The 1969 Northern Virginia Major Thoroughfare Plan

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 roads in the 1969 Northern Virginia Major Thoroughfare Plan were ever built, there are several remnants of the Plan that you can still see.  Here is the 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. Thanks to Russell Blau for clarifying the information on this part of Braddock Road.
  
• The Fairfax County Parkway was routed using the concept of the Northern Virginia Expressway.  The Fairfax County Parkway does run fairly close to 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.
  
• The current Van Dorn Street south of Kingstowne Boulevard follows the routing of the 1969 Plan to Telegraph Road. Van Dorn Street is planned to continue to Lockheed Boulevard, also following the routing in the 1969 Plan. The 1969 Plan had Van Dorn Street continuing south of Lockheed Boulevard to US 1.  North of Kingstowne Boulevard, the 1969 Plan had Van Dorn Street on a new alignment slightly west of the current road.  There is a project in development to use the concept of this alingment with an interchange at Franconia Road. The project is funded for full design and partial right-of-way.  No construction monies have been budgeted.  See the South Van Dorn Street/Franconia Road Project page for more details on the project.
• US 1 just south of I-395 (in 1969, I-95) was to 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.  See the Unbuilt Interstate 595 Page for much more information.

I have also scanned some small, specific sections of the 1969 Plan so you can see what was planned. The following links will take you to the map sections I have scanned:

• The Monticello Freeway at I-495 (Capital Beltway)
• The Monticello Freeway at Wakefield Chapel Road
• The Monticello Freeway at Burke Lake Road
• The Monticello Freeway at The Northern Virginia Expressway
• The Northern Virginia Expressway at I-95
• The Northern Virginia Expressway at I-66
• The Northern Virginia Expressway at US 50
• The Potomac Freeway at The Potomac River Crossing
• The Four Mile Run Expressway at I-395 (Shirley Highway)

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Sources:

• 1969 Northern Virginia Major Thoroughfare Plan. Hays, Seay, Mattern and Mattern Consulting Firm
• South Van Dorn Street/Franconia Road Project Website
• E-mail correspondence with Russell Blau and Scott Kozel.

Please send any updates, comments and corrections to Michael Hale.

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Last Update: 1/30/08