Construction began in 2019 on the Route 7 Corridor Improvements Project aimed at enhancing safety, reducing congestion, and expanding mobility for all users as part of Fairfax County’s Comprehensive Plan.
The project widened Route 7 from four to six lanes between Reston Avenue and Jarrett Valley Drive. As a result, Route 7 is continuously at least six lanes from Leesburg to Tysons, a stretch totaling about 20 miles.
The new eastbound and westbound lanes on about 5 miles of Route 7 between Riva Ridge Drive and Jarrett Valley Drive recently opened to traffic three months ahead of schedule. The third eastbound and westbound lanes on nearly 2 miles of Route 7 between Reston Avenue and Riva Ridge Drive opened to traffic in 2022.
The project also constructed shared-use paths on both sides of the entire 7-mile stretch of Route 7 between Reston Avenue and Jarrett Valley Drive. The shared-use paths tie into those on Route 7 beyond the eastern and western limits of the project, providing a direct bicyclist/pedestrian connection from the Fairfax County Parkway Trail to Tysons. The project also provided Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail users a new route under the rebuilt Difficult Run bridge to safely cross Route 7.
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The project additionally:
- Constructed more than 7 miles of noise barriers
- Improved access management at 19 intersections
- Reconstructed the Lewinsville Road intersection with the displaced left-turn lane from eastbound Route 7 to Lewinsville Road
- Built a new pedestrian underpass at Colvin Run Mill Park
Route 7 averages about 50,000 vehicles a day within the project limits.
Shirley Contracting and Dewberry Engineers were the design-build team for the project.
"We are thrilled to deliver a major project early that creates the kinds of multimodal enhancements in northwest Fairfax County that we typically see in the eastern portions of the county,” said Bill Cuttler, VDOT Northern Virginia District Engineer. “At VDOT, we continue to develop and construct projects that benefit all users of our shared transportation system, to more easily connect residents within all parts of Northern Virginia."
“Our partnership with Fairfax County and VDOT on this project demonstrates NVTA’s commitment to reducing congestion, improving regional connectivity, and enhancing quality of life,” said Monica Backmon, NVTA Chief Executive Officer. “This project significantly benefits residents within Fairfax County but also extends benefits west to Loudoun County and east to Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, D.C., and even localities in Maryland. We are proud to bring such impactful improvements to our community.”
“This project is a critical infrastructure upgrade for our community,” said Jeffrey C. McKay, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. “The $313.9 million endeavor is a testament to effective funding collaboration, incorporating federal, state [including Smart Scale], Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, and Fairfax County contributions."
