From Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust:
Dranesville District Dispatch January 2012 newsletter (.pdf)
Dear Dranesville Resident: Happy New Year! Best wishes to you and your family in the coming year. I hope all of you are enjoying this relatively mild winter.
2011 was an eventful year here in Dranesville. In 2011, the Board of Supervisors passed legislation to resolve the overcharge issues with Falls Church Water and bring equitable water rates to thousands of County residents. The County also reached agreement with the Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority and several other funding partners on a plan to finance Phase II of the Dulles Rail project, reducing the cost of the project by several hundred million dollars and, possibly, by as much as almost a billion dollars. And, for the fourth consecutive year, the Board adopted a budget that held the line on taxes while funding public safety, schools, human services and other priorities identified by the community.
I anticipate 2012 being equally eventful. I continue to make bicycle and pedestrian projects a priority and will work with County staff to ensure that the numerous projects planned throughout my district get built. This year we will move forward with plans for the new Herndon Fire Station, to implement the utilities undergrounding project in McLean and encourage additional re-development efforts there.
By the end of the year the I-495 Express Lanes (formerly called HOTLanes) will be completed. In addition to relief from the inconvenience caused by construction, completion of this project will provide significant congestion relief, especially getting into and out of Tysons Corner.
The Tysons Metro stations are scheduled for completion by the end of 2013. The Dulles Rail project brings the opportunity for substantial transit oriented development in Tysons Corner and throughout the Dulles Corridor. Many issues involving the infrastructure needed to serve that development and plans for financing that infrastructure will be debated and decided during 2012. I will be continuing efforts to provide pedestrian, bike and transit access to these stations. I will also advocate for additional funding for widening Route 7 from Tysons Corner to Reston Avenue.
This year I expect to see the completion of the Salona Park master plan and the transfer of Langley Fork Park from the National Park Service to the Fairfax County Park Authority. I also will be working with community groups to expand playing field capacity.
Developing the budget will again be a challenge as the economy continues its slow improvement and the State continues to reduce its support for public education and other essential services provided by the County. We are beginning the budget process and I look forward to your help in setting our funding priorities.
If you have any comments or suggestions on issues affecting you or your community please feel free to contact my office. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve you and for all the support and assistance you continue to give my staff and me.
Best Wishes,
John W. Foust
Dranesville District Supervisor
1437 Balls Hill Road
McLean, VA 22101
Phone: 703-356-0551
Fax: 703-821-4275
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dranesville/
