Rt. 7/659 (Belmont Ridge Road) Interchange Now Fully Open to Traffic

The last interchange ramp for the Route7/659 (Belmont Ridge Road) project opened to traffic yesterday, Monday, Aug. 6. The opening of the final interchange ramp opens movements on and off of the fully functioning interchange bridge.

The project included designing and constructing a grade-separated interchange at the intersection of Route 7 and Belmont Ridge Road and the widening of existing Belmont Ridge Road, from a two-lane roadway to a four-lane, median-divided roadway with associated pedestrian facilities, between Route 7 and Gloucester Parkway. The project removed the last traffic signal on Route 7 between Lexington Drive and Battlefield Parkway, accomplishing the county's goal of transforming Route 7 into a limited-access highway. The new interchange has improved roadway safety and mobility. Additionally, bicycle and pedestrian facilities on Route 659 have been constructed within the project limits.

The Board of Supervisors, the Virginia Department of Transportation and others recognized this significant milestone in the project during a ceremony on July 27. While the opening of the ramp puts the interchange into full functionality, construction of the project is not scheduled to be complete until February 2019.

Updates and notices for the Route 7/659 Interchange project construction phase can be found at www.loudoun.gov/route7-659. Questions about the project may be directed to the Loudoun County Department of Transportation & Capital Infrastructure at route7-659@loudoun.gov.

 

Loudoun Transit Announces Bus Service Route Changes

In a continuing effort to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Loudoun County Transit bus service, a number of schedule changes will go into effect throughout the month of July.

The modifications include new routes and stops for the Local Fixed-Route and Premium Commuter Bus services and the elimination of some routes due to low ridership. In addition, the fare for the Commuter Bus service to and from Loudoun County to Washington D.C. will increase by $1 dollar for both SmarTrip ($10) and cash fares ($11) effective July 23.

The schedule changes include:

Local Bus Service ~ New Routes and Schedule Changes

• Route 985 - Will provide a new, direct connection from Sterling Park to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station. Began July 2.
• Routes 990/992/993/994 - New schedule times serving Pacific Boulevard, Quantam Park and AOL. Began July 2.
• Route 70 - Adds stop on Exchange Street in One Loudoun. Began July 2.
• Route 72 - Adds stop on Exchange Street in One Loudoun; discontinues service on Russell Branch Parkway, west of One Loudoun. Began July 2.
• Route 87X - Buses will now run every 40 to 50 minutes from Dulles Town Center to Wiehle-Reston East. Begins July 16.
• Route 88X - New service to Stone Ridge Village Center and Stone Springs Hospital. Begins July 16.

Discontinued Routes
The following Local Bus routes were discontinued as of July 2.

• Route 83 - Pacific Connector
• Route 991 - Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station to Loudoun County

Premium Commuter Bus Service
The Commuter Bus service changes affect the Leesburg, Harmony and Purcellville routes. The changes are effective July 16. 

Park and Ride Lots

• The Purcellville Park and Ride lot is moving to 412 Browning Court in Purcellville, which will provide more parking spaces than the current park and ride lot. To relieve overcrowding at the Harmony Park and Ride lot, Routes 407 and 415 will add stops at the Purcellville Park and Ride lot.
• The Christian Fellowship Church Park and Ride lot will close, with the last day of service scheduled for Friday, July 13. Routes will be split between the Loudoun Station Park and Ride lot and Dulles North Transit Center.

New Routes and Schedule Changes

• Route 823 - This new afternoon route from Washington D.C. will drop off at Harmony and Purcellville Park and Ride lots.
• Route 802 - The final stop will be Leesburg.
• Route 818 - Will pick up in Rosslyn at 5:34 p.m.

Discontinued Route

• Route 815 - Rosslyn to Loudoun

More information, including links to the new schedules, may be found at www.loudoun.gov/BusChanges.

 

Missing Link of Mooreview Parkway in Loudoun is Now Open to Traffic

Construction of the missing link of Mooreview Parkway in eastern Loudoun County is now complete and the new segment is open to traffic.

