Fairfax County Department of Transportation
12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 1034
Fairfax, VA 22035-5511
Contact: Mary Mulrenan, Communications Specialist
703-324-1204, TTY 703-324-1102, Fax 703-324-703-324-1450
Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
FCDOTinfo@fairfaxcounty.gov
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot
October 16, 2007
08/003

Construction Begins on Route 50 Pedestrian Bridge at Seven Corners

On Monday, Oct. 22 at 10 a.m., Fairfax County, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and members of the Willston Task Force will break ground for the construction of a pedestrian bridge over Route 50, west of Patrick Henry Drive, at Seven Corners. The groundbreaking will be held in the parking lot located between Peyton Randolph Drive and the Willston Shopping Center off the westbound Route 50 Service Drive, across the street from Home Depot.

“The bridge across Route 50 complements the pedestrian safety and traffic flow improvements the Willston Task Force, VDOT’s traffic engineers, and my office collaborated on more than five years ago,” said Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross. “It’s a great example of what can be accomplished when we all work together.”

The $6 million bridge, funded by VDOT, will provide safe pedestrian access across Route 50 to the Seven Corners Shopping Center and to a planned transit center to be constructed by Fairfax County adjacent to the bridge. Construction of the bridge is expected to be completed in late 2008.

“Pedestrians will no longer have to cross congested Route 50 to access the shopping centers,” said Bill Cuttler, VDOT’s Assistant District Engineer for Preliminary Engineering in Northern Virginia. “The pedestrian bridge will give the community a safe, convenient and well lighted place to cross the roadway.”

The steel-truss bridge will have concrete decking, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant approach ramps, ornamental lighting for the ramps and six-foot, vinyl-coated, ornamental fencing on the north and south side of the road, between the service drives and Route 50. The fence will be augmented with landscaping in certain locations. The main span of the bridge will be enclosed to provide additional safety for pedestrians and will have handrails and lighting designed for pedestrians.

VDOT is funding the bridge from its Hazard Elimination Safety Program. The bridge will be 143 feet long with a 305-foot ramp on the north side and 271-foot ramp on the south side of Route 50. The pedestrian bridge will be located from just east of the Route 7 overpass to just west of Patrick Henry Drive. For more information about the project visit Route 50 Arlington Boulevard - Pedestrian Bridge. VDOT awarded the construction contract to A&W Contracting Corporation.

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