Fairfax County Parkway (SR 286) is a limited-access expressway that carries heavy traffic through the bustling suburbs in Fairfax County in northern Virginia.
The Parkway begins near Fort Belvoir Army Base in the south and snakes through industrial areas, neighborhoods, parks and commercial areas. This busy corridor acts like a suburban outer beltway between I-95 and I-66 as it filters traffic to and from the county for work, recreation and business. The parkway has an average daily traffic count of approximately 68,000 vehicles.
VDOT and Branch photo
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is working with contractor Branch on two design-build projects to enhance this vital roadway. The first is constructing a grade-separated interchange where Popes Head Road (SR 654) crosses the parkway. This is a $49 million design-build job and is approximately 50 percent complete. The second is a $70 million job that will add a third travel lane to a 3.5-mi. section of the parkway. The Popes Head Road interchange is near the southern end of this project. The project is 10 percent complete. Jim Kreider is the project executive of Branch on both projects.
The intersection of the parkway and Popes Head Road has been aggravating commuters for some time. The wait time for vehicles at this signalized intersection could be as long as five minutes, which was the impetus for conversion to a grade-separated interchange. Future traffic on Popes Head Road will cross the parkway on two new bridges being built by Branch with ramp access for the parkway provided at three new roundabouts.
In addition to the work on the new Popes Head Road interchange and bridges, Branch will be doing ancillary work under the Popes Head Road contract on behalf of parks and pedestrians. The work will include:
• building a short section of the future Shirley Gate Road extension enabling drivers and pedestrians to access the future Patriot Park;
• constructing a shared-use path connecting the Fairfax County Parkway Trail to the future Patriot Park;
• rebuilding the Fairfax County Parkway Trail, a path that parallels the parkway and connects to numerous other trails in the county; and
• constructing sidewalks and connecting roundabouts in the community.
"We began the project in late 2023 by clearing the area, establishing erosion controls and beginning work on the embankments," said Kreider. "To build the three major embankments, we needed a significant amount of fill material. We secured the material from other contractors who had surplus dirt from projects they were working on in the region."
Branch teamed with other specialists to monitor and mitigate the potential for encountering a seam of naturally occurring asbestos within the project footprint.
"Our team put in considerable time and effort planning for monitoring and mitigation strategies to ensure work that may impact naturally occurring asbestos material, if present, was controlled and risk of exposure to our employees and the public was minimized," said Kreider. "We tested and monitored the work daily. This was especially important during earthwork operations into in-situ soils. An important practice was to continuously apply water to the in-situ material being disturbed to minimize the potential for asbestos particles to become airborne. In the end, our team successfully navigated this challenging situation and minimized the potential for exposure to our employees and the public."
The construction team also utilized detours and performed some work activities at night. This approach has minimized delays to the traveling public and enabled workers to do their work more safely.
VDOT and Branch photo
"Safety governs everything we do," said Chris McRobbie, project manager of both jobs. "Safety and quality are always at the forefront of our minds."
The three roundabouts will be elevated approximately 15-20 ft. above the parkway.
"We expect the flow of traffic will be greatly improved because of the work at Popes Head Road, removal of traffic signals and modernization," McRobbie said.
Both new bridges at the Popes Head Road interchange will be constructed with steel plate girders integrated into the abutments. Having set all girders in May, the construction team will be pouring the superstructure concrete for the cast-in-place bridges this summer with paving to follow.
Asphalt for the Popes Head Road project will be produced and placed by Branscome Paving Company from its plant in Manassas, Va.
Parkway Adds Lanes
As the Popes Head Road project moves toward the finish line, the parkway widening project is off to a good start. The two new lanes will be created within the current median. McRobbie described an efficient operation of full-depth construction within a median work zone protected by temporary concrete barriers so there is minimal disruption from surrounding traffic. At completion of the interior widening work, the remaining grass median will vary from 4 to 8 ft. wide.
The new lanes will be topped with a stone matrix asphalt (SMA) course and will be a total of 12.5 in. thick. Beneath the SMA will be a 3-in. open-graded drainage layer that will absorb water and direct it into storm drains placed at strategic points along the road. A cement-treated aggregate will form the bottom layer and provide strong support for the road structure.
Branch has teamed with Allan Myers to produce and place the parkway asphalt.
The parkway expansion from four lanes to six will require work on existing bridges at two locations.
"We will be using steel plate girders to widen the bridges at Braddock Road and Lee Highway, said McRobbie."
McRobbie believes the efforts will make a difference for motorists in Fairfax County.
"These two projects will provide a better traveling pattern for motorists," he said. "People who regularly drive the parkway will no longer be impeded by the Popes Head Road intersection and the neighborhoods on Popes Head Road will enjoy better connectivity." CEG
