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Falls Church council approves condemnation initiation and construction contract for Maple–Annandale roundabout
Summary
After a public hearing and months of negotiations, the Falls Church City Council authorized quick-take condemnation of a small parcel at 140 South Maple Ave and approved a construction contract to build a roundabout at Maple Avenue and West Annandale Road to improve safety and traffic flow.
The Falls Church City Council on Jan. 13 authorized the city to initiate condemnation proceedings to acquire small parcels needed to build a roundabout at South Maple Avenue and West Annandale Road and approved a contract to construct the intersection improvement.
The council voted 7–0 to adopt TR25‑04, allowing the city to file a certificate of take for a total of roughly 3,156 square feet of easement and right‑of‑way at 140 South Maple Avenue, owned by V. Bull Falls Church, LLC. Later in the meeting the council voted 7–0 to authorize the purchasing agent to award a construction contract worth up to $2,132,000 to Arden Company LLC to build the roundabout.
City staff said the roundabout has been in the city’s transportation planning documents since the 2005 and 2007 planning efforts, and the design reached 100% completion after design grants and reviews. Project manager Scott Bridal (Department of Public Works) told the council bids were opened Aug. 2, 2024, and the bids will expire Feb. 4, 2025; award is required before that date to preserve bid prices. Bridal said the project requires four right‑of‑way acquisitions, and the parcel at 140 South Maple Avenue is the final outstanding corner needed to proceed.
Outside counsel Courtney Harden, who specializes in eminent domain, briefed the council on Virginia’s quick‑take procedure for public road projects. Harden said the city completed required statutory steps, including a certified appraisal, title report and offer letters; staff logged repeated outreach to the property owner since July 2023 without a substantive counteroffer. She described the certificate of take as a statutory tool that conveys fee title to the condemning authority while negotiations may continue; if negotiations fail, the city would file a petition and the court would determine fair market value.
Council members pressed staff on fiscal impact and construction logistics. Councilmember Connolly asked about the staff estimate that litigation and expert costs in a trial could add about $50,000; Harden said that figure covers attorney and appraisal expert fees if the case went to trial. Bridal told the council that construction will temporarily remove about 20 parking spaces on the Bolero site for staging, but the final configuration will not permanently eliminate parking spaces on that property. Staff also confirmed that the city will pay temporary construction easement compensation for the staging and grading work.
Public comment included objections to roundabouts from residents who said they can be confusing for drivers and hazardous for pedestrians and cyclists. City staff, citing the Federal Highway Administration and VDOT guidance, said roundabouts reduce serious‑injury and fatal crashes by lowering vehicle speeds and reducing conflict points compared with signalized intersections. Staff also said they would run a public education campaign before construction and coordinate with communications on how drivers and pedestrians should use the new intersection.
Council members asked staff to refine streetscape details before construction, including replacing full‑brick sidewalks with concrete or a brick‑ribbon treatment, and to confirm the design treatment at each quadrant (some approach areas include rollover apron/turning radii for large vehicles). Bridal said staff would follow up with details on the difference in pavement/striping treatments at specific quadrants and explain design choices tied to truck turning radii and delivery access to nearby businesses.
The project timeline and context: 100% design complete; bids received Aug. 2, 2024; bid acceptance window expires Feb. 4, 2025; the city has sought voluntary conveyance since July 2023 and logged extensive attempts to negotiate with the property’s representatives without a counteroffer. Staff said the project aims to improve pedestrian safety, calm speeds, and reduce backups that occur on Maple during peak periods.
City staff said they will continue to pursue negotiated settlement even after filing the certificate of take, and will seek to mitigate construction impacts on nearby businesses during staging and construction.
