Fairfax County residents have another partial road closure in Fairfax that will allow them to travel and exercise safely. A short segment of one eastbound lane of the Government Center Parkway will be temporarily closed for dedicated pedestrian and bicyclist use. This temporary closure provides Fairfax County residents an improved and safer option for outdoor recreation while maintaining social distancing practices during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The duration of the closure will depend on the rate of continued reopening following the reductions of COVID-19 related restrictions.

As seen from the project map, the eastbound right-turn lane of the Government Center Parkway will be closed between driveways past Ridge Top Road and prior to Waples Mill Road. The closure creates a connection to existing sidewalks on both ends along Government Center Parkway bridging a gap where no sidewalk currently exists.

In the spring of 2020, the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling (FABB) and others requested Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) consider this solution to support active transportation during COVID-19. FCDOT and VDOT partnered to identify suitable locations and initially implement a temporary closure of .5 mile of one northbound lane of Tysons Boulevard for dedicated pedestrian and bicyclist which has been in place since May 29, 2020. These temporary road closures are permitted through VDOT and funded by Fairfax County.

FCDOT and VDOT will continue to closely monitor traffic conditions and will reassess the partial closures of Tysons Boulevard and Government Center Parkway if traffic patterns change. The data collected as part of these project will also be used to support assessment of future transportation projects.