Falls Church officials hope that their next major sidewalk improvement project will support economic development.
City Council members plan to approve a construction contract worth up to $2.45 million today (Monday). It’s part of a $5.72 million effort upgrading sidewalks and intersections on W. Broad Street between West Street and Virginia Avenue.
The project targets “our heaviest commercial corridor,” Mayor Letty Hardi said during a Sept. 22 work session focused on the project.
Years in the making, the capital project involves widening sidewalks to 10 feet where possible and upgrading curb extensions, ramps and pedestrian signals, while adding a pedestrian-activated signal between Virginia and Pennsylvania avenues.
Special attention will be paid to Broad Street’s intersections with West Street, Spring Street, Oak Street, Lee Street and Virginia Avenue.
“This project’s been a long time coming — we’re finally ready to start,” said Amanda Stout Brain, the city’s director of public works, at the work session.
The effort has not been without hurdles. City officials had to obtain 24 permanent and 27 temporary easements from landowners along the route, an effort that at times proved contentious.
Approving the contract with Finley Asphalt and Sealing LLC will pave the way for work to begin in February.
“We hope to have construction completed in 13 months,” said Scott Freda, the city’s manager of capital projects.
Construction work will primarily impact the sidewalks and driveway entrances; disruptions on Broad Street (Route 7) will be limited, city officials believe.
Construction crews will be asked to “make every effort to minimize impacts to our businesses,” Freda told Council members.
Not all segments of the project will be able to accommodate 10-foot sidewalks, a shortcoming that chagrined Hardi. She said the city should work toward holding itself to the same standards it holds for developers.
“This is the best we can do, but it is a shame we can’t meet the same streetscape standards we’ve adopted,” Hardi said.
Hardi also lamented the inability to put more utilities underground in the corridor, but acknowledged that “we’re dealing with limited funds and limited right-of-way.”
Money for the project comes from $4.5 million in federal transportation funding, about $850,000 in regional funding and $375,000 in local funding.
Tweaks to HAWK signals sought
At the Sept. 22 work session, Hardi and Council member Arthur Agin both expressed dissatisfaction with how existing high-intensity activated crosswalk (HAWK) signals are working on Broad Street.
“It can be extremely long to wait” for the signal to activate when pushed, Agin told transportation planners.
Hardi agreed.
“After you push the button, you have to wait a good minute or two,” she said.
“Sometimes people will think it’s not working and will just cross the street anyway,” Hardi said, asking transportation staff to see if timing can be tweaked.
ARLnow reporting on the same issue in late 2025 led city officials to check the equipment to ensure it was working correctly.
Falls Church officials installed HAWK signals on Broad Street near its intersections with Oak, Fairfax and Buxton streets in 2025.
The signals are designed to give pedestrians a safe way to cross in areas that aren’t close to traffic signals.
Despite concerns about timing, Council members were enthusiastic about adding a fourth HAWK signal on Broad Street.
A pedestrian signal “is really needed” in between Pennsylvania and Virginia avenues, Hardi said.
