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 – is being 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 are available at new ramps 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

Extended Right Lane Closure on Northbound Nutley Street Near I-66 in Place Through May 18 for Drainage Work

A long-term closure of the right lane on northbound Nutley Street between Hermosa Drive and the ramp to I-66 East to complete drainage work will remain in place until approximately May 18. The month-long closure began April 18.

Pedestrians will continue to use the east side of Nutley Street to travel through the interchange during this work.

Nutley Street Roundabouts at I-66 Now Open

The roundabouts on the north and south ends of the redesigned I-66/Nutley Street Interchange opened the morning of Wednesday, March 1.

As part of the roundabouts opening, the temporary traffic signals allowing left turns from the ramp from I-66 West to Nutley Street South and from I-66 East to Nutley Street North will be removed. Drivers will instead use the roundabouts to make these movements onto Nutley Street. This is the permanent routing for these movements.

Drivers should expect the following new, permanent traffic movements:

Traveling from I-66 East to Nutley Street North

Drivers traveling from I-66 East to northbound Nutley Street will take Exit 62 to Nutley Street North and stay to the left on the ramp. They will yield to southbound traffic, then use the roundabout to join northbound Nutley Street.

Nutley Roundabout I-66E to VA-243N

Traveling from I-66 West to Nutley Street South

Drivers traveling from I-66 West to southbound Nutley Street will take Exit 62B to Nutley Street South and stay to the left on the ramp. They will yield to northbound traffic, then use the roundabout to join southbound Nutley Street.

New Roundabout I-66W to VA-243S

Drivers traveling from Nutley Street North to I-66 West and from Nutley Street South to I-66 East will continue to use the roundabouts to reach the ramps. This is a temporary configuration for these movements while “bypass” lanes are completed that will give direct access from Nutley Street North to I-66 West and from Nutley Street South to I-66 East without entering the roundabouts. It is anticipated they will be open in late spring 2023.

Drivers traveling on Nutley Street North or South over I-66 should stay alert for yield signs and merging traffic when entering the circles. No traffic pattern changes will occur with this work for drivers traveling from I-66 East to Nutley Street South; from Nutley Street North to I-66 East; from I-66 West to Nutley Street North; and from Nutley Street South to I-66 West.

Construction Update (Updated May 19, 2023)

Construction Progress:

The latest phase of the double roundabout/“dog bone” design opened on March 1, 2023, ending use of the temporary signals

Upcoming Construction Activities:

Work continues on the bypass lanes from Nutley Street South to I-66 East and from Nutley Street North to I-66 West, which are planned to open in spring 2023
Shared-use path and sidewalk work continues through and near the interchange including multiple box culverts to travel under Nutley Street and multiple ramps. Sections of path at Nutley Street interchange are planned to open in phases beginning in May 2023
Final paving and striping of Nutley Street and the ramps to and from I-66

Aerial view of the Nutley Road area
Aerial view of the Nutley Street area. (April 2023)

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 opened	November 2022
Roundabout configuration opened	March 1, 2023
Roundabout bypass lanes open	Mid/late spring 2023