FAIRFAX, Va. – Three heavily traveled commuter routes — the Fairfax County Parkway, Prince William Parkway and Franconia-Springfield Parkway — will be renamed and renumbered.
The Commonwealth Transportation Board approved a designation transfer.
The move converts the three secondary thoroughfares into primary roads, meaning they may be eligible for new funding and maintenance priorities. The routes will be able to receive federal funding for paving, guardrail and bridge improvements, along with other projects.
The feds typically cover 80 percent of the cost to maintain interstates and primary roads. The state would pay the remaining 20 percent.
The change means the Fairfax County Parkway/Route 7100 will be renamed Route 286. The Virginia Department of Transportation will put up signs that call the road “Old Route 7100.”
The 32-mile Fairfax County Parkway runs from Route 1 to Route 7 and carries between 22,000 and 75,000 vehicles per day.
The Franconia-Springfield Parkway/Route 7900 becomes Route 289. Signage will say “Old Route 7900.” Between 53,000 and 57,000 vehicles use the 4-mile parkway on a daily basis.
The 16-mile Prince William Parkway/Route 3000 changes to Route 294 or “Old Route 3000.” About 25,000 and 54,000 vehicles use it every day.
The signs will be replaced over the next three months. VDOT says drivers will see the old route number alongside the new route number for about a year in order for hotels, businesses and map companies to have enough time to update their materials.
About 470 miles of roads in Northern Virginia are primary roads. There are 8,000 miles of primary roads statewide.
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