When Leesburg’s Town Council passed their consent agenda June 12, they passed a resolution in support of the Sycolin Road Overpass of the Route 7 and Route 15 bypass.

With a unanimous 7-0 vote, the council approved their support of the project.

The $19.6 million project is almost entirely coming from federal and state funding.

The Virginia Department of Transportation conducted a public hearing May 17 for the Sycolin Road overpass project, which is in the VDOT six-year plan and the Town’s Transportation Plan.

The overpass will be four lanes across (two in each direction), separated by a concrete barrier. Included on the overpass will be a sidewalk and pedestrian and bicycle path.

According to VDOT documentation handed out at the public hearing May 17, the project will remove the traffic light currently at the intersection of Sycolin Road and the bypass.

The project will have an overpass 0.096 miles north of Hope Parkway to 0.016 miles north of Gateway Drive. The total distance of the overpass will be 0.398 miles.

After construction begins in June 2013, Sycolin Road between Hope Parkway and Gateway Drive will be closed until July 2014.

Once the project is completed, there will no longer be an access to the bypass from Sycolin Drive. Motorists will have to use alternate routes to get to points north and west.

The project also includes earth embankments/retaining walls, drainage improvements and guardrail.

Some of the council members expressed their concerns with the alternate routes during their June 11 work session in which VDOT Engineer Jim Zeller presented the formal plans for the overpass.

“I know now that as I go through that area, I avoid that intersection already and I have multiple ways of moving around that area, so the sooner we can start communicating that behavior change the better off we will be,” Vice Mayor Kevin Wright said. “One of the things is also establishing the bus routes, especially for the high school. That way they don’t have a huge change in their operational approach.

“The more we minimize the headaches to get people used to using the alternate routes, the better we are,” Wright said.

FAQ’s

With Sycolin Road closed during construction, what is the best way to access the bypass?
The best option is using Battlefield Parkway and the Dulles Greenway. Another option is to go through downtown on Market street or access the bypass via Route 7.

If I use the Greenway will I have to pay tolls?
The Greenway can be used free of charge in town limits.

What is the cost of the project?
The project will cost $19.6 million and is almost entirely made up of federal and state funding.

Why is the road closed from June 2013 to July 2014 instead of a different date?
Those dates were specifically chosen to coincide with the opening and closing of schools.