With nothing but the highest praise coming from the chair of the Falls Church Planning Commission, the NOVA Parks plans to expand into a full dual use the segment of the 45-mile W&OD Trail that runs through the center of the City of Falls Church are now due for final approval late next month, with construction to begin by next summer and completion before the end of 2020.

The plan’s latest update presented to the Planners this week, calls for a widening of the trail in its 16-acre section in the City to make it more clearly a dual biking and pedestrian walking trail. It involves the replacement of the existing 10-foot wide shared use trail with an 11-foot wide bicycle trail and 8-foot wide pedestrian trail between Grove Street and Little Falls Street.

Planning Commission chair Russ Wodiska was boundless in his praise for the plans, which will cost the City of Falls Church nothing but will enhance considerably what Wodiska called “a great street in the City.” An admitted frequent user of the W&OD Trail, Wodiska said the proposed changes “will make a significant difference for Falls Church.”