The Prince William Board of County Supervisors has approved the use of condemnation and quick-take powers to acquire properties needed for the Route 1 road widening project between Brady’s Hill Road in Dumfries and Route 234.
The project will expand Route 1 northbound into a six-lane divided roadway while converting the southbound portion (Main Street) into a two-lane road. The total budget for the project is $19.4 million, funded through federal, state, and regional Northern Virginia transportation sources.
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The Town Council of Dumfries received details of a new housing project presented by Reginald Tabor, the town's planning director.
The project, Harbor at Quantico Creek, will provide 125 age—and income-restricted housing units. The plan also includes a separate structure housing a daycare and cultural arts centers.
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Prince William County Public Schools Career and Technical Education program (CTE) aims to empower students by fostering academic achievement, interests, skills, and authentic learning experiences to help them thrive in an ever-evolving world.
Through four interconnected components, CTE programs provide students with opportunities to explore passions, build in-demand job skills through work-based learning, earn industry credentials, and more.
On May 20,, graduating students of the (CTE) signed commitment forms to further their careers via a variety of apprenticeships as well as military service. Representatives from Lockheed Martin, Plumbers and Gasfitters, AlphaBEST, United States Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy spoke about the commitment and dedication of the class of 2024. They praised the CTE program for providing workplace readiness skills through multiple pathways to ensure a thriving future for students.
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Dumfries celebrated its 275th anniversary with a grand Gala held at the National Museum of the Marine Corps on May 10, 2024. The event, emceed by Guy Lambert, a radio news anchor now with WTTG-TV in Washington, D.C., drew an attendance of approximately 150-200 guests, falling short of the advertised 350-person "sold out" crowd advertised by town officials.
Despite the anticipation, the room was noticeably less crowded than expected, with ample space for movement. Attendees were treated to a menu of food, though leftovers were abundant. Complimentary water and iced tea were available, while a bar offered additional beverage options. However, hors d'oeuvres were notably absent from the menu.
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The intersection of Spriggs Road and 234 is the new site of Prince William County’s newest Fire and Rescue Station. It’ll be the county’s 27th firehouse. The new station will improve response time and help ease emergency call volume at existing stations, county officials said.
The recent public hearing highlighted the project's cost of $18.5 million. It will house a pumper truck and an advanced life support ambulance, which will be operated by career (paid) staff.
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Stafford County Supervisor Crystal Vanuch, recognizing the crucial role of the Fredericksburg Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) in transportation planning, recently reached out seeking data on the teleworking trends among Federal Government employees.
This inquiry, driven by the concern that a significant portion of Virginia Railway Express (VRE) riders are federal employees, underscores the potential impact of a recall to in-person office work on peak-hour traffic congestion along Interstate 95.
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The construction of the Homeless navigation center in the east of Prince William County moved a little closer on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, with a unanimous vote to approve a zoning map amendment to use five parcels of land owned by the county for the center’s construction.
The land near Potomac Mills mall contains the OmniRide transit center, the regional bus hub, and Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission offices. The north portion of these five parcels, fronting Potomac Mills Road, is the former site of the Bill Mehr Drop-In Center, which provides meals, showers, and opportunities to connect and interact socially. The drop-in center is temporarily located at the Ferlazzo Building, a county government office complex on Route 1 in Woodbridge.
The county plans to demolish the old drop-in shelter and its parking lot and construct a new homeless shelter.
The west and south portions of these five parcels contain the location of the OmniRide bus storage yard, maintenance building, and employee parking. In the southeast portion is the county-owned building and its associated parking, which is currently occupied and operated by
Social Services will remain.
This site already contains a one-story former shelter that will be demolished and replaced with a new structure. Eventually, all five parcels of land will be consolidated.
The Prince William County Planning Commission and staff have reviewed the proposal, and both favored and recommended its approval.
Prince William County Occoquan Supervisor Kenny Boddye thanked the planning department for their work and said the project “was long overdue and needs to be moving faster.”
Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega echoed those same thoughts but also wondered when proposals would be put forth for a homeless navigation center in the west of the County as outlined in the action strategy.
According to the county’s comprehensive plan, adopted December 13, 2022, the county plans to “open homeless navigation centers in eastern and western Prince William County to increase the County’s ability to respond to emergent needs of people experiencing homelessness.
Several homeless shelters assist individuals and families in need in Prince William County and Manassas.
The Bill Mehr Drop-In Center, located at 15941 Donald Curtis Drive, the Ferlazzo Building, in Woodbridge, offers meals, showers, and various support services to help with health, employment, education, and housing needs.
The Hilda Barg Homeless Prevention Center, at 14945 Jefferson Davis Highway in Woodbridge, provides a year-round shelter for families and single adults, offering case management and job readiness programs.
The Ferlazzo Emergency Shelter, also located at 15941 Donald Curtis Drive in Woodbridge, serves single adults with a focus on providing assistance to navigate the system and access support programs.
Additionally, the Beverly Warren Emergency Shelter, operated by Action in Community Through Services (ACTS) in Dumfries, offers an 18-bed shelter for women and families with housing-focused case management.
The SERVE Family Shelter, operated by Northern Virginia Family Services (NVFS) in Manassas, provides a 90-bed emergency shelter for families and single adults, focusing on housing-focused case management.
Finally, the Supportive Shelter, operated by StreetLight Community Outreach Ministries in Woodbridge, offers eight beds. It caters to individuals with medical challenges or disabilities, focusing on immediate needs and permanent housing solutions.
In September 2020, Prince William County officials tried to use federal coronavirus funds to establish a homeless shelter in Dumfries. However, County Supervisor Andrea Bailey, representing the Potomac District encompassing Dumfries, requested the town’s Planning Commission to remove a request for consideration for the project from its agenda to amend zoning ordinances to allow the homeless shelter in the town’s B1 zoning district.
The reason behind Bailey’s request remains undisclosed.
Discussion about the planned homeless shelter was also quashed at the Dumfries Town Council’s agenda. Negotiations had commenced with the owners of Grace Church, located at 1006 Williamstown Boulevard, for the potential purchase of the church to convert it into a shelter.
In the end, Grace Church purchased a property about a mile away, at the corner of Route 234 and Van Buren Road, and built a new facility. The building that was to become the homeless shelter now houses the Prince William Campus of Potomac Valley Church.
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The project has started a fundraising campaign and continues to gather collections for the new museum. In 2025, the organization expects to release a report detailing the number of employees and the space required for the museum. Finally, 2026 will see the opening of the Stafford Museum.
Aptly named The Stafford Museum and Cultural Center, the center is envisioned as a hub for the public to connect with the county. Its role will be to “get people to go through the door” once the museum hosts exhibitions of local historical interest.
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The Prince William County Planning Commission has approved a special use permit (SUP) to construct a new church in the Potomac Magisterial District.
The proposed church, situated on 11 acres at the intersection of Route 234 (Dumfries Road) and Minnieville Road, has garnered both support and scrutiny from local officials and residents alike.
