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Fairfax County is seeking nearly $91 million in federal funding for eight transportation projects, even though Northern Virginia as a whole is expected to receive only about $95 million from the programs.
The Board of Supervisors authorized the applications on Jan. 14. The requests target fiscal year 2031 funding through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program and the Regional Surface Transportation Program.
The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority will score Fairfax County’s proposals against applications from other jurisdictions before sending endorsed projects to the Commonwealth Transportation Board. The state board is expected to update its Six-Year Improvement Program in June.
Fiscal year 2031 begins July 1, 2030.
Despite the competition for limited funding, county staff added a request to widen Leesburg Pike between Interstate 495 and Interstate 66 to seven previously submitted projects.
In priority order, Fairfax County is requesting:
- $20 million for the planned Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit system
- $20 million to extend Frontier Drive from the Franconia Metro station to Loisdale Road
- $10 million for low-emission Fairfax Connector buses
- $10 million for a cycle track on Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston
- $10 million for the second phase of multimodal improvements to Braddock Road
- $10 million to widen Leesburg Pike from I-495 to I-66 in Pimmit Hills
- $10 million to extend Town Center Parkway from Sunset Hills Road to Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston
- $720,000 to support Fairfax Connector’s six transit stores
The supervisors also backed two Town of Herndon applications: $1.5 million for improvements to Sterling Road and $1 million for sidewalk work on Locust Street.
Pedestrian projects receive funding
At the same meeting, the board accepted Safe Routes to School grants covering part of three pedestrian upgrades. The county must provide local matching funds.
The awards include $1.7 million to fill sidewalk gaps along Bush Hill Drive near Bush Hill Elementary School. Another $1.05 million will support three crosswalks at Shrevewood Elementary School and a pedestrian refuge on Burke Lake Road at the entrance to Lake Braddock Secondary School.
Fairfax County has also received two federal grants totaling $7.2 million for three additional projects.
A $2.2 million grant will help construct missing walkway connections along Gunston Road between Richmond Highway and the Mason Neck Trail.
The remaining $5 million will support a redesign of Sunrise Valley Drive between the Innovation Metro station and Fairfax County Parkway to accommodate cycle tracks. It will also fund missing sidewalk links on Pohick Road between I-95 and Richmond Highway.