How is the Route 28 expansion affecting Centreville real estate?

The Route 28 widening from four to six lanes between the Bull Run bridge and the Route 29 interchange in Centreville is now substantially complete and in daily use. The nearly $79–80 million project, funded through Fairfax County, VDOT, and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, has reduced recurring congestion on a corridor that carries roughly 60,000 vehicles per day, making Centreville and Chantilly measurably more accessible to regional job centers and reinforcing buyer demand in both communities.

Key Takeaways

• The Route 28 widening covers approximately 2.3 miles between the Bull Run bridge and the Route 29 interchange, expanding from four to six lanes, according to the Fairfax County Department of Transportation.
• The project cost nearly $79–80 million and was built within an eight-lane right-of-way, leaving room for a future expansion to eight lanes if corridor demand warrants it.
• Centreville's median sale price sits at $585,000 based on trailing 90-day data through September 2026, with a median of 52 days on market, positioning it as one of the more accessible entry points in Northern Virginia.
• In April 2026, Prince William County supervisors began weighing a parallel widening of Route 28 from four to six lanes between Liberia Avenue and the Fairfax County line, which would extend the corridor's capacity gains south of Bull Run.
• New 10-foot shared-use paths on both sides of the widened segment add walkable and bikeable access to retail, parks, and transit connections along the corridor.

What did the Route 28 widening actually build, and why does it matter for buyers?

The short answer: a lot more than just extra lanes. The physical scope of the project matters to anyone buying near this corridor because it shapes what living here actually feels like day to day.

According to the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, the project delivered six travel lanes across the 2.3-mile segment, upgraded traffic signals and intersection operations, removed or modified certain median crossovers for safer turning movements, added stormwater-management facilities, and installed new 10-foot-wide shared-use paths on both sides of Route 28 for pedestrians and cyclists.

Noise barriers were added along portions of the corridor as well. For buyers considering homes close to the road, that detail matters. The widening did not just add capacity; it added screening and drainage infrastructure that affects how adjacent neighborhoods experience the road.

Construction began around fall 2020. By November 2023, local officials reported the Centreville segment was substantially complete, with the six-lane configuration operational and remaining work on shared-use paths, noise barriers, and side-street improvements wrapping up through mid-2024. A Fairfax County transportation status report from January 2026 notes some construction activity tied to Route 28 corridor projects remains on hold due to adjacent site developments, with completion anticipated in mid-2026. As of this fall, the core project is finished and the corridor is functioning as designed.

What this means practically: buyers who previously crossed Route 28 off their list because of chronic congestion are looking at it again. That shift in perception is real, and I hear it from clients regularly when we're comparing communities along the I-66 corridor.

The eight-lane right-of-way detail that signals long-term confidence

One fact that doesn't get enough attention: according to Fairfax County's Route 28 Categorical Exclusion document, the widening was built within an eight-lane right-of-way, intentionally graded to allow a future expansion to eight lanes between the Route 29 interchange and Compton Road if demand continues to grow.

That's a forward-planning signal. Fairfax County doesn't grade extra right-of-way for corridors it expects to stay static. Buyers who think about long-term property value should read that as a county treating Route 28 as a growth spine, not a finished project.

The Prince William County piece adds more momentum

In April 2026, Prince William County supervisors began weighing a widening of Route 28 from four to six lanes between Liberia Avenue in Manassas and the Fairfax County line, after earlier bypass plans were cancelled. If that project moves forward, the capacity improvements feeding into Centreville from the south would extend, making the entire corridor more functional for commuters who live in Centreville or Chantilly and work in either direction.

The Federal Highway Administration's Route 28 Corridor profile puts the scale of prior phases in context: Phase 1 of the broader corridor improvements ran roughly $138.5 million, Phase 2 roughly $349 million. The Centreville segment is part of a multi-jurisdiction, multi-decade investment that shows no sign of stopping.

How does this infrastructure shift translate into Centreville real estate today?

Infrastructure investment doesn't move home prices overnight, but it does change the calculus buyers use when comparing neighborhoods. Here's where Centreville stands right now.

Based on trailing 90-day data through September 2026, Centreville's median sale price is $585,000 with a median of 52 days on market. That puts it at a meaningful price advantage over Chantilly ($730,000, 48 days) and Ashburn ($820,000, 26 days), while still sitting within the same commuter corridor that all three communities share.

