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.

Traffic Pattern Change, New Ramps Open at Nutley Street/I-66 Interchange

Travel lanes on Nutley Street have shifted and two new, permanent loop ramps are now open at the Nutley Street/I-66 Interchange.

The northbound lanes of Nutley Street have been shifted to the west, with two travel lanes in each direction running on the southbound side of the bridge over I-66. Pedestrians will also be detoured to the west side of the bridge. This temporary traffic pattern will allow construction of the new Nutley Street Interchange to advance while keeping Nutley Street open to vehicles and pedestrians. This shift will remain in place through approximately January 2022.

Nutley Street North and South over I-66

The northbound travel lanes of Nutley Street have been shifted to the west (southbound) side of the bridge over I-66. Northbound and southbound traffic will each have two travel lanes.
Pedestrian access over I-66 will be maintained on the west side of Nutley Street between Virginia Center Boulevard/Marshall Road and Saintsbury Drive/Swanee Lane.

The following new, permanent loop ramps are now open:

Ramp from Nutley Street South to I-66 East

The loop ramp from Nutley Street South to I-66 East is now 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 North to I-66 West

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

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

Drivers exiting I-66 West to Nutley Street North and South began using a new, temporary ramp February 17, 2021. (The existing 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 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 new 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 7, 2021)

The Nutley Street interchange has been reconfigured to allow construction of the new ‘double roundabout’ design. A new loop ramp from southbound Nutley Street to I-66 East is taking shape in the upper right quarter of the photo. (August 24, 2021)

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 will begin 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