WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Prince William County has been slow to attract many Fortune 500 companies to the region, unlike its neighbor to the north Fairfax County which boasts many.
Part of the problem is its lack of a the Metro rail system which workers who live in the urban core of Washington, D.C., Alexandria and Arlington can use to get to job centers in Fairfax County. Employers are looking for easy access to mass transit so workers can avoid the daily peril that is commuting while driving on Interstates 95 and 66. Just this week, Springfield, and two locations in Prince Georges County, Md. – all near Metro stations – were named finalists in the search for a new headquarters for the FBI.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said a new Virginia Railway Express station in Woodbridge’s Potomac Shores neighborhood will be a new node in Northern Virginia’s transit system that hopes will help attract new companies to the region when it opens in 2017.
“The companies that I’m trying to bring to Virginia are the 21st century jobs – the cyber, the genome sequencing, all the bio life sciences… if you look at study after study, the folks who work in these industries want to be in communities that are walkable, ride a bike, that’s what they want, and this community is a place where they can do that,” said McAuliffe.
Right now, VRE is designed to ferry commuters from Northern Virginia north into Washington, D.C. on weekday mornings and then back home again in the afternoon.
These high tech, high-paying jobs that the governor wants to bring to Prince William will require VRE to rethink its service, and develop a plan to offer new trains that leave Washington on weekday mornings headed south, to bring workers from the urban center to fill these jobs.
“That is part of our plan, to run trains in both directions, so people can work out here and live in the city,” said VRE CEO Doug Allen.
The cost for this new service is expected to top more than $2 billion for the addition of new track, new rail cars, all to do what the commuter rail system is already planning to do: double it’s ridership to 50,000 riders per day by 2040. The money, Allen says, could come from federal grants.
Improvements to the Long Bridge, which carries VRE and freight trains across the Potomac River into Washington, D.C., will also need to be improved if more trains are to be added to the system, said Allen. While the new infrastructure will cost, operating costs for the system are expected to remain about the same is southbound service is added, said Allen.
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In this Potomac Local News Podcast episode, we sit down with Jeff Joyner, President of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, to explore the hospital’s incredible 50+ year journey – the past 15 years of which have been under Sentara’s watch.
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Planet Fitness opened its first location in Stafford. The new 30,900-square-foot facility, located at 1455 Stafford Market Place in the Stafford Market Place shopping center, is designed to provide a welcoming, judgment-free environment for individuals at all fitness levels.
The building used to house a Best Buy that announced its closure one year ago after 16 years in business. Our coverage of the closure was some of the most-read content on Potomac Local News in 2024.
The Stafford location features state-of-the-art equipment, including strength machines, free weights, a dedicated area for high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and a functional training room with turf for agility exercises. Members can also access amenities such as fully equipped locker rooms with showers, a mobility and stretching space, and free WiFi.
A highlight of the facility is the Black Card Spa, available to those who pay for a higher membership tier. The spa includes Hydro Massage Loungers, massage chairs, recovery loungers, and salon-grade tanning beds, offering members an opportunity to relax and recover post-workout.
Called to Jail
A 44-year-old man found himself back at Rappahannock Regional Jail after making a false report and harassing a jail officer with obscene phone calls. Initially, deputies responded to a call about a death and gunshot outside the jail, which turned out to be false. The suspect, located at a local motel, was arrested and charged with using obscene language and filing a false report.
Assault
– Marion Manor Nursing Home: A staff member assaulted another during a disagreement. The suspect was charged with assault and battery and held without bond.
– Shasta Place: A male suspect bit the victim during a verbal altercation. He was charged with assault and battery but released on personal recognizance.
DUI
Deputies discovered a car in a ditch on Courthouse Road. The driver admitted to drinking beer, with three empty cans found in her vehicle. She was charged with DUI, drinking while driving, and refusal, and held on a $3,000 bond.
Hit and Run
A vehicle struck a VDOT sign and two unoccupied trucks at EZ Auto Sales before the driver fled. Deputies identified the suspect using evidence left in the vehicle, and warrants for hit and run and property destruction were issued.
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Experience the passion and drama of Puccini’s “The Girl from the Golden West”.
Featuring special guest musicians from The Chesapeake Youth Orchestra, this performance brings Puccini’s masterpiece to life with an extraordinary cast.
Featuring:
