Fairfax Circle

There has been a number of posts recently online decrying planning moves by Fairfax City that have been seen as anti-pedestrian and pro-vehicle. I believe that Fairfax Circle is the perfect place for Fairfax to make some planning changes that can be both car and pedestrian friendly.

Undated Historic View of Fairfax Circle, Fairfax, Virginia.

[Image via The Library of Virginia.]

There has been a number of posts recently online decrying planning moves by Fairfax City that have been seen as anti-pedestrian and pro-vehicle. I believe that Fairfax Circle is the perfect place for Fairfax to make some planning changes that can be both car and pedestrian friendly.

As a driver in Northern Virginia I have long been confused by the not-quite circle at the intersections of routes 29 and 50. This confluence of roads is counter intuitive and dangerous for a number of reasons.

  • This is the point where routes 29 and 50 merge in doing so their names also change. This creates a confusing situation where the roads leading into the circle are (clockwise from the North) Lee Highway (route 29), Arlington Boulevard (route 50), Old Lee Highway, and Lee Highway (routes 29 & 50).
  • This circle has a series of lights, which effective kills any chance of it being a true traffic circle. This also makes merging into the circle difficult, because given the light cycle the circle may be filled with stopped cars which often create their own lanes.
  • Route 50 travels through the center of the circle, but there are no left turns allowed and the signage indicating this is quite confusing. Drivers who wish to turn left onto Lee Highway or Old Lee Highway have to first turn right and then proceed through the circle, stopping at the light at route 50, from which they just turned off.
  • To add to the confusion, left turns from Old Lee highway or Lee Highway onto Route 50 are allowed and encouraged.
  • Lastly, like much of the landscaping in Fairfax, the planted portions of the circle are useless. Until recently there were no protected pedestrian crossings into the circle, and once in the circle there are no benches or any public amenities to act as a public draw.

At least the pedestrian access issue has been solved. After some mysterious construction, pedestrian crossing signals have been installed on the right hand turn lanes onto and off from route 50. This is a literal step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go to make this circle something useable and safe.

This circle is near the border of Fairfax County and Fairfax City and could be treated as a celebrated entry into Fairfax City; this could be achieved by restoring this to a real roundabout, with lights regulating pedestrian crossings and entry into and out of the circle and creating a park-like center with a statue or fountain similar to many of the DC circles. If the traffic along route 50 needs a direct access to the other side of the circle a below grade ramp could be installed; there is already precedent for this treatment in Fairfax County. The intersection of Fairfax County Parkway and route 29 has a multi-tiered intersection with an express bypass for traffic along route 29. I personally do not believe that an underpass would be necessary. During rush hour traffic crawls through the circle, and at all other times of the day, the local 35 mile per hour speed limit should be easy to maintain in a properly timed and lighted DC style circle.

A real circle here would solve many of the problems highlighted above. This new traffic pattern would be easier for drivers, safer for pedestrians and the break in the continuity of route 50 would help emphasize the change from Fairfax County to fairfax City. In addition, the shopping centers surrounding this circle attract a decent number of pedestrians, a park-like circle would provide them with some easily accessible green space.