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Intersection upgrade proposed
The National Counterterrorism Center, a government agency affiliated with the Department of Homeland Security, is coming to McLean, bringing a bevy of new federal workers – and new commuters – to the Liberty Crossing area, near the already troubled intersection of Balls Hill Road and Lewinsville Road.
Still, the center and The Peterson Cos., the contractor building the new facility, are planning to soften the impact of the new facility on McLean.
“I think it's really great that a company has volunteered to spend their own money on road improvements,” said Mark Zetts, of the McLean Citizen's Association's Planning and Zoning Subcommittee.
According to Supervisor John Foust's (D-Dranesville) office, the counterterrorism center has not specified how many new workers will be based in the building due to security concerns.
“It's enough that they've offered to make road improvements to soften the impact,” said Foust legislative aide Joe Gibson.
One of the proposals on the table, a series of ramps linking the Liberty Crossing facility with the Dulles Toll Road and Dolley Madison Boulevard, has received enthusiastic support from the McLean Citizens Association and area homeowners.
“They'll take a great deal of traffic off of Lewinsville Road,” said Irv Auerbach, president of the Lewinsville Coalition.
Currently, cars heading onto Dolley Madison on Lewinsville often get caught between two adjoining sets of traffic lights, creating long backups. The ramps will keep commuters from Liberty Crossing from making that problem worse.
Along with the ramps, Peterson has also proposed changes to the signal at Balls Hill Road, preventing cars on Balls Hill entering Lewinsville from making left turns. Instead, cars would proceed down the road to the next light and make a U-turn. According to Auerbach, this proposal is unpopular with homeowners on Balls Hill and the Langley School, a private elementary school whose school buses must use that entrance.
Gibson said Peterson is following the wishes of the community and pursuing the proposed ramps to the Dulles Toll Road with Virginia Department of Transportation officials. However, neither proposal is beyond a preliminary phase at this point.
“With the ramps built, the problem at Balls Hill Road could clear up,” Zetts said.
The Peterson Cos. and the counterterrorism center did not respond to calls seeking comment for this story. According to Foust's office, the new NCTC facility is expected to open this fall.
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