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Route 15 North of Leesburg
Current Status: July 2019
- The Route 15 (North) Safety and Operations Study will be presented to the Board of Supervisors on July 18, 2019.
- The recommendations presented in the study are based on technical considerations as well as input received from the Stakeholder Committee, partner agencies and the public.
View the Route 15 (North) Safety and Operations Study (PDF).
View the Executive Summary of the Route 15 (North) Safety and Operations Study (PDF).
Project Background
Route 15 (James Monroe Highway/Leesburg Bypass) is a four-lane, median-divided roadway in the Town of Leesburg that transitions to a two-lane roadway north of Battlefield Parkway and continues to the Maryland state line at the Point of Rocks bridge over the Potomac River. The afternoon congestion on northbound Route 15 has been increasing in recent years; traffic routinely backs up beyond Battlefield Parkway. In recent years, both the Town of Leesburg and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) have studied this segment of Route 15 to determine the cause of congestion and identify potential solutions.
Online Resource
Contact Information
The Loudoun County Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure is managing the Route 15 (North) project. Questions on the project may be emailed to the county.
Open Houses Held / Route 15 Survey Conducted
Thanks to all who took the Route 15 Concept Preference Survey, which was conducted as a follow up to the Route 15 Safety and Operations Study open house on September 26, 2018. The survey closed October 18, 2018.
Links to other materials presented at the open house are below.
- Presentation (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Welcome Board (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Vision Board (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- What we Heard (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Historic and Environmental Resources (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Bike, Pedestrian, and Transit Considerations (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- The Village of Lucketts (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Congestion Relief (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Concepts (PDF) Opens a New Window.
Thanks to all who attended the open houses on the Route 15 Safety and Operations Study March 9 and 10, 2018, and who took the online survey, which is now closed.
- Business and Residential Access (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Congestion Relief (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Corridor Map - North-South (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Corridor Map - Village of Lucketts (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Historic and Environmental Resources (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Roadway Safety - Street Cross Sections (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Room Map (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Rural Character - Visual Preference Survey (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Vision Board (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Welcome Board (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- What We Heard (PDF) Opens a New Window.
Route 15 Update Report to Board of Supervisors
On October 19, 2017, the Route 15 (North) Congestion Update was presented to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. The item summarizes the progress made on the actions that the Board directed be taken during the May 18, 2017, business meeting. The item also presents supplemental traffic analysis of these improvement alternatives:
- Flyover ramp at King Street and roundabout at Whites Ferry Road/Raspberry Drive
- Flyover ramp at King Street and bowtie roundabouts at Whites Ferry Road/Raspberry Drive.
Board Items
- October 19, 2017 Item Number 10: Route 15 Congestion Update (PDF)
- October 19, 2017: Item Number 10 Copyteste (PDF)
Route 15 Congestion Report
The Route 15 (North) Congestion Report was presented to the Board of Supervisors on May 18, 2017. It provides an analysis of improvements identified to relieve congestion on Route 15 north of the Town of Leesburg, including two recommended alternatives.
The Board item, a presentation made during the meeting, and the "Copy Teste," the official record of the Board’s action, are online:
- May 18, 2017: Route 15 Congestion Report - Item Number 6 (PDF)
- May 18, 2017: Route 15 Congestion Report Presentation (PDF)
- May 18, 2017: Route 15 Item Number 6 Copy Teste (PDF)
Route 15 CTP Amendment
As directed by the Board of Supervisors, county staff has initiated a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM) to amend the 2010 Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP) to widen Route 15 from a two-lane local access undivided rural arterial roadway to a rural four-lane controlled access median divided arterial roadway between North King Street (US Route 15 Business) and Montresor Road (VA Route 661). Information about the Route 15 CPAM is available on the Department of Planning’s webpage.
