Woodbridge looks bad now, but new Route 1 improvements on the way

Work on widening U.S. 1 between Mary’s Way and the Occoquan River just kicked into Phase II.

Crews have focused their attention on the area between Route 123 and Annapolis Way, where many buildings have been boarded up or already razed — including an old Taco Bell restaurant and motel — to make way for the wider interchange at Routes 1 and 123.

The first phase of the project includes widening Route 1 from Mary’s Way north to Annapolis Way, and the second phase includes building a new interchange at Routes 1 and 123.

Work on phase 1 on southern end of the project is mostly completed.

The first part of work associated with this project is the undergrounding of utilities, which involves constructing an underground duct bank and includes some demolition of buildings in its location. This work began in February 2015 and scheduled to be completed by early spring 2016.

The widening is scheduled to begin in April 2016.

There is also the demolition of acquired buildings included in the widening. The first phase is widening to six lanes from St. Mary’s Way to the approach to the Occoquan River Bridge.

The second phase would include a new interchange carrying Route 123 over Route 1, and widening Route 123 from Route 1 to just east of I-95.

-Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jennifer McCord.

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Route 1 serves as the southern gateway from Fairfax County into Prince Wiliam County, and right now the area is anything but pristine. The boarded up buildings, and illegally dumped arm chair recliners that dot the landscape make Woodbridge look very uninviting.

Woodbridge District Supervisor Frank Principi recently posted details of a question and answer session he had with VDOT about the project. Principi said he was concerned about abandoned buildings being used by squatters, and said VDOT should repost signs noting the buildings are now property of the state.