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Fairfax County is seeking $463 million in regional transportation funds for “The One,” a planned bus rapid transit system serving the Richmond Highway corridor.
The project would connect Huntington and Fort Belvoir with nine stations along 7.4 miles of Richmond Highway, also known as Route 1. Utility relocation is underway, while construction is expected to begin in 2028 alongside the Virginia Department of Transportation’s planned widening of the highway.
The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority has already awarded Fairfax County $330 million for the transit project. The BRT system is estimated to cost nearly $987.3 million.
When funding for VDOT’s widening project is included, NVTA has invested a combined $638 million in the Richmond Highway corridor.
The BRT proposal is among 27 projects competing for money through NVTA’s fiscal 2026-2031 Six Year Program. Applications from eight Northern Virginia jurisdictions request a combined $1.265 billion.
Herndon seeks major changes for South Elden Street
The Town of Herndon is requesting $15.57 million to redesign a 0.4-mile section of South Elden Street between Sterling Road and Herndon Parkway.
The town’s plan would reduce the five-lane street to four travel lanes and add a raised median, dedicated turn lanes and an 8-foot-wide shared-use path. It also leaves room for potential bus rapid transit facilities.
Two BRT routes have been proposed for that section of Elden Street. Supporting work could include bus stops, pull-off bays and modified traffic signals, though exclusive bus lanes are considered unlikely.
Other planned upgrades include LED signals for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians; improved streetlights; ADA curb ramps; sidewalks; and paver crosswalks. The changes are intended to improve safety and movement for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and transit passengers.
Herndon has not previously received NVTA funding for this project. Its application would cover roughly half of the estimated $31.57 million cost.
Falls Church projects could benefit Fairfax travelers
Falls Church City submitted two proposals with potential effects beyond its boundaries: a shared-use path along Haycock Road and multimodal improvements on Annandale Road.
The city is seeking $15 million for a 10-foot-wide path on the east side of Haycock Road. The route would provide stronger connections among city schools, development near the West Falls Church Metro station and the Washington & Old Dominion Trail.
Falls Church is advancing the project alongside Fairfax County’s planned shared-use path on Shreve Road west of Leesburg Pike in Idylwood.
A separate $30 million request would fully fund improvements around Annandale Road’s intersections with South Washington Street and Hillwood Avenue. Plans call for wider sidewalks, bicycle facilities, crosswalks, ADA ramps, signal and intersection changes, and underground utility lines.
Although construction would occur entirely within Falls Church, changes to traffic patterns could extend into Fairfax County. The proposed design would shorten pedestrian crossings, tighten intersection geometry and narrow travel lanes to reduce conflicts and slow vehicles at two intersections the city considers especially uncomfortable for travelers.
Loudoun road would reach into Chantilly
Loudoun County is requesting $200 million for a four-lane collector road running parallel to Route 50 from Tall Cedars Boulevard to Route 28 in Chantilly, extending the project into Fairfax County.
The new road is intended to ease pressure on a section of Route 50 projected to carry an average of 95,400 trips per day by 2040. Plans include three signalized intersections, a 10-foot-wide shared-use path and upgrades at Willard Road, Stonecroft Boulevard, Pleasant Valley Road and other existing intersections.
The proposal also includes an improved Cub Run culvert and an underpass beneath a taxiway at the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. The project was developed through cooperation among Loudoun County, Fairfax County and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
NVTA has previously awarded Loudoun more than $55 million for the Route 50 North Collector Road. The full project is estimated to cost $400.7 million.
NVTA will accept public comments on the competing proposals until 11:59 p.m. May 17. A hybrid public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 14 at the authority’s offices at 2600 Park Tower Drive in Merrifield.
The authority is scheduled to adopt its new Six Year Program on July 9.