County Board OKs $51 Million for Tysons-Area Road Work, New Streets

Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors greenlighted funding for new streets and highway improvement projects in the Tysons area.

In total, the county’s board approved $55 million for transportation projects in Tysons and Reston today (June 4), with more than $51 million for Tysons-area roads. 

The greenlighted funding includes:

• $17.5 million: I-66 widening at Route 29
• $16.6 million: State Street land acquisition
• $7 million: land acquisition for Leesburg Pike widening
• $759,000: pedestrian improvements along Lee Highway

The board also approved funding for preliminary engineering and feasibility studies:

• $7 million: Lincoln Street extension
• $1.5 million: Broad Street
• $1 million: Greensboro ramp to Dulles Toll Road
• $500,000: Tysons West Park Transit Center ramp to Dulles Toll Road

I-66 median widening at Route 29

Fairfax County originally approved endorsement of the I-66 median widening in March 2017. The cost estimate for the project, however, increased by $17,500,000 “due to [the] complexity of construction (e.g. shutting down lanes to install the center pier, number of detours, which creates a larger project footprint),” according to the county staff report.

Lee Highway pedestrian improvements

The street improvements would span Nutley Street to Vaden Drive by the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro station, completing missing portions of bike and pedestrian areas. “This project will allow more commuters to make trips by biking, walking, and transit instead of driving, which will improve mobility not only on I-66, but also on the parallel facilities of Lee Highway and Route 50,” the staff report says.

Land acquisition for Leesburg Pike widening 

Fairfax County staff want the $7 million for a partial land acquisition between I-495 and I-66 once the design work is done. After deciding to replace an existing gas line along Leesburg Pike, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation has been studying right-of-way and road alignment needs for this section of the highway that runs along the southern edge of Pimmit Hills.

Land acquisition for State Street

Envisioned in the future Tysons Grid of Streets, State Street would connect Greensboro Drive to Route 7 between Spring Hill Road and Westpark Drive.

Currently, the desired, vacant property is for sale, according to the staff report. “If the property is sold to another party and the existing building encumbered with a long-term lease, the cost of acquiring the property will increase significantly, and may become prohibitive,” the report says.

Preliminary engineering and feasibility studies

The Greensboro and Tysons West Park Transit Center ramps to the Dulles Toll Road are two of the three planned ramps that will provide a connection between downtown Tysons to the highway.

Meanwhile, Lincoln Street would connect Old Meadow Road to Magarity Road in Pimmit Hills. The new, two-lane road is meant to provide more access for residents.

Another new road — Broad Street — would run parallel to Route 7, providing access between Spring Hill and Tyco roads and offering an alternative to using Route 7.

The board also approved $3 million for construction to widen Telegraph Road at Hayfield Road in Alexandria and $500,000 for preliminary engineering and feasibility studies on improving the intersection of Reston Parkway and Baron Cameron Avenue. 

The funding adjustments from the Tysons and Reston Transportation Service Districts and the Tysons Grid of Streets Road Fund will be made as part of the carryover review for fiscal year 2019, according to a staff report.

Maps [1, 2, 3] via Google Maps