Proposed Route 7 Bus Rapid Transit Locations To Get County Review (2024)

Recommendations for Bus Rapid Transit stations and the route will be up for county review after two upcoming community meetings.

Posted Thu, Jun 1, 2023 at 1:12 pm ET

The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission is leading the planning for a new Bus Rapid Transit system in the Route 7 corridor from the Mark Center in Alexandria to Tysons. The system will run through Bailey’s Crossroads and Seven Corners in Fairfax County and the City of Falls Church.

As FFX Now reported, Tysons to West Falls Church would be the first Bus Rapid Transit segment before it is later extended through Falls Church to Alexandria. The project is in the fourth and final phase of study by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission to study impacts and benefits of Bus Rapid Transit from Tysons to Seven Corners.

Fairfax County's transportation department started a more detailed study of the route between West Falls Church and Tysons. Now, county staff will present recommended Bus Rapid Transit station locations and other details about the route.

An amendment to the county's comprehensive plan will be required to proceed with the project with the Bus Rapid Transit route, bus lanes and stations. The plan amendment is expected to go to the Fairfax County Planning Commission in June and Board of Supervisors in July.

The Board of Supervisors previously endorsed the Spring Hill Metro as the originating station with a route through International Drive instead of Route 7 due to "the least impact to traffic congestion of the alternatives, and the overall expansion of high-quality transit with Tysons," according to the county's website. Other options had included a route with more of Route 7 and a stop at the Greensboro Metro and a route ending at the Tysons Metro not far from Tysons Corner Center.

The recommended route includes bus and turn only lanes and mixed traffic lanes between the Spring Hill Metro originating station and the next stop, the Lincoln Station on International Drive. Much of the remaining route to the West Falls Church Metro would feature a median busway with stations including Greensboro International Station on International Drive near Tysons Galleria, Fletcher Street Station near Tysons Corner Center, Fashion Boulevard Station, George Marshall Station near the high school, and Patterson Road Station near two shopping centers. East of Interstate 66, mixed traffic would be in place for the proposed Chestnut Street and West Falls Church Metro stops.

The proposed Bus Rapid Transit system would continue into the City of Falls Church along Route 7, to the East Falls Church Metro, through Seven Corners and Bailey's Crossroads and into the City of Alexandria.

lternative 1, with the addition of a BRT station at George C. Marshall Drive and Route 7 at the request of Supervisor Palchik and allowed staff to proceed with a Plan Amendment to incorporate the proposed BRT corridor and stations into the Comprehensive Plan.

Residents can learn more about the proposed plan amendment for the Tysons to West Falls Church segment at the virtual public meetings through Microsoft Teams. They will be held at noon on Wednesday, June 7, and 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 8.

Here are the details for the meetings:

June 7

• Meeting ID: 292 187 085 877, Passcode: 8vPzDL
• Dial In: 571-429-5982, Phone Conference ID: 229 698 159#

June 8

• Meeting ID: 224 235 695 952, Passcode: otpKw4
• Dial In: 571-429-5982, Phone Conference ID: 857 803 603#

Once the meeting information is available, residents can provide feedback through July 10 on the study page or by mail to FCDOT, Attn: Route 7 BRT, 4050 Legato Road, Suite 400, Fairfax, VA 22033.