New Vienna Post Office Killed by Mother Maud and the Mayor Who Can't Tell the Truth

Any idea why it was killed, ie. Because alternate plans are in the works, or was this the plan for that area? Also, how exactly would the new design have improved that intersection? Seems like a tough location, as mentioned in previous posts. I’m highly skeptical there is some magic bullet to improve that traffic flow short of shutting down the Church Street extension.

Frank, are you in la la land? "Any idea?" You are kidding right? Have you seen the way these people operate? It is well documented. They do NOTHING. That is their political stance. "Seems like a tough location?" Well, with that defeatist attitude you are right that it will be hard to fix. The plan would have straightened out Church and solved many problems there. Maud killed it. Plain and simple as every other ass backwards decision these people make.

Speaking of Tom Davis, Frank Wolf, and the truth, I'd like to know why these POLITICIANS jumped on the early bandwagon to scuttle due consideration for a Metro tunnel at Tysons? Now we learn that their smokescreen about losing federal funding was a bunch of BS. Why do our politicians circle in their own little orbits and fail to represent us, the citizens who elect them? Why does it take a grass roots citizen revolt to stop their railroading and to demand best design practices and open competitive bidding? Who are Davis and Wolf really working for??? Even IF federal funding were in jeopardy, if we constituents demand due representation, then by God they should stand up and give it their best shot... not just cower apologetically like shrinking violets! Represent us or retire now and let someone else do the job. Winning an election has never meant that you are the best candidate.

Frank you must be a Maudite. Why would you even suggest vacating Church Street? Can you show me how closing Church Street would help the traffic pattern? How would you access the Post Office, Eckhert’s, Marco Polo, Bank of America, and The Windover Office Building? Closing a street to help traffic circulation is definitely a Maud solution. Maud did this all over the town. Frank pay a visit to the TOV Planning and Zoning Director. Ask Mr. Hembree to show you the conceptual plan suggested by the Maple Avenue Vision committee for the Post Office. You will see that the Post Office was moved to allow a VDOT approved intersection at Church and Lawyers. Church Street would meet Lawyers at ninety degrees. This would eliminate the major traffic problems. A park would be created where the island Mail boxes are presently located. A two story-parking garage would be tucked into the hill to the rear of the Post Office. The citizens and Post Office Employees would jointly use the parking garage. The front of the new Post Office would designed to blend in with the Church Street vision. Frank you now have your magic bullet. Let’s see if you are capable of firing it.

Tractor Man, just because I don’t swallow this site’s version of ‘Kool-Aid’ doesn’t make me a ‘Maudite.’

I wasn’t trying to suggest we close Church Street. The partial closure is bad enough. The comment concerned the solution to traffic flow in that area. There are several problems with that intersection, not just the uneven connections of the two sides of Church St to Lawyers. The 90 degree joint would help but the other issue is how to get better traffic flow from Church to Lawyers and vice versa. The site plan of the proposed Post Office didn’t mention, from what I saw, how the intersection would be controlled (light, 4-way stops, right-turn only, etc.). I was wondering if there were perhaps other solutions under consideration that I wasn’t aware.

Not a Maudite? Well, if this site is about 'Kool-aid' perhaps you might offer an alternate view or at least counter-act something, anything? Or do you just say 'Kool-aid' in the hopes someone will think that means the factual content everywhere on this site is 'crazy'. If we were political consultants that is the exact strategy we would advise the incumbents this spring to take.

Frank, the post office problem dates back to the early 70’s. The Vienna Post Office was scheduled to be closed. A new postal facility was planned in Oakton. At the last minute Maud went to then Congressman Broyhill. Maud insisted that a Post office be placed in Vienna. The present site was chosen without any planning. If you look at the present zoning the vast majority of the Post Office facility is located in residentially zoned land. The TOV PO was simply shoehorned into the existing Windover Heights Neighborhood. The PO is the largest business and heaviest used industrial site in the Town of Vienna. Why did Maud insist the TOV PO be located in a residential neighborhood? Could it be poor planning? Make any sense to you Frank? Have you noticed how well the Oakton PO was planned?

The large size of the TOV post Office necessitated the bulge on Church Street. The site was too small. Maud personally chose the present site. The only way the PO could fit the site was to distort Church Street. Maud is responsible for the present configuration of Church Street and its related intersection. Maud made sure we had a poorly planned Post Office and intersection. Remember her motto “JUST SAY NO AND DO NOT PLAN” Get Mayo Stuntz’s book and look at the old homes that Maud razed to shoe horn the PO into present site. If you look closely, you will find three or four pictures of old homes that Maud destroyed. Amazingly, Maud wanted to save Windover Heights Neighborhood, but Maud personally encouraged the largest industrial intrusion into the Windover Heights Neighborhood. Maud had no problem leveling the old homes that were present on the site in the early 70’s. Five years after she destroyed a significant portion of the Windover Heights Neighborhood she then wanted to save the 'hill'. Now you can see why she concocted the historic district. Maud has been trying to cover her tracks and hide these facts under the guise of Historic Preservation.

Frank, this is just one of many problems Maud has created. Sometime take the time to see how she and Gus Faeder single handily blocked the Abbottsford Drive by pass. Remember Maud has had the WATCH since 1948. Maud personally participated in all of the decisions that now control how our Town functions today. Name a problem. BLAME MAUD. Time for her to go. VOTE NO MORE MAUD!!!

Now to answer your question. Looking at the front of the PO. The PO would be moved to the right. Church Street would now line to VDOT standards. A small park would be created where the present island mailboxes are located. The present turn around would be eliminated. There should be sufficient distance between Maple and Church Street to place a light. The final decision for the type of traffic control can be debated.

Thank you, Tractor Man. Clearly the PO debate originates much farther into the past that the last few years. This post left me with the impression there was recent debate on the issue in TC and perhaps an alternate plan pending. I wasn't finding any reference to such plans in the TC minutes. Personally a new PO is, of course, long overdue. I understand previous traffic studies of the area suggested an all-way stop or light would back up traffic onto Maple. Perhaps the realigning brings this under control or the lights can be timed to minimize this, although lights that close don’t seem to work with high traffic volumes, example Maple Ave during rush hour.

There is a *new* plan. Something current. Maud killed that too. You won't find it in the 'minutes', but then again, these folks purposefully don't put things in minutes. Work sessions? Forget it, there are no records or minutes. If you want to see the plans for new PO go to Town Zoning Office and ask.

Regarding: I wasn't finding any reference to such plans in the TC minutes.

The present TOV TC doesn't give a damned iota about responsive government, accuracy in meeting minutes, or even telling the truth. If you are not there to actually hear what they say in one meeting, you won't know they are not telling the truth when they say something completely different at a later meeting.

That's why we need to have all the meetings and work sessions recorded.

Frank sadly everything in Vienna originates farther back than the last few years. That is why it is so hard to get anyone to understand. Thank you for your research and perseverance. HV is finally placing light on the underbelly that is long overdue.