Staff and consultants presented the towns downtown travel-demand model and a traffic study that evaluated converting several downtown corridors to one-way pairs and recommended a mix of short-term safety fixes and longer-term investments. The commission heard data from speed studies, crash summaries and model runs and received an update on active development applications that planners say are largely already accounted for in the model.

The presentation, given in part by Scott Parker, senior planning project manager in the Department of Community Development, explained the modeling assumptions and how planned roadway improvements and approved developments were incorporated. "For those who don't know me, my name is Scott Parker. I'm a senior planning project manager, department of community development," Parker said while walking commissioners through an updated development map used in the travel-demand model.

The study area covered the downtown core bounded roughly by Catoctin Circle, Union Street and Fairview Street. Staff said data collection took place in September 2023 and that crash records from Jan. 1, 2018, through May 31, 2023, were summarized for the analysis. The crash summary in the study identified 2,216 crashes during that period; 70 percent were property-damage-only collisions, 27 percent resulted in injury and one crash was fatal. The study identified four intersections with concentrated crash history: East Market and Catoctin Circle; Catoctin Circle and South King Street; North King and North Street; and Market and King.

Staff said the consultant measured level-of-service and vehicle delay for existing (2023) and 2030 build conditions. Two broad build alternatives were modeled: a "Build 1" hybrid (keeping two lanes where current demand requires them) and a full one-way pair option ("Build 2"). Staff detailed operational changes required for either option, including signal modifications, pavement restriping, potential utility work and impacts to emergency response routing. The presentation noted that converting major corridors to one-way pairs tends to improve vehicular throughput but can increase travel speed and reduce direct access and visibility to downtown businesses.

Consultants and staff recommended near-term, low-cost safety measures that could be implemented regardless of the one-way decision: adding high-visibility retroreflective backplates on signal heads, flashing yellow arrows for left turns where a separate left lane exists, repainting pavement markings and stop bars, improving sight lines, adding audible pedestrian devices and targeted crosswalk and signage upgrades. Staff said those items could be pursued with VDOT-administered discretionary safety funding (HEDSiP) and other capital funds.

Commissioners and staff discussed operational tradeoffs at specific locations: North Street and the North King corridor, Market and King queues that already spill back into adjacent blocks, and potential queue impacts if the Loudoun County courthouse reaches full occupancy. Parker and staff emphasized the models dependence on assumptions about future land use and roadway projects; in several places Parker said the model uses the highest allowed density for unapproved parcels when projecting 2030/2045 conditions.

Parker also reviewed the towns development pipeline and highlighted the Leesburg Gateway rezoning application (the former Forestier property), which proposes several large data center buildings and flex/industrial space. Parker said data centers typically generate low traffic volumes compared with dense mixed-use or residential projects, and noted the applicant has proposed 21 acres of parkland as part of the submission. "They're proposing 3 data center buildings here now for 200,000 square feet each," Parker said. He added that the parcels current town-plan maximum density remains what the travel-demand model assumes for some future-year scenarios.

The commission asked staff to produce clearer deliverables for its special March meeting: a set of evaluation criteria and a slide-by-slide format tying each recommendation to implementability, cost and safety tradeoffs. Staff said the commissions next meeting (a special session on the study) would allow deeper discussion and that the council would be briefed in June; staff emphasized that the council meeting would be a discussion item only and that no capital funds for major conversions had been allocated in the FY26 budget.

Ending: Commissioners were urged to submit specific, written questions and local observations to staff before the special meeting so the traffic consultant could perform targeted follow-ups. Staff recommended commissioners consider both the short-term, low-cost safety items and the network-level circulation tradeoffs before making a final recommendation to council.