Fern Street Connector Path

The Fern Street Connector Path is a City of Falls Church (or similar Virginia municipality) capital infrastructure project that will construct a 10-foot bicycle and pedestrian path within the city right-of-way, connecting the dead-end of Fern Street south of Route 29 to Park Road. The project was identified as an important transportation initiative in the Camp Washington Small Area Plan and has received VDOT funding. By July 2024, the project had been awarded funding, as noted in a multimodal transportation program update to the Planning Commission. In December 2024, the Planning Commission specifically called out the Fern Street Connector Project in a resolution as an important transportation project tied to the Camp Washington Small Area Plan. A VDOT-required public hearing was held before City Council on January 13, 2026, at which staff — including multimodal transportation planner Chloe Ritter and consultant Megan Waring of Kimley-Horn — presented the project design; no Council action was taken at that hearing. Advertisement for construction is anticipated for summer 2026.

In this wiki

• Meeting history — every action, vote, and update, with links to the moment in the meeting video
• Positions & open questions

2026-01-12 — Planning Commission Regular Meeting/Work Session

Agenda item 9: Staff Report (watch the moment)

• Outcome: Staff provided updates on upcoming meetings and items, including: a January 13, 2026 City Council public hearing on the Fern Street Connector Project and consideration of additional funds and contract award for the George Snyder Trail; a January 26, 2026 Planning Commission meeting featuring the CIP public hearing, Urban Forest Masterplan presentation, and Annual Report/Implementation Guide updates; and a February 9, 2026 joint meeting of the Planning Commission and Economic Development Authority.
• [9] A public hearing on the Fern Street Connector Project was noted as scheduled before City Council on January 13, 2026.

2026-01-13 — City Council Meeting

Agenda item 7a: Public Hearing on the Fern Street Connector Path Project (No Council Action)

• Outcome: Public hearing held; no Council action taken. Public comments received from several supporters and residents with concerns.
• [7a] A VDOT-required public hearing was held. The project will construct a 10-foot bicycle and pedestrian path in the city right-of-way between the dead-end of Fern Street south of Route 29 and Park Road; advertisement for construction is anticipated for summer 2026. No Council action was taken.
• Status after: in_progress

Open questions

• Construction advertisement is anticipated for summer 2026 — the formal procurement and contract award have not yet occurred.
• No Council action was taken at the January 13, 2026 public hearing; any subsequent Council action on the project (e.g., construction contract approval) remains a future step.

Member commentary

No recorded member positions yet.