetup and a link to join will be sent to you before the session.
Can’t attend the meetup, but want to chat about school gardens? Reach out to [email protected].
|
|
Invasive Plants in Fairfax County: Bamboo |
|
Invasive plants are non-native plants that spread aggressively and cause ecologist and economic harm. Surprisingly many common landscaping plants sold at local nurseries are invasive, so the plant you see for sale might be invasive.
Best practices:
- Do not plant bamboo on your property
- Remove bamboo from your property (trash, not yard waste) & replace it with a native plant
|
|
Pictured below; Scouts BSA Troop 13 in Vienna/Oakton freed 11 trees from being strangled by invasive plant English ivy & pulled 18 bags of invasive plants from Difficult Run Stream Valley Park in Oakton with the Fairfax County Park Authority Invasive Management Area program. |
|
Gallows Road and I-66 construction
Gallows Road over I-66 will be reduced to a single travel lane in each direction around 11 a.m. Saturday, August 22, continuing through 8 a.m. Monday, August 24. Two-way traffic will run on the southbound side of Gallows Road during this period. Only one travel lane will be open on Gallows Road with a flagger to direct alternating traffic in each direction from noon Saturday, August 22, through 10 a.m. Sunday, August 23. Crews will lift bridge beams over I-66 East during the overnight hours. I-66 East will be reduced to a single travel lane each night with intermittent full traffic stoppages of up to 30 minutes between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m.
Next week: Crews will lift bridge beams over the Metrorail tracks, the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metrorail Station and I-66 West. Gallows Road over I-66 will be reduced to a single travel lane in each direction during the overnight hours. Two-way traffic will run on the southbound side of Gallows Road during this period. I-66 West will be reduced to a single travel lane during overnight hours with intermittent full traffic stoppages. Stoppages of up to 30 minutes will occur between 10 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. nightly. I-66 East will be reduced to two travel lanes during overnight hours.
For more information, go here.
Fairfax Connector bus service will restore full service and routes starting Saturday, Aug. 29 with free rides continuing until further notice.
A new commuter route from Stringfellow Road Park and Ride lot to Southwest Washington, D.C. near L'Enfant Plaza will launch on weekdays with 10 morning and 10 afternoon rides.
Two more bus trips in the mornings and afternoons will run from the Fairfax County Government Center to Foggy Bottom. Fairfax Connector requires face coverings, and rear door entrances and exits with social distancing strongly encouraged. For more information, go here. These Connector improvements are supported by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC), Commuter Choice Program and I-66 toll revenues.
Metro bus service resumes about 75 percent of service beginning Sunday, Aug. 23 throughout the DMV, including up to 90 percent of pre-covid service on weekends. Buses will begin operating earlier and run later, beginning as early as 4 a.m. and ending as late as midnight daily with schedules varying by route.
Masks or cloth face coverings are required on Metro at all times, including all buses, trains, stations and other facilities. Rear door entrances and exits continue. The front door is reserved only for those customers using mobility devices or who need assistance to board. Metro encourages riders to practice social distancing when possible on trains, buses, and while waiting. For more information, go here.
|
|
W&OD Trail
A two-week detour of the trail will start Aug. 24 near mile marker 5.5 between Little Falls St over Lee Hwy for new bridge trail construction. At the same time, a detour at Custis Bridge in Bon Air Park will begin. The bridge is set to open this fall. Find more information here.
OAKTON
VDOT will close Fox Mill Road between Bronzedale Drive and Hunt Road to through traffic from 8 a.m. Monday, Aug. 24 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27 to replace a stormwater pipe. Residents in the affected area will have access to their homes. More information is here.
|
|
Metro announces August 23 reopening of East Falls Church, Arlington Cemetery stations
With the project to reconstruct outdoor platforms at four Orange Line stations west of Ballston proceeding well ahead of schedule, Metro announced that East Falls Church will reopen this Sunday, August 23. Rail service has returned to near pre-pandemic levels, and Metrobus service will increase dramatically beginning Sunday, August 23.
Dunn Loring and Vienna to reopen Tuesday, September 8
Dunn Loring and Vienna will open Tuesday, September 8, marking the first time all Metrorail stations have been open since March 19 when Metro initiated strategic station and entrance closures as part of its comprehensive response to the public health emergency.
East Falls Church Station customers will benefit from the station's new secure Bike & Ride facility that offers secured bicycle parking at no charge. To access the facility, customers must use a registered SmarTrip card and must first complete the online Bike & Ride registration form, available here.
Masks or cloth face coverings are required on Metro at all times, including all buses, trains, stations and other facilities.
|
|
Literacy Council of Northern Virginia |
|
¡Recuerda registrarte para las clases de otoño!
Debido a la situación actual de COVID-19, la sesión de otoño 2020 de LCNV se llevará a cabo a través de plataformas de aprendizaje a distancia. Haga clic aquí para obtener horarios de clase, horarios e información de registro.
Ofertas de clase:
Comienzo del nivel de inglés
Programa de Aprendizaje Familiar (FLP)
Clase intensiva de inglés para la fuerza de trabajo
Remember to Sign Up for Fall Classes!
Due to the current situation of COVID-19, LCNV's 2020 fall session will be held via Distance Learning platforms. Please click here for class times, schedules, and registration information.
Class Offerings:
- Beginning English Level
-
Family Learning Program (FLP)
- Intensive English Class for the Workforce
|
|
- Native Plants and Trees on Aug. 23 and 25
August-September: Virtual Learning Parent Webinar with STEM educators Joann Nicholls and Dr. Carley Fisher-Maltese
|
|
Food for Others and Grow a Row FC |
|
Our office has partnered with Food for Others on a community based food drive to feed those in need during COVID-19.
|
|
Grow a Row FC recently donated over 114 pounds of fresh produce to Food for Others and other food distribution sites, home-grown by Fairfax County residents. Thank you for generously giving your harvest, ranging from .5 oz of Thai basil to 29+ lbs of squash – no amount is too small!
Grow a Row FC continues to seek volunteers to join its community-wide effort to grow fresh produce. Sign up to receive some seeds for fall crops (broccoli, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustards, peas, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard and turnips to name a few!) and get more information by emailing [email protected]. This project is supported by Virginia Cooperative Extension and endorsed by the Fairfax Food Council.
|
|
We want to hear from you! Please reach out to us with questions, comments or just to say hello.
Office Phone: (703) 560-6946
Email us HERE if you would like events included in our newsletter or you would like a member of our team to join your HOA meeting.
|
|
Follow us on Social Media! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
