Nutley Street (Route 243) Interchange

Major redesign and construction are planned for the Nutley Street Interchange as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project. The new interchange will:

Provide safer, more efficient travel for vehicles entering and exiting I-66 East and West
Improve safety for vehicles and pedestrians traveling on Nutley Street
Connect the new grade-separated shared-use path with planned bicycle and pedestrian improvements around the Vienna/Fairfax/GMU Metrorail station and a shared-use path being built into the Town of Vienna

A new design alternative – a double roundabout – will be constructed at this interchange as an alternative to the diverging diamond interchange (DDI) included in the initial project design. The project team held a community meeting in Vienna in June 2019 to discuss and get feedback on the design change, which will improve safety and traffic flow on Nutley Street while reducing construction impacts for drivers and project neighbors compared to the DDI design. Learn more about this design change by viewing the meeting handout, presentation, and display boards.

Express Lanes access to and from the west will be available at new ramps that will be constructed at Vaden Drive, just west of the Metrorail station.

66 Express Lanes Access at Nutley Street

There is no direct access to or from the 66 Express Lanes at Nutley Street, but a new flyover ramp located between Cedar Lane and Gallows Road provides access from the eastbound I-66 general-purpose lanes. The ramp is on the right side of I-66 East and will give drivers access to the eastbound 66 Express Lanes and the 495 North and South Express Lanes.

Express Lanes Access east of Nutley Street

Changes to Nutley Street Access to I-66 West Through October 2022

Drivers heading from Nutley Street North and South to I-66 West will use new turn lanes and a traffic signal to reach a temporary ramp through October 2022 while construction of the redesigned Nutley Street and I-66 Interchange continues.

As part of this temporary traffic pattern:

Nutley Street North and South to I-66 West

The current ramp from northbound Nutley Street to westbound I-66 and the current temporary ramp from southbound Nutley Street to westbound I-66 will both close.
From southbound Nutley Street, drivers will access I-66 West by turning left at the traffic signal onto a new ramp that will merge into the current loop ramp from northbound Nutley Street to I-66 West (see graphic below).
From northbound Nutley Street, drivers will access I-66 West by continuing a short distance beyond the current entrance to the loop ramp to I-66 West, then turning right at the traffic signal to reach the loop ramp (see graphic).
Drivers traveling from northbound Nutley Street to westbound I-66 should be alert for southbound Nutley Street traffic merging onto the ramp from the left.
Two travel lanes will continue on north- and southbound Nutley Street through the interchange.

Nutley Changes at I-66

I-66 West Travel Lanes at Nutley Street Shifted to New Roadway Configuration Until Early November

Travel lanes on I-66 West between Nutley Street and Vaden Drive were shifted to a new, long-term configuration during the early morning hours on July 6. The shift to the outer portion of westbound I-66 is necessary to build the future I-66 Express Lanes in the center area of the interstate. The two right travel lanes are now separated from the two left travel lanes by barrier. Drivers are directed by signs and message boards to stay to the right at the lane split to exit to the Vienna/Fairfax/GMU Metrorail Station (Country Creek Road and Virginia Center Boulevard). All travel lanes go through. This temporary traffic pattern will remain in place for approximately four months.

As part of the implementation of this traffic shift, the ramps from Virginia Center Boulevard to I-66 West and from I-66 West to Vienna/Fairfax/GMU Metrorail Station have reopened. These ramps had been temporarily closed to allow construction to advance. Additionally, the future Express Lanes ramp from Vaden Drive to I-66 West that was temporarily opened as a detour route for buses only is now closed.

Permanent Loop Ramp Open at Nutley Street/I-66 Interchange

Ramp from Nutley Street South to I-66 East

The loop ramp from Nutley Street South to I-66 East is open on the right side of the roadway near the location of the previous loop ramp, which was closed in June 2020.
Drivers on Nutley Street South will no longer be able to make a left turn at the temporary traffic signal to reach I-66 East.

Ramp from Nutley Street South to I-66 East

Temporary Traffic Pattern Changes from I-66 East and West to Nutley Street Still in Effect

Drivers exiting I-66 West to Nutley Street North and South will continue using a temporary ramp which opened in February 2021. (The old loop ramp from I-66 West to southbound Nutley Street closed in July 2020.). All traffic heading to Nutley Street will use the same ramp for northbound and southbound travel. Drivers heading to southbound Nutley Street will use a temporary traffic signal to turn left onto Nutley Street South. The old I-66 West to Nutley Street North ramp has been closed and replaced with a new ramp located slightly after (west of) the current exit. Drivers access northbound Nutley Street by using the new exit ramp, then staying to the right.

Drivers access northbound Nutley Street by using the new exit ramp, then staying to the right.
Drivers access southbound Nutley Street by using the new ramp, staying to the left, then turning left at a temporary traffic signal.

The I-66 East to Nutley Street North Loop Ramp Closed in November 2020

Drivers access Nutley Street North by taking the current exit from I-66 East to Nutley Street South, stay to the left to use a temporary ramp, then turn left at a temporary traffic signal onto northbound Nutley Street.
Access from I-66 East to southbound Nutley Street and Saintsbury Drive/Vienna Metrorail Station remains unchanged.
Drivers traveling on Nutley Street should remain alert for changes in signal timing to allow traffic to turn onto Nutley Street North.

Learn more >

Construction Update (Updated September 28, 2022)

Recent Construction Progress:

Travel lanes of Nutley Street North and South over I-66 were shifted to the west side of the bridge on May 18
Temporary access change in place for traffic from Nutley Street South to I-66 West to allow shared-use path construction
Permanent loop ramp from Nutley Street South to I-66 East is open
Temporary traffic signals are in place for traffic from I-66 West to Nutley Street South, and from I-66 East to Nutley Street North

Upcoming Construction Activities:

Additional traffic shifts on Nutley Street will occur during 2022 to support construction activities

Aerial view of the Nutley Road area
Aerial view of the Nutley Street area. (August 12, 2022)

Project progress at the Nutley Street area. (August 12, 2022)

What Neighbors Can Expect

Clearing has occurred around the interchange and along portions of I-66
Construction activities began in 2020
Project emails and website will be used to communicate major traffic switches or nighttime work

What Drivers Can Expect

Travel lanes on I-66 have been shifted to allow paving and other work along the shoulders.
Traffic shifts, ramp closures, utility relocation, and other changes began on Nutley Street in 2020. More substantial work began at the interchange in 2021 following construction of all temporary ramps. Sign up for project email updates to keep up to date
Drivers should slow down, stay focused, and be alert for new traffic patterns and construction crews.

Timeline

Anticipated Schedule	Dates
Clearing activities begin	Spring 2019
Traffic shifts on I-66 near Nutley Street	Summer 2019
Traffic shifts on Nutley Street and ramps	June 2020 to February 2021
Express Lanes open	December 2022