Current Status:

Traffic modeling conducted by consultants hired by the County as part of its Countywide Transportation Plan update process documented the fact that the relocation of Route 15 would result in dramatic improvements in congestion, travel speeds and safety in this corridor and throughout western Loudoun County. The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors response was to vote to delete and strike any reference to this option in the Countywide Plan. At this point, the most likely course for the Countywide Plan will be consideration by the County Planning Commission in early 2009 with Board consideration in the fall of 2009.

Background:
In 2003, the 24-hour traffic volume (ADT) for Route 15 between Lucketts and Leesburg was 19,000.  By 2028, it’s forecasted to be as much as 50,000. Needless to say, the road in its current state can not begin to accommodate that kind of an increase. 

As population and employment booms across Northern Virginia, no one particular area is feeling it quite like Loudoun County. Despite their own tremendous growth, commuters from Maryland are streaming in every day to work, compounding the traffic on increasingly clogged Route 15 to nightmarish proportions. 

The Alliance has long advocated constructing two new Potomac crossings – a Western Corridor and Northern Potomac River Crossing (Techway) outside of the Beltway. However, as political will to build either of these facilities has waned, constructing this crossing on a new alignment of Route 15 would be a profound step towards easing the traffic nightmare in the corridor. (Note: In terms of design, a re-located Route 15 would not be comparable to a Western Corridor facility and should not be interpreted or construed as such.)

Project Details:
The Alliance advocates a realignment and reconstruction of Route 15 to a 4-lane, limited access facility north of Leesburg and east of Lucketts connecting to a new Potomac River bridge east of Point of Rocks. The Alliance has conducted a mapping study to demonstrate the feasibility (and necessity) of protecting corridor right-of–way at this time, but no official government studies or planning has occurred.

To view a map of this project (#12 on map) and other proposed Alliance “Missing Transportation Links” priorities, click here.