Virginia State Route 608 (Fairfax County)
Encyclopedia
State Route 608 is a secondary state highway
in the U.S. state
of Virginia
, and traverses western Fairfax County
. Before the Fairfax County Parkway
from US 29
to Reston
was complete, SR 608 was the main north–south road in western Fairfax County.
, West Ox Road is a four to six lane divided highway. For the rest of its length it is a four lane divided highway.
West Ox Road passes SR 7435, Post Forest Drive. This is an entrance to the enclave where the Fairfax County Government Center and its associated offices are. Shortly thereafter it passes SR 7700, Fair Lakes Parkway, which leads into Fair Lakes
. A few blocks up on the left is the Fairfax Towne Centre.
West Ox Road then passes over US 50 in an interchange. It passes by Oakton
to the east, curves to the west and back to the north, all the while passing by neighborhoods of single family homes. Just south of the entrance to Reston
, West Ox Road intersects with SR 602
(Lawyers Road). There one must head west to stay on SR 608. Otherwise, one ends up on SR 602 and winds up in Reston.
The western portion of West Ox Road is primarily a two lane road. It widens as it approaches an intersection with SR 7100 (Fairfax County Parkway), and returns to two lanes after the intersection. It passes by smaller single family houses, intersects with SR 657 (Centreville Road), bends to the right and ends at SR 7605 (Copper Ridge Road).
(Sully Road).
and the Frying Pan Mining Company in the 1720s. It has been in constant use since then and has kept largely the same path.
West Ox Road was originally the main route between Fairfax and Reston before the Fairfax County Parkway was built. It was much windier then; at one spot there was a barn about 2 feet from the two-lane roadway, where there was a hairpin turn
, and SR 664 (Waples Mill Road) joined West Ox Road at a very sharp angle. Since then, the Virginia Department of Transportation
(VDOT) has widened and straightened the road, and the intersection with Waples Mill Road has been re-engineered so that the two roads meet at a right angle. The project to widen and straighten the road was proposed in the 1980s, but did not start until the late 1990s. The last part of West Ox Road to be widened was opened in 2008.
.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and traverses western Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
. Before the Fairfax County Parkway
Fairfax County Parkway
The Fairfax County Parkway, signed as State Route 7100, is a secondary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It provides a north–south arterial route in Fairfax County with a mix of interchanges and signalized and unsignalized intersections. Its alignment roughly corresponds to part of...
from US 29
U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...
to Reston
Reston, Virginia
Reston is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The population was 58,404, at the 2010 Census and 56,407 at the 2000 census...
was complete, SR 608 was the main north–south road in western Fairfax County.
West Ox Road
SR 608 starts as West Ox Road at an intersection / interchange with both SR7100 (Fairfax County Parkway) and US 29. This intersection is called by roadstothefuture.com as "The most complex one on the Parkway. Also, topped the list of most accident prone intersections in the county." From its southern origin to approximately the interchange with US 50U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
, West Ox Road is a four to six lane divided highway. For the rest of its length it is a four lane divided highway.
West Ox Road passes SR 7435, Post Forest Drive. This is an entrance to the enclave where the Fairfax County Government Center and its associated offices are. Shortly thereafter it passes SR 7700, Fair Lakes Parkway, which leads into Fair Lakes
Fair Lakes, Virginia
Fair Lakes is an unincorporated community and business park located northwest of Fairfax in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The Census Bureau defines Fair Lakes as a census-designated place with a population of 7,942 as of 2010.- About :...
. A few blocks up on the left is the Fairfax Towne Centre.
West Ox Road then passes over US 50 in an interchange. It passes by Oakton
Oakton, Virginia
Oakton is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the United States. The population was 29,348 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 22124.-Geography:Oakton is located at...
to the east, curves to the west and back to the north, all the while passing by neighborhoods of single family homes. Just south of the entrance to Reston
Reston, Virginia
Reston is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The population was 58,404, at the 2010 Census and 56,407 at the 2000 census...
, West Ox Road intersects with SR 602
Virginia State Route 602 (Fairfax County)
State Route 602 is a secondary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia, and traverses western Fairfax County. SR 602 is the main road through Reston, and connects with SR 608 , SR 267 , SR 606 , and SR 7...
(Lawyers Road). There one must head west to stay on SR 608. Otherwise, one ends up on SR 602 and winds up in Reston.
The western portion of West Ox Road is primarily a two lane road. It widens as it approaches an intersection with SR 7100 (Fairfax County Parkway), and returns to two lanes after the intersection. It passes by smaller single family houses, intersects with SR 657 (Centreville Road), bends to the right and ends at SR 7605 (Copper Ridge Road).
Frying Pan Road
After a gap, SR 608 picks up at the intersection of Frying Pan Road and SR 657 (Centreville Road), passing past an office park with hotels, and ending at an intersection with SR 28Virginia State Route 28
State Route 28 is a primary state highway that traverses the counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, and Fauquier in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is a major artery through Northern Virginia.-Loudoun County:...
