Living in LoCo
Zigzags and Other Waxpool Road Tricks
Erica Garman at 10:44 a.m., January 31, 2008 (13 comments)
Have you driven on Waxpool Road near Shellhorn Road in Ashburn? If so, you’re aware of the crazy zigzag where Farmwell Hunt’s Faulkner Parkway will eventually intersect with Waxpool.
When Waxpool was first diverted at this point about two years ago, a white movable fence and orange barrel barriers were set up to keep cars off the construction at Faulkner Parkway, and a stop sign went up for eastbound traffic on Waxpool. The stop sign was installed and a black tarp was placed over it, but the wind eventually blew the covering off the sign. It was never replaced, so drivers assumed it wasn’t a “valid” stop sign.
Future intersection of Faulkner Parkway and Waxpool Road. (Photos by Mike Salmon/VDOT)
To this day drivers rarely stop at the sign -- the only way to go, after all, is right, and there is no merging traffic from another road.
I called Mike Salmon with VDOT and explained the nerve-wracking intersection. He said it is always a policy to come to a complete stop at all posted stop signs.
Salmon was kind enough to meet me at the location yesterday afternoon, which of course was tricky because, really, it’s difficult to explain to someone unfamiliar with this area where, exactly, this spot is. Shellhorn is one of those crazy roads that intersects Waxpool at two different points.
Waxpool/Faulkner Parkway
After several “where are you” phone calls, we decided to meet at the Heritage Baptist Church on Shellhorn. I then had Salmon follow me to the questionable stop sign, where we parked on the side of the road.
I walked him to the site and showed him how cars ignore the stop sign -- most passed through the sign without even a tap of the brakes.
All of a sudden -- BAM! A westbound car took the turn a little wide and the right side of the front bumper hit the white barrier fence blocking access to Faulkner Parkway. The driver righted himself and kept going. While Salmon was taking some pictures, two other cars nicked the barrier while turning left.
Yesterday afternoon, Salmon called and said a VDOT crew was on its way to the site to push the barriers back to a safer point and assess the intersection.
Future intersection of Faulkner Parkway and Waxpool Road.
A representative from the Loudoun County Transportation office informed me that Waxpool will be widened to four lanes by the Verizon building, and crews are currently moving utilities to accommodate this construction. Toll Brothers, the developer in charge of the Faulkner Parkway extension, still has some paving work to complete before opening the road. We may not see much progress on this intersection until the widening of Waxpool -- the thought being why pave now, if it will have to be ripped up when Waxpool is widened.
Eventually, traffic will be able to merge from Waxpool Road northwest onto Faulkner Parkway, which will become Shellhorn Road, which will become Broadlands Boulevard and intersect with Belmont Ridge Road. As is typical in Northern Virginia, don’t count on Faulkner, Shellhorn or Broadlands Boulevard ever sharing one unified name.
Case in point: Church Road originates in Sterling and becomes Waxpool Road when you cross Rt. 28. Waxpool Road, if you follow the traffic flow, becomes Farmwell Road, which becomes Ashburn Farm Parkway which follows Sycolin Road to Leesburg.
Do you have a road issue that is driving you batty? E-mail me at livinginloco@wpni.com.
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I have never understood the Gloucester Parkway/Claiborne Parkway fiasco. Moving west from the intersection on Gloucester, you are driving nearly parallel to Claiborne, so there are 8 lanes, separated by a pond (with no water in it). I personally think that Gloucester should have been diverted to join Claiborne closer to the W & OD trail, and the asphalt mistake could be turned into a park. With easy access to the bike path, it looks like a win all-around. There I go again, looking like a tree-hugger...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...
Posted by teden (anonymous) on January 31, 2008 at 10:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
NICELY DONE getting attention to this dog-leg intersection that has been a problematic eyesore for a long time!
Turning left onto LoCo Prkwy from Shellhorn can be a NIGHTMARE. LoCo Prkway is only TWO lanes prior to this intersection, so a car could turn safely from Shellhorn into the third lane (closest lane in)which BEGINS at this spot. It would eliminate long line ups here in the morning. It would also stop those who KNOW this from pulling up next to someone who doesn't know, and pulling into the 3rd lane ahead of them- almost causing accidents.
A simple "Keep you Lane" sign on LoCo Pkwy would help- not sure what sign exists to let Shellhorn drivers know that the lane is theirs for the taking...