Route 15 Safety & Operational Study North of Whites Ferry Road to the Maryland State Line
At the May 18, 2017, Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board also directed staff to conduct a study of the safety and operational issues on Route 15 between Whites Ferry Road and the Maryland state line to identify progressive improvements that can be implemented. Public input has been provided on the key issues of this corridor.
Stakeholder Committee
As directed by the Board of Supervisors, a Stakeholder Committee has been established which is comprised of representatives from homeowner associations that are located along the Route 15 corridor, and representatives from local business, community and preservation organizations.
The first Stakeholder Committee meeting was held on August 1, 2017; subsequent meetings were held in September 2017 and November 2017 with additional meetings planned in 2018. Stakeholder Committee documents are accessible below.
- Stakeholder Committee Members (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Stakeholder Committee Charter (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- August 1, 2017, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
- September 14, 2017, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
- Agenda and Meeting Packet, including Summary of Public Engagement (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- September 14, 2017: Meeting Notes (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- September 14, 2017: Summary of Small Group Discussion (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- September 14, 2017: Public Engagement Summary (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- November 16, 2017, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
- February 28, 2018, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
- Agenda ( Opens a New Window. Opens a New Window. PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Maryland State Highway and Frederick County MD Meeting Notes (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Meeting Notes - Summary of Comments and Questions (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Partner Agency Meeting Notes (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Planning Department Presentation on Historic Resources along Route 15 (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Presentation - Safety and Operations Study (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Route 15 Historic Resources Map - Leesburg to Point of Rocks (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Route 15 Historic Resources Map - Leesburg Area (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Route 15 Historic Resources Map - Lucketts Area (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Route 15 Safety and Operations Study - Existing Conditions Summary (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Route 15 Safety and Operations Study - Existing Conditions Report Traffic Data Appendices (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Stakeholder Committee Feedback on Staff Recommendations for Congestion Report (revised) Opens a New Window.
- VDOT Innovative Intersections (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- VDOT Presentation on Section 106 Process (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- May 7, 2018, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
- May 7, 2018 Agenda (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- May 7, 2018 Public Engagement Summary - Route 15 Safety and Operational Study (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- May 7, 2018 Presentation - Public Engagement on Route 15 Safety and Operational Study (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- May 7, 2017 Route 15 Safety and Operational Study Concepts A and B (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- May 7, 2018 Meeting Notes (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- May 7, 2018 Congestion Report - Funding Update (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- July 16, 2018, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
- July 16, 2018 Agenda (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- July 16, 2018 Funding Update (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- July 16, 2018 Route 15 Project Update from Supervisor Higgins (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- July 16, 2018 Presentation (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- July 16, 2018 Summary of Stakeholder comments on concepts (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- July 16, 2018 Modified Concepts A and B (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- July 16, 2018 Stakeholder Concept Ballot (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- July 16, 2018 Meeting Notes (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- October 22, 2018, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
- October 22, 2018 Agenda (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- October 22, 2018 Phase 1 Interim Improvements Signage and Pavement Marking Plan (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- October 22, 2018 Route 15 Widening Project Information (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- October 22, 2018 Roadway Project Overview Presentation (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- October 22, 2018 Public Input Summary Presentation (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- October 22, 2018 Envision Loudoun Update (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- October 22 Stakeholder Committee Meeting Notes (PDF)ns a New Window.
- Public Engagement Summary - Route 15 Safety and Operations Study (PDF) Opens a New Window. TT&
Public Input Meetings: Presentation & Displays Online
Loudoun County held three public input meetings on proposals for the Route 15 corridor between Whites Ferry Road and the Maryland state line in June and July 2017. The agenda for the public meetings, the presentation that was given and maps that were on display are online:
- Agenda (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Context Map (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Countywide Transportation Plan Context Map (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Physical Context Map (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Presentation (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Previous Studies Map (PDF) Opens a New Window.
- Transportation Context Map (PDF) Opens a New Window.
The public input meetings were held June 26 in Leesburg and July 8 and July 15 in Lucketts.