Politics & Government

Should Fairfax Install a North St. Guard Rail? Widen Fairfax Boulevard?

The Planning Commission meets tonight to discuss these projects and more.

Fairfax City is considering whether to place a guard rail along North Street, add sidewalks to pedestrian-unfriendly neighborhoods, and widen Fairfax Boulevard at Jermantown Road.

Those are just some of the transportation projects on the table for the 2013 budget. Every year the Planning Commission sifts through millions of dollars in project requests to sort the must-haves from the what-ifs and make recommendations to the City Council.

Their recommendations are critical, as council members already have their work cut out for them in .

Find out what's happening in Fairfax Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fairfax residents will have a chance to chime in on what projects they'd like to see funded at the commission's meeting tonight, at 7 p.m. in City Hall.

Here's a look at some of the proposed projects:

Find out what's happening in Fairfax Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Street Crack Sealing

This newly proposed maintenance project attempts to stop road damage before it gets too bad. $30,000 each year from 2013-2017 will pay for the process of treating cracked streets with liquid sealant to keep water from seeping into the city's road infrastructure.

Price to seal cracks: $150,000 total from 2013-2017. 

  • Sidewalk, Curb and Gutter for Railroad Avenue

This project looks to fill in the sidewalk, curb and gutter gaps along Railroad Avenue between Oliver Street and Main Street. With these improvements the avenue will become pedestrian-friendly while allowing two-lane traffic.

Price to install: $50,000 in 2013 and $300,000 in 2014.

  • New Driveway Pipes

Several city neighborhoods are in need of new driveway drainage pipes. This project would pay for new pipes at seven properties per year from 2013 and on. Affected neighborhoods: Winston Place, Wilson Street, Burrows Avenue, Orchard Street, Howerton Avenue, Berry Street, Norman Avenue.

Price to replace: $30,000 per year, starting in 2013.

  • Guard Rail Along North Street

Nothing says this project is needed more than an incident involving a . This project would install a guard rail separating North Street in downtown Fairfax from the lower-grade sidewalk that spans the length of Auld Shebeen.

Price to deter future accidents: $50,000 in 2013, $100,000 in 2014.

  • Stone Wall Rehabilitation on Fairfax Boulevard

Rainwater is causing the stone walls along Fairfax Boulevard (at Draper Drive and Stafford Drive) to deteriorate and fall off. This project would install caps along the top of the wall to prevent water from seeping inside.

Price to rehabilitate: $80,000 in 2013, $100,000 in 2014.

  • New Sidewalk Along University Drive

This project would add a sidewalk, curb and gutter and retaining wall along the west side of University Drive north of Armstrong Street. The additions would allow pedestrians to walk both ways on University.

Price to install: $50,000 in 2013, $150,000 in 2014.

  • Replace Chain Bridge Road Sidewalk

The current sidewalk along Chain Bridge Road between North Street and Whitehead Road isn't very pedestrian friendly. It's an uneven brick sidewalk with a steep drop to the street below. This project would reconfigure it to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards. 

Price to replace: $100,000 in 2013, $800,000 in 2014.

  • Fairfax Boulevard Widening

The goal is to allow more traffic to flow freely out of the western part of Fairfax City along Fairfax Boulevard towards I-66. This project would add a third westbound lane to Fairfax Boulevard from Bevan Drive to Jermantown Road. It would also add turning lanes to the north portion of the Fairfax Blvd-Jermantown intersection.

Price to widen: $1.1 million for 2013 and $1.29 million in 2014.

  • Burke Station Road Curb and Gutter 

The Burke Station Road improvements would replace the current ditch between Main Street and Mosby Road with a proper curb and gutter system.

Price to install $250,000 in 2013 and $200,000 in 2014.

  • Add Acorn Lamps Along More Streets

This project would install acorn street lamps (like those found on portions of Fairfax Boulveard) at University Drive, Farr Avenue and Spring Lake Terrace in 2013. It'd seek to install them at Providence Way, McLean Avenue, Old Lee Highway and Cornell Road, Rebel Run and University Drive in 2014. In 2015? Old Pickett Road (from Pickett Road west to commercial area), Main Street (near Fairview), Little River Hills and Lyndhurst. 2016? Orchard Drive.

State funding would allow the city to continue acorn lighting along Fairfax Boulevard between Pickett Road and Fairfax Circle.

Price to improve lighting: $50,000 in 2013 and again in 2014. $80,000 in 2015. $30,000 in 2016.

  • Video Cameras for CUE Buses

This project would help the city keep an eye on the behavior of CUE bus drivers and passengers, and help to reduce the city's liability in bus accidents and other mishaps. 13 buses would get in three cameras each.

Price to add cameras: $30,000 in 2013.

Projects that the city hopes to continue:

  • Brick sidewalk maintenance (crack sealing): $80,000 every year
  • Curb, gutter and sidewalk maintenance: $450,000 for 2013 and $500,000 every year through 2017.
  • Street repaving: $2 million in 2013, $1.7 million every year through 2017.
  • Northfax Street Drainage: $750,000 in 2013, $3 million in 2014, $5.5 million in 2015, $4.75 million in 2016.
  • George Mason Boulevard streetscape and mini park: $300,000 in 2013, adopted $100,000 in 2012


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