Residents press Falls Church for faster response on Hillwood Avenue speeding; council and staff urge petition and study

Residents gathered during the Jan. 13 public comment period to press the Falls Church City Council for faster action on chronic speeding and crashes on Hillwood Avenue, saying enforcement alone has not solved a long‑running problem.

Robert Pattillo, president of the Greater Hillwood Citizens Association and a resident since 1998, described multiple episodes of severe speeding and two parked cars totaled in June 2024. He said engineering staff reviewed the street and concluded there were few administrative fixes available because past streetscape changes limited options. Pattillo asked the council to override that conclusion and start a formal study immediately, beginning east of Roosevelt Street where city jurisdiction continues toward the 24 Hour Fitness corridor.

Assistant City Manager Andrew Young told Pattillo he had visited the street and that engineering staff initially recommended the neighborhood traffic calming (NTC) program. City staff explained that the NTC process typically starts with a petition from the neighborhood, followed by internal staff review to determine whether administrative changes suffice or a larger engagement and design process is warranted. Several councilmembers urged staff to help Hillwood residents coordinate a consolidated petition so the request can be prioritized alongside other neighborhood traffic‑calming requests.

Councilmembers noted multiple recent crashes citywide and said Vision Zero (zero traffic fatalities) and the city’s legislative agenda to expand electronic speed enforcement are related longer‑term efforts. City staff said Virginia law currently limits automated speed enforcement to one authorized location in the city (the Saint James area) and the council intends to press the General Assembly for broader authority. In the short term, staff suggested sign treatments, targeted enforcement and the NTC process as available tools.

Councilmembers and staff agreed to the following practical steps: city staff will help Hillwood residents consolidate petitions and submit them into the NTC pipeline; staff will meet with neighborhood leaders to discuss possible sectioning of the long street into manageable segments; and the city will evaluate administrative options that do not require the full NTC petition when feasible. Councilmembers also urged the police department and public works to continue targeted enforcement and to consider signage or other near‑term measures while the NTC process proceeds.

No formal council vote was required at the meeting; councilmembers emphasized they want to be proactive and requested periodic updates. Residents and councilmembers said they expect the city to coordinate community outreach and to work more rapidly than past processes have allowed.