Fairfax council creates Safe Streets for All steering committee, adds environmental rep

Council unanimously approved a resolution to establish a steering committee to guide the Safe Streets for All project — an action plan that combines a pedestrian plan, a bicycle plan and an Old Town circulation study funded by a federal Safe Streets for All grant. Multimodal planner Chloe Ritter told the council the committee will be part of public engagement and will meet periodically as consultants facilitate plan development.

Several council members asked that the Environmental Sustainability Committee be included on the steering committee to ensure environmental perspectives are represented early. "There is a lot of intersection between streets and safety and environment," Councilmember Peterson said. Councilmember Hardy Chandler formally moved an amendment to add a representative from the Environmental Sustainability Committee; council voted unanimously to approve the amended resolution.

Ritter said the consultant will return July 1 with more detail on public engagement strategies and that the steering committee will be approximately 10–12 people, including two resident appointees the council would name from an application process. The committee will advise on priorities for pedestrian connectivity, sidewalk and intersection improvements, and help shape public engagement during the plan development.