In 1987, the Virginia General Assembly gave localities the go-ahead to create special tax districts to finance transportation improvements. Fairfax and Loudoun Counties quickly teamed up with Route 28 landowners to form the first transportation improvement district in the Commonwealth.

The two counties enacted a special levy of twenty cents per one hundred dollar valuation on all commercial and industrial property inside the 10,204-acre district. Bonds were issued to fund the construction, and the debt service was paid by Route 28 tax revenues with a back-up guarantee by the Commonwealth. One year later, construction was underway to widen the two-lane road to six lanes and build interchanges at Routes 50, 7 and the Dulles Toll Road. The 14-mile widening, from Route 7 in Loudoun County to I-66 in Fairfax County, was completed in 1991.

In 1995, the General Assembly passed the Public-Private Transportation Act. This Act enables private entities to propose innovative solutions for designing, constructing, financing and operating transportation improvements.

In September 2002, VDOT, The Clark Construction Group, Inc. and Shirley Contracting Company, LLC signed the Route 28 Corridor Improvements Comprehensive Agreement that provides a combined commitment of approximately $200 million in improvements over the next four years. Under this phase, six at-grade, signalized intersections will be replaced with high-capacity grade-separated interchanges. Ultimate plans call for construction of a total of ten interchanges and widening Route 28 to eight lanes.

Clark Construction and its road-building subsidiary, Shirley Contracting, are responsible for all right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, site development, design and construction services. VDOT will contribute more than $70 million and provide project support and guidance in accordance with the agreement to ensure the project’s success.

Funding for this project is largely provided by the district’s tax revenues. The revenues will support the sale of tax-exempt bonds that are backed by the moral obligation of both Fairfax and Loudoun Counties.