Virginia

[sprjus4]

Even VDOT noted it will be a 30 mile segment out to Berryville without traffic signals now.

https://twitter.com/vadotnova/status/1409883229721616399

[Jmiles32]

This is a big deal as VA-7 is now a limited access freeway from VA-28 all the way to Round Hill and even further west without traffic lights to Berryville.

Close, but a couple at-grade crossings still exist between the Leesburg and Purcellville bypasses. But nonetheless, it is free flow expressway all the way west now.

Oh right forgot about those. However in terms of at grade crossings the ones here are still pretty limited access. Going west the first one is right in/right out for eastbound traffic with a long separated r cut lane for exiting westbound traffic turning left (no access for entering westbound traffic). The second one is an r cut for eastbound entering traffic only. The third is a right in/right out for westbound traffic with an additional separated r cut lane for left turns and a right in/right out for eastbound traffic. The forth and last one is a right in turn only for westbound traffic. So while technically not limited access, this stretch of VA-7 still effectively functions as a freeway with further potential improvements possible as part of a future eastbound VA-7 widening project.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: Rapper Ludacris responds to VDOT "˜fast and furious' road signs: "˜Virginia I love you back!'

[kernals12]

Is it just me, or has Northern Virginia has gone from anti-highway to pro-highway?
50 years ago, residents in Fairfax and Alexandria successfully sued to get I-66 limited to 4 lanes inside the beltway. Now they're widening it to 6 with seemingly no protest. The conversion of VA 7 to a freeway from Sterling to Leesburg seems to also have pretty much universal support, with the only complaint being disruption caused by construction. And look at how the PWC Board of Commissioners reversed themselves on the 28 bypass. And in Arlington, residents are fighting developers who want the US 1 overpass replaced by an "urban boulevard".

This is in contrast to the 70s and 80s where residents got the Monticello Freeway, Pimmit Parkway and Outer Beltways cancelled, and, again, limited 66 to 4 lanes and only allowed carpools during Rush Hour.

I guess they've figured out that stopping the building of roads doesn't stop development and the only thing worse than sprawl with highways is sprawl without highways.

[1995hoo]

The fight against I-66 was Arlington and Alexandria, not really Fairfax (as a wider road would have been seen as more beneficial to Fairfax County residents).

[jmacswimmer]

The fight against I-66 was Arlington and Alexandria, not really Fairfax (as a wider road would have been seen as more beneficial to Fairfax County residents).

I presume this is the same reason the 95/395 HOT lane project initially stopped at Turkeycock (before later continuing all the way to the 14th St Bridges)?

[1995hoo]

The fight against I-66 was Arlington and Alexandria, not really Fairfax (as a wider road would have been seen as more beneficial to Fairfax County residents).

I presume this is the same reason the 95/395 HOT lane project initially stopped at Turkeycock (before later continuing all the way to the 14th St Bridges)?

Exactly.

[VTGoose]

Improvements to I-81 are moving forward. VDOT announced yesterday "In April, the Commonwealth Transportation Board awarded a design-build contract valued at $179 million to Archer Western Construction, LLC of Herndon to widen northbound and southbound Interstate 81 to three lanes from mile marker 136.6 to mile marker 141.8 in Roanoke County and the city of Salem. The project design is still being completed, and construction is expected to begin in late 2021 or early 2022."

"The new lanes will be built at locations along I-81's right and left shoulders. The project also includes replacing six bridges, widening two bridges and installing approximately 2.6 miles of sound barrier walls along northbound I-81. Improving the southbound exit 137 off ramp intersection at Wildwood Road and adding interchange lighting at exits 137, 140 and 141 are also included in the project."

The I-81 Corridor page on this project is at https://www.virginiadot.org/projects/salem/interstate-81-widening-exit-137-to-141---roanoke-county-and-city-of-salem.asp

This will start at the VA 419 interchange, current end of the improvements and widening from that exit north to I-581. The new project will cover all three Salem exits and end south of exit 140. This part of I-81 has a congestion problem due to the combination of through and local traffic (getting around and across the Roanoke Valley is at times challenging and I-81, while not the most direct route, can be easier to navigate than surface streets).

Bruce in Blacksburg

[1995hoo]

Great set of pictures.

https://twitter.com/VaDOT/status/1410616196446056452

[D-Dey65]

I guess they've figured out that stopping the building of roads doesn't stop development and the only thing worse than sprawl with highways is sprawl without highways.

Do you hear that, Nassau and Suffolk Counties? How about you, Northwestern Hillsborough County?


I've seen a surprising increase in the acceptance of the need to build more roads in Northern Virginia, and believe it or not even parts of Washington D.C. When I traveled along I-695 in DC for the first time, I was glad they built it, but I got into a couple of traffic jams, and I realized it was too little, too late. The second time, I just flew right through it, as I was doing through the rest of DC that day, which was a huge surprise.

[1995hoo]

I view Loudoun County, and its residents' outlook on roads, as fundamentally different from Arlington and Alexandria. The latter two will sometimes grudgingly accept spot improvements (such as the relatively short extra lane on inbound I-66 between Route 29 and Ballston) but are generally a lot less inclined to accept improvements that will allow people who live further out to have an easier commute–the attitude is more or less, "Why should we make it easier for them to drive through our area when they chose to live further out?" To some degree, I understand that outlook, even though I think it can be short-cited to the extent it overlooks the problems of increased air pollution or cut-through traffic in neighborhoods as people bail off arterial routes. Loudoun County is fundamentally different in part because it's so much further out–when I was growing up, it was considered way out in the sticks and a trip to Leesburg was an unusual event because it took a long time to get there. Of course, Loudoun and some of the other counties out that way have their own tensions about road improvements in wealthier areas (this was one of several major issues with respect to Route 50 between Routes 15 and 17 and whether to bypass the three towns along that route).

I think some of what we're seeing with Arlington and Alexandria being willing to accept some road improvements is a recognition of the point in my preceding paragraph about how congestion on the main roads just causes other problems. But their interest in improving things for thru traffic is still limited–Alexandria won't consider adjustments to Van Dorn Street for cars, but they've expressed some willingness to consider a busway.

[ahj2000]

I view Loudoun County, and its residents' outlook on roads, as fundamentally different from Arlington and Alexandria. The latter two will sometimes grudgingly accept spot improvements (such as the relatively short extra lane on inbound I-66 between Route 29 and Ballston) but are generally a lot less inclined to accept improvements that will allow people who live further out to have an easier commute–the attitude is more or less, "Why should we make it easier for them to drive through our area when they chose to live further out?" To some degree, I understand that outlook, even though I think it can be short-cited to the extent it overlooks the problems of increased air pollution or cut-through traffic in neighborhoods as people bail off arterial routes. Loudoun County is fundamentally different in part because it's so much further out–when I was growing up, it was considered way out in the sticks and a trip to Leesburg was an unusual event because it took a long time to get there. Of course, Loudoun and some of the other counties out that way have their own tensions about road improvements in wealthier areas (this was one of several major issues with respect to Route 50 between Routes 15 and 17 and whether to bypass the three towns along that route).

I think some of what we're seeing with Arlington and Alexandria being willing to accept some road improvements is a recognition of the point in my preceding paragraph about how congestion on the main roads just causes other problems. But their interest in improving things for thru traffic is still limited–Alexandria won't consider adjustments to Van Dorn Street for cars, but they've expressed some willingness to consider a busway.

I do understand that outlook-but I wonder if the fact that that busway lane's superior capacity has anything to do with it. I realize that it's not exactly popular in some road circles, but transit really is the best way to reduce traffic. For the Loudon folks, wonder how the Silver line phase 2 will change your commute

[kernals12]

More excitement, now Loudoun wants improvements on VA7 east of 28. They have 4 concepts

1. Turn it into a superstreet

This was rejected due to the adverse LOS impact caused by restricting cross traffic

2. Remove Traffic Signals

This was rejected due to ROW acquisition and business access issues

3. Add Frontage Roads

Rejected for Same Reason

4. Hybrid Arterial

Seems to be preferred alternative.

Read all about it here

The way this is going, soon there will be a freeway from Tysons to Winchester

[cpzilliacus]

The fight against I-66 was Arlington and Alexandria, not really Fairfax (as a wider road would have been seen as more beneficial to Fairfax County residents).

But the I-66 as-built never touched Alexandria city, and was never planned to touch Alexandria. 

Yes, I know that Arlington and Alexandria often support each other on things like this.

It also carefully avoided Falls Church city, though some of the I-66 right-of-way boundary east of VA-7 is apparently also the Falls Church city limit (not so recently Falls Church was able to annex the land on which two schools (including the city high school) stand.

[AlexandriaVA]

There is effectively no undeveloped land in Arlington or Alexandria. Any road expansions would pretty much have to come at the expense of existing land use, including residential and commerical.

By comparison, there is still a ton of vacant land in Loudoun. You can build a lot of both. That window closed for the inner suburbs a long time ago...

[Jmiles32]

More excitement, now Loudoun wants improvements on VA7 east of 28. They have 4 concepts

1. Turn it into a superstreet

This was rejected due to the adverse LOS impact caused by restricting cross traffic

2. Remove Traffic Signals

This was rejected due to ROW acquisition and business access issues

3. Add Frontage Roads

Rejected for Same Reason

4. Hybrid Arterial

Seems to be preferred alternative.

