Fairfax County supervisors approve transportation priority projects

Several proposed projects address congestion on Little River Turnpike in Annandale.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved $1.4 billion to support approximately 180 transportation projects over the next six years.

About $1.2 billion will come from state and regional transportation dollars generated by the landmark transportation bill approved by the Virginia General Assembly in April 2013. The remaining funds will come from other sources, including commercial and industrial property tax revenue and general obligation bonds. A transportation bond will be on the November 2014 ballot.

The funds, mostly administered by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA), will be used for road widening, intersection improvements, road extensions, transit, sidewalks, trails, and bike lanes.

The list of priority projects to be funded was developed by the Fairfax County Department of Transportation. FCDOT refined the list following an effort to obtain feedback from the public through a variety of sources, including community outreach meetings, then subjected the proposed projects to a cost-benefit analysis.

The list approved by the Board of Supervisors Jan. 28 includes the following projects in the Mason/Annandale area:

• $3 million for improvements to the existing interchange at Seven Corners to reduce congestion on Route 7 and improve access between Seven Corners, Falls Church, and Bailey’s Crossroads. The goal is to promote redevelopment and improve vehicle and pedestrian safety. A total cost for these improvements has not been determined.
• $2.09 million for a left-turn lane on northbound Backlick Road near Industrial Road and a sidewalk on the west side of Backlick.
• $1 million for a study of a $21.6 million project to widen Braddock Road from four to six lanes between Burke Lake Road and Guinea Road.
• $47 million for a $63 million project to widen Braddock Road from six to eight lanes between Burke Lake Road and the beltway, along with intersection and pedestrian improvements. Fairfax County is requesting $10 million for this project in NVTA funds for 2014-16.
• $5 million for a preliminary environmental and engineering study of a $47.5 million project to widen Route 50 from four to six lanes inside the beltway between Annandale Road and Cedar Hill Road. 
• $2.5 million for environmental and engineering analysis for a project to widen Little River Turnpike from four to six lanes between John Marr Drive and the beltway, plus streetscape improvements, to improve access to Annandale and spur redevelopment.
• $9.5 million for a capital costs and $6 million for two years of operating costs for the Columbia Pike streetcar line. The county’s total cost for this project is $135 million.
• $700,000 for a walkway on the south side of Route 50 between 8301 Arlington Blvd. and Gallows Road.
• $1.1 million for a walkway on the east side of Backlick Road from Kandel Court to Cindy Lane.
• $2 million for a walkway on the east side of Backlick Road between Industrial Drive and Hechinger Drive.
• $150,000 to install signalized crosswalks at Montgomery Street and Edsall Road.
• $700,000 for a walkway on the north side of Edsall Road from Timber Forest Drive to the Edsall Gardens apartments.
• $4 million for a walkway on the north side of Edsall Road over I-95 from Cherokee Avenue to Edsall Gardens.
• $250,000 for signalized crosswalks at the Route 50/Gallows Road interchange.
• $1.2 million for a walkway on the south side of Glen Forest Drive from the retail center on Route 7 to Glen Forest Elementary School.
• $250,000 for a signalized crosswalk at Little River Turnpike and Old Columbia Pike.
• $400,000 to construct a walkway on the south side of Medford Drive from Annandale High School to Davian Drive.
• $500,000 for a walkway on the north side of Peace Valley Lane next to Jeb Stuart High School.
• $1.6 million for a walkway on Seminary Road from Colfax Avenue to north of Magnolia Lane.
• $4.3 million to complete the missing walkway links along Sleepy Hollow Road from Columbia Pike to Route 7.
• $1.3 million for a walkway along the north side of Little River Turnpike on both sides of Roberts Avenue.
• $40,000 to construct the missing segment of trail between cul de sacs on McWhorter Place.
• $7.5 million for bike lanes, wide curb lanes, and bike shoulders to compete the gaps along Little River Turnpike.
• $1.5 million to upgrade the pavement to better serve commuter bicyclists along Holmes Run Stream Valley Trail.
• $3 million for a walkway on the south side of Little River Turnpike from Hillbrook Drive to Little River Run Drive.
• $1.1 million for a walkway on the south side of Little River Turnpike from Columbia Road to Mayhunt Court.
• $150,000 for a bike/pedestrian connection on Lanier Street from Carrico Drive to Exeter Street.

Several projects that had been included on earlier FCDOT lists were not approved for funding, including improvements to Woodburn Road, a walkway on the south side of Wayne drive between Gallows Road and Mason Crest Elementary School, and bicycle parking facilities at the Seven Corners Transit Center.