Most Northern Virginia drivers have, at some point, felt the frustration that comes with sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Many experience it on their daily commutes.
Several projects may provide some relief in Prince William County.
Virginia Senator Scott Surovell and transportation agencies hosted a town hall at Northern Virginia Community College’s (NOVA) Woodbridge campus on Monday.
Representatives from the agencies, including Transurban and Virginia Railway Express (VRE), gave updates on Northern Virginia transportation projects.
The event was attended by several elected officials, including Congressman Gerry Connolly, State Senators George Barker and Jeremy McPike, and Virginia Delegates Hala Ayala, Jennifer Carroll Foy, Elizabeth Guzman, and Luke Torian.
Transportation, according to Connolly, is an important topic to discuss.
“I think it’s one of the most critical parts of our future and how we see our future, and what kind of legacy we’re going to leave our kids and grandkids,” Connolly said. “Prince William is a great place. We can make it a lot better by addressing transportation, and – I promise you – we’re going to do everything we can at the federal level to be a partner.”
The widening of Minnieville Road, Neabsco Mills Road, Route 1 in Dumfries, and Route 1 between Featherstone and Mary’s Way were among the projects covered.
County residents learned about the plan to extend the Potomac Shores Parkway to Route 1 and Route 234, as well.
Paolo Belita, transportation planner for the county’s Department of Transportation, also provided information about the Neabsco Mills Commuter Garage, which would offer 1,400 spaces.
Officials will begin designing the garage once a location is determined.
Construction of the facility is expected to be completed in summer 2023, according to Belita.
Parking is one factor that VRE leaders are keeping in mind as it looks to the future.
T.R. “Tom” Hickey presented VRE System Plan 2040, which was adopted in January 2014.
The agency has already begun phase one, during which it hopes to run longer trains.
“Capacity is a three legged stool. In order to get more capacity, we need – first of all – seats. In order for the seats to be filled, we need more parking spaces at train stations,” Hickey said. “In order to … park those longer trains somewhere, we need more storage tracks.”
In phase two, it seeks to offer more trains by adding more CSXT tracks and offering more parking.
