Michelle Y. 2026 | BASIS Independent McLean
- Project Title: Comparative Analysis of Intersection Designs for Seven Corners Redesign
- BASIS Independent Advisor: Thomas Casalaspi
Seven Corners in Falls Church, Virginia, is notorious throughout Northern Virginia as one of the region’s worst intersections. Drivers complain about missing turns, dangerous merges, and confusing lane configurations. Many actively avoid the area entirely, taking longer routes just to escape the chaos. With 110,000 to 130,000 vehicles daily, a Level of Service grade of F (fail), and average delays exceeding 3 minutes during rush hour, Seven Corners exemplifies how poor intersection design affects entire communities. Approximately 25% of traffic fatalities and 50% of traffic injuries nationwide occur at intersections, making poor design not just frustrating but dangerous. Fairfax County has proposed a $130-140 million Ring Road reconstruction based on studies from 2012-2015. However, no recent independent comparison to alternative intersection types has been conducted.This project fills that gap by designing and testing alternative intersection configurations using professional traffic simulation software. Working with Wells + Associates and HNTB, local traffic engineering firms, I will design 2-3 alternative intersections and compare their performance to both the Ring Road and the current layout. The final product includes a detailed road model, traffic simulation results, and a technical report with data-driven recommendations.
