Halley Rise - Gorove Slade

Transit-Oriented Innovation at Reston Town Center Station

Description

Halley Rise represents a new standard for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) south of the Dulles Toll Road in Reston, Virginia. Located at the Reston Town Center Station on the Silver Line extension, this transformative mixed-use master development integrates approximately 1.5 million square feet of office space, a 200-room hotel, 1,700 residential units, and 380,000 square feet of retail including an urban-model Wegmans. The project establishes a consolidated transit-oriented district in the heart of Reston while spurring additional adjacent development.

Creating a thriving mixed-use environment at this scale requires balancing diverse transportation needs while maintaining seamless connectivity to the Metro. Gorove Slade worked closely with Brookfield Properties and the development team to design transportation systems that promote walking, biking, and transit use, resulting in significantly reduced vehicle trips to and from the site.

Through comprehensive planning and transportation modeling, Gorove Slade established testing methodologies for access and circulation scenarios that route and distribute traffic for the project, adjacent parcels, and the Metro Kiss & Ride (passenger drop-off/pick-up area). The team developed detailed site plans that accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and bus riders from regional roads through the site to structured parking, including internal garage circulation patterns that maintain efficient flow while prioritizing non-vehicular modes.

The project required extensive collaboration with Fairfax County agencies, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and community stakeholders to navigate one of the region’s most complex regulatory environments. Our team coordinated closely with the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, planning staff, and elected officials to secure approvals for innovative transportation solutions, including a short-term pilot project for on-site autonomous vehicle deployment and comprehensive Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs.

As the site’s designated Transportation Demand Program Manager, Gorove Slade continues to promote non-auto modes of transportation as the area transitions from historically suburban to urban. The TDM Plan includes strategies for bike share integration, carpool matching, transit pass programs, and real-time multimodal information systems. This ongoing management ensures the development achieves its sustainability goals while providing residents and employees with real transportation choices.

Halley Rise transforms what was once auto-oriented suburban development into a walkable, bikeable urban district where residents and workers can thrive without dependence on personal vehicles. Gorove Slade’s transportation expertise ensures that growth around this major transit investment creates lasting community benefits while establishing new standards for development excellence in Fairfax County. The project demonstrates how intentional transportation planning transforms not just individual sites, but entire neighborhoods, creating places where people choose to walk, bike, and take transit because those options are genuinely convenient and enjoyable.