Loudoun County is planning to widen Farmwell Road in Ashburn from a 4-lane residential connector to a 6-lane highway from Smith Switch Road to Ashburn Road.

Even though this project has been in the CTP since 1995 and identified as a Priority Project at the Supervisor's 2013 Transportation Summit, no information on how this project was going to affect the adjacent neighborhoods was made available to the public until March of 2017. A public meeting was held on May 30, 2017 at Broad Run High School to review the 45% plans.

To review the information that has been released to date for this project, please visit https://interwapp01.loudoun.gov/WebLDAs/AppDetails....

The purpose of this petition is to let the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors know that we are against the Farmwell Road Widening project.

CONCERNS:

1. Pedestrians crossing at Ashburn Village Boulevard and Farmwell Road currently cross five (5) lanes of traffic and also have to watch out for vehicles turning left and right as they attempt to cross. This is a busy intersection and because of the numerous near misses, residents choose to cross further down where there are only four (4) lanes to cross and no crosswalk or light. If the County widens Farmwell Road, pedestrians will have to cross eight (8) lanes of traffic. This is a decrease in the safety of pedestrians. We are all aware of the tragic accident that occurred in a crosswalk on Riverside Parkway last year which is only a four (4) lane road.

2. High school students who live at the intersection of Farmwell Road and Ashburn Road live within the 1 mile walk zone. Other students from the area choose to walk to school who live outside of the 1 mile walk zone. Students currently have to cross six (6) lanes of traffic. Widening Farmwell Road will increase the number of lanes of traffic to nine (9). Again, this is a decrease for the safety of pedestrians.

3. Homeowners adjacent to Farmwell Road will be greatly impacted by the loss of trees, increase in noise, and a decrease in home values. Many of these homes have been here over 23 years.

4. There is no way to minimize the impact of replacing an iconic Ashburn Village entrance with a 1/4 acre or more storm water management pond which will have a fence around it, stagnant water after a rain, and covered in algae in the summer months and a breeding source for mosquitoes unless it is treated on a regular basis.

5. With the opening of Gloucester Parkway through to Route 28 last August, the amount of traffic on Farmwell Road between Smith Switch and Ashburn Road has decreased tremendously. Opening additional extensions, such as the already approved Shellhorn Road extension, will continue to decrease the amount of traffic on this section of Farmwell Road. No new traffic studies have been done to see how Gloucester and Shellhorn Road extensions affect the traffic on Farmwell Road.

6. The widening of Farmwell Road does not address the congestion during rush hour of vehicles heading west on Waxpool Road (which eventually turns into Farmwell Road) turning left onto Loudoun County Parkway and vehicles turning left onto Waxpool Road at the Smith Switch intersecton.

7. With a 6-lane highway through a residential area, speeds will increase (as we have seen on Gloucester) and there will be an increase in accidents involving both vehicles and pedestrians.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

1. By signing this petition, you are telling the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors that you are OPPOSED to the Farmwell Road widening and turning Farmwell Road into a 6-lane highway between Smith Switch and Ashburn Road.

2. By signing this petition, you are letting the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors know that you SUPPORT funds being transferred from the Farmwell Road Widening project to the Shellhorn Road extension to Route 28. This will allow the residents of Broadlands and Ashburn Farms another option from leaving Ashburn and will decrease traffic even more on Farmwell Road. It will also not disturb communities that have been in existence along Farmwell Road for over 23 years.

3. You can also send an email to all of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors letting them know you oppose the Farmwell Road widening project.

• Phyllis J. Randall (Chair at Large): Phyllis.Randall@loudoun.gov
• Ralph M. Buona, Vice Chairman (Ashburn): Ralph.Buona@loudoun.gov
• Suzanne M. Volpe, (Algonkian): Suzanne.Volpe@loudoun.gov
• Tony R. Buffington Jr., (Blue Ridge):Tony.Buffington@loudoun.gov
• Ron A. Meyer Jr., (Broad Run - Includes Ashburn Village & Cameron Chase): Ron.Meyer@loudoun.gov
• Geary M. Higgins (Catoctin): Geary.Higgins@loudoun.gov
• Matthew F. Letourneau (Dulles): Matt.Letourneau@loudoun.gov
• Kristen C. Umstattd (Leesburg): Kristen.Umstattd@loudoun.gov
• Koran T. Saines (Sterling): Koran.Saines@loudoun.gov

4. Attend the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors meetings and speak out against the Farmwell Road Widening project. The next meeting is scheduled for June 22nd at 5:00pm at the Loudoun County Building in Leesburg.

The Board of Supervisors provides time (2.5 minutes) for the public to speak at its regularly scheduled public input meetings, at its business meetings and public hearings. People are encouraged to call in advance to sign up to speak at the meetings by calling the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors at 703-777-0200. Advanced sign-ups will be taken until 12:00 noon the day of the meeting.