The public is invited to attend the February 25th virtual Town Hall on the proposed replacement of the Springvale Road bridge. The meeting, which starts at 7:00 PM, is being hosted by the Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA) as part of its outreach effort to residents on the project. According to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the existing bridge with steel beams and timber plank deck overlaid with asphalt has severe corrosion and is rated in poor condition. While funding hasn’t been identified yet, the bridge is near the end of its useful life.
As currently planned, VDOT would replace the existing one-lane structure with a two-lane bridge. Two options were presented by VDOT at its October 21st virtual public information meeting. The first alternative, a no median option, would widen the bridge to two 11 ft. wide lanes with two 4 ft. wide paved shoulders. The second option would have two lanes separated by a raised/splitter island median varying in width from 4 ft. to 8 ft. with 2 ft. wide paved shoulders. The existing pedestrian bridge would remain.
VDOT has said that a two-lane bridge removes the need for vehicles to stop or yield to oncoming vehicles, which helps prevent rear-end collisions. However, many residents in the Great Falls community feel that a one-lane bridge helps to deter through-traffic on the village’s roads. GFCA, in particular, has expressed concerns about the project, including that a two-lane bridge has the potential for increasing commuter traffic on Springvale Road and additional congestion on Georgetown Pike. Even small increases in traffic volume on the Pike, which had over 18,000 vehicles per day per VDOT’s most recent traffic count (2019), directly affects the quality of life and safety of all residents.
GFCA has stated its concern about whether VDOT has fully considered the impact of replacing the bridge while the Route 7 Corridor Improvements project is ongoing, because Great Falls already experiences a high volume of traffic from drivers seeking alternative routes through the community in order to avoid heavy construction along Leesburg Pike. Since the Walker Road bridge may also need to be replaced soon because of its condition, the timing of these concurrent road projects must be coordinated to avoid gridlock.
Those interested in attending the GFCA Town Hall to hear more about the replacement project and express their views, or comment on the proposed alternatives, must register in advance. This can be done via GFCA’s website: https://gfca.org/event-4156547.
To learn more about the project, visit: