Sidewalks planned for Sleepy Hollow Road
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| Sleepy Hollow Road by Kennedy Lane. |
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is going to install walkways and other pedestrian improvements along Sleepy Hollow Road between Bay Tree Lane and Castle Place.
The public is invited to learn more about the Sleepy Hollow Road Walkway Project at a community meeting March 29, 7 p.m., at the Mason Government Center. FCDOT staff will be available at 6 p.m., before the formal presentation, to answer questions and hear feedback.
The pedestrian improvements include:
- A 2,200-foot concrete sidewalk along the east side of Sleepy Hollow Road between Eppard Street and Aspen Lane.
- A 1,700-foot concrete sidewalk along the west side of Sleepy Hollow Road between Marlo Drive and Eppard Street.
- A 500-foot concrete sidewalk along the east side of Sleepy Hollow Road north of Valley Brook Drive.
- Pedestrian crossing points on Sleepy Hollow Road will be upgraded at Bay Tree Lane, Dearborn Drive, Kennedy Lane, Kerns Road, Eppard Street, Aspen Lane, and Castle Place. “Pedestrian refuges” (traffic islands) might be installed to make it safer to walk across Sleepy Hollow.
- Other infrastructure improvements related to the project include curbs and gutters, curb ramps, driveway entrances, retaining walls, drainage improvements, and sign modifications.
So far, the only work that has been completed is the concept design, says project manager Mark Van Zandt of FCDOT. He estimates construction would be completed by late 2020. Funding comes from commercial and industrial tax revenue.
FCOT will need to obtain property rights from affected homeowners. Appraisers will determine the fair market value to compensate homeowners for permanent land rights, when more land is needed for a sidewalk beyond what’s in the VDOT right of way, for example, or for temporary land rights, such as when there needs to be grading and the land will be restored to the homeowner or when landscaping and fencing need to be replaced.
If a landowner refuses to grant an easement, the Board of Supervisors could potentially allow the use of eminent domain but that hasn’t been approved for this project. “We would exhaust every other method for negotiation before we ever consider eminent domain,” Van Zandt says.
A bicycle lanes project is also in the works for a small part of Sleepy Hollow Road between Columbia Pike and Bay Tree Lane.
8 responses to “Sidewalks planned for Sleepy Hollow Road”
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Nice, this is good for the residents along Sleepy Hollow.
The county rebuffs any questions about sidewalks along the thoroughfare that I live adjacent to, which has a fair amount of pedestrian activity, and says it will never happen due to affected homeowners along the road, which I know is baloney. I will be showing up at the meeting to question how they prioritize pedestrian projects.
This meeting conflicts with the Community Town Hall on Gangs.
It's in a different room. Should be a full house.
The sidewalk appears to cross back and forth across Sleepy Hollow Road which may be cheaper but may not be that helpful to pedestrians, even with "traffic islands" in the middle of SH. Would you want to stand there with a dog or small children as you wait for the traffic to clear?
Proposed sidewalks would extend 10 feet into resident lots. That is quite a hit to privacy and property value in many cases. Why not run a sidewalk continuously on one side of the road in a current parking lane? Cheaper since the County would not need to purchase land and would not need to relocate as many utility lines, as well as safer for pedestrians who can stay on one side of a busy road.
This is dead wrong – no one has ever been hurt walking on this road all this is messing with something that ain't broke. I walk this road all the time with no problem – except you must be aware of bikers (who hate walkers and stop signs). Affected people should be able to vote yes or no. And example of appeasing a few and hurting many.
I live on a section of Sleepy Hollow Rd that already has a sidewalk but there are hardly ever pedestrians – because it is not fun to walk on a noisy, busy street, that will now become narrower and more dangerous for those who have to cross the street to get to their parked car. Less trees and more concrete = urban blight.
Taking part of the parking lane for a sidewalk will make the busy street even more of a narrow, noisy speedway and will be more dangerous for homeowners who will have to cross the street to get to their parked cars. I live on a section that has always had a sidewalk and there is almost zero pedestrian traffic. That's because who wants to walk on a busy street with cars whizzing by while you clutch your dog and hope some car doesn't jump the curb by mistake? It's not exactly a walk in the park! The project is big, ugly and unnecessary and amounts to urban blight. Less trees, more concrete, for 'pedestrians'?? Really?