Fairfax County is ramping up property demolitions in anticipation of its long-planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system along Richmond Highway.
Transportation officials shared during an in-person public meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 15 that nine buildings have already been cleared to make way for the project. Another 21 demolitions are scheduled by the end of 2025 as the county works to prepare the corridor for utility relocations in 2026 and eventual construction in 2028.
Dubbed “The One,” the BRT system is designed to improve transit in the Route 1 corridor with dedicated bus lanes, nine stations, and fully electric buses. The $937 million project has been divided into two segments: Fairfax County will manage the first phase, from the Huntington Metro Station to Sherwood Hall Lane, while the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will oversee the stretch from Sherwood Hall Lane to Fort Belvoir as part of its Richmond Highway widening project.
Officials hope the segmented approach will keep the project on track despite delays that have pushed its anticipated completion to 2033, three years later than originally planned. VDOT has agreed to construct some of the bus-only lanes, which is expected to save 16 months in construction time.
More demolitions in the queue
Fairfax County officials say demolishing vacant and soon-to-be-vacated buildings is necessary to keep the project on track.
Last fall, the Board of Supervisors approved a resolution to fast-track acquisitions of 13 commercial and residential parcels, including a Wells Fargo bank, a pet hospital, and a hotel.
At last week’s public meeting, Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) planner Vanessa Aguayo said the county has already acquired 37 properties as part of its right-of-way efforts, with more acquisitions in progress.
“Buildings have been demolished on about nine properties,” she said. “… Seven properties are currently vacant, and we are in the process of continuing with our demolition of 21 additional properties by the end of [2025].”
So far, FCDOT has demolished seven properties along Richmond Highway, including six residences and the former Alexandria Motel. Two additional properties are slated for demolition within the next one to two months, a spokesperson for FCDOT said.
Properties demolished by FCDOT
- 6411 Richmond Highway (former Alexandria Motel)
- 3103 Collard Street (residence)
- 7004 Richmond Highway (residence)
- 3012 Popkins Lane (residence)
- 3007 Preston Avenue (residence)
- 3100 Collard Street (residence)
- 7024 Richmond Highway (residence)
Properties scheduled to be demolished by FCDOT
- 7020 Richmond Highway (residence)
- 6821 Richmond Highway (residence)
FCDOT declined to provide the addresses of other properties that have been acquired, noting that they are currently occupied and lack a finalized demolition schedule.
“We are working closely with landowners and tenants to minimize disruptions and facilitate smooth transitions to relocation sites,” FCDOT said. “Out of respect to current tenants, and as we are still finalizing communication with property owners of future sites, we prefer to not publish the remaining addresses.”
FCDOT previously shared that the first segment of construction will impact 228 properties, while the second segment, managed by VDOT, will affect 191 properties.
Reactions from community members
Residents at the meeting expressed both support for and apprehension about the BRT project.
Jim Klein, a cyclist and local advocate, was optimistic about the planned improvements to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, saying wider sidewalks and protected bike lanes would be “fantastic” and could encourage more people to bike to work and around the area.
“It’s a great project,” he said. “If I had a protected bike lane like that, I would use it to ride to work.”
Others, however, were wary of the impact on traffic and accessibility during construction. Curtis Watts, a federal contractor who lives along Richmond Highway, voiced concerns about the potential for increased congestion during the lengthy construction phase of the project.
“Initially, with the construction, you’re going to have traffic delays,” Watts said.
Watts also questioned the project’s practicality, suggesting that for many federal employees and contractors like himself, the new bus system may fall short of driving in terms of convenience and efficiency.
“One of the biggest issues I have with using mass transit is either catching the bus or parking at Huntington station,” he said. “It’s $5 a day for parking. Then I have to get on Huntington, take it down to Metro Center or L’Enfant Plaza to get on another train to head over to Anacostia station. So, it’s like leave the house and do like a 40-minute commute in the car… or have to leave two hours to allow for the transit and the trains going back and forth to make it over there.”
The next public meeting is expected to take place in late spring, where county officials will provide updates on the project’s design progress, upcoming demolitions and community outreach efforts. Residents will also have opportunities to give feedback on station designs and proposed adjustments to the corridor.
