Officials from Fairfax County and the Virginia Department of Transportation recently gathered to celebrate the impending completion of a nearly 4-year-long, $94.4 million project aimed at alleviating a key bottleneck on Route 29, near the Centreville area.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay, Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith, Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, and VDOT officials cut a ceremonial ribbon on Oct. 8 to mark the end of the widening project, which extends for 1.5 miles between Union Mill Road and Buckleys Gate Drive.
The roadway was reconstructed and widened from four to six lanes — three in each direction — in order to improve traffic flow and improve accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists. Construction is expected to finish by the end of this fall.
“For years, this stretch of Route 29 was the last remaining four-lane bottleneck between Fairfax City and Centreville, so completing this project is an important milestone for our community,” McKay said in a press release. “This investment is about more than adding capacity. It means safer connections, better mobility and a transportation network that works better for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists alike. I’m grateful to our state, regional and local partners who worked together to get it done.”
According to VDOT, the project also:
- Corrected vertical alignment to improve sight distance.
- Added shared-use paths on both sides of Route 29.
- Provides connectivity to pedestrian/bicycle trails at the Fairfax County Parkway/West Ox Road interchange.
- Installed several noise barrier systems along Route 29 to reduce noise impacts for neighborhoods adjacent to the highway.
“This project is about more than adding lanes,” said VDOT Northern Virginia District Engineer Bill Cuttler. “It is about improving mobility, enhancing safety, and strengthening connectivity for the entire Route 29 community.”
The project, which launched in February 2023, was funded through federal, state, and county funding, as well as part of the concession fee from the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project Comprehensive Agreement.
Costs were initially projected at $97 million, with an estimated completion date of spring 2026, but in May 2024, the amount dropped to $94.4 million. However, Fairfax County’s financial contribution stayed unchanged at approximately $17.5 million, reflecting a $4.3 million increase due to inflation.
