Sidewalk and fence installed at Justice Park
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation has completed the $900,000, 825-foot sidewalk on Peace Valley Lane next to Justice Park.
The sidewalk had been bitterly opposed by nearby residents, who complained that the funds could be better spent on more worthy projects. Among other issues, they argued the sidewalk wasn’t needed because, since it was first proposed, a sidewalk had been constructed on the other side of the street, next to Justice High School.
Related story: County officials fail to address residents’ concerns with Justice Park sidewalk
The new sidewalk extends from the middle of the cul-de-sac on Peace Valley Lane to the end of the tennis courts in Justice Park. It doesn’t go all the way to Mansfield Road.
The opponents of the sidewalk now complain that a new steel fence separating a large section of the sidewalk from Justice Park is way out of place.
Kathleen Brown calls the fence “hideous” and unnecessary and says it blocks access to the outdoor classroom and the trails in the park.
What was needed was a short handrail above the stream, she said, and “what we got was this ugly steel grate that extends for about 50 feet.”
A project to restore the stream in Justice Park is in the “pre-design phase.”
Related story: Work starts on Justice Park sidewalk