Planning has started for a $196 million bridge over the Dulles Toll Road, connecting Fairfax and Louden counties.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a project agreement with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) on Aug. 2 for the Rock Hill Road Bridge, FFXNow has reported.
The bridge at the intersection of Rock Hill Road and Davis Drive, would connect Sunrise Valley Drive over the toll road to Innovation Avenue in Loudoun County.
There will be a new four-lane road with bicycle lanes and a sidewalk on both sides, providing direct connections with the Innovation Center Metro Station area.
“The project will provide additional capacity across the Dulles Corridor, reduce congestion and delay on Route 28 and Centreville Road, and improve accessibility and mobility to and within the area surrounding the Innovation Center Metrorail Station,” county staff said in a memo.
Currently, the Virginia Department of Transportation is competing a feasibility study, which is expected to conclude in early fall.
The study will include information on the conceptual design for the preferred design, cross section features, the bridge’s type, size, and exact location, as well as cost estimates and timeline.
It is uncertain when construction would start, but it is expected to several years in the future.
“Over the next few years, staff will identify ways to fund the project through various pools of money,” FFXNow reported. “For now, the project is partially funded with NVTA’s regional funds.
The vote “simply secures a project agreement between the NVTA and the county by allocating $20.6 million for the project.”
