Public hearing set for Balls Ford Road widening

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — The Prince William County Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on the design of the proposed project to widen Balls Ford Road to four lanes between Doane Drive and Ashton Avenue.

The public hearing will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at The Life Church, 11234 Balls Ford Road.  The formal presentation will start at 7:00 p.m.

During the meeting, the public will have the chance to preview the project information and design plans and comment on the project, which is scheduled to begin construction in the fall of 2020 with a completion date set for the fall of 2022.

Representatives from the Prince William County Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Transportation, or VDOT, and the County’s engineering consultant will be on hand to answer questions about the project.

The proposed 1.2-mile project is funded by State funds from the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway contract and administered by the County Department of Transportation under VDOT’s Locally Administered Projects program.

Nearby, the county is also planning a $145 million project to build a new $145 million diverging diamond interchange, like one that opened in 2017 at Route 15 and Interstate 66, and one under contraction at Courthouse Road and Interstate 95 in Stafford, will be built on the parkway at Balls Ford Road.

The interchange is unlike others as it uses signal lights to regulate traffic, and places drivers on opposite sides of the road as vehicles navigate the intersection. Left turns are eliminated as part of the traffic pattern in the interchange.

The proposed widening project and diverging diamond interchange will connect with other Transform I-66 Outside the Beltway Projects including a 1,200-space commuter lot on Century Park Drive with direct access to the proposed I-66 Express Lanes.

The project will also help alleviate congestion by adding capacity to the roadway.  These improvements are planned to be completed by the end of 2022, according to a county spokeswoman.

Residents who cannot attend the meeting can see the design plans on the county’s website at pwcgov.org/transportation, under “Current Road Projects” and then the “Balls Ford Road Widening” heading.

Comments about the project may be mailed to the Prince William County Department of Transportation, Attn: Mary Ankers, 5 County Complex Court, Prince William Va. 22192. Comments may also be emailed to [email protected] by June 7. Please reference “Balls Ford Road Widening to 4 Lanes Design Public Hearing Comments” in the subject heading.