Transportation

Fairfax County, Virginia

CONTACT INFORMATION: Our office is open 8:00 AM-4:30 PM M-F

703-877-5600
TTY 711

4050 Legato Road, Suite 400
Fairfax, VA 22033

Tom Biesiadny,
Director

Route 7 Bus Rapid Transit Study

News and Information

Virtual Meeting Held March 19 and 24; Comments Closed April 16, 2021

The Route 7 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Study intends to provide details on how a BRT system would function in Tysons from Spring Hill Metrorail Station to the I-66 interchange. After developing and testing potential BRT routes in Tysons, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation held a second round of public meeting on the Route 7 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Study on March 19 and 24, 2021, to present alternatives for potential alignment along with station locations and to seek public feedback and comments.

For those unable to attend the events, meeting materials are available: 

The study team can be reached:

  • Electronically through the red feedback button at the bottom of this page
  • In writing to FCDOT, Attn: Route 7 BRT, 4050 Legato Road, Suite 400, Fairfax, VA 22033
  • Calling 703-877-5600, TTY 711
Background

Route 7 BRT Alternatives MapThe Route 7 BRT Study, led by FCDOT and in collaboration with Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), will provide recommendations for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Tysons from the Spring Hill Metrorail Station to the I-66 interchange regarding alignment, runningway, roadway cross section and station locations.

The study is based on the Envision Route 7 Corridor Transit Study, undertaken by Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC), which identified BRT as the preferred transit alternative for Route 7, from the Mark Center to Tysons. To complement NVTC’s study and to effectively plan for the future, FCDOT is conducting a more detailed study of the BRT within Tysons. The study intends to provide the below information:

  • BRT alignment, terminal station, and how the buses will turn around.
  • Type of transit runningway that BRT would operate in (i.e. curb running, median running, bus and turn only (BAT) lane, mixed traffic).
  • Roadway cross sections.
  • BRT station locations.

The study will consider how the BRT will affect pedestrian and bicycle activity, vehicular traffic, and other transit in the area and how it will integrate with other ongoing planning efforts under consideration. The resulting recommendation will guide the implementation of the Route 7 BRT within Tysons.

Timeline and Next Steps

Route 7 BRT StudyThe study commenced in October 2018 and is expected to be completed by Spring/Summer 2021.

FCDOT staff held a stakeholder meeting on the Route 7 BRT study on March 11, 2020, at in the Marshall High School cafeteria (F102), 7731 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church. 

Fairfax County will continue to reach out to stakeholders along the proposed route(s) regarding the proposed alternatives and to gather feedback and comments. 

Stay in touch with the Route 7 BRT Study and FCDOT:

  • Visit this webpage for project updates and meeting notices
  • Receive notifications to your phone or email by subscribing to Fairfax Alerts
  • Follow FCDOT on Facebook

FCDOT ensures nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you need this information in an alternate format or would like to request reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact FCDOT at 703-877-5600, TTY 711. Requests for assistance must be received at least 7 business days in advance of an event.

Community Meetings - Fall 2018

FCDOT held its first round of public meetings on the Fairfax County & Franconia-Springfield Parkways Alternatives Analysis and Long Term Planning in October 2018. Study input on future corridor enhancements for the Parkways, based on residents’ personal experiences and desires for multimodal access, connectivity and overall operations. Attendees learned more about the study and took part in activities to give feedback on what they envision for the Parkways. More than 200 people attended meetings that were held along the corridor:

  • Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, at Navy Elementary School, 3500 West Ox Road, Fairfax
  • Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, at Sangster Elementary School, 7420 Reservation Drive, Springfield
  • Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, at Armstrong Elementary School, 11900 Lake Newport Road, Reston

An online survey was open for a month and a half to collect feedback, and strong public participation15,150 responses led to the removal of tolling along the parkway as one of the approved strategies for improvement. A summary of the October 2018 community meetings was presented to the Board Transportation Committee on Feb. 12, 2019. The presentation can be viewed as a PowerPoint file or video below:

Study Activities and Schedule

The anticipated schedule of the Long-Range Planning Study includes:

  • Public Outreach #1 – Identify Future Deficiencies and Needs within the 30+ Mile Corridor (October 2018)
  • Refine Improvement Strategies (Winter 2019)
  • Public Outreach #2 – Present Refined Improvement Strategies, Identify Preferences Throughout Corridors (Spring 2019)
  • Process Public Feedback, Develop and Test Preliminary Alternatives (Summer 2019 to Winter 2020)
  • Public Outreach #3 – Present Preliminary Findings and Recommendations (Spring/Summer 2020)
  • Refine and Finalize Study Recommendations, Complete Documentation (Fall 2020)
  • Board Endorsement of Final Study Report (July 2021)
  • Comprehensive Plan Amendment Process (Winter 2023)

NVTC Envision Route 7 Study

  • NVTC completed Phase III of the Envision Route 7 Corridor Transit Study in Fall 2019, which involved the development of planning level drawings of the BRT alignment, right-of-way requirements, and roadway geometry (e.g., typical sections and critical vertical clearance) along the corridor. The development of a concept level design will help identify and allow for mitigation strategies of possible fatal flaws or locations of concerns, including issues related to right-of-way and/or structural limitations that would (or would not) accommodate the proposed BRT (e.g., exclusive lane). Envision Route 7 BRT Phase IV - Mobility Analysis Study is currently being developed and planned.
  • For more information on how BRT was identified as the transit technology to serve the Route 7 corridor and the findings from early and ongoing phase of Envision Route 7, visit NVTC’s Envision Route 7 webpage.
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