The future of North Woodbridge was in the hands of Prince William County residents last Wednesday and Thursday.
Prince William Board of County Supervisor Frank Principi sponsored a Town Hall Charrette about the area’s redevelopment at Northern Virginia Community College’s (NOVA) Woodbridge campus.
“We are here at the table. We are wanting to work with all of you, as stakeholders in our community, to do what? Well to, quite frankly, remake Woodbridge,” Principi said. “And I call it ‘New Woodbridge.’”
“New Woodbridge” stands on three principles — making the best planning decisions and offering multiple transportation solutions are among them.
“We are talking about a $4 billion high-speed rail line coming through Woodbridge that would serve intercity passengers between Richmond and Washington, D.C.,” Principi said. “That would go right through the Woodbridge VRE station, as it’s currently planned.”
Fast Ferry and PRTC, which is being remade, were two other options Principi mentioned.
The third focus of “New Woodbridge” is the neighborhoods.
“We have a legacy that we need to ensure does not exist again, and that’s the tall grass, the broken windows and graffiti,” Principi said.
Following Principi’s presentation, Town Hall Charrette attendees participated in round table discussions about North Woodbridge’s threats, opportunities, strengths and weaknesses.
They also mapped out what they think the area should look like.
Ryan Horner, an event volunteer, said a lot of material was covered in the group discussions.
“When we think about what it takes to put together a city, it’s not just where we’re going to have people be in houses, it’s not just where we’re going to put the new grocery store, it’s not just where we’re going to want to sit on a rooftop and watch the sunset or rise,” Horner said. “It’s about where do we want to put the infrastructure. Where do we put the schools? Where do we put the fire station? And it was great to hear that.”
