A new look for streets and sidewalks at the remade Tysons Corner is set become a template for redevelopment throughout Fairfax County, signaling a move away from traditional suburbia to a collection of mini-cities. Narrow streets would be built instead of wide ones, and wide sidewalks would replace narrow ones. Crosswalks would run mid-street, bike lanes would be the rule instead of the exception, and trees, benches and public art would encourage pedestrians to linger — and spend money — at shops and restaurants.
Such, at least, is the plan designed by the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, charged with developing street design standards for Tysons. The new standards would supersede state standards that are focused on suburban rather than urban lifestyles, county officials said.
“Once we work through Tysons, we want to work through other areas,” said Eric Teitelman, chief of capital projects for the county’s transportation department.
Teitelman presented the department’s plan to the Fairfax Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, aiming for approval by midsummer.
Approval would mean bringing Tysons-style development to sprawling suburban zones such as Springfield, Annandale and Bailey’s Crossroads. Then, visible changes to streetscapes could come within several years — as soon as contractors get go-ahead to build.
Supervisor Cathy Hudgins voiced support for the plans, but expressed disappointment that they come too late to apply to places like Reston Town Center. That project, begun in 1986, privatized all of its streets so that it wouldn’t have to abide by the state’s less pedestrian-friendly standards. Privatization, in turn, meant higher costs for business owners and residents.
Hudgins urged speed in adapting the standards for development projects throughout the county.
“I’m disappointed that it’s only a Tysons framework,” she said. “I think we’re putting the rest of the county behind the eight ball.”
County transportation officials said the intention is to move quickly to modify the plan for other areas once the Tysons design is approved.
“If we had tried to bite off the whole county at once, we wouldn’t have gotten anything done fast enough,” said Tom Biesiadny, the department’s funding chief.
