Gallows Road study underway
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is hosting two upcoming public meetings on the Gallows Road Multimodal Study.
The first meeting will be virtual. It is scheduled for next Tuesday, Sept. 19. at 7 p.m. Join the meeting on Teams here.
The second meeting will be at Luther Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.
The Gallows Road study is aimed at improving bicycle, pedestrian, and transit access and connectivity while improving traffic flow along the Gallows Road corridor and in the Merrifield Suburban Center.
The study will also identify opportunities to provide access to the Merrifield Suburban Center with bicycle and pedestrian connectivity across the beltway.
It will focus on Gallows Road from Tysons to Annandale, as well as some parallel roadways, such as Eskridge Road.
A vision statement will be developed with the community and stakeholders along the corridor, which will help guide the design and functionality of Gallows Road.
The Gallows Road Multimodal Study originated with the Board of Supervisors’ approval of a Site-Specific Plan Amendment for the Merrifield Suburban Center on Sept. 24, 2019. At that time, the board adopted follow-on motions directing the Fairfax County Department of Transportation to:
- conduct a comprehensive study of multimodal transportation options around the Merrifield Suburban Center focusing on the Gallows Road corridor and evaluate the use of evolving technologies to enhance mobility;
- study the barriers to connectivity in that area created by I-495 and opportunities to mitigate the barriers; and
- develop a funding plan for the transportation improvements.
The Gallows Road Multimodal Study began in late 2022. It is expected to be completed in fall 2024.
Comments can be submitted online through Oct. 6.
More bike lanes. Yikes. I hope before the spend time, effort, and money in creating bike lanes that they have solid data demonstrating the need. So many bike lanes have been built around the county that are rarely used.
Chicken vs egg for me. If there was a cohesive and safe path I would at least try my 5 miles commute to work. Most of it is on Columbia pike and if anywhere really should have bike lanes, it’s that road
“Most of it is on Columbia pike and if anywhere really should have bike lanes, it’s that road”
God yes in an ideal world Columbia Pike would have a bike lane however its not going to happen. The study that Arlington County did several years ago determined that Columbia Pike is not suitable for bicycle traffic and they placed bike routes on adjacent streets.
https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Projects/Project-Types/Transportation-Projects/Bike-Boulevards
The continuity is pretty bad though, it makes traveling parallel to the Pike cumbersome.
They keep dreaming of the future, where no one owns cars and walks or bikes to work every day. But they create no infrastructure to support this dream only revamping existing roadways that are already at capacity and adding more asphalt seems to be the mantra now. Gallows needs improvements, but it doesn’t need this. All the trees will be gone, and urban heat islands will be the new normal. These are the visionaries of the future. It scares me to death. Like they are trying to pretend suburbia doesn’t exist. But I don’t see more support for metro or more buses or shuttle services to get people out of their cars. Not everyone has the knees to bike to work. Frankly, if I could bike I would go no where near the roads.
You should be overjoyed by every commuting cyclist not in a car. Less congestion, & less pollution so you can drive your car and see rarely, but used, bike lanes. Currently cyclists going to Tysons to work have to take the bike path, then zig zag around behind NavyFCU. Which, while pleasant, is not efficient.
I would be overjoyed if people used the bike lanes…. but they’re not using them, at least not on the roads I travel. If there’s a demand, then absolutely build them but it’s counterproductive to build them speculatively. You take away space for the people who do use that road while making us all pay for wasted improvements.
I’ve been bike commuting to work over 15 years. Trust me. We need more bike lanes. More people would bike if they were convinced it were safe. I don’t expect NOVA to ever be like bike friendly Netherlands but we can come close.
I’ve been commuting by car like 90% of residents for over 30 years. Trust me, we need fewer bike lanes. Many bicyclists think they can act like a car 1 second (in the road), then like a pedestrian the next second (cross a crosswalk with a walk sign and run the red light), and a bicycle the next second (I want my own private lane).
In addition to the fact that , as a % of population, practically no one wants to bike to work, even if they did want to bike to work, the horrible, unpredictable weather —and crime around here (bikes being pilfered and stolen at metro) —make commuting by bike less attractive. If you want to try to keep your bike safe, it’s expensive (pay for a metro locker and metro fare). If you do the math, the additional expense to drive and park is negligible, and a car makes sense for most people, as much faster, safer, more convenient.
