Loudoun to Spend $1M on Waxpool Design

The Loudoun Board of Supervisors Tuesday night voted to use $1 million in gas tax revenue that had been marked for a Franklin Park park-and-ride lot to design improvements along Waxpool Road at Pacific Boulevard and Broderick Drive.

The most recent improvement along Waxpool was a $5 million project to improve the intersection at Loudoun County Parkway. The next priorities along the road were previously identified as the Pacific and Broderick intersections.

“This is what we talk about all the time,” said Supervisor Shawn Williams (R-Broad Run), who proposed moving money. Several supervisors have reiterated a commented made earlier this year by Supervisor Ralph Buona (R-Ashburn) when he attempted to summarize eastern Loudoun’s transportation woes: “Waxpool, Waxpool, Waxpool.”

And while the money comes from a western project that has been canceled by the board, Supervisor Janet Clarke (R-Blue Ridge), who represents Franklin Park, agreed with the proposal.

“I think it’s a real positive,” she said.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has recommended right-turn improvements from Pacific Boulevard to westbound Waxpool Road, which backs up daily, particularly during rush hour and lunch.

“They can’t get out of there,” Buona said, referring to drivers trying to exit stores at Route 28 Center, such as Wegman’s and Target. “This has a huge impact on my constituents.”

Buona said the traffic signal at Pacific and Waxpool should never have been approved.

“This will help that,” said Terrie Laycock, a representative from the Loudoun Office of Transportation Services.

Proposed lane extensions would allow both intersections to have left turn signals run concurrently, which is believed to be an improvement that will help right turns as well, according to VDOT’s proposal.

The Broderick intersection is at the .

The $1 million is expected to cover design costs, with the board directing staff to recommend ways to pay for acquisition of right of way and construction, estimated to cost an additional $6.4 million.

The board voted 8-0-1 in favor of Williams’ initiative. Supervisor Geary Higgins was absent for the vote.

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