Route 15 North Safety Improvements

Loudoun County will be periodically closing the shoulders along North King Street (Business Route 15) in the area of Dry Hollow Road for the purpose of subsurface testing associated with the planned shared used path along North King Street. Daytime work is scheduled to begin Thursday, March 16, at 9:00 a.m. and continue until Monday, March 20, at 4:00 p.m. If inclement weather delays testing, plans call for tests to continue each successive workday following Monday, March 20, until the testing can be completed.

Motorists will be alerted to the shoulder closures by signage along Route 15. Drivers should expect delays and use extra caution when traveling through this area and follow all directions from the posted signs and road crews. 

The Route 15 North widening project includes the design, land acquisition, utility relocation and construction to widen Route 15 from two to four lanes between Battlefield Parkway and Montresor Road. The project also includes a shared use path along the west side of Route 15 between North King Street and Montresor Road continuing along the west side of North King Street from Route 15 to the Dry Hollow Road. The improvements will improve traffic operations, congestion and enhance safety along this segment of the road. The project will be implemented in phases. Phase I will incorporate the road widening between Battlefield Parkway and Whites Ferry Road. Phase II will incorporate the roadway widening between Whites Ferry Road and Montresor Road, the relocation of Limestone School Road and construction of the roundabout at Montresor Road.

For more information about the Route 15 North widening from Battlefield Parkway to Montresor Road project, including a link to sign up for updates about the project, visit loudoun.gov/route15northwidening. 

Loudoun County will be periodically closing a lane along James Monroe Highway (Route 15) between Whites Ferry Road and Montresor Road for the purpose of subsurface testing associated with the planned widening of the roadway to a four-lane, median divided facility. Work is scheduled to begin Tuesday, September 6 at 9:00 p.m. and continue until Wednesday, September 7 at 4:00 a.m. If inclement weather delays testing, plans call for tests to continue each successive workday following September 6 until the testing can be completed.

Motorists will be alerted to alternating one-lane traffic through the work site by signage along Route 15. Drivers should expect delays and use extra caution when traveling through this area and follow all directions from the posted signs and road crews. 

The Route 15 North widening project includes the design, land acquisition, utility relocation and construction to widen Route 15 from two to four lanes between Battlefield Parkway and Montresor Road. The project also includes a shared use path along the Route 15 southbound lanes. These improvements will improve traffic operations, congestion and safety along this segment of the road. 

This project will be built in phases. Phase I will incorporate the road widening between Battlefield Parkway and Whites Ferry Road. Phase II will incorporate the roadway widening between Whites Ferry Road and Montresor Road, the relocation of Limestone School Rad and construction of the roundabout at Montresor Road. 

For more information and updates about the Route 15 North widening from Battlefield Parkway to Montresor Road project, visit loudoun.gov/route15northwidening.

At its business meeting on July 5, 2022, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors approved the Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM) related to safety and operational improvements to U.S. Route 15 north of Leesburg.

With this approval, the Loudoun County 2019 Countywide Transportation Plan will be amended by changing the planned ultimate condition of U.S. Route 15 between Montresor Road and the Maryland state line. 

The proposed improvements of this CPAM include:

• Widening of U.S. Route 15 to four lanes between Montresor Road and the Village of Lucketts.
• The installation of a median divide on U.S. Route 15 from Stumptown Road north to Saint Clair Lane.
• Construction of a bypass around the Village of Lucketts to the west of existing U.S. Route 15. Final location and alignment of the bypass will be determined during the roadway design process.

Additionally, the Board of Supervisors directed county staff to identify safety and operational improvements to the U.S. Route 15 corridor that could be made in advance of the ultimate improvements authorized by the CPAM to improve corridor safety and reliability as soon as possible. A prioritized list of potential improvements to include the estimated costs and time frames to complete each improvement is scheduled to be presented to the Board for consideration no later than its October 18, 2022, meeting.

At the Board’s May 11 public hearing, members of the public provided their input on the proposed congestion relief and safety improvements for U.S. Route 15, as well as their perspectives on possible locations of the proposed Lucketts bypass. 

Consideration of this CPAM comes after years of county studies to identify the cause of recurring congestion in the area and to improve safety within the U.S. Route 15 corridor between Whites Ferry Road and the Maryland state line. These studies resulted in a plan which was endorsed by the Board of Supervisors in July 2019. The Board initiated the CPAM in March 2021 to enable the planned improvements.

Several recommended safety improvements, which did not require amendment of the county’s Comprehensive Plan, are already in process, including:

• Expanding U.S. Route 15 to four lanes from King Street to Montresor Road.
• The design of a roundabout at Spinks Ferry Road.
• Pedestrian improvements within the Village of Lucketts.
• Safety improvements at the Lovettsville Road intersection with U.S. Route 15.

For more information about the U.S. Route 15 North safety and operations studies, visit the project webpage.

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