Read all about it here

The way this is going, soon there will be a freeway from Tysons to Winchester

Wow didn't think that Loudoun would actually pursue this especially since so much VA-7 traffic gets on and off at VA-28. Will be curious to see both how much these proposals cost and some more detailed designs. However, since Loudoun has a pretty good track record when comes road projects I'm fairly confident that this will get done. Also glad that the plan appears to be grade separation for thru movements all the way to the Fairfax County Parkway (VA-286). East of there, the ongoing widening project will be sufficient with maybe a future interchange at Baron Cameron Avenue but that's it. Much too residential.

[kernals12]

More excitement, now Loudoun wants improvements on VA7 east of 28. They have 4 concepts

1. Turn it into a superstreet

This was rejected due to the adverse LOS impact caused by restricting cross traffic

2. Remove Traffic Signals

This was rejected due to ROW acquisition and business access issues

3. Add Frontage Roads

Rejected for Same Reason

4. Hybrid Arterial

Seems to be preferred alternative.

Read all about it here

The way this is going, soon there will be a freeway from Tysons to Winchester

Wow didn't think that Loudoun would actually pursue this especially since so much VA-7 traffic gets on and off at VA-28. Will be curious to see both how much these proposals cost and some more detailed designs. However, since Loudoun has a pretty good track record when comes road projects I'm fairly confident that this will get done. Also glad that the plan appears to be grade separation for thru movements all the way to the Fairfax County Parkway (VA-286). East of there, the ongoing widening project will be sufficient with maybe a future interchange at Baron Cameron Avenue but that's it. Much too residential.

If they can widen it to 6 thru lanes, there's enough space between the median and the left turn lanes for grade separation. These might be compact left handed interchanges.

Northern Virginia should be proud of how well they design their roads. Their strict access management and wide landscape buffers leave plenty of room for future expansion.

EDIT: Of course, there's another option: remove tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.

[cpzilliacus]

EDIT: Of course, there's another option: remove tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.

That's probably not an option.  The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which runs Dulles Airport, has issued over a billion dollars worth of toll revenue bonds (secured by tolls collected on the DTR) to fund most of the cost of building  the Dulles Rail project.

[sprjus4]

EDIT: Of course, there's another option: remove tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.

That's probably not an option.  The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which runs Dulles Airport, has issued over a billion dollars worth of toll revenue bonds (secured by tolls collected on the DTR) to fund most of the cost of building  the Dulles Rail project).

Agreed. I'm not opposed to the Silver Line extension to the Airport, but I don't feel like the tolls should've been used / extended to fund this project. The tolls were slated to be removed years ago once original bonds were paid off, which they have been.

[jeffandnicole]

EDIT: Of course, there's another option: remove tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.

That's probably not an option.  The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which runs Dulles Airport, has issued over a billion dollars worth of toll revenue bonds (secured by tolls collected on the DTR) to fund most of the cost of building  the Dulles Rail project).

Agreed. I'm not opposed to the Silver Line extension to the Airport, but I don't feel like the tolls should've been used / extended to fund this project. The tolls were slated to be removed years ago once original bonds were paid off, which they have been.

But that road has been widened numerous times, including very shortly after being built. There's a clear reason why the toll have remained...which has generally kept traffic moving.

[kernals12]

EDIT: Of course, there's another option: remove tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.

That's probably not an option.  The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which runs Dulles Airport, has issued over a billion dollars worth of toll revenue bonds (secured by tolls collected on the DTR) to fund most of the cost of building  the Dulles Rail project).

Oh. Well those investors are in for a rude awakening.

[kernals12]

EDIT: Of course, there's another option: remove tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.

That's probably not an option.  The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which runs Dulles Airport, has issued over a billion dollars worth of toll revenue bonds (secured by tolls collected on the DTR) to fund most of the cost of building  the Dulles Rail project).

Agreed. I'm not opposed to the Silver Line extension to the Airport, but I don't feel like the tolls should've been used / extended to fund this project. The tolls were slated to be removed years ago once original bonds were paid off, which they have been.

But that road has been widened numerous times, including very shortly after being built. There's a clear reason why the toll have remained...which has generally kept traffic moving.

By pushing traffic onto VA 7 forcing them to turn it into a freeway.

[sprjus4]

EDIT: Of course, there's another option: remove tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.

That's probably not an option.  The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which runs Dulles Airport, has issued over a billion dollars worth of toll revenue bonds (secured by tolls collected on the DTR) to fund most of the cost of building  the Dulles Rail project).

Agreed. I'm not opposed to the Silver Line extension to the Airport, but I don't feel like the tolls should've been used / extended to fund this project. The tolls were slated to be removed years ago once original bonds were paid off, which they have been.

