The quest to convert Route 28 into a freeway has yielded tangible results since it kicked off three years ago: the Route 606 interchange and the Air & Space Museum Parkway opened in 2004 on schedule and mostly on budget, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
But when the latest interchange opened for business last December, some businesses were left out in the cold. Thanks to the opening of the Route 625 interchange, which encompasses Church and Waxpool roads, several shopping centers in the vicinity have experienced access problems that could hurt business.
"Since the opening, we've gotten some calls and some concerns about some of the traffic patterns," said Terrie Laycock, assistant county administrator, at a Feb. 28 Transportation/Land Use committee meeting. "Some of the small businesses, particularly in the more eastern part of Old Sterling, have had concerns."
The problem is getting there. With the new interchange, the signage and lighting isn't clear enough to guide drivers to where they want to go. While new signage is in the works — VDOT project manager Susan Shaw expects it up within 30 days — it will tell drivers how to get to certain roads, but not to certain businesses. Since the shopping centers and the roads leading to them do not have recognizable names, there is no way to direct drivers to them.
Take Commercial Drive, just east of the shopping center containing Wegmans and other businesses west of Route 28. When VDOT announced it would close the road, most commuters didn't even know what the road was called, Shaw said.
"If it was called CarMax Road, we would have been OK," she said.
ANOTHER PROBLEM that's arisen is the traffic exiting the Wegmans parking lot.
"It is always backed up, always a problem," said Supervisor Lori Waters (R-Broad Run). "What is going to be the relief valve for that?"
According to Shaw, the eventual extension of Pacific Boulevard is the grocery store's best hope. Unfortunately, the road is not expected to be completed until 2008.
Closing Commercial Drive and taking out the stoplight at Waxpool and Church roads intensified the traffic problem at Wegmans, Shaw said.
"One of the things we discovered was that the signal at 28 and 625 was acting as a traffic meter," she said. When the traffic was no longer detained there, it backed up elsewhere. "Suddenly, Waxpool Road was very congested."
The eventual widening of Route 28 to eight lanes will help, Shaw said, as well as the eventual opening of Loudoun County Parkway, which is currently under construction with funds from proffers.
"I think we'll see another shift in traffic when that opens up," Shaw said.
Yet another repercussion of the construction is that commuters have started using a public road — Tippet Hill Way, which is west of Church Road and off Davis Drive — in order to access businesses. Tippet Hill Way is unlit and is just feet from a row of townhouses — an unsafe combination.
While the area is experiencing growing pains due to the construction, Supervisor Mick Staton (R-Sugarland Run) still expressed his support.
"I understand there are sometimes temporary pains going on," he said. "When you look at the overall impact, you can't look at this and not say it's a good thing to do."
THE ROUTE 28 corridor improvement project is a $200 million public/private partnership between VDOT and Clark Construction and Shirley Contracting Company. It is funded by state highway funds and a special tax district. Eventually, the project will include 10 interchanges and widening Route 28 to eight lanes between Route 7 and Interstate 66. More than 100,000 cars a day use the segment of Route 28 north of the Dulles Toll Road. For more information, visit www.28freeway.com.