Hope for ‘Suicide Hill’ coming with traffic improvements

WOODBRIDGE — It’s a cramped, crowded, and congested intersection in Woodbridge referred to as “Suicide Hill.”

And it was a topic of discussion at a “Conversation with the Chief,” a candid conversation with Prince William County Police Chief Barry Barnard on July 17.

The hill is where East Longview Drive intersects with busy Route 1. There’s also an entrance to Marumsco Plaza, and this all can make for troublesome traffic conditions.

Drivers that turn onto Suicide Hill at East Longview Drive, or continue straight from West Longview Drive onto East Longview, mix in with cars entering and exiting the Marumsco shopping plaza.

Drivers exiting the shopping plaza can also create chaotic traffic conditions as many turn out of the shopping plaza, head down the hill, and then quickly dart across traffic to turn left to head south on Route 1.

“I have to go by Suicide Hill just to get in and out of my neighborhood,” said Dennis Haga, who’s lived in the area for 55 years.

In that time, the area has become more populated and congested, he said. And in addition to shoppers, at the top of the hill is the Bayvue Apartments Homes complex with residents coming and going.

But there is hope for drivers and neighbors seeking relief from this issue thanks to the project to widen Route 1 from Mary’s Way to the Occoquan River.

Plans given to Potomac Local by the Prince William County Transportation Department show the intersection at East Longview and Route 1 will be widened from three to five lanes. Drivers on East Longview headed toward Route 1 will have two through lanes to continue onto West Longview, and left and right turn lanes to turn onto Route 1 north and south.

Drivers crossing Route 1 from West Longview onto East Longview will soon have two through lanes. Drivers turning right from Route 1 north onto East Longview will also have wider turn area, and cars will merge into the two new through lanes.

New concrete medians (marked on the plans in purple) will also restrict cars from crossing over into oncoming traffic, and will better control the flow of cars turning left into Marumcso Plaza.

“We are currently in the Design and right-of-way stage. The project will be complete Spring of 2021,” stated Prince William County Transportation Director Rick Canizales in an email to Potomac Local.