FAIRFAX - Drivers traveling to the new FBI headquarters can save nearly 10 minutes daily if the agency is relocated to Springfield rather than either site in Prince George’s County, according to an analysis compiled by Fairfax County.

The analysis considered auto travel times from 20 locations across Maryland, Virginia, and the District to each of the three sites under consideration for the FBI’s new suburban headquarters. It used growth forecasts through 2025 from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments travel demand model and travel time data from Google and Metro.

The average travel time for drivers to Springfield is 28 minutes, below that of both Greenbelt (37 minutes) and Landover (36 minutes).

“The Springfield FBI location gets commuters to work an average of 3-4 hours faster than the other potential locations every month, meaning more productivity and less stress,” said Chairman Sharon Bulova of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. “The faster commute, newly renovated Springfield Town Center, and the Franconia-Springfield Metro station make the Springfield site an ideal location for the new FBI headquarters.”

The analysis also shows that many Maryland residents can reach the Springfield site more quickly than either site in their home state.

Shady Grove residents traveling in single occupancy vehicles can arrive in Springfield in 31 minutes as opposed to 39 minutes to Greenbelt or 51 minutes to Landover, according to the analysis. Similarly, District residents commuting by car from Union Station arrive in Springfield 5 and 7 minutes quicker than if they were heading to Greenbelt or Landover.

Even drivers leaving from Branch Avenue - in Prince George's County - could arrive in Springfield almost as quickly as they could to either Maryland site.

“We’ve long debated whether Maryland or Virginia had the highest number of FBI employees,” said Supervisor Jeff McKay, “But this analysis sheds a new light on that argument. It’s actually shorter for many of the agency’s employees, even those living in Maryland, to get to Springfield. At a time when gridlock seems to be everywhere, we need to be wise about where the FBI relocates. This information, combined with our site’s major mass transit advantages, just reaffirms what we’ve said all along: Springfield makes the most sense for the FBI.”

FBI personnel traveling to the GSA warehouse in Springfield by mass transit will also experience travel time savings over the two sites in Maryland, the analysis suggests.

The average trip time for mass transit commuters leaving from the same 20 sites to Springfield is 63 minutes, quicker than a trip to Greenbelt (65 minutes) and Landover (90 minutes).

In addition to shortened daily travel times, FBI employees will see significant travel reductions when commuting to the agency’s training facility in Quantico. Vehicle commuters will arrive in Quantico more than 30 minutes sooner when departing from Springfield, while mass transit commuters will benefit from the site’s connection to the VRE, which allows FBI employees to travel directly to Quantico by train. Employees will also save time when commuting to the other FBI facilities throughout the Commonwealth, including the new Central Records Complex in Winchester.

Support for Springfield FBI Location:

"This analysis provides powerful evidence of the excellent opportunity for the FBI leadership, their employees and Virginia with the relocation of the FBI headquarters to Springfield," said Governor Terry McAuliffe. "A decision in favor of Fairfax County would guarantee the shortest possible commute times for employees and visitors traveling to and from the facility. Virginia has made proactive infrastructure investments and is committed to continued improvements in support of this important project."

-      Governor Terry McAuliffe, VA

"Today's analysis further confirms that Springfield is the ideal location for the FBI. Not only is the Springfield site cost-effective and close to the FBI's major training facility at Quantico, it's also the most accessible option for the agency's employees who are indispensable to the FBI's mission of protecting and defending the United States."

-      U.S. Senator Mark Warner, VA

"The Springfield GSA site is the most accessible potential FBI headquarters site by both highway and transit. Virginia has devoted significant resources to reducing highway congestion and bolstering transit options, and this is why. This finding is one more reason why Springfield would be the best fit for the FBI's needs and the best location for its employees."

-          U.S Senator Tim Kaine, VA

"The FBI relocation decision must be driven in large part by what is best for the FBI personnel and their families, and this data further confirms that the Springfield location best serves them. Add to this the fact that Virginia is the logical home for law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and the choice is clear."

-          Congressman Don Beyer, 8^th District VA

“This travel-time analysis again validates our assertion that the federal government-owned warehouse property in Springfield is the most logical location for the new FBI headquarters. The average travel time for single-occupant vehicles to Springfield from locations across the region is meaningfully better, saving nearly 10 minutes on average compared to the other proposed sites. For FBI employees who are able to utilize carpools or mass transit from around the region, the data shows the quickest average commute will also be to Springfield, which offers immediate access to I-495, the Capital Beltway, Metro, and VRE. Congressional guidance on the FBI relocation proposal has placed a premium on ‘transportation access.’ The Springfield site provides the critical nexus for the FBI with the agency’s other facilities in Quantico and Winchester, with their security partners at the CIA and the Pentagon, and now, clearly, with the regional transportation network.”

-          Congressman Gerry Connolly, 11^th District VA

"This travel analysis is even more evidence that the new FBI headquarters should reside in Springfield. The proposed site is convenient for commuters, and this new analysis shows that Springfield is by far the superior location."

-          Congresswoman Barbara Comstock, 10^th District VA

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