Fairfax County details $3.2 million Idlewood Road walkway plan, fields resident safety and property concerns

Fairfax County Department of Transportation officials on Thursday outlined plans to build an 8-foot asphalt walkway along the northwest side of Idlewood Road to fill a roughly 900-foot gap between Idlewood Court and Hillside Drive and improve access to nearby Lemon Tree Elementary School.

Christiana Briganti Dunn, the Parsons Transportation Group designer presenting the plan, said the project would replace roadside ditches with a closed drainage system, add Americans with Disabilities Act–compliant curb ramps, and include a variable grass buffer and a one‑foot bench beyond the path. “The project involves construction of an 8 foot asphalt walkway, approximately 900 feet in length, along the northwestern side of Idlewood Road between Idlewood Court and Hillside Drive,” Briganti Dunn said.

Why it matters: county staff described the corridor as a missing link that connects neighborhoods, schools, transit stops and existing trails; the design is intended to shorten crossing distances and improve pedestrian safety.

Project scope and impacts: the team said four driveways will be partially reconstructed, some trees and fences may be removed, and the county will purchase fee-simple right-of-way up to roughly 1 foot behind the new walkway. Utility relocations for private service lines may be necessary. Nazanin Mohammed of the county’s land-acquisition team said owners will be compensated and that condemnation would be a last resort if negotiations stall: “we keep continuing to work with the owners,” she said.

Schedule and cost: Parsons submitted 60% plans in January; the county aims for 90% design in 2026, an eight‑month land‑acquisition phase beginning in 2026, utility relocations in 2027, and about nine months of construction in 2027–28. The estimate presented includes $1,000,000 for design, about $620,000 for right-of-way and utilities, and $1,580,000 for construction, for a total of about $3,200,000.

Safety and traffic controls: staff said they will revise curb returns to shorten crossing distances at the Hillside Drive–Eastman Drive intersection and add ADA curb ramps at all four quadrants. A participant’s chat question noted a December 2019 FCDOT traffic impact analysis reporting 85th‑percentile speeds well above the posted limit; the project team said it will review prior studies and discuss speed‑study options with the Virginia Department of Transportation. The presenters said rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) are not part of the current scope because the location did not meet VDOT warrants given the posted 25 mph speed and the traffic/warrant combination.

Drainage and maintenance: the proposed design replaces the open roadside ditch with inlets and pipes that will tie into the existing outfall system. The project team said roadway snow removal is typically VDOT’s responsibility, while adjacent sidewalk clearing and the small grass buffer are usually the property owner’s responsibility.

Public feedback and next steps: the county is seeking comments through April 2 via the project survey or voicemail (project code 2157). Staff offered to meet individually with property owners affected by the design and said they will incorporate practicable community feedback as design advances.

The county will post the recorded presentation and project materials on the project web page; the team said they will follow up with participants when questions remain after the meeting.