Revitalization Taking Shape
From Times Community
By Jason Jacks
Feb. 16, 2005

February has been an important month for sprucing up central Springfield's appearance and expanding its parking options.

On Feb. 7, design plans for a new Springfield commuter parking lot along Backlick Road were approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, while this week a major beautification project along several of downtown Springfield's major thoroughfares got under way.

Along Springfield's Amherst Avenue, Cumberland Avenue, Backlick Road and Bland Street, work started on the "streetscape" project, central Springfield's second phase of revitalization.

The $750,000 project will include constructing wider sidewalks, installing more benches, planting shade trees along median strips, building bus shelters and laying red-brick crosswalks across intersections.

Officials from the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the Central Springfield Revitalization Council (C-SPARC) kicked off the project at a blustery Feb. 11 groundbreaking ceremony.

"We figured it would be a cold day before this happened," Lee District Supervisor Dana Kauffman (D) joked with those on hand.

Work on the streetscape project should last about seven months. Funding comes from Fairfax County revitalization bonds.

Meanwhile, south of the Springfield revitalization area, at the intersection of Backlick Road and the Franconia- Springfield Parkway, is where the area's newest park-and-ride lot will be built.

The $4.9 million Backlick North commuter lot will accommodate about 275 cars and include a kiss-and-ride area. Design plans also call for bus "pull off" lanes and shelters along Backlick Road as well as bike lockers, lighting and stormwater management facilities at the lot.

At a December public hearing, reactions were "mixed," according to a county staff report. Those who disapproved of the lot were concerned it would add to the congestion already found at the intersection. However, VDOT officials said they would better synchronize signal lights along Backlick Road to help minimize the effects of the additional traffic.

VDOT will begin right-of-way acquisition this spring and advertise the construction project in early 2006.

© Times Community Newspapers 2005