FAIRFAX, VA — The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Fairfax County gathered to celebrate multimodal improvements along Route 29 between Union Mill Road and Buckleys Gate Drive to improve safety, traffic flow, and bicyclist and pedestrian accessibility and connectivity.
The project reconstructed and widened 1.5 miles of roadway from four to six lanes, aimed at relieving a major bottleneck during peak hours that existed prior to construction, with lengthy backups occurring in particular at the signal for Stringfellow/Clifton roads (Route 645). Route 29 averages 29,000 vehicles a day within the project limits.
The Route 29 widening project also:
- Corrected vertical alignment to improve sight distance
- Added shared-use paths on both sides of Route 29
- Provides connectivity to pedestrian/bicycle trails at the Fairfax County Parkway/West Ox Road interchange
- Installed several noise barrier systems along Route 29 to reduce noise impacts for neighborhoods adjacent to the highway
“This project is about more than adding lanes,” said Bill Cuttler, VDOT Northern Virginia District Engineer. “It is about improving mobility, enhancing safety, and strengthening connectivity for the entire Route 29 community.”
The $94.4 million project is financed with federal, state (including Smart Scale), and county funding, as well as part of the concession fee provided under the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project Comprehensive Agreement. Shirley/Dewberry is the design-build contractor for the project.
