Quantico mayor advocates for improved access as town’s sole entry faces challenges

Brown says the town took to Facebook on Saturday, Feb. 10, to express its frustration. The town posted a photo of a train stopped on the tracks, blocking Potomac Avenue, the town’s entrance.

“Lives are being put at risk due to the closure of the Broadway Street Gate (Gate 3) and lack of access to the Martin Street underpass. Unsat. Not Semper Fidelis. RR blocked for over 30 mins,” a town staffer posted on Facebook.

Since the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 2, 2020, access to the town has been restricted to only those who live and work in the town. Last year, Potomac Local told you Quantico town officials had asked their neighbors on Quantico Marines Corps Base to reopen multiple streets that were closed after Solemani’s death; the Marine Corps ratcheted up security and required everyone entering the base to have a military ID or get special clearance.

Drivers must pass through the base to get to the town, which predates the base’s 1917 opening.

Brown told Potomac Local the town has not received a response from the Marines since posting to Facebook last weekend. Multiple requests for comment about this issue since the town made its post have also gone unanswered.

Potomac Avenue is the town’s main entrance and exit. It is a street with a view of the river that shares its name, and most town shops are on it.

Brown said he’s also trying to rally federal help from Senator Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, and Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the town’s congresswoman.

The railroad track at the town’s entrance carries Amtrak, Virginia Railway Express, and freight trains. The base is putting the finishing touches on improvements to the passenger train station.

Brown told Potomac Local last year that when trains stop on the tracks for extended periods, that spells problems for residents, preventing them from leaving. Brown said stalled trains also prevent emergency vehicles from entering to render aid promptly.

Before the restrictions, drivers could also enter the town on Broadway Street or use a railroad underpass on Martin Street.

Last year, base spokesman Capt. Michael Curtis told us Base Commander Col. Michael L. Brooks continues to work with the town and federal officials to ensure access to the town. While it’s not like it used to be before 2020 when civilians could show a Virginia license at the main gate and drive to town, the Marine Corps is working on a solution to fit the needs of residents and Marines.

About 600 people live in Quantico town.