The Virginia Department of Transportation is seeking public input on potential changes to a key connection between Burke Centre and Fairfax County parkways.
An online survey open through next Wednesday (Jan. 21) asks community members to weigh in on proposed modifications to a half-mile stretch of Roberts Parkway, including the addition of a shared-use path and redesigns of the Burke Centre Parkway and Fairfax County Parkway intersections.
Supported by Fairfax County and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA), the Roberts Parkway study was identified as a high priority by VDOT’s Project Pipeline program, which evaluates notable corridors for projects that could be included in Virginia’s statewide transportation plan (VTrans) based on their cost effectiveness and how well they meet the state’s goals.
“Specifically, the [Roberts Parkway] corridor reflects mid-term (0-10 year) statewide needs related to congestion mitigation; improved access for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users; safety enhancements; and transportation demand management,” VDOT spokesperson Michael Murphy said by email.
Previous rounds of Project Pipeline, which started in 2021, included reviews of Little River Turnpike in Wakefield and Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) between Chain Bridge Road and I-495 in Tysons, among other areas.
For the Roberts Parkway study, VDOT considered possible “safety, operational, and multimodal improvements” after gathering public feedback last June.
The 1,245 participants in that initial survey singled out safety and traffic flow as the roadway’s top needs, while pointing to speeding and aggressive driving as their biggest safety concerns. Nearly all of the respondents said they travel Roberts Parkway in a personal vehicle, though a quarter said they walk and 15% ride a bicycle.
Now, the study team has narrowed down its recommended changes. Two alternatives each are on the table for the Fairfax County and Burke Centre parkway intersection redesigns:
Fairfax County Parkway
- Alternative 1
- Shift Fairfax County Parkway left-turn lanes “slightly” so drivers can better see past oncoming traffic
- Simplify traffic signal cycle to increase the “green-light time”
- Eliminate straight-thru and left-turn traffic from Karmich Street, requiring westbound drivers to turn right and make a U-turn at Burke Lake Road
- Alternative 2
- Create two left-turn lanes for eastbound Fairfax County Parkway drivers turning onto Roberts Parkway
- Shift westbound left-turn lane “to improve sightlines”
- Eliminate straight-thru and left-turn traffic from Karmich Street
Both scenarios would add a pedestrian refuge in the Fairfax County Parkway median and reconstruct ramps on the west side of the road.
According to VDOT’s survey, the changes are intended to reduce traffic backups during rush hour and improve visibility for drivers, especially those turning left from eastbound Fairfax County Parkway — a maneuver that has resulted in “many crashes.”
Burke Centre Parkway
- Alternative 1
- Shift left-turn lanes on Burke Centre Parkway to give drivers a better view of oncoming traffic
- Replace the existing, separate slip lane with standard right turns
- Extend the left turn lanes to reduce vehicle blocking
- Add pedestrian median refuges, ramps and a 6-foot-wide sidewalk on the south side of eastbound Burke Centre Parkway
- Alternative 2
- Add a second left-turn lane for drivers going from Burke Centre Parkway to northbound Roberts Parkway
- The pedestrian and sightline improvements in Alternative 1 would be included here too.
According to VDOT, existing issues at this intersection include frequent crashes for drivers making left turns, backups for left turns that sometimes block through traffic, and the lack of a continuous path for pedestrians and bicyclists, who “often feel unsafe” when going to the nearby Virginia Railway Express station and shopping centers.
In addition to widening the path on the west side of Roberts Parkway to 10 feet, the study recommends installing Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons for existing crosswalks and prohibiting parking within 25 feet on either side “to improve visibility and safety for pedestrians crossing the road.”
The study is currently scheduled to wrap up this August, though Murphy noted that it won’t lead to any immediate improvements.
“It’s important to note that Project Pipeline studies do not establish construction timelines,” he told FFXnow. “Instead, they produce actionable recommendations that localities may advance by pursuing federal, state, or local funding opportunities.”
The proposed changes to the Fairfax County Parkway intersection raised concerns for Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, whose district includes the study area.
In a newsletter released on Monday (Jan. 12), he expressed support for “most” of the Burke Centre Parkway recommendations but took issue with the elimination of through traffic and left turns from Karmich Street, which leads into a residential subdivision with about 30 homes.
Noting that he’s “a regular traveler” on that section of Fairfax County Parkway, he contended that “the real issue” when it comes to congestion and safety lies at Burke Lake Road.
“Putting additional strain on that intersection will increase northbound Fairfax County Parkway congestion and conflicts,” Herrity wrote. “Rather than putting in a double left at Roberts where there are no backups, our precious transportation funds should be used to place a double left at Burke Lake Road where it will reduce congestion and improve the quality of residents’ lives.”
Map via Google Maps
