Bi-County Parkway Dropped from Prince William’s VDOT Priorities List

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — The Bi -County Parkway is not on a short list of approved road projects sanctioned by Prince William County officials.

The Board of Supervisors Tuesday removed the planned 10-mile extension of Va. 234, known as “234 extended,” that would largely carry traffic from Va. 234 at Interstate 66 around Manassas National Battlefield Park and link Prince William and Loudoun counties.

The roadway project is ultimately a part of the hotly debated “North South Corridor of Statewide Significance” — an overall 45 –mile corridor that could become home to a highway that links I – 95 in Dumfries to Dulles Airport, and Va. 7 in Loudoun County.

Prince William County officials will now meet with state legislators at a special session June 18, where they are expected to hear more information about the “North-South Corridor.”

It it’s built, a highway along the “North-South Corridor” could see the conversion of Va. 234 to a limited access roadway, and it would carry cargo traffic to and from busy Dulles Airport through Prince William County to I-95.

Supporters of the road say it will spur business in Prince William County and Manassas, and allow for better connectivity to Dulles Airport. Opponents call it a “developer’s road” that will allow more homes to be built in Loudoun County.

Prince William Potomac District Supervisor Maureen Caddigan said she worries about increased noise levels that could come with increased freight traffic on such a highway.

“Yes it is a main road, but all of those people who have bought [homes], all those subdivisions, the gated communities, every subdivision along the way, didn’t bargain for this,” said Caddigan.

On the list of 14 priorities for primary roads over the next six years, Prince William officials said they want VDOT to focus on widening I-66 between U.S. 29 and U.S. 15 between Gainesville and Haymarket, widening U.S. 1 in Woodbridge, and building a commuter parking garage at a new baseball stadium for the Potomac Nationals in Woodbridge. The “234 extended” bypass was the only project removed from the primary road list.

The secondary roadways marked for improvement by County Supervisors on Tuesday include widening Telegraph Road in Woodbridge, paving Signal Hill Road near Manassas, and widening University Boulevard. But only the paving of Burwell Road, currently a gravel road, is funded to the tune of $127,000, said Blaser.

While Prince William Board Chair Corey Stewart wanted to add improvements Va. 28 in Yorkshire to the list– which would require changes to the county’s comprehensive plan — Blaser urged Supervisors to adopt a full and immediate list of priorities to present to state officials at VDOT.

“I think this list far exceeds the amount of funding that is available, so, in terms of adding on to it, I don’t think that’s practical if we are going to have a serious negotiation with VDOT about what are priorities list is. I think we should really establish a priorities list rather than a big ‘wish list,’” said Blaser.