The Virginia Department of Transportation announced on March 20 that short-term traffic shifts will begin the week of March 23 along northbound Fairfax County Parkway (Route 286) between Route 123 (Ox Road) and Clara Barton Drive, as well as on both directions of Route 123 between Chapel Road and Clara Barton Drive. These changes are part of the ongoing Fairfax County Parkway south widening project.
The temporary shifts are intended to allow crews to prepare for long-term lane adjustments toward the median, which will enable work along the outside lanes. Daytime lane closures are expected Mondays through Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Drivers are urged to remain alert in work zones, especially where large equipment may be moving.
Long-term lane shifts will start on or about April 2, with northbound Fairfax County Parkway traffic shifted left between Route 123 and Clara Barton Drive overpass, and both directions of Route 123 shifted left between Chapel Road and Clara Barton Drive. The widening project includes expanding about two miles of Fairfax County Parkway from four lanes to six, installing concrete median barriers, constructing a missing shared-use path segment, improving intersections such as Burke Centre Parkway with new turn lanes, adding a grade-separated crossing for pedestrians and cyclists north of Burke Centre Parkway, upgrading the Route 123 interchange ramps, and enhancing sound walls along certain sections.
The project is scheduled for completion in mid-2027. It is adjacent to other major projects: the Fairfax County Parkway widening north project began construction in June 2024 with completion also expected in mid-2027; nearby is the Popes Head Road interchange project started in December 2023 and due by late 2026. When all three projects finish, there will be six continuous through lanes from Route 123 to Rugby Road over an eight-mile stretch, easing congestion at current choke points.
A temporary speed limit of 45 mph is now enforced along Fairfax County Parkway between Route 123 and Interstate 66 for the duration of this construction phase. Traffic updates can be accessed online at https://511.vdot.virginia.gov or via the free mobile app or by calling “511” within Virginia.
According to the official website, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) builds, maintains, and operates roads, bridges, and tunnels across Virginia to support safe transportation. VDOT manages one of the largest state highway systems in the country—covering tens of thousands of lane-miles—and provides services such as highway maintenance and traffic management through systems like Virginia’s “511.” The agency oversees planning, construction, maintenance activities statewide from its headquarters at East Broad Street in Richmond—a role it has developed since its origins as the State Highway Commission in 1906 according to VDOT.
