Old Dominion Drive

Old Dominion Drive
Name	Old Dominion Drive
Location	Arlington County and Fairfax County, Virginia, United States
Maintained by	Virginia Department of Transportation
Length mi	approximately 10
Direction a	Southwest
Terminus a	near Seven Corners
Direction b	Northeast
Terminus b	Rosslyn
Established	early 20th century
Roads	U.S. Route 29, Interstate 66, Virginia State Route 7
Cities	Falls Church, Arlington, McLean

Old Dominion Drive is a major arterial roadway in Northern Virginia running roughly between the Seven Corners area and the Rosslyn neighborhood, serving as a spine through Falls Church, Virginia, McLean, Virginia, and Arlington County, Virginia. The road links with several federal and statewide routes including U.S. Route 29 in Virginia, Interstate 66, and Virginia State Route 7, and provides access to commercial districts, residential neighborhoods, and transit nodes near Washington, D.C. It has played a role in regional development from the Great Depression era through postwar suburbanization to contemporary urban redevelopment.

Route description

Old Dominion Drive begins near the Seven Corners, Virginia junction where it connects with U.S. Route 50 in Virginia, U.S. Route 29 in Virginia, and Virginia State Route 7. Proceeding northeast, the road passes through portions of Falls Church, Virginia and runs adjacent to civic landmarks associated with Falls Church (episcopal) and the City of Falls Church, continuing toward McLean, Virginia where it approaches estates historically linked to families associated with John F. Kennedy-era Washington and sites near Langley. The alignment intersects with Dolley Madison Boulevard and feeds into corridors serving Tysons, Virginia commercial and office districts anchored by corporations formerly including Verizon Communications headquarters and nearby federal agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency. Entering Arlington County, Virginia, Old Dominion Drive descends toward the Potomac River corridor, intersecting with North Lynn Street (Arlington, Virginia), passing under ramps connecting to Interstate 66 and terminating near the Rosslyn, Virginia urban core with views toward Georgetown, Foggy Bottom, and landmarks on the National Mall skyline.

History

The road’s origins trace to early 20th‑century local turnpikes and farm-to-market paths that connected estates and villages in Alexandria County, Virginia (later Arlington County, Virginia) and Falls Church County, Virginia. During the New Deal era, county and state investments improved the corridor as part of broader infrastructure programs influenced by agencies like the Works Progress Administration and the Public Works Administration. Post‑World War II suburban growth driven by defense spending linked to the Pentagon and the expansion of federal agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Institutes of Health accelerated residential development along the roadway, tying into commuter patterns toward Federal Triangle and Capitol Hill. The later 20th century saw commercial conversion near Tysons Corner Center and transportation planning debates involving Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and Virginia Department of Transportation. Historic preservation efforts have engaged organizations like the Arlington Historical Society and the Fairfax County History Commission to retain notable houses and landscapes adjacent to the route.

Major intersections

Major junctions along the corridor include connections with U.S. Route 50 in Virginia and U.S. Route 29 in Virginia at Seven Corners; crossings with Virginia State Route 7 near the Tysons Corner Center area; grade separations and ramps connecting to Interstate 66 and its eastbound and westbound collectors; intersection with North Lang Street (Arlington) and Wilson Boulevard (Arlington) near Rosslyn; proximity to Key Bridge access toward Georgetown University and links serving commuter flows to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via arterial feeders. The road also provides access routes to local thoroughfares serving Ballston–Virginia Square and the Clarendon (Arlington) commercial district.

Transportation and usage

Old Dominion Drive functions as a primary local arterial handling mixed traffic including single‑occupant vehicles, buses operated by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and bicycle and pedestrian flows connecting to Custis Trail and nearby Mount Vernon Trail segments. Peak period congestion corresponds with commuter movements to Washington, D.C. and employment centers in Tysons and Rosslyn–Ballston corridor. Transit service along parallel corridors includes Metrorail stations on the Orange Line (Washington Metro) and Silver Line (Washington Metro), while regional planning efforts by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments have influenced multimodal upgrades. Freight movements are limited compared with primary state highways but regional deliveries link to logistics hubs serving Dulles International Airport and industrial corridors in Prince William County, Virginia.

Landmarks and surroundings

The corridor abuts civic and cultural sites such as historic churches in Falls Church (episcopal), residential estates near Salona, parklands administered by Arlington County, Virginia parks, and commercial nodes adjacent to Tysons Corner Center and boutique retail districts in McLean, Virginia and Clarendon (Arlington). Institutional neighbors include campuses and research centers affiliated with George Mason University, outreach facilities of the Smithsonian Institution, and federal facilities with ties to Department of Defense (United States Department of Defense) contractors. Public art, memorials, and streetscape improvements have been championed by local civic groups including the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.

Future developments and improvements

Planned projects by the Virginia Department of Transportation and regional partners include signal timing optimization, pedestrian and bicycle facility expansions coordinated with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, and corridor redesign proposals tied to transit‑oriented development initiatives near Tysons and Rosslyn. Discussions involving the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and local planning commissions address right‑of‑way adjustments, curb management to support bus rapid transit concepts, and streetscape enhancements to support increasing residential infill and mixed‑use redevelopment promoted by county comprehensive plans for Arlington County, Virginia and Fairfax County, Virginia.

Category:Roads in Virginia