Move Fairfax City

Move Fairfax City is an umbrella transportation planning project for the City of Fairfax encompassing three components: a citywide Safety Action Plan, a citywide Pedestrian Master Plan, and an Old Town Circulation Study. The project's purpose is to translate existing long-term plans into specific, prioritized implementation steps for safety and pedestrian improvements. The project formally launched with a joint City Council and Planning Commission work session on July 1, 2025, at which staff Multimodal Transportation Planner Chloe Ritter provided the kickoff presentation. A Move Fairfax City Steering Committee was established, with resident representatives Jason Desai and Emily Rabbit appointed by unanimous Council vote on June 24, 2025, and Planning Commissioner Rice named as a committee member; the committee's first meeting was scheduled for August 2025. As of late July 2025, the Safety Action Plan and Old Town Circulation Study were reported as underway, with the overall project expected to be complete by mid-2026. One related project, the George Snyder Trail, was cancelled by a 4-2 Council vote on January 13, 2026, following a failed vote to award its construction contract; Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets, which held a seat on the Move Fairfax City Advisory Committee, publicly supported the trail at that meeting.

In this wiki

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

2025-07-01 — City Council Work Session

Agenda item 1a: Update and Discussion on Move Fairfax City (Safety Action Plan, Pedestrian Plan, and Old Town Circulation Study) (watch the moment)

• Outcome: Item was presented and discussed during the work session. No vote or formal action recorded.
• [1a] Staff provided an update and presentation on Move Fairfax City, covering the Safety Action Plan, Pedestrian Plan, and Old Town Circulation Study.

2026-01-13 — City Council Meeting

Agenda item 9a: Consideration of a Resolution to Cancel the George Snyder Trail Project (VDOT UPC 112816)

• Outcome: Following the failed vote on item 7e, the agenda was amended unanimously to replace the construction contract award item with a cancellation resolution. The resolution to cancel the George Snyder Trail Project (VDOT UPC 112816) in its entirety was then adopted 4-2.
• Vote (passed): Amend the agenda to replace item 9a (award of construction contract for George Snyder Trail) with a resolution to cancel the George Snyder Trail Project (VDOT UPC 112816) — Amos: yes, Bates: yes, Hall: yes, Hardy-Chandler: yes, McQuillen: yes, Peterson: yes
• Vote (passed): Adopt the resolution to cancel the George Snyder Trail Project (VDOT UPC 112816) in its entirety — Amos: no, Bates: yes, Hall: yes, Hardy-Chandler: no, McQuillen: yes, Peterson: yes
• [9a] No direct action on Move Fairfax City at this item; the George Snyder Trail cancellation was the subject.

Open questions

• What are the specific project priorities and recommendations that will emerge from the Safety Action Plan, Pedestrian Master Plan, and Old Town Circulation Study?
• How will the City track progress on pedestrian safety targets over time (e.g., the pedestrian level of stress analysis referenced in the June 23, 2026 Steering Committee discussion)?
• What mechanism will be established to measure improvement at a city-wide level rather than site by site?
• Is the project on track for its mid-2026 completion target, given the June 2026 Steering Committee discussion still in progress?

Member commentary

• Chloe Ritter (Staff) — As Multimodal Transportation Planner, Ritter presented the Move Fairfax City kickoff update to Council and the Planning Commission on July 1, 2025, explaining that the project's purpose is to take existing long-term plans and identify specific priorities for safety and pedestrian improvements across the city.