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The first public look at a plan to widen Route 7 through central Tysons will take place during a virtual information meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The Virginia Department of Transportation has spent about a year designing improvements for Leesburg Pike between Route 123 and the Capital Beltway. The project would prepare the corridor for future bus rapid transit service while addressing traffic, safety, and pedestrian access along a road traveled by an average of 76,000 vehicles each day.
Fairfax County’s Tysons comprehensive plan, amended by the Board of Supervisors in July 2023, calls for that section of Route 7 to become a six-lane boulevard with a median guideway reserved for bus rapid transit.
Accommodating the transit lanes while retaining three general travel lanes in each direction would require widening the road by the equivalent of two lanes. County plans also envision broader streetscapes with room for trees, landscaping, sidewalks, and other pedestrian amenities.
VDOT’s initial concept includes replacing some service roads with shared-use paths and adding turn lanes between Route 123 and International Drive/Gallows Road. Traffic signals would be replaced or upgraded where needed, while access-management changes are intended to reduce congestion and improve vehicle safety.
Numerous intersections and ramps would also receive high-visibility crosswalks, ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and accessible pedestrian signals.
VDOT said the project is intended to improve safety, traffic operations, and mobility for cyclists and pedestrians while making future bus rapid transit construction possible.
After Wednesday’s meeting, the agency will accept comments through an online form, email, and postal mail until May 14.
Transit plans take shape
The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission has spent years studying a Route 7 bus rapid transit line that would offer faster service between Tysons and the Mark Center in Alexandria. Current planning is focused on the final portion between Seven Corners and Alexandria.
Fairfax County’s 2023 comprehensive plan amendment established an anticipated route through Tysons. Buses would travel from the Spring Hill Metro station south on International Drive, turn onto Route 7 at Fletcher Street, and continue toward the West Falls Church Metro station area.
Most of the service would operate in dedicated lanes. Near the Spring Hill and West Falls Church stations, however, buses would enter either mixed traffic or Business Access and Transit lanes, which may also be used by turning vehicles.
Construction remains years away
VDOT has not completed its cost estimate for widening Route 7 between Route 123 and I-495. Fairfax County secured approximately $9.8 million for design work in 2022, using tax revenue from the Tysons Transportation Service District and road funding supported by developer fees.
State funding is also anticipated. In a February presentation to the transportation service district’s advisory board, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation estimated the entire project would cost $78.5 million.
VDOT expects to present a final design at a public hearing next spring. Right-of-way acquisition could begin in winter 2029-30, and construction is not expected to start before spring 2032.
A separate proposal to widen Route 7 through Pimmit Hills between I-495 and I-66 is also pending.