City outlines 'Missing Links' sidewalk program and three priority projects
March 11, 2024 | Falls Church City, Fairfax County, Virginia
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City staff presented the Missing Links sidewalk program to Falls Church City Council on March 10, emphasizing short segments of sidewalk that improve pedestrian connectivity and ADA compliance.
Tara Hoff, acting director of public works, described a four‑tier prioritization: tier 1 addresses PROWAG/ADA compliance where sidewalks end mid‑block; tier 2 targets streets lacking sidewalks on either side; tiers 3 and 4 split commercial high‑use and residential lower‑use streets. Hoff said staff’s deeper review reduced an initial, longer list to a set of projects likely to be executable without major right‑of‑way or utility relocations.
Fiscal notes: staff proposed $650,000 for FY25–26, recommending $550,000 be used for construction of several projects and $100,000 to contract out program/project management. Hoff said estimates are higher than historic figures because the city now includes survey costs, anticipates a 45% contingency (following VDOT practice), and is accounting for possible utility/ tree/ stormwater constraints.
Initial priority projects (staff recommended moving forward with three using FY25–26 funds): Crane Street (from Kennedy to Fowler) for a tier‑1 missing segment; Madison Lane (from West to Randolph) to complete a sidewalk that currently ends mid‑block; and Broadmont Terrace (install sidewalk on one side of the street). Hoff said larger projects (e.g., Virginia Avenue) require stormwater and erosion and sediment control plans and remain on an extended list for future funding.
Councilors pressed staff about right‑of‑way surveys, whether missing‑links maps and repair lists could be put on a public website, alignment with the ADA transition plan, and timing for implementation. Hoff said the ADA transition plan will inform future rolling updates, and staff agreed it makes sense to publish an interactive portal so residents can see where a request fits in the overall list.
Council requested staff return with a public‑facing timeline and clarified project lists in advance of budget deliberations so the community can see how sidewalk priorities align with funding.
Tara Hoff, acting director of public works, described a four‑tier prioritization: tier 1 addresses PROWAG/ADA compliance where sidewalks end mid‑block; tier 2 targets streets lacking sidewalks on either side; tiers 3 and 4 split commercial high‑use and residential lower‑use streets. Hoff said staff’s deeper review reduced an initial, longer list to a set of projects likely to be executable without major right‑of‑way or utility relocations.
Fiscal notes: staff proposed $650,000 for FY25–26, recommending $550,000 be used for construction of several projects and $100,000 to contract out program/project management. Hoff said estimates are higher than historic figures because the city now includes survey costs, anticipates a 45% contingency (following VDOT practice), and is accounting for possible utility/ tree/ stormwater constraints.
Initial priority projects (staff recommended moving forward with three using FY25–26 funds): Crane Street (from Kennedy to Fowler) for a tier‑1 missing segment; Madison Lane (from West to Randolph) to complete a sidewalk that currently ends mid‑block; and Broadmont Terrace (install sidewalk on one side of the street). Hoff said larger projects (e.g., Virginia Avenue) require stormwater and erosion and sediment control plans and remain on an extended list for future funding.
Councilors pressed staff about right‑of‑way surveys, whether missing‑links maps and repair lists could be put on a public website, alignment with the ADA transition plan, and timing for implementation. Hoff said the ADA transition plan will inform future rolling updates, and staff agreed it makes sense to publish an interactive portal so residents can see where a request fits in the overall list.
Council requested staff return with a public‑facing timeline and clarified project lists in advance of budget deliberations so the community can see how sidewalk priorities align with funding.
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