To the Editor:
In recent weeks several letters have raised questions about the construction of the Walker Road "Diet Plan," which is reshaping the road between Great Falls’ two shopping areas. While the construction has been disruptive, Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA), Fairfax County
and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) believe that when work is completed, the changes will improve safety for cars and pedestrians and improve the appearance of the village commercial area.
Previously, five lanes of traffic made crossing Walker Road hazardous for pedestrians and bicyclists.
This current plan was preceded by a 1999 traffic calming study that found speeding in that stretch of roadway was a chronic problem. The study led to the recommendation to reduce the speed and put in a crosswalk. The current Diet Plan followed on this 1999 plan and was actively shaped during the years 2006-2011 by public meetings of residents and the Great Falls Business and Professional Association
(BPA) and was a fact-based process. The former owner of Great Falls Hardware, who was among the first businessmen to support the Diet Plan, said his only regret was that the project didn’t come soon enough to save his business. The vast majority of BPA members agreed it would make the downtown area more pedestrian-friendly. No less than seven
articles, some that included design proposals, were published in the Connection and other local papers and after consideration of several options, a final design was chosen by Fairfax DOT and approved by VDOT.
While not everyone will agree on the Diet Plan or other civic issues, GFCA encourages and seeks participation by all, with the conviction that broad citizen participation will lead to a better community. The Walker Road Diet Plan was discussed publicly at monthly GFCA meetings, repeatedly in GFCA newsletters, on the GFCA website (www.gfca.org) and in Connection articles over many years. GFCA’s commitment to citizen involvement is demonstrated by 3 recent community surveys – on the Exxon Groundwater Contamination, on Transportation & Paths, and now on Forest & Deer Management. The latter is just launched and residents are
encouraged to visit our website to register their opinions.
Those that send letters that complain about lack of public notice would do better to attend GFCA meetings at the Grange on the second Tuesday of every month – our meetings are open to all. The www.gfca.org website
provides details for each Town Hall meeting. Both GFCA and The Connection try to inform the public as to community issues. So residents can weigh in when subjects are being discussed and plans are being laid. Complaining after projects have been approved by county and state governments is not as constructive as participating in their formulation. We encourage the community and the reporters to attend
GFCA meetings and hearings, visit the Web site and read the paper, voice their opinions, and play a role in creating solutions.
Our little village sits on the edge of Tysons, the fastest growing urban area in Virginia. Over the next few years, many development challenges will face our semi-rural area. Route 7 and Silver Line transportation projects are among them. Only the active participation of all parties, the citizens, the GFCA and the paper to serve our residents can provide
the best for our community. GFCA asks all interested Great Falls citizens to come to our meetings and join our committees. No other organization in Great Falls is looked to more by public officials, or has as much influence in shaping local initiatives, so we ask all Great Falls citizens to join us in this cause.
Eric Knudsen
GFCA President