Posted by tttrenee (anonymous) on January 31, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What's to assess? It's a 90 degree left turn. Slow down and drive properly when you make the turn and you won't hit the big, white, highly visible barricade. The stop sign is in the right place. Hopefully drivers can see the stop sign or the barricade prior to the turn and know to slow down. If they can't then they shouldn't be driving in the first place and should have their license taken away.
Posted by mazman128 (anonymous) on January 31, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Waxpool Road actually starts in Sterling near the east end of Sterling Boulevard. It begins as East Frederick Drive, then changes to Oaktree Lane for about 100 yards before it becomes East Church Road. After crossing over Sterling Boulevard again, it becomes West Church Road up to Rt 28. After that, it becomes Waxpool, then Farmwell Rd., then Ashburn Farm Parkway, and Sycolin Road into Leesburg before finally changing to Plaza Street all the way up to its end at Battlefield Parkway. All in all, it changes names 8 times in the span of about 10 miles. Can anyone beat this?
Posted by spam4mee (anonymous) on January 31, 2008 at 2:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Can you get this same VDOT crew to assess the disaster of the dangerous interchange that is Northbound Rte. 28 and Waxpool every evening rush hour? Should be slightly easier for them to to find, just look for the wall of brake lights and shattered car pieces from all the accidents.
Posted by nocando (anonymous) on January 31, 2008 at 4:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Is there a GOOD reason why those barriers are there at all? Faulker is a finished road which terminates at Ashburn Road. Those that live in Ashburn Farm could go that way. And those that live in Broadlands can still make the 90 degree left turn at the strange zig zag. Why not make it a three way stop in the mean time?
From what I hear, the home owners on Falkner do not want that road opened ever.
What is really going on?
I have just been curious for quite some time now.
Posted by ericadawn72 (anonymous) on January 31, 2008 at 8:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What is up with the stoplight at Claiborne and Gloucester Pkwy? Is it going to take a year to do? There's a stoplight further down on Claiborne that was started about two weeks ago and is almost done already.
I don't understand Loudoun's affection for 4-way stop intersections. They don't work that well when there are two or more lanes of traffic coming in each direction.
Posted by jt12 (anonymous) on February 1, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, is it that hard to avoid a big white barrier? Looks pretty obvious in that picture. And 3 cars managed to hit it in that short period of time? This explains all the scratches on my car from parking around here... Wow...
Posted by swu69 (anonymous) on February 1, 2008 at 5:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mike Salmon says that it is always a "policy" to come to a complete stop at all posted stop signs. Well that is news to me. I always thought that it was THE LAW. Guess that explains why no one in Loudoun County stops at any of the thousands of posted stop signs, and why the Sheriff's Department does not enforce this "policy."
Posted by wmphillips (anonymous) on February 2, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I was going to go out there myself an put another tarp or heavy garbage bag over this stop sign. The stop sign for the right turn is pointless, and only exists today because the wind managed to uncover it. To "mazman128", I think you're confusing the location of the stop sign. Left turns are indeed made without stopping. And if one cannot make that left without hitting the delineator, then you are correct in asserting that they are poor drivers. What's egregious is that the intersection/roadway has existed in an unimproved state for so long. I've lived in the area since late 2004, and it's been marginally improved since then. Evidently, no one under the employ of VDOT or Toll Brothers ever has to use this intersection.
Posted by RDevadason (anonymous) on February 2, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I understand the wind blew off the cover, but having the stop sign there before the right turn lets people know to slow down. Sure we all know about this turn, but for people who are not familiar with this road I think the stop sign helps. That corner is confusing enough. Stopping there and getting you bearings straight IMO is safer for those not familiar with the road especially at night.
Posted by mazman128 (anonymous) on February 4, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Nice work, Erica (seriously)! I saw the sign last night that they're opening Faulkner. Just shows what the power of a WaPo blogger can do. Now, at least, the stop sign will be useful.
Of course, we can all go back to griping that our direct route on Waxpool has lost its right-of-way to a road few will be using. Ah well. Small victories.
Posted by filmjoy (anonymous) on February 9, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why can't VDOT build a left turn lane from Northbound 607(Loudoun County Parkway) onto Westbound Shellhorn Rd?
Just after crossing over the Greenway in the mornings I see countless screeching tires trying to avoid hitting those who want to turn left onto Shellhorn, it will turn into a deathtrap for those that fly up on on it too fast. There is plenty of room for a left turn lane that is sorely needed.
And side note, yay for Faulkner Pkwy finally opening, now can they please speed up the broadlands blvd connector that seems to be taking forever!
Posted by drew1701d (anonymous) on February 11, 2008 at 10:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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