In 1969, the highway consulting firm of Hays, Seay, Mattern and Mattern developed a comprehensive expressway plan for the Northern Virginia Area. The idea was to present a plan that would project traffic needs through the mid-1980's. From the maps in the Northern Virginia Major Thoroughfare Plan, I created a map of the proposals. Needless to say, none of the roads proposed in this plan were seriously considered after the early 1970's. I have to say that I am a roads-type person, but this plan was overkill. I looked at the detailed maps of the highways that were proposed and many, many homes and businesses would have to taken to build all the roads that were proposed in the Northern Virginia Major Thoroughfare Plan. This is especially evident inside the beltway where it would have been concrete city had everything been built. Although none of the major roads in the 1969 Northern Virginia Major Thoroughfare Plan were ever built, there are several remnants of the Plan that you can see in the year 2000. Here is a list:
Braddock Road from the Beltway (I-495) to Wakefield Chapel Road is 8 lanes wide plus turning lanes. This stretch of Braddock Road would have been part of the Monticello Expressway had it been built. Since the expressway wasn't built, VDOT used the right of way to widen the existing Braddock Road. This makes Braddock Road through this stretch the widest State Secondary Road in Northern Virginia (until the widening of Old Keene Mill Road at the Springfield Interchange is done). Thanks to Russell Blau for clarifying the information on this part of Braddock Road and the information on Old Keene Mill Road in Springfield.
The Fairfax County Parkway was routed using the concept of the Northern Virginia Expressway. The Fairfax County Parkway does follow somewhat closely part of the routing for the Outer Beltway between Franklin Farms and Herndon in Northwest Fairfax County. Thanks to Scott Kozel for this information.
The Shirlington Traffic Circle Interchange on I-395 was rebuilt to accommodate the unbuilt Four Mile Run Expressway. Thanks to Scott Kozel for this information.
Current Van Dorn Street south of Kingstowne Boulevard follows the routing of the 1969 Plan to Lockheed Boulevard where Van Dorn Street is to end. The 1969 Plan had Van Dorn Street continuing to US 1. North of Kingstowne Boulevard, the 1969 Plan had Van Dorn Street on a new alignment slightly west of the current road. Thanks to Russell Blau for this information.
US 1 just south of I-395 (then I-95) was to be reconstructed as Interstate 595 and would have had an interchange with the unbuilt Potomac Freeway at 15th Street in Crystal City. The Potomac Freeway would have continued west of this interchange as the 15th Street Expressway ending at I-395 (then I-95) south of Arlington Ridge Road. The I-595 plan was scaled down and US 1 was rebuilt as an expressway with several at grade intersections through Crystal City. Thanks to Russell Blau for this information and to Scott Kozel for clarifying and correcting the information Russell gave me.
The Leesburg Bypass as well as the VA 7 bypass west of Leesburg were built using the routings described in the 1969 plan. Note that there would have been no access to the bypass at Sycolin Road (currently a signalized intersection.)
New Braddock Road in Centreville, VA is based upon the 1969 Plan for a Relocated Braddock Road.
Howard Street in Alexandria between North Jordan Street and Seminary Road was built following a route similar to the recommended route in the 1969 Plan. Howard Street runs in front of the Alexandria Hospital and through Foxchase of Alexandria where I used to live.
Recently, I was at the Fairfax City Library in Fairfax, VA and was able to photocopy some of the maps from the 1969 Northern Virginia Major Thoroughfare Plan. Below are links to scans of these maps. Please note that these are large scans and may take a bit to load especially on a modem connection.
The Northern Virginia Expressway at I-95: This interchange would have been located about one mile south of the current Franconia-Springfield Parkway interchange on I-95. Had it been built it would have been a stack interchange - a rarity in this area.
The Monticello Freeway at I-495: The Monticello Expressway would have been built over Braddock Road in this area. See the Braddock Road Page for more information.
The Monticello Freeway at Wakefield Chapel Road: This map is just west of I-495 and the above map. Notice how the Monticello Freeway fits nicely between the development on the north and south side of the proposed freeway. This is due to preserved rights of way as a freeway had been proposed in this corridor since the early 1950's. Again the Braddock Road Page has more information on this topic.
The Monticello Freeway at Burke Lake Road: This map is just east of the Kings Park Shopping Center at Burke Lake Road and Braddock Road. This map shows how frontage roads would have been used to maintain local community access.
The Monticello Freeway at The Northern Virginia Expressway: This interchange would have been located in the area of Guinea Road. It is located about one mile west of Burke Lake Road along Braddock Road. At this point, the Monticello Freeway would have turned southwest on its way to Manassas.
The Northern Virginia Expressway at I-66: This interchange would have been east of the current VA 123 interchange. The missing ramp movements would have been provided by the Fairfax Loop. The Fairfax Loop would have been a mini-Beltway around the south side of Fairfax City. The Outer Connectors on the map lead to ramps for US 50 in the map below.
The Northern Virginia Expressway at US 50: This mess would have been just east of Fairfax Circle. Imagine the area with a fresh coat of concrete over it. This is overkill.
The Potomac Freeway at The Potomac River Crossing: This would have provided a second parallel crossing at the Wilson Bridge. I've always wondered what this second crossing would hook up to in Maryland.
The Four Mile Run Expressway at I-395: This interchange would have been north of the Shirlington Circle and south of the interchange with Glebe Road. I-395 was rebuilt through this area specifically to accommodate The Four Mile Run Expressway had it been built.
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08/01/01