Fairfax County supervisors have agreed to put nearly $500 million worth of bonds onto the ballot this November to pay for dozens of school and transportation projects.
The board voted Monday to send $475 million worth of bonds to the Circuit Court for what is considered a largely pro-forma approval, which would then put the expenditures to a voter referendum in the Nov. 6 election.
The $110 million for road projects includes large-scale pedestrian, transit and roadway improvements, according to documents provided by the county. The largest single item would provide $21 million to widen StringfellowRoad. Other big-ticket costs include $20 million for improvements to Lorton Road and $15 million to shore up pedestrian access and safety around the county.
The transportation bonds would be the first to reach county voters since the Virginia General Assembly approved a major transportation funding bill that is expected to pay for $400 million a year in Northern Virginia road and mass-transit projects. Monday’s vote signals that local supervisors are not confident that the bill will provide for all the county’s transportation needs.
“You need both and more,” said Fairfax County Supervisor Dana Kauffman, arguing that even the bonds and transportation bill together aren’t enough to counter the region’s clogged transportation network.
The board also approved $365.2 million in school bonds, including the construction of Laurel Hill and Lacey Elementary Schools, which together cost $45 million, and $160.8 million worth of renovations. The Fairfax County School Board signed off on the bond package in late April.