But that road has been widened numerous times, including very shortly after being built. There's a clear reason why the toll have remained...which has generally kept traffic moving.

Perhaps, but the Silver Line extension just increased its debt even further. At least the first two improvements were to the actual highway itself.

I-264 (then VA-44) in Virginia Beach was constructed as a 4 lane toll road in 1968, widened to 6 lanes in the 1980s, widened to 8 lanes in the 1990s, and still had its tolls removed entirely by the end of the century.

EDIT: Of course, there's another option: remove tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.

That's probably not an option.  The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which runs Dulles Airport, has issued over a billion dollars worth of toll revenue bonds (secured by tolls collected on the DTR) to fund most of the cost of building  the Dulles Rail project).

Agreed. I'm not opposed to the Silver Line extension to the Airport, but I don't feel like the tolls should've been used / extended to fund this project. The tolls were slated to be removed years ago once original bonds were paid off, which they have been.

But that road has been widened numerous times, including very shortly after being built. There's a clear reason why the toll have remained...which has generally kept traffic moving.

By pushing traffic onto VA 7 forcing them to turn it into a freeway.

Which section? The Greenway connecting the Airport to Leesburg is another facility entirely, built the in 1990s as a P3. Those tolls are likely here to stay for a while... the portion I'm referring to with the Silver Line extension is the Dulles Toll Road which extends from the Airport heading east.

Either way, having both VA-7 and VA-267 as freeways isn't necessarily a bad thing either. It provides greater access to Loudon County, provides redundancy in the network, and by splitting traffic along both corridors, cuts down on congestion overall. Look at I-95 and MD-295 between Baltimore and DC. Imagine if all that traffic was shoved onto one corridor - traffic would be far worse than it is today without significant widening. I-95 south of the Beltway in Virginia is a good example of what happens when there's zero redundancy in the freeway network.

[kernals12]

EDIT: Of course, there's another option: remove tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.

That's probably not an option.  The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which runs Dulles Airport, has issued over a billion dollars worth of toll revenue bonds (secured by tolls collected on the DTR) to fund most of the cost of building  the Dulles Rail project).

Agreed. I'm not opposed to the Silver Line extension to the Airport, but I don't feel like the tolls should've been used / extended to fund this project. The tolls were slated to be removed years ago once original bonds were paid off, which they have been.

But that road has been widened numerous times, including very shortly after being built. There's a clear reason why the toll have remained...which has generally kept traffic moving.

Perhaps, but the Silver Line extension just increased its debt even further. At least the first two improvements were to the actual highway itself.

I-264 (then VA-44) in Virginia Beach was constructed as a 4 lane toll road in 1968, widened to 6 lanes in the 1980s, widened to 8 lanes in the 1990s, and still had its tolls removed entirely by the end of the century.

EDIT: Of course, there's another option: remove tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.

That's probably not an option.  The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which runs Dulles Airport, has issued over a billion dollars worth of toll revenue bonds (secured by tolls collected on the DTR) to fund most of the cost of building  the Dulles Rail project).

Agreed. I'm not opposed to the Silver Line extension to the Airport, but I don't feel like the tolls should've been used / extended to fund this project. The tolls were slated to be removed years ago once original bonds were paid off, which they have been.

But that road has been widened numerous times, including very shortly after being built. There's a clear reason why the toll have remained...which has generally kept traffic moving.

By pushing traffic onto VA 7 forcing them to turn it into a freeway.

Which section? The Greenway connecting the Airport to Leesburg is another facility entirely, built the in 1990s as a P3. Those tolls are likely here to stay for a while... the portion I'm referring to with the Silver Line extension is the Dulles Toll Road which extends from the Airport heading east.

Either way, having both VA-7 and VA-267 as freeways isn't necessarily a bad thing either. It provides greater access to Loudon County, provides redundancy in the network, and by splitting traffic along both corridors, cuts down on congestion overall. Look at I-95 and MD-295 between Baltimore and DC. Imagine if all that traffic was shoved onto one corridor - traffic would be far worse than it is today without significant widening. I-95 south of the Beltway in Virginia is a good example of what happens when there's zero redundancy in the freeway network.

If you scroll up, you see Loudoun has plans to make 7 a free flowing expressway to Regal Center, and either remove signals altogether or at least put in two phase signals out to the Fairfax Parkway.

And I really don't think the population density and thru traffic in Loudoun would normally warrant a total of 22 freeway lanes. We're not talking about the New Jersey Turnpike here.

[sprjus4]

^ The Dulles Toll Road carries over 100,000 AADT, and VA-7 carries nearly 60,000 AADT (nearly 100,000 AADT north of VA-28). Both facilities warrant a free-flowing design at minimum.