WASHINGTON — Northern Virginia transportation planners want to hear from drivers and commuters Wednesday night as they prioritize how to spend millions of regional tax dollars for road and transit improvements.
The public hearing at the Northern Virginia Transit Authority headquarters on Williams Drive in Fairfax comes ahead of a final vote in April on how to spend about $350 million over the next two years. The meeting begins with an open house at 6 p.m. with a presentation and public comment period that begins at 7 p.m.
The money comes from regional taxes, and it is all intended to help ease congestion and improve travel across the region. Some of the projects slated for funding include improvements to both the Loudoun and Fairfax counties’ parkways, plus state Routes 7 and 28 and U.S. Route 1. Also vying for funding are new bus stops and bus lanes, new buses and eight-car Metro trains.
While many projects have been recommended for funding, a handful of other projects are not likely to be funded unless public feedback convinces planners otherwise.
There have already been several local public meetings, with a few others on the way. Arlington County is hosting a town-hall meeting on March 30 at the Arlington County Government Center. Fairfax County will host a town-hall meeting March 31 at the South County Government Center.
Fairfax County leaders are quick to point out that the NVTA regional funding is just one way that projects are funded, so projects that are not on the list will still get done.
Other funding sources for the projects include local tax dollars, bond issues and federal funding.
Anyone who cannot make the public meetings can submit comments via email until 5 p.m. April 12 by sending feedback to TwoYearProgram@thenovaauthority.org.
And find more information about the hearing and proposed projects on the authority’s website.
Recommended Highway Projects
| Agency | Project Description | FY2015-16 Regional Request | Total Cost | Potential Future Request |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loudoun | Loudoun County Parkway (VA Route 607) — U.S. 50 to Creighton Rd. | $31,000,000 | $ 51,000,000 | $20,000,000 |
| Manassas | Route 28 (Manassas Bypass) Study — Godwin Drive Extension | $ 2,500,000 | $ 2,500,000 | TBD |
| Fairfax | Fairfax County Parkway Improvements (Study) | $10,000,000 | $396,100,000 | $80,000,000 |
| Arlington | Glebe Road Corridor Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Improvements | $ 2,000,000 | $ 2,000,000 | $0 |
| City of Fairfax | Kamp Washington Intersection Improvements | $ 1,000,000 | $ 9,800,000 | $0 |
| Prince William | Route 1 Widening from Featherstone Road to Marys Way | $49,400,000 | $ 52,400,000 | TBD |
| City of Fairfax | Northfax — Intersection and drainage improvements at Route 29/50 and Route 123 | $10,000,000 | $ 25,000,000 | $0 |
| Arlington | Route 244 Columbia Pike Street Improvements (S. Gate Road to the Pentagon) | $10,000,000 | $ 82,500,000 | TBD |
| Leesburg | Route 7 (East Market Street)/Battlefield Parkway Interchange | $13,000,000 | $ 58,000,000 | $44,000,000 |
| Fairfax | Route 7 Widening — Dulles Toll Road Bridge | $13,900,000 | $ 34,400,000 | $0 |
| Manassas | Route 28 Widening South to the City Limits | $ 3,294,000 | $ 12,847,000 | $ 2,410,000 |
| Loudoun | Belmont Ridge Road (VA Route 659)- Turo Parish Road to Croson Ln | $19,500,000 | $ 35,863,000 | $0 |
| City of Fairfax | Jermantown / Route 50 Roadway Improvements | $ 1,000,000 | $ 6,500,000 | $0 |