The 3,200 feet of four-lane, median-divided roadway serves as an extension of Ashburn Village Boulevard on the south side of the Dulles Greenway and allows drivers to travel through the heart of Ashburn from Loudoun County Parkway to Ashburn Village Boulevard. 
 
The new road segment, located between Croson Lane and Old Ryan Road, has a shared use path on one side of the road and a sidewalk on the other.  It provides access to Moorefield Station Elementary School as well as to the future Moorefield Community Park and the future Ashburn Silver Line Metrorail Station.
 
Construction began in the spring of 2017. The total cost of the project was $9.678 million. The funding sources were:

• Local Tax Funding: $7.5 million
• Gas Tax: $1.8 million
• Northern Virginia Transportation Authority 30% Local Distribution Fund: $324,600

Under an agreement with the developers of the Moorefield Station community, the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation will repay the county for its cost to construct the Mooreview Parkway extension.

 

Sobriety Checkpoint in Loudoun County Tonight, Friday, July 6

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office will conduct a sobriety checkpoint this evening, Friday July 6, beginning shortly after 10 p.m. 

Members of the Loudoun Sheriff's Office Auxiliary Unit and volunteers from the Loudoun Chapter of MADD will assist with the checkpoint.

"The sobriety checkpoint is a reminder to residents to make the smart choice, don't drink and drive," said Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman.

 

Loudoun County Vehicle Decal Requirement Eliminated

Loudoun County vehicle owners no longer have to display a Loudoun County decal on their vehicle's windshield.

The Board of Supervisors eliminated the decal requirement effective July 1, 2018, converting the vehicle decal fee to a $25 annual vehicle license fee requirement. Billing for the license fee will begin in 2019. Residents of the county's incorporated towns should contact their town government for specific information about decal requirements for town residents.

In a concurrent move, the Board of Supervisors approved the Treasurer's Office assuming responsibility for the billing, collection, and administration of real and personal property taxes in the incorporated towns. Memorandums of Agreement have been completed with Hillsboro, Leesburg, Lovettsville, Middleburg and Round Hill. Billing for real estate taxes will begin January 1, 2019. Billing for personal property taxes will begin January 1, 2020. The towns of Purcellville and Hamilton are not participating.

With the transition from decals to license fees, Project Fairness – an enforcement method for vehicle decals – has been eliminated. The responsibility for personal property tax enforcement has moved to the Commissioner of the Revenue's Office.

For questions about the new vehicle license fee, contact the Office of the Treasurer at 703-777-0280 or email taxes@loudoun.gov.

Pedestrian Bridge Work to Require Lane and Road Closures in July

Beginning on or about Friday night, July 6, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project crews will begin installing electrical, plumbing and fire suppression equipment on the underside of the pedestrian bridges that cross over the Dulles International Airport Access Highway (DIAAH) and Dulles Toll Road (DTR). The work is expected to continue through the month of July.

The work will take place at night, over weekends (with the possible exception of a Thursday night at Reston Station's south pedestrian bridge), between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. To ensure the safety of the traveling public, road and lane closures and possible short duration traffic stoppages will be utilized, depending on the location of the work each night.

Individual notifications will be issued detailing the traffic control methods specific to each operation and provide directions for any detours that may be required.  All work is weather dependent and subject to change.

For general project information visit www.dullesmetro.com or 703-572-0506.

Dulles Greenway Night Closures Set to Begin Monday, June 25 for Work on Rt. 772 Transit Connector Bridge

Loudoun County officials announce upcoming planned nighttime lanes closures on the Dulles Greenway to accommodate work on the Route 772 Transit Connector Bridge on the Dulles Greenway. The work is scheduled to begin the night of Monday, June 25, continuing through Friday, June 29, weather permitting. Law enforcement personnel will be onsite during the work and electronic signage also will be in place during all lane closures.

The work will be performed in two parts:

• The removal of the overhangs and shielding that cross the westbound Greenway lanes will be completed on Monday and Tuesday (June 25 and 26). This work will be completed using double-lane closures of the Greenway beginning at 8 p.m. each night.  All lanes will be opened by 5 a.m.
• The removal of the overhangs and shielding that cross the eastbound Greenway lanes will be completed on Wednesday and Thursday (June 27 and 28). This work will also be completed using double-lane closures of the Greenway, beginning at 7 p.m. each night.  All lanes will be opened by 5 a.m.
  