From a fiscal perspective, demand for more bike lanes is not high enough to warrant the additional expense and severe inconvenience to drivers (losing lanes) that will make it harder for people to get to work; it’s already hard enough.
Did you read that DC is the worst city to live? Crime was heavily weighted. If you do ride a bike, make sure it’s a piece of junk, because it will get stolen or messed with (seat stolen, rack stolen, knocked over and stomped).
https://www.wusa9.com/amp/article/news/local/dc/dc-is-the-most-undesirable-us-city-survey-says/65-08ba43d4-4e68-418d-9bd6-0ccfcfd8dc40
Well, OK. You’re someone who doesn’t like cyclists. I get that. No big deal. Life goes on. Your criticisms of DC aside, getting cars off the congested roads of Northern VA is a good thing in my view. The traffic in the DMV ranks among the top 10 worst in the country. Clearly building more roads isn’t solving the problem. Adding bike lanes is a low cost solution to reduce traffic by encouraging bike commuting.
Bike commuting to work gets cars off the road and accomplishes several good things.
1. Biking is healthy. According to the CDC over 2/3 of Americans are either obese or overweight. The health care costs associated with obesity related illnesses is staggering. The current estimate is between $200 – $300 billion. That’s real money even inside the beltway. If more Americans rode bikes to work like they do in western Europea fewer Americans would be obese or overweight.
2. Biking is environmentally friendly. It’s true there are more electric and hybrid cars on the road but the majority of cars on the road still run on fossil fuel which spew pollutants in the air and contributes to global warming.
3. Riding a bike to work is a stress reliever. I usually arrive at work in a relaxed frame of mind. I didn’t have to deal with aggressive and rude drivers, road rage, or traffic jams during my commute to work. Sometimes I’m a bit sweaty when I get to work but so what? A towel or deodorant will cure the sweat problem or shower if your workplace has shower facilities. In any event, why sweat the sweat?
4. Biking to work saves you money. You save money on gas, wear and tear on your car, as well as monthly parking fees.
Lastly, if you’re concerned about bike theft arrange with your employer to keep your bike in a safe place at work. I keep my bike in my office. Another option is to keep your bike in a closet or storage room. Most employers are reasonable and will allow you to keep your bike in a safe place.
I strongly disagree with your argument there is no cost justification for bike lanes. What are the costs of breathing polluted air caused by cars? The health care costs of a largely sedentary and overweight population? The cost of building more roads to accommodate more cars? My guess is bike lanes are a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the aforementioned costs.
I’m a cyclist too. Last I checked I have six bikes. I just don’t expect, for instance, everyone in my neighborhood to lose a lane just because I’m the one person in the neighborhood who occasionally gets on a bike.
Where I live, it makes no sense to bike to work.
Or we should just go back to total telework (for people that we can do their jobs remotely) and it would cut down on cars/bikes all together.
The county made a big deal of placing bike lanes on Sleepy Hollow Road a few years ago – I think I’ve seen a rider on it once. I very rarely see a rider on any bike lane. I frankly can’t imagine peddling any distance and arriving at an office (even in the best weather) – of course, I had a 45 min commute.
By the way, what do electric bikes count as?
Sidewalks!!!
AMAZING practical idea that nobody thinks about. Common sense is so uncommon with Fairfax county government and it’s interest groups (such as the biking dreamer & enthusiasts). Fairfax is so spread out and so many live to far to bike to work that these efforts just make traffic worse.
I agree, too many people live far from work, but if we can get people to travel around 5 miles on bike for errands, I think that would still reduce a lot of congestion and be great. I wear a backpack when I need to get groceries for smaller runs and it works pretty well.
More bike lanes are desperately needed in NOVA. Riding a bike is not only healthy and environmentally friendly but in a small way reduces NOVA’s horrible traffic problem.
I occasionally bike commute from Annandale to DC and have to cross Gallows Rd. near the I495 intersection shown in the picture. It’s pretty dangerous but I joke to myself if I get hit by a car the Fairfax INOVA emergency room is only a half mile away. Fortunately, knock on wood, no emergency room visits yet but several close calls.
Build it and they will come. I’m convinced more people would ride bikes if there were safe bike routes.
