5 things that would get Route 28 traffic moving faster

There are five small improvements that can be made to help traffic move faster on Route 28 in Manassas.

These quick, short-term improvements were a result of a study that examined Route 28 from Interstate 66 to Liberia Avenue in Manassas.

2 new lanes in Fairfax County

The largest of the small five is adding new lanes to Route 28 in Fairfax County. The new lane would run from Bull Run River to Route 29, and would cut travel times about a third for commuters driving from Liberia Avenue to I-66. Fairfax County will construct the new lane, taking this portion of Route 28 in Fairfax from four to six lanes, to keep pace with growth in the region. Officials did not say how much this project will cost.

Roundabout / improved intersection

The next is an estimated $6.2 million realignment of the intersection of Route 28 and Compton Road, and the addition of a roundabout at the nearby intersection of Old Centerville Road. Drivers use Old Centreville Road as a parallel to the congested Route 28. Virginia Department of Transportation officials said the roundabout and relocated intersection would improve traffic flow in that area.

VDOT officials called this a “strange” intersection because it does not meet Route 28 at a 90-degree angle. The improvements would correct that.

Longer turn lanes at Liberia Avenue 

Extending the length of left turn lanes from Route 28 onto Liberia Road is Manassas would also improve traffic flow. This spot is often the scene of major traffic tie-ups and rear-end crashes, officials said.

The lanes should be extended so more vehicles may queue up to turn left from busy Route 28. If this project moves forward at an estimated $250,000, nearly Kincheloe Drive could be made a right turn in, right out only. A new traffic pattern for drivers entering Manassas Junction Shopping Center from Route 28 would also need to be considered, officials said.

New sidewalks

Two sidewalks are also a part of the quick fix solutions, to help separate pedestrian and bicycle traffic from vehicles. VDOT said a new sidewalk is needed on the east side of Route 28 at the bridge that carries vehicles across the Bull Run River between Prince William and Fairfax counties. The estimated $1.1 million sidewalks would connect to a walking path on the Fairfax County side of the bridge.

Another sidewalk is needed on the Prince William County side between Leeland Road and Spruce Street, on the westbound side of Route 28. The new sidewalk would be located outside Emanuel Christian School, and is estimated to cost $2.5 million to build due to higher drainage and utility relocation costs.

None of these projects is funded by local, state, or federal monies. VDOT officials said the study and its recommendations will provide elected officials a guide on how to quickly implement these quick solutions. VDOT spokesman Tom Fahrney said Prince William County could choose to fund these improvements. Other dollars could come from the state through the HB2 process, or from federal transportation grants.

A soon-to-begin Phase II study will look at larger improvements such as widening Route 28 in Prince William County, adding a reversible lane on the road for use during rush hours, expanding transit, and examining whether to build a bypass road once known as the Tri-County Parkway.

Prince William County Transportation spokesman Rick Canizales said a bypass road could be substantially cheaper to build than paying right-of-way cost to obtain land to widen Route 28 near Manassas.

“The construction costs of the [Tri-County Parkway] would be big. But the costs to take all of those businesses on Route 28 would be enormous,” said Canizales.

Prince William County paid $7 million for right-of-way acquisition of properties along Route 1 in Woodbridge for a similar widening project now under construction, he added.

A public meeting on the small five improvements on Route 28 was held Wednesday night at the Manassas Park Community Center with about 50 attendees. A similar public meeting was held two days earlier in Fairfax County, where two residents showed up to get information, said Fahrney.