The Route 772 Transit Connector Bridge is located between Exit 6, Ashburn Village Boulevard, and Exit 7, Loudoun County Parkway, on the Dulles Greenway. The bridge is an extension of existing Metro Center Drive and spans the entire Dulles Greenway to provide access to the planned north and south parking garages planned for the Silver Line Metrorail, as well as all other infrastructure and roadways in that vicinity. The bridge has a shared use path for pedestrian traffic, as well as north and southbound lanes for vehicular traffic.

Questions about the removal of scaffolding and shielding should be sent to Ron Mallory of Loudoun County Department of Transportation & Capital Infrastructure at 703-737-8822 or ronald.mallory@loudoun.gov.

More information, including detailed descriptions of the planned lane closures, is online at www.loudoun.gov/Route772.

Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to Hold Transit Summit June 25

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has scheduled a Transit Summit for Monday, June 25, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E. in Leesburg.

 

The summit is intended to provide Board members with a dedicated opportunity to discuss transit, one of the Board's strategic focus areas. Representatives of the Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure will provide the Board with updates on a number of topics, including: 

• The county's efforts to ensure that Loudoun County bus stops are accessible to those with disabilities;  
• A study evaluating Dulles North Transit Center parking alternatives to address conditions that may occur once the Loudoun Gateway Metrorail Station and the Loudoun County-operated Gateway Parking Garage are operational; 
• The public process and timeline used by Loudoun Transit and Commuter Services for soliciting, receiving, and evaluating service requests from the public and other stakeholders for inclusion in the transit operating budget; and
• The transition of the Metro-Connection and Local Fixed-Route Bus Services to a combined system and plans for the bus service after Phase 2 of the Dulles Metrorail Silver Line opens in Loudoun County. 

In addition, representatives of the Transit Advisory Board and the Disability Services Board are scheduled to provide comments to the Board of Supervisors on transit-related matters.

 

The Transit Summit will be available for viewing on Comcast Government Channel 23, Open Band Channel 40, Verizon FiOS Channel 40 and at www.loudoun.gov/webcast.

 

Loudoun County Officials Praise NVTA Adoption of $1.285 Billion Six Year Transportation Program

Loudoun County officials are applauding the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's adoption of its first six-year transportation program, which includes dozens of projects designed to reduce traffic congestion throughout the region. 

 

"It is an honor to be part of this historic milestone for the Authority," said Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis J. Randall, who also serves as vice chairman of the NVTA. "The 44 projects in our first Six Year Program will deliver major improvements throughout the region that will not just relieve congestion but improve the quality of life for all Northern Virginians."

 

Randall said that Loudoun County projects are receiving $508.7 million, which is approximately 21 percent of the available funds in the six-year program. The Loudoun projects are: 

• Dulles West Boulevard Widening: Loudoun County Parkway to Northstar Boulevard 
• Evergreen Mills Road Intersection Realignments: Watson Road and Reservoir Road
• Northstar Boulevard: Shreveport Drive to Tall Cedars Parkway
• Prentice Drive Extension: Lockridge Road to Shellhorn Road
• Route 9 Traffic Calming 
• Route 15 Bypass Widening: Battlefield Parkway to Montresor Road
• Route 28 Northbound Widening: Between Dulles Toll Road and Sterling Boulevard 
• Shellhorn Road Extension: Loudoun County Parkway to Randolph Drive

Leading up to the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2018-2023 Six Year Program, the NVTA hosted a variety of public meetings and forums to gather feedback from Northern Virginians on the candidate projects, receiving more than 1,200 comments during the public comment period.

 

Through previous funding programs and with the newly adopted NVTA Six Year Program, the regional transportation planning, programming and funding body is now funding 122 regionally significant, multimodal transportation projects, totaling more than $1.975 billion in transportation investments in Northern Virginia. 

 

More information about the NVTA is available at thenovaauthority.org.