Survey Open For Toll Lanes, Other Ideas For Fairfax Co. Parkway

Fairfax County is seeking public feedback on potential fixes for the Fairfax County Parkway and Franconia-Springfield Parkway, ranging from pedestrian improvements to toll or HOV lanes. Residents are asked to share their thoughts in a survey through Nov. 30. The county will study these ideas in the coming months and has a number of steps to go through before adopting changes.

The county has identified five long-term improvement priorities for the 30-mile corridor:

• HOV Lanes: One HOV lane in each direction, at least three people carpooling in a vehicle, no charge
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Improvements: Accommodations and infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists
• Transit: Bolster transit options and accessibility
• Widening/Interchanges: Increase roadway capacity
• Express/Toll Lanes: One toll lane in each direction, tolls similar to Interstate 495

In the survey, residents can rate each proposal and comment for five areas of the corridor: on Fairfax County Parkway: Route 7 to Franklin Farm, Franklin Farm to Route 123, Route 123 to Franconia-Springfield Parkway and Franconia-Springfield Parkway to Richmond Highway (Route 1); on Franconia-Springfield Parkway: Fairfax County Parkway to Beulah Street.

The study is intended to make initial recommendations for 2040 and beyond. The county will then develop preliminary alternatives, which could be ready for public feedback in spring 2019. After the preferred corridor alternatives are finalized, a comprehensive plan amendment process will be up for approval in 2020.

The long-term study is different from the Virginia Department of Transportation's study recommending short-term improvements—ones that can be pushed out in one to 10 years. For more information, visit the county's Fairfax County and Franconia-Springfield Parkways study page.

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