Route 15 North of Leesburg

Route 15 Update Report to Board of Supervisors

On October 19, 2017, the Route 15 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 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 Supervisor's 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. Traffic counts will be taken in the Fall 2017.

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)
• Stakeholder Committee Charter (PDF)
• August 1, 2017, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
  • Agenda and Meeting Packet, Including Consultant Presentation (PDF)
  • August 1, 2017: Meeting Notes (PDF)
• September 14, 2017, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
  • Agenda and Meeting Packet, including Summary of Public Engagement (PDF)
  • September 14, 2017: Meeting Notes (PDF)
  • September 14, 2017: Summary of Small Group Discussion (PDF)
  • September 14, 2017: Public Engagement Summary (PDF)
• November 16, 2017, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • November 16, 2017: Decision Matrix
  • November 16, 2017: Meeting Notes (PDF)
  • November 16, 2017: Meeting Presentation (PDF)
  • November 16, 2017: Summary of Small Group Discussion (PDF)
• February 28, 2018, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Maryland State Highway and Frederick County MD Meeting Notes (PDF)
  • Meeting Notes - Summary of Comments and Questions (PDF)
  • Partner Agency Meeting Notes (PDF)
  • Planning Department Presentation on Historic Resources along Route 15 (PDF)
  • Presentation - Safety and Operations Study (PDF)
  • Route 15 Historic Resources Map - Leesburg to Point of Rocks (PDF)
  • Route 15 Historic Resources Map - Leesburg Area (PDF)
  • Route 15 Historic Resources Map - Lucketts Area (PDF)
  • Route 15 Safety and Operations Study - Existing Conditions Summary (PDF)
  • Route 15 Safety and Operations Study - Existing Conditions Report Traffic Data Appendices (PDF)
  • Stakeholder Committee Feedback on Staff Recommendations for Congestion Report (revised)
  • VDOT Innovative Intersections (PDF)
  • VDOT Presentation on Section 106 Process (PDF)
• May 7, 2018, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
  • May 7, 2018 Agenda (PDF)
  • May 7, 2018 Public Engagement Summary - Route 15 Safety and Operational Study (PDF)
  • May 7, 2018 Presentation - Public Engagement on Route 15 Safety and Operational Study (PDF)
  • May 7, 2017 Route 15 Safety and Operational Study Concepts A and B (PDF)
  • May 7, 2018 Meeting Notes (PDF)
  • May 7, 2018 Congestion Report - Funding Update (PDF)
• July 16, 2018, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
  • July 16, 2018 Agenda (PDF)
  • July 16, 2018 Funding Update (PDF)
  • July 16, 2018 Route 15 Project Update from Supervisor Higgins (PDF)
  • July 16, 2018 Presentation (PDF)
  • July 16, 2018 Summary of Stakeholder comments on concepts (PDF)
  • July 16, 2018 Modified Concepts A and B (PDF)
  • July 16, 2018 Stakeholder Concept Ballot (PDF)
  • July 16, 2018 Meeting Notes (PDF)
• October 22, 2018, Stakeholder Committee Meeting Materials
  • October 22, 2018 Agenda (PDF)
  • October 22, 2018 Phase 1 Interim Improvements Signage and Pavement Marking Plan  (PDF)
  • October 22, 2018 Route 15 Widening Project Information (PDF)
  • October 22, 2018 Roadway Project Overview Presentation (PDF)
  • October 22, 2018 Public Input Summary Presentation (PDF)
  • October 22, 2018 Envision Loudoun Update (PDF)

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)
• Context Map (PDF)
• Countywide Transportation Plan Context Map (PDF)
• Physical Context Map (PDF)
• Presentation (PDF)
• Previous Studies Map (PDF)
• Transportation Context Map (PDF)

 The public input meetings were held June 26 in Leesburg and July 8 and July 15 in Lucketts.

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

• Loudoun County Revised Countywide Transportation Plan

Contact Information

The Loudoun County Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure is managing the Route 15 project. Questions on the project may be emailed to the county.