Town, Residents Consider Park & Monroe Intersection Improvements

Herndon’s Director of Public Works, Bob Boxer, and consultants from Vanasse Hangen Brustlin met with local residents to discuss improvements to the intersection of Park Avenue and Monroe Street on Tuesday night.

call for a realignment of Monroe Street north of Park Avenue, where the intersection will be moved further east to make a separate T from its current location. Those approaching from the south and west will have to turn onto Park Avenue before being able to make a left turn onto Monroe.

also call for a slight widening of portions of Park and Monroe, adding left turn lanes or areas for those turning from northbound Monroe onto Park, and from eastbound Park onto Monroe. Crosswalks and raised medians will also be added to aid those walking across the intersection.

VHB Senior Transportation Engineer Charlie O'Connell said consultants had looked at a roundabout for the intersection, and felt it would be safest, but ultimately decided it wasn’t the right location for one. He said the impact on nearby properties would be too great, and the town would have to cut into the properties of nearby landowners.

Boxer said the project is to be constructed in the spring or summer of 2012. VHB consultants said it would take between six to 10 months to finish the project.

Michael Mase, who owns the property that will see the most impact, said his biggest concern is people speeding on Park Avenue. He said it would be safer to have a stop sign and it would help people cross the intersection. Without a stop sign, even with the improvements people will still continue to speed through the intersection, he said.

Jasbinder Singh, a member of Herndon’s Town Council, said personally, he would like to see a simulation done with a stop sign at the intersection. He said adding a turn lane and a crosswalk doesn’t solve the problems that are there. He said if they plan to spend $1.5 million on the improvements, they should start with safety.

O’Connell said making two Ts at the intersection and separating the left-turning traffic will be helpful, and it is an intersection with very unique geometry and not a lot of space. He said a roundabout would be best, but it won’t fit in the space.

One local resident said she is disappointed that the town didn’t link this project to the intersection improvements at Park Avenue and Dranesville Road. She said the intersections impact one another and they should plan them to work together.

Boxer said the project for improvements at Park and Monroe has been on the books for about 10 years, while the project at Park and Dranesville is much newer, and has only been in the town’s plans for about two years.

The resident said it would be helpful if the town could at least look at further improvements needed to address things like drainage issues. She said just having a plan for the future would be helpful, even if the funding to address it isn’t there right now.

A similar meeting to address improvements at the intersection of Park Avenue and Dranesville Road will take place Thursday, July 21 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Mary Ingram Council Chambers. Consultants are considering a roundabout at that location.

The Herndon Town Council will have a discussion item on the Park Avenue and Dranesville Road intersection improvements at its August 3 work session. The public is welcome to attend and listen, but will not have the opportunity for public comment at the time. Comments can be sent to public.works@herndon-va.gov or town.clerk@herndon-va.gov.