Road Improvements at Braddock to Ease Traffic Flow

By Dave Andrews, Mason Gazette

By the end of May, Fairfax City officials anticipate the intersection of Braddock Road and Roberts Road, which borders the Fairfax Campus, will run more efficiently with an added turn lane, new traffic lights and ramped sidewalks.

The construction project will add a right turn lane from southbound Roberts Road to westbound Braddock Road — an area that sees heavy, slow-moving traffic during evening rush hour.

“Having separate turn lanes will alleviate much of the congestion at that intersection,” says Larry Ichter, Fairfax County transportation planner. “Things should run much more efficiently once the project is completed.”

New traffic lights will be installed and will include countdown pedestrian signals. Pedestrians crossing Braddock Road will see a timer of 30 seconds. Those crossing Roberts will be given 25 seconds to do so.

The Fairfax County Transportation Advisory Commission and Local Supervisors Office received suggestions last summer on how to improve the intersection.

The original project called for only one corner to be updated — the northwest corner where the right turn lane will be added. However, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) soon required that all four corners be updated to include ramped sidewalks.

Because of winter paving restrictions and traffic signal approval delays from VDOT, the contractor was unable to make progress during the last few months.

Now that VDOT approvals have been secured and the warmer springtime weather has arrived, work on the intersection resumed on April 7 for road paving, striping and signal installation. Ichter says the construction will have minimal impact on traffic, especially during normal commuting hours.