Fairfax County pilot program lowers speed limits to 20 mph on certain roads

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Published October 16, 2026 8:39 AM EDT
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Fairfax County lowers speed limits to 20 mph in new pilot program

Fairfax County is launching a new pilot program to reduce speed limits from 25 mph to 20 mph across several busy residential cut-through roads in three districts. Because state law restricts speed cameras to school and work zones, officials are turning to lower speed limits to curb crashes and protect pedestrians and cyclists. Sign changes begin next week, with county leaders evaluating the program into early next year to determine if the changes should expand or lead to physical traffic-calming measures.   

The Brief

    • Fairfax County is launching a pilot program to drop speed limits from 25 mph to 20 mph on 10 roads.
    • The affected roads are located across three different districts – Dranesville, Mason and Providence.
    • Crews begin installing new signs next week, and county officials will evaluate crash data early next year before deciding whether to expand the program or add physical traffic calming measures.

FAIRFAX COUNTY - Fairfax County is lowering speed limits from 25 mph to 20 mph along several busy residential corridors as part of a pilot program designed to reduce crashes and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Where Speeds Are Changing:

The following areas will be affected:

  • Dranesville District: Douglas Drive between Georgetown Pike and Baron Road; Baron Road between Randolph Road and Ingleside Avenue; and Ingleside Avenue between Baron Road and Dolley Madison Boulevard.
  • Mason District: Patrick Henry Drive between Leesburg Pike and Beachway Drive; Peace Valley Lane on the west side of Justice High School; Beachway Drive between Patrick Henry Drive and Nevius Street; Nevius Street back to Leesburg Pike; and Blair Road between Beachway Drive and Glen Carlyn Drive.
  • Providence District: Flagpole Lane between White Granite Drive and Borge Street; and Bushman Drive between Borge Street and Blake Lane.

The backstory:

According to officials, the goal of the program is to make roads safer for drivers, bikers and pedestrians. Roads were chosen based on pedestrian activity, nearby schools and areas that lacked sidewalks, crosswalks and transit.

A study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found the risk for serious injury is 32% at 25 mph but goes down to 18% at 20 mph.

What's next:

The pilot program will operate through the early months of next year. County officials will evaluate traffic and crash data to determine if the lower limit successfully slowed drivers before considering physical traffic calming measures, such as speed humps or roadway redesigns. Officials may also consider expanding the 20 mph limit to other residential cut-through streets throughout Fairfax County.

The Source: This article was written using information from Fairfax County officials. 

Fairfax County