Photo by Susannah Moore
When you cross I-495 from Alexandria into Fairfax County on Route 1 or take the I-495 offramp going south, you are greeted by an eclectic mix of car dealerships, abandoned buildings, old motels and high rise apartments or offices. It’s not exactly an ideal place to ride your bike or walk your dog.
Plans to transform this gateway into Fairfax County have been in the works for a decade and on Wednesday, the plans got one step closer to reality.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission passed two motions this week, recommending the approval of changes to the current area plan to make those plans more compatible with the larger Embark Plan Amendment for the Richmond Highway Corridor Area nearby. Those changes are outlined in a county staff recommendations document here.
More specifically, staff recommends increasing the density in some portions of the North Gateway area from 1.65 FAR to 2.0 FAR (floor area ratio), allowing parcel consolidation for larger developments, and recreating the road network with the potential to create trail connections across Richmond Highway with the planned Cameron Run and existing Mount Vernon trails.
Image courtesy of Fairfax County
This would include creating compact, walkable blocks with green spaces. Heights of buildings could vary, with higher buildings concentrated on the northern end towards the Beltway. There would be an increase in residential units as opposed to commercial space, but the plan would still allow for 720,000 square feet of non-residential use.
One of the largest parts of the proposed plan is improving vehicular traffic flow in the area, particularly at the intersection of Fort Hunt and Richmond Highway where many drivers access the on-ramp to I-495. The current adopted plan calls for a grade-separated interchange at that intersection but County staff said this idea would “not promote a safe, walkable and bicycle-friendly environment…[and] may also require significant land acquisition.”
Image courtesy of Fairfax County
Proposed Hybrid Plus Option
Instead, VDOT approved the idea for a Hybrid Plus Option for the intersection. This option would eliminate northbound and southbound left hand turns onto Fort Hunt Road from Richmond Highway. Instead, drivers would take Old Richmond Highway to Huntington Avenue in order to turn left on Fort Hunt Road. It would also create an additional right hand turn lane for drivers trying to access I-495 North towards Maryland. These changes would allow for a longer green light for traffic flowing on Richmond Highway and relieve the congestion at that intersection.
Improvements to make the area more friendly to different modes of transportation like walking, biking and public transit are also in the works. This would involve the creation of trails, sidewalks and networks including a “livability spine” which is a pedestrian corridor and park area, that would connect Fort Hunt Road to Cameron Run Terrace.
Efforts to reduce impervious surfaces, plant trees and preserve, enhance and restore the natural environment of the area would also be part of the new proposal. This could include improved stormwater management and recovering and restoring piped streams in the area as well as increasing green spaces and potential for outdoor recreational spaces.
Members of the public voiced some concern over the impacts on traffic and quality of life, in particular for residents of the Belle Haven on the Green townhouse community. Planning Commission members also wanted to know about the flexibility of the proposed office space in light of a shift towards remote working. Overall both the public speakers and commission members were excited about the project, which is the result of many years of work to transform the look and function of the area and bring economic opportunity.
The plan will be reviewed by the Board of Supervisors at a meeting scheduled for Dec. 1 at 4 p.m. The project could then face years of refining before it is designed and implemented, but for now it is a step in the right direction for the Richmond Highway Corridor.
