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Politics & Government

City works to improve pedestrian, bicycle safety

Progress made on plan that will prioritize improvement projects

While thousands of safety improvements could be made to the many miles of sidewalks and roads that course through the City of Falls Church, financial constraints require the city to prioritize those needs.

That’s where the Falls Church Pedestrian, Bicycle and Traffic Calming Strategic Implementation Plan comes in.

The plan is being created by city staff with input from citizens, school district representatives and an engineering consultant. It seeks to rank the improvement projects that will make travel safer and easier for pedestrians and bicyclists.

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“If you have limited funding, you have to make some hard choices,” said Wendy Block Sanford, transportation planner for the City of Falls Church. “We are saying, ‘Where are people trying to go? Let’s improve those routes first.’”

Sanford provided an update on the plan’s progress at a public meeting Thursday night at City Hall. Data collection has finished, she said, and the team has developed a methodology to rank projects based on need.

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Projects are grouped in four categories: new sidewalks, Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA) compliance projects (such as repairing sidewalks and removing obstacles like telephone poles), corridor projects (such as adding traffic calming measures and bicycle lanes to streets) and other.

Each category will be ranked according to a point-system developed by the team. Points are awarded for different criteria, including if the street is on a primary route to Falls Church schools, metro stops or parks and if it is a transit route or within one block of the commercial corridor.

“We are looking at what’s important to people,” Sanford said.

Other factors, such as public input and crash history, will be considered as well.

A draft report with a prioritized list of projects will be available in the spring. A public meeting will be held to discuss the group’s findings at that time.

Residents at the March 3 meeting expressed interest in and appreciation for the work.

“I was excited to hear about this project,” said Sandra Bolivar. “We definitely need it.”

Bolivar, who lives in Winter Hill, said she has been struck by vehicles twice while crossing Broad Street and Annandale Road near her home. The experience has made her fear crossing streets on foot, and she often takes a longer route home to avoid dangerous intersections.  

“I almost feel like I freeze up when I have to cross the street,” she said.

Others at the meeting were glad to see the needs of bicyclists being considered.

Calling himself an “avid cyclist,” Mayor Nader Baroukh said he looked forward to that aspect of the  plan. Baroukh added, “This really gives us the tools we need to make good decisions about how to best use our funding.”

Funding for improvements may be available as soon as next fiscal year, Sanford said. She expects the city to be able to fund $300,000 worth of projects next year, and up to $1.5 million in improvements over the next six or seven years, she said.

More information about this plan can be found on the City’s Web site here.

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