Homeowners in the Belmont Bay subdivision of Woodbridge plan to attend the Prince William County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 13 in an attempt to block a proposal to reverse a previously funded plan to bury utility cables in a 1.25 mile section adjacent to the bridge crossing the Occoquan River.
The Route 1 improvement project has been discussed for at least 20 years and the Prince William County Board of Supervisors approved plans to widen and enhance this major artery through a series of funding resolutions. For the final section, from Mary’s Way to the Occoquan Bridge, no funding was originally included for utility cables to be buried despite the fact that all along the remainder of the Route 1 improvement, these would be buried.
This caused a local outcry and, as a result of citizen and business pressure, a capital project was finally voted on Dec. 3, 2013 allowing for the funding of the burial of the utility cables.
Despite – or because of – the anticipated final approval of the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) for the construction contract on January 14, 2015, a last minute motion has been submitted by Prince William Gainesville District Supervisor Pete Candland to defund the project citing unspecified “higher priorities” in the County. Candland previously was part of the minority voting against the funding plan in December 2013.
This section of Route 1 entering the county is frequently referred to as “The Gateway to Prince William County” and residents and businesses alike have frequently expressed concern as to the downtrodden first impression given to visitors to the area, crossing the Occoquan. Leaving the utility cables as they are, after the road widening, will do nothing to dispel this first impression.
Residents and businesses in the surrounding area including many from the Belmont Bay development plan to attend the 2 p.m. Board of Supervisors meeting in the County Administration Building, one County Complex Court, Price William on Prince William Parkway, Woodbridge on Tuesday, Jan. 13 to vigorously oppose the defund motion.
There is a feeling that, despite the long term development plan for the county that notably incorporates the visionary “New Woodbridge” project, there is a risk that the plan will be progressively derailed if Board motions like this one are voted.
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