Route 29 from Jermantown Rd to Buckleys Gate Dr/Summit Dr

PLUS Record Number:
PA-2024-00008

Countywide Policy Plan Amendment

On December 3, 2024, the Board of Supervisors endorsed the findings and recommendations of the Route 29 Corridor Study and authorized the consideration of a Comprehensive Plan Amendment for Route 29 from Jermantown Road/Rust Road at the City of Fairfax line to Buckleys Gate Drive/Summit Drive near the Fairfax County Parkway (VA 286).  Currently this section of the Corridor is planned for grade separated interchanges at Legato Road, Monument Drive and Waples Mill Road/Shirley Gate Road.  

Background

On October 5, 2021, the Board of Supervisors authorized the Route 29 Corridor Study. The Route 29 Study Corridor spans approximately 2.9 miles, from Jermantown Road/Rust Road at the City of Fairfax line to Buckleys Gate Drive/Summit Drive near the Fairfax County Parkway (VA 286). The purpose of the study was to reassess the recommendations in the Comprehensive Plan, which currently include three grade-separated interchanges at Legato Road, Monument Drive, and Waples Mill Road/Shirley Gate Road, and evaluate active transportation facilities. The study took into consideration the long-term needs of the corridor and explored multimodal, context-sensitive solutions that serve all users and modes of transportation. 

The study found that at-grade solutions at intersections, including signal timing and turn lane improvements, would improve the flow of traffic throughout the corridor and be significantly less impactful to the community than grade-separated interchanges. To create a balanced set of recommendations for all users, the study also factored in pedestrian and bicyclist comfort and safety improvements along the corridor, and support for more context-sensitive, at-grade solutions in lieu of the interchanges that would be more compatible with the current vision for the Fairfax Center.