From gap analysis to the heightening and lowering of curbs, members of the City of Falls Church’s new “Pedestrian Bicycle and Traffic Calming Advisory Committee” will be surveying every inch of the Little City come July.

AREA BIKE PATHS, much like this one here located near the corner of Park Avenue and West Street, may be affected by the decisions made by the City of Falls Church’s new “Pedestrian Bicycle and Traffic Calming Advisory Committee.” (Photo: News-Press)

From gap analysis to the heightening and lowering of curbs, members of the City of Falls Church’s new “Pedestrian Bicycle and Traffic Calming Advisory Committee” will be surveying every inch of the Little City come July.

“Every sidewalk will be walked. We’ll be looking at everything from curb conditions to the location of utility poles. How can we make better connections for bicyclists and pedestrians getting around the city? How can we upgrade our bus stops? How can we improve these pathways for those citizens in wheel chairs? All of these things will be answered with our work,” said City Transportation Planner Wendy Block Sanford, who is spearheading the committee.

This committee has been in the works for a couple of years as part of the city’s comprehensive plan. Consultants and city planning staff will work together with the committee and review their recommendations. Along with data review, other duties of the committee will include informing priorities, providing feedback and coordinating public meetings. Residents will also have the ability to focus on specific areas in the city that need improvements using an interactive map.

Membership for the committee will be made up of one representative from each of the following commissions and boards: the F.C. Planning Commission, Economic Development Authority, Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation and Recreation and Parks Advisory Board. The remaining slots will be filled by selected applicants, all of whom will be volunteers.

Volunteers must be a resident of the City of Falls Church and have experience with the pedestrian and bicycle system of the city.

The committee is an ad hoc one. Membership applications must be turned in by June 30, and work will begin as soon as the committee has been selected the following week. Sanford estimates the project will last one year.

“It’s an exciting and important undertaking,” she said. ”Everybody in Falls Church will be impacted.”