Cyclists use the Wiehle Avenue (Rte. 828) at the W&OD trail crosswalk while above them looms the new but not operational pedestrian and bicyclist bridge.
The new pedestrian and bicyclist bridge over Wiehle Avenue (Rte. 828) at the W&OD trail is in place as of early Sunday morning, April 14. Trail users continued to navigate the six-lane road shortly after noon on Sunday, using Wiehle's at-grade marked crosswalk and refuge island. The Department of Transportation expects the bridge to be operational by mid-June, after which the existing at-grade crossing will close.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place on March 9, 2023. The project involved relocating Dominion Virginia Power's electrical lines. The 50-ton bridge, with steel trusses, is 147 feet long, 16 feet wide, and now sits about 18 feet above Wiehle Avenue.
The Wiehle Avenue section of the W&OD Trail Pedestrian Improvement Projects aims to improve safety by reducing conflicts between vehicles and trail users while allowing for free-flowing traffic. The 2016 Design Public Hearing Presentation for Wiehle Avenue at W&OD Trail cited among its safety concerns seven reported crashes from June 2011 to June 2015, vehicle vs. vehicle and vehicle vs. trail user.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Station #25 is the bridge's closest neighbor, at 1820 Wiehle Ave. The sign in front of the station says, "We Wiehle Like This New Bridge." A 59-second Fairfax County Transportation Projects video shows the pedestrian bridge being raised over Wiehle Avenue. Visit Fairfax County Transportation Projects to view the video.
