Parking reduction could force commuting, work changes

Rhonda Reed is looking to cut her losses and move north because of the lack of effective commuter parking in Woodbridge.

Though she lives in the Virginia suburb she works in Friendship Heights, Md., just north of the Washington, D.C. line.

Use our interactive map of commuter lots in the Potomac Communities that could provide a you a parking alternative to the Potomac Mills mall commuter parking lot.

She leaves her house each weekday morning by 6:45 a.m. to get to the Potomac Mills mall commuter lot by 7:15 a.m. to get a parking space, before the lot becomes full.

She usually arrives at work by 9 a.m. – a two hour and fifteen minute one-way commute.

“I am willing to short sale my house and buy another one closer in to D.C. to not to have to deal with this crap. I would move out of Prince William because it is no longer the Mecca that it used to be; every place now has the same stores so we would no longer have to do all of our shopping here,” said Reed.

While she made no indication she is in financial trouble and is being forced from her home, she is not alone when it comes to residents who want to change their commuting patterns after mega shopping center Potomac Mills mall announced that on Feb. 14 they will reduce the number of commuter parking spaces from 1,000 to 275.

The announcement sent shock waves across the commuter community known as Slugs – those who ride in vehicles of three or more occupants to use express lanes on Interstate 95 and 395.

It has also forced elected officials to find other places for commuters to park in a sea of other commuter lots already at capacity.

Brenda Phaler moved 37-miles north, from Fredericksburg to Dale City, so she could get to her job in Downtown Washington faster. A body snatcher (drivers who pickup slugs each morning so they may all ride the express lanes), she has asked her boss if she can come in later each weekday morning because of the announced parking changes.

“My boss is still mulling over the schedule change, but the whole thing is an additional stress. Why doesn’t the county work with Potomac Mills to find a solution to the parking problem, or pay them a stipend to build a new parking lot?” said Phaler.

Finding a solution

So far, the mall has been unwilling to renege on their decision despite poor reaction from some residents who have called for an outright boycott.

While that is unlikely, as Potomac Mills is popular with out of town shoppers, mall officials say they need the additional space for a planned expansion of new stores and restaurants, and remind commuters they have been generous with their parking spaces. Under an agreement with the Prince William County, the mall is only required to provide 275 parking spaces for commuters and has been providing the additional 750 without being asked.

Now, a commuter town hall has been scheduled at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Ferlazzo Building on U.S. 1 in Woodbridge, and it will be hosted by two elected officials: Prince William County Supervisors Frank Principi and Mike May.

“It is essential that we find a way to limit the impact on our commuters.  Supervisor May and I wanted to be able to inform our constituents and give them the opportunity to provide us with feedback.  A town hall will provide us a forum to accomplish both of these goals,” stated Principi in an email.

Officials are in talks with a local church to potentially lease up to 500 spaces from a Baptist Church in Woodbridge, as well as expand the Horner Road commuter lot nearby Potomac Mills mall – the largest commuter lot in Virginia.

However, neither of those solutions will be in place by February 14, when the majority commuters at Potomac Mills will no longer be able to park there.

“It’s going to affect us a lot. I mean they have other commuter lots, but will riders (slugs) use those lots? I use this one because it’s so convenient to 95,” said Lorraine Bedeau, a federal worker who’s lived in Woodbridge since 1993 and has slugged for six years. “I’m looking for jobs in this area now, jobs that might pay a bit less, that’s how bad it’s gotten now.”