(Sully Road).
History
West Ox Rd is a stretch of the original Ox Rd, first dug by Robert Carter IRobert Carter I
Robert "King" Carter , of Lancaster County, was a colonist in Virginia and became one of the wealthiest men in the colonies....
and the Frying Pan Mining Company in the 1720s. It has been in constant use since then and has kept largely the same path.
West Ox Road was originally the main route between Fairfax and Reston before the Fairfax County Parkway was built. It was much windier then; at one spot there was a barn about 2 feet from the two-lane roadway, where there was a hairpin turn
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
, and SR 664 (Waples Mill Road) joined West Ox Road at a very sharp angle. Since then, the Virginia Department of Transportation
Virginia Department of Transportation
The Virginia Department of Transportation is the agency of state government responsible for transportation in the state of Virginia in the United States. Headquartered in Downtown Richmond, VDOT is responsible for building, maintaining, and operating the roads, bridges and tunnels in the...
(VDOT) has widened and straightened the road, and the intersection with Waples Mill Road has been re-engineered so that the two roads meet at a right angle. The project to widen and straighten the road was proposed in the 1980s, but did not start until the late 1990s. The last part of West Ox Road to be widened was opened in 2008.
Major intersections
The entirety of SR 608 is within Fairfax CountyFairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
.
| Location | Mile | Major Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Ox Road | |||
| Fairfax Fairfax, Virginia The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat.... |
0.00 | South terminus of SR 608; Three-way interchange | |
| 0.97 |  SR 7700 (Fair Lakes Parkway) - Fair LakesFair Lakes, Virginia Fair Lakes is an unincorporated community and business park located northwest of Fairfax in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The Census Bureau defines Fair Lakes as a census-designated place with a population of 7,942 as of 2010.- About :... , Fairfax Fairfax, Virginia The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat.... |
East end of Fair Lakes Fair Lakes, Virginia Fair Lakes is an unincorporated community and business park located northwest of Fairfax in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The Census Bureau defines Fair Lakes as a census-designated place with a population of 7,942 as of 2010.- About :... |
|
| 1.72 | Interchange | ||
| 2.64 | SR 664 (Waples Mill Road) - Oakton Oakton, Virginia Oakton is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the United States. The population was 29,348 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 22124.-Geography:Oakton is located at... |
||
| Herndon Herndon, Virginia Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 21,655 at the 2000 census, which makes it the largest of three towns in the county.-History:... |
4.92 | SR 602 Virginia State Route 602 (Fairfax County) State Route 602 is a secondary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia, and traverses western Fairfax County. SR 602 is the main road through Reston, and connects with SR 608 , SR 267 , SR 606 , and SR 7... (Lawyers Road) - Reston Reston, Virginia Reston is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The population was 58,404, at the 2010 Census and 56,407 at the 2000 census... , Oakton Oakton, Virginia Oakton is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the United States. The population was 29,348 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 22124.-Geography:Oakton is located at... |
North to Reston, east (Folkstone Drive) toward SR 665 (Fox Mill Road). Must turn left to stay on SR 608 (West Ox Road) |
| 6.15 | Signalized intersection. | ||
| 7.61 | SR 657 (Centreville Road) - Herndon Herndon, Virginia Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 21,655 at the 2000 census, which makes it the largest of three towns in the county.-History:... , Chantilly Chantilly, Virginia Chantilly is an unincorporated community located in western Fairfax County and southeastern Loudoun County of Northern Virginia. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census designated place , the community population was 23,039 as of the 2010 census -- down from 41,041 in 2000, due to the... |
||
| 7.90 | SR 7605 (Copper Ridge Road) - Herndon Herndon, Virginia Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 21,655 at the 2000 census, which makes it the largest of three towns in the county.-History:... |
End section | |
| GAP Frying Pan Rd. |
|||
| Herndon Herndon, Virginia Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 21,655 at the 2000 census, which makes it the largest of three towns in the county.-History:... |
7.90 | SR 657 (Centreville Road) - Herndon Herndon, Virginia Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 21,655 at the 2000 census, which makes it the largest of three towns in the county.-History:... , Chantilly Chantilly, Virginia Chantilly is an unincorporated community located in western Fairfax County and southeastern Loudoun County of Northern Virginia. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census designated place , the community population was 23,039 as of the 2010 census -- down from 41,041 in 2000, due to the... |
|
| Herndon Herndon, Virginia Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 21,655 at the 2000 census, which makes it the largest of three towns in the county.-History:... / Chantilly Chantilly, Virginia Chantilly is an unincorporated community located in western Fairfax County and southeastern Loudoun County of Northern Virginia. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census designated place , the community population was 23,039 as of the 2010 census -- down from 41,041 in 2000, due to the... |
8.90 | North terminus of SR 608 | |