Info meetings planned for Fairfax Pike work

Public information meetings are planned for early next year to improve access for businesses and streets over about a mile-long stretch of Fairfax Pike, shown here in Stephens City, just east of Interstate 81. (Photo by Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star)

The project to improve Fairfax Pike, shown here in Stephens City, received $32 million in state funding about two years ago to pay for all phases of the undertaking.

WINCHESTER — Though work to improve Fairfax Pike (Va. 277) likely won’t start for a few years, public meetings designed to provide information about the project are expected to begin early next year.

Chris Colson, the project’s manager with the Virginia Department of Transportation, spoke to the Frederick County Transportation Committee at its meeting Monday morning about the future work.

Colson said the project aims to improve access for businesses and streets over about a mile-long stretch of Fairfax Pike — between Aylor Road and Warrior Drive, just east of Interstate 81 in Stephens City — as well as adding a lane in each direction between Interstate 81 and Double Church Road.

The project received $32 million in state funding about two years ago to pay for all phases of the undertaking.

Charles DeHaven Jr., the committee chair, said after the meeting that improvements to the Fairfax Pike corridor are needed because of the area’s growth.

“It’s a very important corridor. It’s probably one of the more congested corridors [in the county],” he said. “[There’s] lots of residential, lots of commercial, a school, a regional park and commercial at the other end.”

He added that the road has had some improvements over the years, but that those have not been enough to match the commercial and residential growth.

While VDOT is anticipating a 2016 start date for construction, Colson said that date depends on how quickly the state can complete its engineering work and obtain any rights of way it needs to widen the road.

No specific dates for the information sessions were announced during the meeting.

Attending the meeting in the Frederick County Administration Building were Chair Charles DeHaven Jr., members Christopher Collins, James Racey II and Gene Fisher, planning commissioner Gary Oates and Stephens City liaison Lewis Boyer. Absent was member Bryon Grigsby, planning commissioner Philip Lemieux and Middletown liaison Mark Davis.

— Contact Matt Armstrong at marmstrong@winchesterstar.com