Fairfax County Parkway southbound traffic shift in Fairfax Station July 22

FAIRFAX STATION – Weather permitting, on Wednesday, July 22, a long-term traffic shift will occur along southbound Fairfax County Parkway (Route 286) between Burke Centre Parkway (Route 643) and Route 123 (Ox Road) as part of the Fairfax County Parkway south widening project, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

The southbound Fairfax County Parkway lanes in this stretch will be shifted to the left towards the median for the long term to allow for sound wall work.

To implement the shift, drivers can expect daytime lane closures, weather permitting, on this stretch of southbound Fairfax County Parkway on Monday, July 20; Tuesday, July 21; and Wednesday, July 22, between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day.

Drivers are asked to be alert and use caution in the work zones, particularly for any large equipment moving in and out of work areas.

The Fairfax County Parkway south widening project is:

• Widening about two miles of Fairfax County Parkway from four lanes to six between Route 123 and Nomes Court/Ladues End Lane.
• Adding a third travel lane on northbound Route 123 from Chapel Road to the southbound Fairfax County Parkway on-ramp.
• Installing concrete median barriers along tight curves and raised grass medians elsewhere along Fairfax County Parkway.
• Constructing a 10-foot-wide shared-use path along Fairfax County Parkway between Route 123 and Burke Centre Parkway.
• Making Fairfax County Parkway/Burke Centre Parkway intersection improvements including a new westbound Burke Centre Parkway free-flow right-turn lane.

• Adding a grade-separated bicyclist and pedestrian crossing just north of Burke Centre Parkway.
• Improving the Route 123 interchange by widening the beginning of the southbound Fairfax County Parkway ramp to Route 123 from one lane to two and adding a third left-turn lane on the ramp (the third left-turn lane is now open). 
• Enhancing the sound wall along southbound Fairfax County Parkway between Clara Barton Drive and Route 123.

The project is scheduled for completion in mid-2027.

The project area is adjacent to the Fairfax County Parkway widening north project, which began construction in June 2024 and is scheduled for completion in mid-2027, Once both projects are completed, Fairfax County Parkway will have six continuous through lanes on the approximately eight-mile stretch from Route 123 to Rugby Road (Route 750). The project is also near the Fairfax County Parkway and Popes Head Road interchange project, which began construction in December 2023 and is expected to be completed this fall. Last month, the traffic signal at Popes Head Road was removed and the interchange partially opened to traffic, eliminating what had been a major choke point on Fairfax County Parkway.

A temporary work zone speed limit of 45 mph is in place along Fairfax County Parkway between Route 123 and I-66. This reduced work zone speed limit will be in place for the remainder of construction for this project and the Fairfax County Parkway widening north project.

You can get traffic, work zone and incident information online at 511.vdot.virginia.gov, via the free mobile 511Virginia app, or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime.

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