Board approves transportation funding priorities

Updated Dec. 5: The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 3 approved a Transportation Priorities Plan (TPP) for FY 2020-25 that lists dozens of projects with a total cost of $3.04 billion over the next five years. 


Funding for those projects would come from a combination of state, local, regional, private, and federal sources, including general obligation bonds not yet approved by the board and voters. 


The TPP includes the following projects in the Annandale/Mason District area: 

• Seven Corners interchange – $1.89 million: Funding for phasing and feasibility studies for reducing congestion on Route 7; improving access among Seven Corners, Falls Church, and Bailey’s Crossroads; facilitate redevelopment, improve bicycle, pedestrian, and vehicle navigation, and accommodate future bus rapid transit.
• Backlick Road and Industrial Road – $5.42 million: Construct a left turn lane on northbound Backlick Road, add a sidewalk along the west side of Backlick Road, upgrade the pedestrian signal, and improve drainage. 
• N. Chambliss Street/Beauregard Street – $1.75 million: Extend the island at the slip lane and construct approximately 1,000 linear feet of 5-foot-wide sidewalk from Meeting House Way to the Lincolnia Senior Center.
• Braddock Road improvements phase I & II design – $5.40 million: Funding for an alternative analysis, preliminary design, and plan development; multimodal improvements on Braddock from Humphries Drive to Ravensworth Road to include preliminary design and plan development.
• Braddock Road improvements Phase I – $86.28 million: Full implementation of Braddock Road Phase I improvements. 
• Bailey’s Crossroads/Columbia Pike/Seminary Road – $950,000: Demolition work.
• Backlick Road sidewalk – $1.19 million: Construct a walkway on the east side of Backlick Road from Kandel Court to Cindy Lane.
• Edsall Road walkway – $350,000: Construct a walkway on the north side of Edsall Road from Timber Forest Drive to Edsall Gardens.
• Glen Forest Drive walkway – $570,000: Construct a walkway on the south side of Glen Forest Drive from the retail center on Route 7 to Glen Forest Elementary School.
• Medford Drive walkway – $360,000: Construct walkway on the east side of Medford Drive from Annandale High School to Davian Drive.
• Peace Valley Lane walkway – $1.23 million: Construct a walkway on the north side of Peace Valley Lane in front of Justice High School.
• Seminary Road walkway – $650,000: Construct a walkway on Seminary Road from north of Magnolia Lane to Colfax Avenue.
• Sleepy Hollow Road walkway – $5.51 million: Complete the missing links on Sleepy Hollow Road from Columbia Pike to Route 7.
• Little River Turnpike walkway – $3.91 million: Construct a walkway on the north side of Little River Turnpike both west of and east of Roberts Avenue.
• Little River Turnpike corridor bike improvements – $7.5 million: Add bike facilities and a shared-use path to complete network gaps.
• Little River Turnpike walkway – $6.32 million: Add a sidewalk on the south side of Little River Turnpike from Hillbrook Drive to Little River Run Drive.
• Little River Turnpike walkway – $980,000: Add a walkway on the south side of Little River Turnpike from Columbia Road to Mayhunt Court.
• Columbia Pike at John Marr Drive intersection – $150,000 for intersection improvements. 
• Wakefield Chapel Road bike lanes – $1.62 million: Construct bike lanes on Wakefield Chapel Road from Pulley Court to the Northern Virginia Community College campus, including minor widening and a new 5-foot wide sidewalk.
• Graham Road improvements – $100,000: Provide a refuge island and upgraded ramps.
• Route 7 walkway – $70,000: Construct a walkway on the east side of Route 7 from Rio Drive to the Waters Edge condos and on the west side from Nevius Street to Glenmore Drive. 

The anticipated funding for a draft FY 2018-2023 TPP was $600 million in new revenues to fully fund existing projects and $170 million in new projects. These funding estimates were not realized, because in 2018, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation that designated $154 million per year for the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority, largely by shifting funds from local and regional sources.

That resulted in a decline of $45-50 million per year for Fairfax County, or approximately $300 million over six years. As a result, there is no available revenue for new transportation projects.

“We have taken a serious look at what our transportation needs are throughout the county and many exciting and important projects are in progress. However, some very important priorities have been deferred, because we did not receive the funding we expected from the Commonwealth last year,” said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman-elect and Legislative Committee Chairman Jeff C. McKay.

“The community helped us establish these transportation priorities. We are looking at all sources of available funding to advance the projects that we can,” McKay said.

If additional money is allocated to local jurisdictions by the General Assembly in 2020, Fairfax County is ready to advance the schedules of these projects.”

In a related matter, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution calling for the county to apply for federal funding for six projects, including $9 million for the design of the first phase of the Seven Corners Ring Road. 


This would be a new road connecting Route 7 on the western side of the existing Seven Corners interchange with a bridge over Route 50, around the interchange to Sleepy Hollow Road, back to Route 7 on the eastern side of the interchange, and terminating with a bridge over Route 50. 


The project will also include new signalized crosswalks at the newly renovated Wilson Boulevard replacement bridge. The entire project includes bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. Of the six projects submitted, the Seven Corners interchange is listed as the fifth priority.

Funding would from the Regional Surface Transportation Program and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program. The application would be submitted through the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.