| Prince William | Route 28 Widening from Route 234 Bypass to Linton Hall Road | $16,700,000 | $ 16,700,000 | TBD |
| Dumfries | Widen Route 1 (Fraley Boulevard) Brady’s Hill Road to Route 234 (Dumfries Road) | $ 6,900,000 | $ 82,500,000 | TBD |
| Herndon | East Elden Street Improvements & Widening Project (UPC 50100) | $10,400,000 | $ 30,902,000 | $14,000,000 |
| Leesburg | Route 15 Bypass at Edwards Ferry Road Interchange | $ 1,000,000 | $50,000,000 | $ 4,000,000 |
| Fairfax | VA Route 28 Widening (Prince William County Line to Route 29) | $ 5,000,000 | $47,350,000 | $42,350,000 |
Highway Projects Not Recommended
| Agency | Project Description | FY2015-16 Regional Request | Total Cost | Potential Future Request |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince William | Route 15 Widening (Route 29 to Route 55), including RR Overpass | $96,030,000 | $ 96,030,000 | TBD |
| Fairfax | Frontier Drive Extension & Braided Ramps | $ 9,000,000 | $84,500,000 | $75,500,000 |
| Fairfax | Braddock Road HOV Widening | $10,000,000 | $63,000,000 | TBD |
| Alexandria | Real-Time Adaptive Traffic Control and Data Management System (Study) | $ 500,000 | $16,500,000 | TBD |
| Fairfax | Rolling Road Widening from Old Keene Mill Road to Franconia Springfield Pkwy | $10,000,000 | $35,200,000 | $25,200,000 |
| Fairfax | South Van Dorn Street and Franconia Road Interchange | $ 4,000,000 | $139,500,000 | TBD |
| Fairfax | US 1 Richmond Highway (from Mt. Vernon Memorial Highway to Napper Road) | $13,500,000 | $90,000,000 | TBD |
| Fairfax | US 29 Lee Highway (from west of Union Mill Road to Buckley’s Gate Drive) | $ 3,500,000 | $41,000,000 | $37,500,000 |
| Fairfax | Frying Pan Road (VA 28 to Centreville Road) | $ 6,150,000 | $41,000,000 | TBD |
Recommended Transit Projects
Bold denotes the only project not recommended for funding.
| Agency | Project Description | FY2015-16 Regional Request | Total Cost | Potential Future Request |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | West End Transitway | $ 2,400,000 | $129,000,000 | $59,740,000 |
| Alexandria | Potomac Yard Metrorail Station | $ 1,500,000 | $287,484,000 | $66,000,000 |
| WMATA | 8-Car Train Traction Power Upgrades Located in Virginia | $ 8,995,000 | $424,811,000 | $35,421,000 |
| WMATA | Bus Infrastructure Improvements | $10,000,000 | $66,400,000 | $14,800,000 |
| PRTC | Western Bus Maintenance and Storage Facility | $16,500,000 | $ 38,688,050 | $0 |
| Fairfax | Innovation Center Metrorail Station Construction | $28,000,000 | $ 89,000,000 | $0 |
| Loudoun | Acquisition of 4 Buses | $ 1,860,000 | $ 1,860,000 | $0 |
| Arlington | Ballston Metrorail Station West Entrance | $12,000,000 | $ 90,000,000 | $45,000,000 |
| Alexandria | Duke Street Transit Signal Priority | $ 190,000 | $ 250,000 | $0 |
| VRE | Franconia-Springfield Platform Expansion | $13,000,000 | $ 13,000,000 | $0 |
| VRE | Rippon Station Expansion and Second Platform | $10,000,000 | $ 14,633,000 | $0 |
| Fairfax | Connector Bus Service Expansion — Capital Purchase 22 Buses | $6,000,000 | $ 11,000,000 | $0 |
| City of Fairfax | CUE 35-foot Bus Acquisition | $ 3,000,000 | $ 3,000,000 | $0 |
| VRE | Manassas Park Station Parking Expansion | $ 500,000 | $ 19,000,000 | $18,500,000 |
| Fairfax | West Ox Bus Garage | $20,000,000 | $ 20,000,000 | $0 |
| VRE | Slaters Lane Crossover | $ 7,000,000 | $ 7,000,000 | $0 |
| VRE | Crystal City Platform Extension Study | $ 400,000 | $ 2,000,000 | $ 1,600,000 |
