Main Street Road Safety Audit

Read the Full Report(PDF, 23MB)

Study Purpose

The City of Fairfax was awarded a grant by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) to conduct a road safety audit (RSA) and identify safety challenges faced by all road users on Main Street.

Between January 2018 and August 2023, over 250 crashes were reported along the corridor, including multiple injuries and two pedestrian fatalities. Main Street is also identified in the top 1 percent of regional and state priorities in Virginia's Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP).

The study incorporated principles of the Safe System Approach, which aims to reduce fatalities and life-changing injuries on our roadway system through five elements: safer people, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer speeds, and post-crash care.

Study Area

The study area is a 1.7-mile portion of Main Street between Blenheim Road and Pickett Road within the City of Fairfax. Main trip generators within and near the study area included:

  • Low- to medium-density residential neighborhoods
  • Older living facilities (Little River Glen Senior Center, Olley Glen Apartments)
  • Commercial shopping plazas (The Shops at Fairfax, Main Street Shopping Center, Fair City Mall, Main Street Marketplace)
  • Institutional destinations (George Mason University, Woodson High School, Northern Virginia Community College)

Recommended Safety Improvements

The audit recommends a combination of short-term and long-term safety countermeasures. 

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