Please show the data that convinces you of the need for more bike lanes. I’m curious to see it and would welcome having my mind changed.
Bike lanes are a fraction of the cost of building roads. Check out the W&OD bike path. It gets lots of use. Bike lanes and bike paths are a nominal cost to encourage people to get out their cars. What’s the cost of breathing polluted air caused by cars? An overweight and obese population? The cost of mental stress caused by getting stuck in traffic?
So that’s a ‘no’ on data. If your goal is to improve the environment while making the populace more healthy, bike lanes are way down the list of ways to accomplish this.
“If your goal is to improve the environment while making the populace more healthy, bike lanes are way down the list of ways to accomplish this.”
Explain why you don’t think bike lanes will improve the environment and make people healthier. What is your solution then?
The need for better bicycle and pedestrian facilities along Gallows Rd is clearly evident, especially since people can’t lawfully bicycle or walk along the nearby Capital Beltway. Safe and usable bicycle and pedestrian facilities along Gallows Road would receive significant use. The only effective way to reduce traffic congestion is to give people safe and effective alternatives to driving everywhere for everything.
How about an elevated bike and pedestrian level running above Gallows? It would be so much safer and more pleasant than having to walk or bike alongside all the crazy traffic! Just a thought.
Honestly, I would prefer flying cars.
When I lived in DC, I loved taking the safe bicycle lanes to work that was separate from the road. The key is to have a safe space and some sort of a divider away from driving cars and parked cars (I was always worried about getting doored). In the suburbs, it’s a harder sell with all of the hills and the much further distance you have to travel. That being said, with electronic bikes becoming cheaper and cheaper, and allowing a biker to expend less energy or even just use the throttle all of the way, this could be a transportation method. Imagine not being stuck on 66, and instead, using an electric bike to get to work in the same amount of time while enjoying the fresh air and getting some exercise.
I knew folks who started to bike to work and lost a ton of weight, incorporating your commute into a calorie-loss exercise and less traffic is a win-win for everyone. The infrastructure first needs to be there, and I think with e-bikes becoming more popular, it can become a reality. You don’t need to put miles on your cars any more.
I agree with the bicycle and sidewalk advocates.
I drive along Sleepy Hollow Road very often. At least twice a week, and I have been truly amazed by the number of people I now see using the recently installed sidewalks and the dedicated bicycle lanes.
It’s like there was this huge untapped demand just waiting to use these new public amenities.
When I think about all those people complaining about the high taxes in Fairfax County and how those tax dollars are allegedly wasted, I think about those highly valued sidewalks and bicycle lanes.
I think what would really jump-start people using the bike lanes is to subsidize or have an e-bike program where Ffx County partners with an e-bike vendor to sell wholesale at a price reduction. They have a real green initiative and I love it, I just bought solar panels from the Solarize VA program. The federal subsidizes cars, but it would be really awesome if the county had a Solarize VA-like program for eBikes, which are a lot cheaper than solar panels and ties into it as well. E-bikes don’t use that much energy, and they can tie into your solar system. For shorter commutes, and downtown traveling, it could work really well.
It’s not easy to pedal for 3-5 miles, sure athletic folks can do it, but older and the less fit will be less likely to do so. If they had e-bikes where you still do get some exercise (you can choose to pedal or not) but have an electric-assisted bike, it’s a win-win for everyone. Folks can go much further and have a lot more fun with exercise, and take cars off the road. E-bikes are becoming increasingly affordable, you can find them in less than a thousand. With a Fairfax County program to get folks to buy e-bikes, it’ll get more folks using those bike lanes, and when other people are using it, it’ll attract others to use them as well. It’ll get cars used to looking out for bikes and make it safer.
Right now I’ll use my e-scooter to go on grocery runs wearing a back pack. The problem with e-scooters is they thrash your knees, and unless you have perfect roads, you’ll have sore knees and will probably need knee surgery when you are older. Even the sidewalks can be rough, there’s no suspension on those with tiny tires, and the entire brunt of any impact goes to your knees which they aren’t designed for. With all of the tax money Ffx County is getting, they can certainly support an e-bike initiative to go with the bike lanes. A multi-modal transportation model is definitely the future, especially with e-bikes, we can be the model. If you’ve never tried an e-bike before, it’s a lot of fun, I rode one in DC before and went 10 miles without breaking a sweat. To be able to get anywhere in Fairfax on one is a dream. If bike lanes can get you to the main areas safely I will buy my own e-bike, however, I think Fairfax is losing out on a huge opportunity for folks to adopt those bike lanes by not having a program to get folks to adopt e-bikes to use those bike lanes.
