The board and residents extend our thanks Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and her staff for attending the October 2009 board meeting to discuss the traffic and parking issues in Fox Mill Estates. Many residents attended the meeting and had questions for the Supervisor. We discussed general and specific traffic flow patterns, problem areas, as well as the progress for the amendment to the Reston CPD, (Community Parking District) which restricts commercial vehicle parking within residential neighborhoods. We supplied an itemized list of intersections and streets to be studied for safety concerns, along with suggested changes.
In discussing the overall traffic patterns and concerns, one theme above all, became clear: SPEED. The speed limit throughout the neighborhood is 25 mph. Upon entering Fox Mill at Viking Dr, McLearn, Pinecrest, Keele, and Farthingale, the speed limit is 25 mph. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of observing the posted speed limit, and we have requested increased police enforcement with both speeding and ‘rolling through’ Stop signs. Fox Mill Estates is a suburban residential neighborhood, and our streets must be safely shared with bicycles, pedestrian, pets, children, buses, utility and trash hauling vehicles. Drivers must be patient and not just zoom around larger vehicles because they “are in a hurry”. Passing a bus or large vehicle can be done ONLY when it is safe to do so.
Another area of discussion was parking near the school. Residents who live near and across from the school shared their frustration with cars parking in their driveways, or such that the car is blocking the driveway and/or the mailboxes. The result is their inability to leave or enter their own driveways or have their mail delivered. County Parking Restrictions prohibit parking within 10 feet on either side of a driveway (which is usually where one locates a mailbox). If you are visiting the school, do not park in a private driveway, or so that you are blocking a driveway or mailbox. Curb parking is another area of enforcement that we have requested from the police department. They may paint the curbs indicating where NOT to park, or create marked parking spaces. Please park in a legal parking spot, starting with the parking lot provided on the school property.
While the county is still studying several items on our list, they have made some recommendations that will go to the Board of Supervisors for approval. The two biggest changes would be installing Multi-Way Stops on Quincy Adams Drive at Wendell Holmes Road and McLearn Road to reduce speed and make the intersections safer. Also, we expect our requests for “Playground” and “Children Playing” signs to be approved. UPDATE 3/2010: A 3-Way STOP has now been installed at the intersection of Magna Carta at Keele. Traffic leaving Fox Mill on Magna Carta must now STOP at Keele. 3-Way stops are now installed at McLearn at Quincy Adams, and Quincy Adams at Wendell Holmes.
Regarding the Amendment of the Reston CPD to include Fox Mill Estates, the county continues to contact other HOAs within the proposed new boundaries to encourage their participation. Once amended, the CPD will prohibit the parking of commercial vehicles, along with trailers, campers, RVs, and boats on the streets of Fox Mill Estates. They are currently prohibited from being parked in the driveways.
UPDATE 3/2010: The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to take action on Tuesday, March 23 to authorize advertisement of a public hearing for April 27, 2010 at 4:30 PM to consider adopting the proposed amendment to the Fairfax County Code that would expand the Reston Large Area Community Parking District. This item is moving forward because of a request by the Fox Mill Estates Homeowners Association.
UPDATE 4-27-10: The County Board of Supervisors held a Public Hearing regarding the Amendment of the Reston CPD. The Board supported the Amendment unanimously and the new restrictions will go into effect June 1, 2010. The following vehicles are restricted from being parked on streets within FME:
* Boat Trailer
* Watercraft (boat)
* Motor Home
* Camping Trailer
* Trailer or Semi-trailer, even if attached to a vehicle
* Vehicle >= 3 axles
* Vehicle with a gross vehicle weighted rating (GVWR) >= 12,000 lbs
We would like to thank all of the many residents from Fox Mill and Fox Mill 2 who have helped to identify areas of concern in the traffic flow for the county to study. As more recommendations are made, we will share that information with the communities.
UPDATE 4/2014: A recommendation was made to the FMEHA Board regarding the installation of "$200 Additional Fine for Speeding" signs for Viking Drive and Pinecrest Road due to concern over the continued speeding and cut-through traffic in our neighborhood. We are pleased to announce that The Board of Supervisors approved the “$200 Additional Fine for Speeding” signs on Viking Drive from Lawyers Road to Pinecrest Road, and Pinecrest Road from Fox Mill Road to the end of the road. The signs have been installed and the new fines are now in effect.