Two Providence District roads near Oakton will soon drop from 25 to 20 mph as part of a new Fairfax County pilot program.

Flagpole Lane, from White Granite Drive to Borge Street, and Bushman Drive, from Borge Street to Blake Lane, are among the 10 residential streets selected. The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) plans to lower speed limits on all 10 roads this fall across three supervisory districts.

New signs could go up as soon as this week, FCDOT spokesperson Jennifer DeAngelis told FFXnow, which first reported the announcement. The limits take effect the moment signs are installed. No physical changes to the roads are planned.

The other eight pilot streets are in the Dranesville and Mason districts. FCDOT selected all 10 based on pedestrian activity, sidewalk and crosswalk presence, proximity to schools and transit stops, and resident feedback, according to a county announcement on Oct. 15. The county's Vulnerability Index, which measures socioeconomic disparities, also factored into the choices.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted 10-0 on June 9 to authorize the pilot. The program uses authority the Virginia General Assembly granted localities in May 2024 to cut speed limits on residential and business-district roads posted at 25 mph.

Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman voiced support at the June 9 hearing. "Twenty is plenty," Bierman said of speed limits in certain areas.

The pilot was originally expected to include roads in the Hunter Mill District, which covers parts of Reston. But Supervisor Walter Alcorn's office pulled two proposed segments of Glade Drive and Pinecrest Road after survey results showed insufficient community support, DeAngelis told FFXnow. The Hunter Mill District may select different roads for a future round.

At the June 9 hearing, several supervisors asked staff to study how the lower limits would apply to e-bikes, which can exceed 20 mph. Board Chairman Jeff McKay called that "something to flag for the police … for future exploration."

FCDOT said it will work with the remaining six Board offices to add pilot zones in their districts after the first three are running. At the time of the June vote, the county estimated signage costs at about $24,000 for nine roads. The final pilot includes 10.

FCDOT plans to collect traffic speed and volume data before and after the change, with an evaluation period running into early 2027.