Key Route 7 intersection to open this spring, as road widening continues

The widening of Route 7 is roughly 60% complete, remaining on schedule for completion by July 2024.

The $314 million project is expanding Route 7 from four to six lanes with significant updates at 19 intersections and shared-use paths along both sides of the road between Reston and Tysons. Other projects include replacing the bridge over Difficult Run.

A virtual meeting on the next phase of the project is planned for Tuesday (April 19) at 7 p.m. Virginia Department of Transportation representatives will be available to discuss the project and answer questions.

The next big ticket item is the construction of the new Lewinsville Road intersection, which is scheduled t0 open later this spring near Wolf Trap. The intersection includes a displaced left-turn lane from eastbound Route 7 to Lewinsville Road.

VDOT plans to temporarily configure the intersection in May, according to VDOT spokesperson Kathleen Leonard.

“Lewinsville Road will be realigned to an intersection with Route 7 across from the east entrance to McLean Bible Church,” Leonard told FFXnow. “Traffic signals at the east and west entrances to McLean Bible Church will be coordinated to maximize throughput at this busy intersection and the final configuration is expected to be completed later this fall.”

A displaced left-turn lane allows left-turn vehicles to cross to the other side of opposing through-traffic before the main intersection. An online simulation of the changes is available online.

The project is expected to clear a major milestone this fall, when three lanes of traffic in each direction open along nearly two miles of Route 7 between Reston Avenue and Riva Ridge Drive.