Susie, you’re making stuff up. I live on sleepy hollow and rarely see anyone use the new sidewalk.
Sleepy Hollow still has active construction on those sidewalks, but I really don’t think it’ll be used much. It’s too far to walk to anything worth getting to in Bailey’s Xroads for most on that road. There’s nothing to see while walking on that road too. I’m not sure if they are planning to put bike lanes there too but bike lanes with an e-bike would work getting into Bailey’s xroads and Arlington. I think that would be the only way it’s used often.
Jim, I disagree. The installation of the sidewalks, bike lanes, and pedestrian islands on Sleppy Hollow Road have been a tremendous use of Fairfax County’s tax dollars by the Board of Supervisors.
I can’t speak for others, only what I see with my own eyes.
Regarding subsidies for e-bikes, I’m not as certain. I have been watching NBC News and reading some reputable news articles about the rapid increase in the number of serious injuries resulting from the use of e-bikes. Apparently, not everyone is prepared to use them wisely on public thoroughfares.
In addition, apparently e-bikes sometimes spontaneously combust, and I have read recommendations that it is best to store them outside the home.
(Pokes head out the front door…)
Zero pedestrians.
All I know is that no one -literally – will bike much in Fairfax on busy roads and all the hills – this is pure nonsense…. Look at Alexandria and the bike lanes on King Street – in the last 4 or 5 years – I have seen 1 -that’s “one” person riding a bike and that was down hill. We need better roads -not more fake bike lanes so that a certain segment of the population that thinks they can cool the planet can virtue signal….
I am a huge biker and have an ebike-pedal assist that I have used since 2019 to commute to and from work on the DC Mall. What a difference it made. I was no longer grumpy when I got to work and was able to get to work faster than by car or metro, and NO AGGRAVATION! Parking was costing $35/day, it sometimes took 45 minutes to commute by car and metro took me 45-60 mins to get to my office which is only 12 miles away. And that is when the express bus 16L was running to the Pentagon Transit Center. Metro cancelled that route during Covid and it has not been revived.
My bike ride was only 31-35 minutes, enjoyable, invigorating, less costly and absolutely breathtaking when I reached the Mount Vernon Trail. To see the sun rise and light all the buildings on the mall in a golden hue as I travelled along the Potomac in the morning made me feel like I was very lucky to live and work here. And I have never slept better than when I biked to work; FYI, I am in my 60’s.
What we need are more bike lanes that connect to established bike trails such as: Four Mile Run, Bluemont, W & O and the Mount Vernon trails. Additionally, Columbia Pike should have a bike lane for bikers to get to the Pentagon and the Four Mile Run Trail. And let me tell you, the bike trails are very heavily used and busy at rush hour with commuting bikers.
As for Gallows Road, I do bike on Gallow when I want to head out to the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail System and Lake Accotink, however the intersection of Gallows and Woodburn is a horrendous challenge. Once on Woodburn it is smooth sailing, getting there in one piece is another story.
Yes we VERY MUCH need more SMART and SAFE Bike lanes that can connect us with other bike commuting networks. For the overweight and couch potato bureaucrats that work for the Feds, get off your duffs and bike, you will find that your health and weight problems will slowly disappear.
Nice post vax2, informative from an actual biker, it sounds very useful. We need the safe biking lanes/roads to be able to bike to work. If they build it, they will come…
Well said Vax. Connecting those big bike trails makes complete sense to me. I see tons of benefits to that solution, and it would cost peanuts vs putting bike lanes all over every street, and sometimes taking lanes away to do it.
I love your thought Roxy –which will never happen in Fairfax County–“elevated bike and pedestrian level running above Gallows” -“much safer and more pleasant than having to walk or bike alongside all the crazy traffic”.
Plus, not freaking vehicle drivers, when bike riders are in their bike lane; in the blind spot of a vehicle, and the vehicle is making a right turn.
Sorry, just me–as far as riding on a bike/scooter to work or shop with a back pack is not my style. I like a dress and heels.
