Plans to widen roads in Fairfax County threaten the urbanization of Virginia suburbs

Fairfax County has made great progress on urbanizing the area. They have begun transforming Tysons into an urban city center; a road diet program is operating to make streets safer for cyclists; and there are two major Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects on the books (Route 7 and Richmond Highway).

However, the county’s current plans to widen roads may further position it as a suburban locale and perpetuate existing traffic safety and environmental problems.

Widening projects throughout the county

Among similar projects happening elsewhere in Virginia, there are multiple stretches of roads in Fairfax County that are slated to be widened.

In the Centreville area, plans include widening the southern end of Route 28 from four to six lanes by adding one new lane in each direction from the existing bridge over Bull Run to the interchange at Route 29.

County officials and the Virginia Department of Transportation are also exploring an expansion of Fairfax County Parkway from four to six lanes, which will include three lanes in each direction, between US 29 and Route 123.

History shows the unsustainability of widening roads

Widening roads with the flawed idea of solving traffic congestion seems to have become an endless cycle in the county for decades. In the past, widening roads has set a standard for people to drive which leads to more cars on the road and inevitable congestion.

In the 1980s, for instance, the north corridor of Route 28 was a two-lane road. Officials widened it to six lanes in the 1990s. Even after adding four new lanes, there was congestion. State Delegate Danica Roem told The Washington Post in 2018 that the road had been backed up for 30 years — that was said in 2018, which means the road has been backed up since 1988!

This shows how unsustainable road widening is. Almost 25 years later, they are having to widen it again.

Traffic safety and environmental concerns should also be considered before widening roads

Presentday Route 28 is a fast-paced road that is unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists. It also goes through a commercial area with lots of stop lights which contributes to traffic congestion. The current proposal to widen the southern end would further isolate the two sides of Centreville to pedestrians, affecting people like me who are too young to drive.

The construction related to projects such as the Fairfax County Parkway should also be acknowledged as local roads will be blocked off, impacting people who live nearby.

And with more cars on the road, both projects could also lead to more pollution in the midst of a climate crisis.

Plans for other parts of the county could help the Centreville area

Part of Fairfax County’s High Quality Transit network plan includes a BRT/LRT route running parallel to the Route 28 corridor, north from Centreville to the Herndon/Sterling area and maybe beyond. While this is great for the north part of the corridor, it doesn’t fix the situation in the south where there is plenty of space in the median for LRT or BRT lines to run. This could also prompt an entire new rework of the Centreville area around Route 28.

Currently, the only plans for transit along the southern parkway corridor is an express bus service. While it is admittedly hard to justify higher frequency transit in this area as much of it is pretty low density, the lack of reliable transit options from Fairfax to Manassas will make driving the only practical option for commuters.

Fairfax County is also planning to install new bike facilities on the east end of Route 1, which can be done to Route 28. Neighborhoods like Centrewood in Centerville could be up-zoned to accommodate new mixed-use development, while the BRT or LRT line can connect up to the proposed line that goes to Herndon and extend its effects into the Manassas area.

Can we remedy the situation?

Sadly in the Centreville area, no. While you can still message the project’s team, they are likely too far along to be stopped. But that doesn’t mean we can’t stop future projects.

There are still plans for multiple road widening projects throughout the region, like the I-270 and I-495. Keep track of what your local transportation departments are doing, and voice your opinions.

Push your local government to pursue projects that help transit rather than widen roads and perpetuate a cycle of congestion and reliance on cars.