Fairfax County, Virginia, has issued a request for

Fairfax County, Virginia, has issued a request for proposals for redesigning one of the nation’s most famous, or notorious, edge cities — Tysons Corner. The consultant selected by the county would help a business-civic group known as the Tysons Task Force and the County Board of Supervisors to develop a comprehensive plan for converting the agglomeration of offices and retail into a pedestrian-friendly urban community served by four planned Metro commuter rail stations. Stewart Schwartz and Jessica Millman of the Coalition for Smarter Growth said the Coalition’s 2005 educational forum with the Washington Regional Network and inspiring presentations by new urbanists Jeff Speck of the National Endowment for the Arts, Rob Goodill of Torti Gallas & Partners, and Geoffrey Ferrell of Ferrell Madden Associates played a critical role in generating support for the redesign initiative. Proposals were due Aug. 22. A key issue is whether a tunnel will be built for the rail line. Schwartz said placing commuter rail underground, and planning transit-oriented development near the stations, helped bring about the success of the steadily urbanizing Rosslyn-Ballston corridor in neighboring Arlington County. If a tunnel and effective urban design are missing from Tysons Corner, the rail line there may be “an expensive piece of elevated sculpture that too few people ride,” and the area will fall far short of its potential, Schwartz warned. Two Virginia Republican Congressmen, Frank Wolf and Tom Davis, recently argued that if a tunnel is included in the 23-mile extension to Dulles International Airport, a long delay in approvals could ensue and $900 million in federal funding could be jeopardized. Another element in the discussions is a call for converting Route 7, Route 123, and other larger arterials into urban boulevards, which would be much safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. “These roads will continue to divide Tysons Corner and undermine transit ridership” unless they are redesigned, said Douglas Stewart of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling.