Transportation

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Gregg Steverson
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Fairfax County & Franconia-Springfield Parkways Alternatives Analysis and Long Term Planning Study

News & Updates

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) held two virtual public meetings on March 1 and 2 on the Comprehensive Plan Amendments (PAs) 2021-CW-T2 (Fairfax County and Franconia-Springfield Parkways, following endorsement of the Long-Term Planning Study recommendations for the Parkway and 2019-III-T1 (Fairfax County Parkway/Burke Centre Parkway), authorized by the Board of Supervisors following community interest in the future of the specific intersection of Fairfax County Parkway and Burke Centre Parkway, which is being incorporated into the larger plan amendment for the Parkways. 

Study Background

Over the last several years, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) has worked to identify current deficiencies and future needs along the nearly 35 miles of Fairfax County Parkway and Franconia-Springfield Parkway corridors stretching from Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) in Herndon to Route 1 (Richmond Highway) at Fort Belvoir, and to Beulah Street in Springfield. As part of the Fairfax County and Franconia-Springfield Parkways Alternatives Analysis and Long-Term Planning Study, FCDOT developed improvement strategies, assembled and tested a set of alternative recommendations, and established a new, updated set of long-term multimodal transportation recommendations for the Comprehensive Plan. 

The goals of the Study included creating a more efficient option for commuters, while serving local residents; minimizing impacts to property owners and the environment; and optimizing and determining demand for high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes.

Fairfax County Parkway Reston photoFCDOT held three rounds of community meetings with opportunities for feedback and public comment in person and through online surveys. FCDOT gathered feedback during the meetings; via comments submitted online, via mail or by phone; and a post-presentation survey.

Based on this feedback, FCDOT developed and tested these alternative recommendations in its transportation models to ensure that the recommended improvements address future demand/commuter needs. FCDOT presented the final recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, who endorsed the plan in July 2021.

Burke Centre Parkway
On September 24, 2019, while FCDOT was conducting the Fairfax County and Franconia-Springfield Parkways Alternatives Analysis and Long-Term Planning Study, the Board authorized PA No. 2019-III-T1, directing staff to consider the potential for a partial interchange (overpass/underpass) at the intersection of Fairfax County Parkway and Burke Centre Parkway.  

Public Hearings
The Board authorized the consideration of a Comprehensive Plan Amendment on July
25, 2021, to incorporate the final recommendations. Public hearings are tentatively scheduled at the Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at 7:30 p.m., and at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at 4 p.m.  

Prioritization
FCDOT has met with the Board to discuss prioritization of study recommendations, to determine which recommendations may be implemented in the short-term, mid-term and long-term futures (as funding allows).  This will be utilized with the next, and all future, Transportation Priorities Plan (TPP) updates, where the Board allocates funding to transportation projects within the County.
 

Stay in touch with the Parkways Study and FCDOT

  • Visit this webpage for project updates and meeting notices
  • Receive notifications to your phone or email by subscribing to Fairfax Alerts
  • Follow FCDOT on Facebook

FCDOT ensures nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you need this information in an alternate format or would like to request reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact FCDOT at 703-877-5600, TTY 711. Requests for assistance must be received at least 7 business days in advance of an event.

The Fairfax County and Franconia-Springfield Parkways study includes a short-term and a long-term component.

The Long-Range Planning Study, led by FCDOT and in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), will provide recommendations for 2040 and beyond for the FCP/FSP corridor. It will consider whether changes should be made to the county’s current Transportation Plan. Intensive analysis using the County’s Traffic Forecasting Model will be used to determine future network deficiencies. Alternatives to remedy those deficiencies will be developed, and public input will be sought on those alternatives. Final recommendations will be considered for incorporation into the county’s Transportation Plan. Some questions that are to be addressed in this study are:

  • The degree to which existing intersections should be considered for conversion to interchanges or under/overpasses
  • How transit should be integrated into the corridor
  • Whether tolling and or HOV lanes on the Parkways should be planned.
  • Bicycle/ pedestrian mobility

The Short-Term Study, led by VDOT, was completed in 2017. The study evaluated existing transportation issues and developed recommendations for short-term multimodal improvements that can be implemented within one to ten years. Additional project resources:

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) and Lee District Supervisor Rodney Lusk held an online community meeting on Thursday, March 11, 2021, to highlight the long-term, draft recommendations such as number of lanes, HOV facilities and interchange locations being considered for the Franconia-Springfield Parkway.

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) held three virtual community meetings over Summer 2020 for the Fairfax County and Franconia-Springfield Parkways Alternatives Analysis and Long-Term Planning Study:

  • Wednesday, July 29, 2020, 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
  • Thursday, July 30, 2020, 7-9 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, 7-9 p.m.

Meeting Materials:

  1. Watch: Fairfax County and Franconia-Springfield Parkways Study Presentation (Video) - Summer 2020
  2. Fairfax County and Franconia-Springfield Parkways Study Presentation - Summer 2020
  3. Fairfax County and Franconia-Springfield Parkways Q&A: By Meeting Date I By Category
  4. Summary of Public Outreach Summer 2020
  5. Preliminary Recommendations Map
  6. Corridor Segment Map – from the current Comp Plan
  7. Alternatives Concepts:
    1. Concept 1 - Maximize Traffic Flow
    2. Concept 2 - Minimize Impacts
    3. Concept 3 - Optimize HOV
  8. Traffic analysis results:
    1. Combined Concept Results - AM Peak
    2. Combined Concept Results - PM Peak

Feedback was accepted through Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, and used to create the final Summary of Public Outreach Summer 2020 (Oct. 9, 2020).

FCDOT held meetings in Spring 2019 to present the community with refined improvement strategies based on results from the Fall 2018 survey, and to seek further input on residents' and commuters' preferred alternative for the Parkways. The meetings were held:

  • Wednesday, March 27, 2019, at Willow Springs Elementary School, 5400 Willow Springs School Road, Fairfax
  • Thursday, March 28, 2019, at Armstrong Elementary School, 11900 Lake Newport Road, Reston
  • Thursday, April 4, 2019, at Sangster Elementary School, 7420 Reservation Drive, Springfield

A second online survey was open for two months with nearly 1,400 survey responses. Meeting materials from the Spring 2019 outreach efforts, along with the summary of public input from the meetings and survey, are available:

Bus Rapid Transit is a high-quality public transportation system designed to be fast, reliable and more convenient than traditional bus systems. Buses travel within dedicated lanes and have limited stops/stations. The system operates similar to a rail service, using a separate, dedicated transitway, while maintaining the flexibility and cost effectiveness of rubber tire bus vehicles

Elements of a BRT System include:

  • Service Plans and Frequencies that prioritize reliable, frequent, and efficient service.
  • Dedicated Lanes and Traffic Signal Priority that allow free-flow travel, minimize traffic-related delays, reduce overall travel times, and enhance reliability. 
  • Information Technology Systems with features such as real-time bus tracking, innovative fare collection, and more.
  • Stations offering enhanced customer experiences, including all-door boarding to improve accessibility, off-board fare collection to expedite boarding, and high-quality pedestrian connectivity to enhance safety and access.
  • Buses designed for improved passenger comfort and additional passenger capacity.
     

Fairfax County BRT

Richmond Highway BRT - The One

While the Richmond Highway BRT system is still in the early planning stages, the final design will include not only the addition of dedicated bus lanes, but also the inclusion of enhanced facilities for people walking and biking along the corridor. Improving transit, walking, and biking facilities can lead to decreased vehicle traffic. Combined with the road widening taking place as part of Embark Richmond Highway, these improvements should lead to improved vehicle travel times and reduced congestion. All recommended alternatives will be designed to meet local, state and federal standards for efficient traffic flow.

City of Alexandria/Arlington County BRT

National Landing - Potomac Yard Metroway

The Metroway operates between the Pentagon City and Braddock Road Metrorail stations, serving 17 stations along dedicated bus-only lanes and mixed-use lanes.

The City of Alexandria is currently developing two other BRT Lines, the West End Transitway and Duke Street in Motion. 

 

Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) staff have compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions from community members and stakeholders regarding the Fairfax County & Franconia-Springfield Parkways Alternatives Analysis and Long-Term Planning Study. The questions are grouped into the following categories:

  1. Study Purpose and Outcomes
  2. Transportation Funding
  3. Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan
  4. Analysis Considerations
  5. Bicycle/Pedestrian
  6. Location-Specific Questions
  7. Park-and-Rides
  8. Transit
  9. Managed Lanes
  10. Noise Walls
  11. Public Outreach

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