Fairfax County Transportation Consultants: Traffic Engineers, Traffic Design, Parking Studies
Wells + Associates’ team of traffic engineers, transportation planners, and traffic designers is a leader in providing transportation consulting services in Fairfax County to developers, property owners and managers, communities, and other professional organizations.
Out of our home base in Tysons, Virginia in Fairfax County, we provide a range of services, including:
- Traffic Impact Analyses for Fairfax County Developments
- Parking Analyses, Parking Reduction, and Shared Parking Studies in Fairfax County
- Multimodal Transportation Planning for Mixed-Use, Transit-Oriented, and Affordable Housing Developments
Traffic Impact Analyses for Fairfax County Developments
Our traffic engineers are well versed in creating traffic impact analyses for projects in Fairfax County.
Developments in Fairfax County that involve changes in land use via the entitlement process require transportation analyses. These analyses come in two forms: Comprehensive Transportation Analyses (CTA) and Chapter 870 Traffic Impact Analyses (TIA). Generally speaking, CTAs are required by proposed developments that generate ≥ 250 peak hour trips or by proposed developments that generate ≥ 2,500 Average Daily Trips (ADT). TIAs are required by proposed developments that generate ≥ 5,000 Average Daily Trips (ADT)
When developers in Fairfax County face issues such as rezoning, proffer condition amendments, special exception applications, or special permit applications, a TIA is required. These TIAs are to be submitted to the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) when applications are filed with the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ).
The TIA is also sent to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to be reviewed for compliance with regulatory submission requirements related to the state’s Traffic Impact Analysis Regulations.
Our Fairfax County traffic engineers and planners are also uniquely qualified to help during Fairfax County’s biannual Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) Process. We can accurately estimate vehicle trips for existing and proposed conditions that account for changes in density or program mix. An explanatory infographic of the SSPA Process is here.
You can learn more about traffic impact analyses in Fairfax County here and watch a video about traffic impact analyses for Fairfax County developments.
Selected Fairfax County Traffic Impact Analysis Case Studies:
Inova Fairfax Medical Campus: Traffic Study for Hospital Expansion
Metro West: Traffic Impact Study for Model Fairfax County TOD Project
Tysons Corner Center: Traffic Impact Study of Proposed Redevelopment
Parking Analyses, Parking Reduction, and Shared Parking Studies in Fairfax County
Off-street parking is regulated in Fairfax County to ensure that adequate parking is available for commuters and residents. While building adequate parking remains a concern, Fairfax County is recognized as a leader in developing solutions to “right-size” parking – in other words, not building more parking (which is expensive) than is necessary.
W+A has been at the forefront of the trend of reducing the need for parking through the development of intelligent transportation networks and solutions, including:
- developing shared parking plans
- developing and implementing TDM and mobility management programs
- managing last-mile connections for transit-adjacent properties, and
- developing active transportation and multimodal options
In short, parking is expensive for developers to build, and these costs are passed on to tenants. Our work in developing forward-thinking parking studies and analyses for a wide range of developments has helped developments and communities in Fairfax County reduce parking while boosting transportation choices and avoiding increases in vehicular traffic congestion.
Business owners in Fairfax County may be told by the county that they need to determine new levels of parking requirements at your place of business. This often happens when there is a change or an expansion in land use that requires a greater need for parking. You can learn more about How to Update Your Parking Tabulation Form for Fairfax County here.
Selected Fairfax County Parking Analysis Case Studies
Reston Town Center: Traffic Impact and Parking Reduction Studies
Multimodal Transportation Planning for Mixed-Use, Transit-Oriented, and Affordable Housing Developments
Due to increasing urbanization and density, the need for more housing, land use and zoning modifications, the rise in population and vehicular traffic, and more, our team has been at the forefront of developing transportation solutions for mixed-use developments, transit-oriented developments, and, notably, projects in the unique “edge city” of Tysons in the heart of Fairfax County.
Mixed-Use Developments
Regional centers throughout the county that formerly were auto-oriented and single land use destinations have been rezoned to mixed use, including office, retail, and residential. We have been at the forefront of these developments, working with developers, county officials, and professional peers in transportation charettes and studies. Our solutions have included the development of a wider range of transportation choices (including transit, active transportation, ride-hailing, and shuttles), right-sizing parking, reducing vehicle trips through TDM programs, community engagement, and developing traffic design solutions.
Transit-Oriented and Transit-Adjacent Developments
The expansion of transit choices in Fairfax County has enabled developments to take new approaches to how people get to and get around their communities. Our traffic analyses, parking studies, TDM plans, geospatial analyses, and transportation planning recommendations have enabled transit-oriented developments to create walkable communities and transit-adjacent buildings and complexes to develop last-mile connections.
Affordable Housing
As Fairfax County continues to increase in density, the issue of affordable housing has become a more acute concern. Workers need to be able to access workplaces closer to home, while businesses depend on a committed workforce. Affordable housing developments raise various transportation concerns, including parking availability, the potential increase in vehicular traffic, and the need for a variety of transportation options for tenants. Our team provides traffic engineering, parking, transportation planning, and multimodal transportation analyses to ensure that affordable housing in Fairfax County’s landscape has multimodal access to jobs, recreation, and shopping.
Selected Case Studies:
One University: Parking Analysis for Affordable Housing in Fairfax
Metro Orange Line: TDM Plan and Traffic Impact Study for Model Fairfax County TOD Project