The Dulles Rail Project this weekend undertook the first of several major traffic pattern shifts along Route 7 in Tysons Corner that may confuse and frustrate drivers.
The work is a precursor to the construction of a short tunnel between Routes 7 and 123 and the Tysons Central 7 station — one of the four stations running through Tysons as part of the 23-mile Metro extension.
The changes will be permanent. Traffic exiting Marshall’s Drive and Frontage Road will be able to turn right only at the intersection with Route 7. Under the new pattern, crossing Route 7 from either road will be impossible.
Howard Menaker, a spokesman for the project, said the change could slow down traffic in the short term. That trouble may be exacerbated by a busy, back-to-school shopping weekend.
“I think after people adjust to it, it won’t be a big deal,” said Menaker. “There are a lot of people who are used to making left turns along Route 7 in a lot of places, and this will be the first time they won’t be able to do that.”
Crews on Friday night closed the median of Route 7 at Marshall’s Drive/Frontage Road.
The changes are part of a larger mosaic of traffic adjustments, backups and bottlenecks in Tysons Corner caused by the rail project and Capital Beltway high-occupancy-toll lanes construction.
The traffic disruptions so far haven’t been as bad as they could have been, said Fairfax County Supervisor Linda Smyth.
“If you were expecting the worst possible case scenario, maybe this wasn’t as bad as you expected,” said Smyth, who represents the Providence District.
The rail’s initial 11.6-mile phase, which includes the Tysons stations and runs to Reston, is slated to be complete in 2013.