Centreville has historically traded at a discount to Chantilly and Ashburn partly because of Route 28 congestion. With that congestion substantially reduced, buyers who need I-66 access but want a lower entry price have a genuinely stronger case for Centreville than they did three years ago. Whether that gap narrows over time depends on how development follows the infrastructure, but the direction is clear.

What development patterns typically follow a widened corridor

Fairfax County's decision to invest in multimodal features (the shared-use paths, intersection redesigns, and stormwater facilities) alongside the lane additions signals that the county is treating Route 28 as more than a car corridor. That design approach typically encourages:

• Infill redevelopment of older strip retail and office properties into mixed-use or higher-density residential and retail combinations near key intersections
• New retail and service centers positioned to capture traffic from the expanded road, especially near the Route 29 and Route 28 interchange area
• Walkable amenity additions that make the corridor more attractive to buyers who want suburban access without pure car dependency

Local coverage from Connection Newspapers framing the Route 28 improvements alongside broader Centreville and Chantilly planning reflects local expectations of more land-use activity near the widened corridor over the next several years. That's consistent with what I see in buyer conversations: people are starting to ask about Centreville in ways they weren't a few years ago, specifically because the access story has improved.

If you're weighing Centreville against Chantilly or Ashburn on lifestyle fit and commute, the Route 28 upgrade has meaningfully closed the gap. The specific answer for your situation depends on where you work, what price range you're targeting, and how much of a premium you'd pay for Ashburn's faster-moving market. That's exactly the kind of comparison I walk my clients through before we start touring.

For buyers thinking about how regional transit investments layer on top of road improvements, the Silver Line Metro's impact on Fairfax and Loudoun County real estate is worth reading alongside this, since the Dulles corridor benefits from both road and rail investments simultaneously. And if you want to understand how major employer relocations are reshaping demand in this same corridor, Amazon HQ2's effect on Sterling, Herndon, and Chantilly home prices in 2026 adds important context.

Every home near Route 28 is different. Proximity to the road, lot orientation, noise barrier coverage, and access to the new shared-use paths all vary by street and subdivision. The only way to know how a specific property stacks up is to run a local market analysis on it.

If you'd like to see what homes are trading for in the neighborhoods you're considering, or you want to talk through whether now is the right time to buy or list near the Route 28 corridor, let's connect and talk through your goals. Or if you already own near Centreville and want to know what your home is worth in today's market, get a free home valuation here.

You can read what past clients have said about working with me on Google, Zillow, and Realtor.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is buying a home near Route 28 in Centreville a good long-term investment now that the road is six lanes?

The completed widening removes one of the corridor's historically cited drawbacks, chronic congestion, and the eight-lane right-of-way signals Fairfax County expects continued growth pressure here. Whether a specific home is a strong investment depends on its exact location relative to the road, current pricing, and your timeline. A local market analysis will tell you more than any general answer can.

How is the Route 28 widening changing commute times from Centreville to the rest of Northern Virginia?

The six-lane configuration reduces recurring congestion between I-66 and the Prince William County line, which is the stretch that historically backed up worst during peak hours. Drivers heading to Dulles-area employment, Reston, Tysons, or Arlington via I-66 should see more consistent travel times, though actual savings vary by time of day and origin point within Centreville.

Will the Route 28 expansion lead to more shopping and mixed-use development around Centreville?

The corridor's multimodal design, including the shared-use paths and intersection upgrades, is consistent with Fairfax County treating Route 28 as a long-term growth spine rather than a static arterial. That typically attracts infill redevelopment of older retail and new mixed-use projects near key intersections over time, though specific projects depend on county zoning approvals and developer interest.

Does living close to the widened Route 28 mean more traffic noise?

The project included noise barriers along portions of the corridor, and their placement varies by segment. Homes directly adjacent to the road without barrier coverage will experience more noise than those set back or screened. When evaluating a specific property near Route 28, it's worth verifying which noise barriers are present and how the lot sits relative to the road.

What future road projects along Route 28 might affect property values in Centreville?

In April 2026, Prince William County supervisors began reconsidering a widening of Route 28 from four to six lanes between Liberia Avenue in Manassas and the Fairfax County line, according to WTOP. If approved, that project would extend the capacity improvements south of Bull Run, further improving access into Centreville from Prince William County and potentially reinforcing demand on both sides of the county line.

Equal Housing Opportunity. Kashif Rasul is licensed in the State of Virginia (Virginia Real Estate Board). This article is general information only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your specific numbers with your title company, tax advisor, or lender.