Another five-ten years from now, the richest profession will be orthopedic surgeon.
Bike Lanes – another loonie idea from the progressives – cause they ideas always work out – said no one ever…
It’s great to see so much enthusiasm about this divisive topic. As a motorist and a cyclist, Gallows Road needs improvement. Someone commented that cyclists could use sidewalks. If you tried to ride the sidewalks on Gallows Rd you’d know that this is a poor option. The sidewalks are not maintained by the property owners and they are overgrown with trees and shrubbery. Let’s not even discuss the hazards of trash cans on trash collection days. I have had my share of close calls with vehicles while cycling on Gallows. Unfortunately you have no choice in some sections to dodge cars in one direction or another. A big problem is that there is no continuous means to transit on Gallows from Hummer to Mosaic. You have to ride on sidewalks and cross Gallows in a few dangerous places. I prefer to ride on back roads but there is no way to do this and get over the beltway. Politicians love to tout the addition of bike shares but more bikes mean more opportunities for accidents unless there are safer roadways. Alternatives to Gallows are welcome, such as additional pedestrian bridges and dedicated trails.
Let’s face facts wherever you ride on a public road in NOVA, you are a target for uneducated motorists who do not understand that cyclists have rights. Motorists who do not believe me should consult government regulation on this topic. Mixing cyclists and motorists on the same piece of pavement can result in bad outcomes and the cyclist always comes off worse. Bike lanes make sense because they help reduce conflict between motorists and cyclists by providing zones of separation. Even so if a motorist does not respect a cyclist and even chooses to gamble with cyclists using a bike lane the chances of injury and death of the cyclist increase. I have been hit twice on separate occasions by motorists when using a bike lane on Annandale Road. Let’s do some public messaging to educate motorists about cyclists rights to use the public road. Public safety should come first. Enabling an environment for cyclist’s safe use is a win for the cyclist and the motorist. I once heard a neighbor say cynically that “oh good now that there will be bike lanes I know where to find the cyclists” inferring that he had no respect for cyclists and would target them. I am uncertain whether this was jest, or just his frustration that some cyclists seem to think they are immune from responsible road use and often abuse motorists by running red lights and making unnecessary risky maneuvers – as an avid cyclist I cannot stand it when I see cyclists taking liberties with road safety. There is some need for education for cyclists in how they are required to respect the rules of the road. The addition of bike lanes should not be seen as some kind of threat to motorist’s enjoyment of the road, but more of a common gain for motorists and cyclist by providing some separation so that everyone can enjoy the road with some measure of confidence that they will arrive at their destination without injury, or worse in the case of cyclist killed by errant motorists never arriving at their destination. Nationwide, cyclist deaths are about 1,000 per year. NOVA cyclist deaths are on the increase in 2023. As a motorist I dread ever colliding with a cyclist and always give more room. Since being hit twice when cycling (in a marked bike lane), I have altered my routes to keep off of area roads as much as feasible and to cycle at times when there is a low traffic load. I cycle defensively and in fear of being taken out by an inattentive motorist – and that includes Annandale Road where there are clearly marked bike lanes. Even so, if respected bike lanes help improve safety for cyclists and motorists by providing separation and should be supported.
One would hope that there are data from all the existing shared use paths (SUPs) already constructed in Fairfax to show whether the costs were worth the benefits. VDOT and FCDOT are undertaking a similar project on Braddock Rd to create 10 foot wide paths along both sides of the road–from Ravensworth to just beyond Guinea Rd, about 3.3 miles. These paths will require removing acres of trees and the many benefits they provide. It will require building storm water management basins because of the increased impervious surfaces of the SUPs. There are already several paths and neighborhood sidewalks along most of the Braddock Corridor. The project also includes changes to signal lights and intersection designs on Braddock. Some users of the paths will still have to cross at least one dangerous high speed Beltway exit onto Braddock. The project will eventually cost somewhere between $160-$180 million. About half the cost is for the SUPs. Do these costs outweigh the potential benefits?
Fairfax County is becoming a real city, and the growing pains are apparent. As a city, we need spaces where people are safe from cars. Bike lanes are a baby step, and much more is needed. I was a bike commuter for 15 years before retiring, and there would definitely be more cyclists if routes were safe.